3 Ingredient Brownies Recipe + Video (Only 5 Minutes to Prep)
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3 Ingredient Brownies are moist, chewy, chocolatey, and oh-so-fudgy! Even better, they come together in just 5 minutes. 3 ingredient Nutella brownies are sweet enough to be a treat but not overly decadent. Definitely my top choice of easy brownie recipes with few ingredients!
The recipe card proves that you only need 3 simple ingredients to make these healthy brownies!
You’ll be treating your sweet tooth in no time at all! Traditional brownies are great – but these 3-ingredient brownies show that healthy desserts are amazing as well.
I love that there are no extra added sugars, and you just need pantry staples to whip them up.
And while leftover brownies are always good, I highly doubt that you’ll have any left! The first time that I made these, I baked them up as easy afternoon snacks.
Everyone agreed that the chewiness of the brownies was an instant favorite – and as soon as they were cool to the touch on the cooling rack, we were gobbling them up.
It’s quickly become one of our favorite desserts, and all our taste buds agree that they’re so good!
Table of Contents
3 Ingredient Brownies
I love making homemade brownies, but sometimes I want to whip something up really quick and head out the door in a few minutes.
Easy brownie recipes with few ingredients come out just as delicious without all the effort!
These 3 ingredient Nutella brownies come together so easily and the taste is spectacular — all the fudgy flavor and texture, plus a hint of hazelnut from the chocolate spread.
Another brownie recipe I love is my buckeye brownie recipe (chocolate peanut butter)
While you’re on a 3-ingredient kick, try my easy fudge recipe or these delectable peanut butter cookies. I also have about a dozen 2-ingredient recipes for you to try!
Recipe Video
To see us make this three ingredient brownie recipe from start to finish, watch the video in this post!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Hazelnut Spread – Instead of cocoa powder, Nutella provides rich chocolate flavor and the fat needed to make these deliciously fudgy.
- Eggs – Make sure to use large eggs so the yolks are big enough. You can even toss in an extra yolk if you’d like!
- Flour – Use the spoon and level method to ensure your flour is measured properly. Regular all-purpose is perfect, or substitute your favorite 1-to-1 gluten-free blend.
- Salt – This is optional, but it really helps balance the flavors so each three ingredient brownie isn’t overly sweet.
If you wanted to alter or add some other ingredients, you could experience adding some almond butter, maple syrup, or even unsweetened cocoa powder.
The maple syrup would add a nice natural sweetness, and the cocoa powder would turn this into a fudgy treat.
You could even sprinkle some chocolate chips on top or some flaky salt for a sweet and salt combo.
There are always ways to make this an even more decadent treat, but keep in mind that for the best results, following the steps on the recipe card below is ideal.
That way, you only need a handful of ingredients.
Three Ingredient Brownie Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use the right tools.
All you have to do is dump the ingredients in a bowl, mix, and pour the batter into the pan. However, overmixing will lead to tough brownies every single time.
Wooden spoons and silicone spatulas are the best tools for the job.
Break up the egg yolks first, then slowly stir the ingredients together until there are no more streaks of flour. It’s fine if there are still a few lumps.
- Bring eggs to room temperature.
This small step makes a big difference in the consistency of your brownie batter!
Remove them from the refrigerator about an hour before starting the recipe.
To speed up the process, you can crack them into the bowl. Just keep the bowl tightly covered with plastic wrap so nothing gets in there!
- Slice with ease!
Have you ever tried to cut brownies straight out of the oven? You pretty much end up with a mess of a brownie pan.
I used to have the same problem until a friend of mine gave me a tip. Cut them with a disposable plastic knife!
Unlike metal knives, the plastic cuts through these 3 ingredient brownies like butter and does not tear up the edges — even when they are hot.
I do my best to cut them into equal portion sizes for easy removal, but no matter what, we all want those corner pieces that only happen in a square pan!
Good thing there are four corners to share of this sweet treat.
3 Ingredient Nutella Brownies FAQ
A higher fat-to-flour ratio is the best way to get fudgy brownies that are still baked properly — not underbaked.
You need to rely on chocolate (not cocoa powder), butter, and/or eggs to achieve this when making easy brownie recipes with few ingredients.
For 3 ingredient Nutella brownies, there’s plenty of fat in the hazelnut spread and egg yolks to make this happen.
If you prefer cakey brownies, use a bit more flour plus some baking powder for lift.
With the toothpick test! Grab a regular wooden toothpick and insert it into the very center of your three ingredient brownies.
There should be a few moist crumbs stuck to the surface with a smear of brown color. If the toothpick is coated in wet batter, they need more time in the oven.
You do not want the toothpick to come out totally clean (like a cake). By the time they cool, your three ingredient brownies will end up being dry.
Storing and Freezing Three Ingredient Brownies
Transfer sliced 3 ingredient brownies to an airtight container. Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
You can also freeze them for up to 3 months! Wrap each three ingredient brownie in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer-safe bag or container.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then microwave if you want it warm again.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Easy Dessert Recipes
3 Ingredient Brownies Recipe + Video (Only 5 Minutes to Prep)
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, 13-ounce container
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, heaping
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350°F. Prepare an 8″x8″ baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Mix chocolate spread and eggs in a medium bowl until combined. Add flour and salt. Mix until combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake 20 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published July 2015, updated and republished September 2024
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We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
There's a lot of wasted space to scroll through to get to the recipe!
I apologize for the trouble, there seems to be a formatting issue. Tech is working on prettying it up for us. Thank you for scrolling for it.
xoxo
Oh my goodness Donna- these look and sound amazing! PS- totally worth scrolling for;)
Thanks Rachel! You are awesome. xo
I see four ingredients, lol. Still look delicious!
I thought the same thing…..
Salt and pepper do not count when tallying recipe ingredients. Funny though. Enjoy and let us know how it goes.
When making a recipe…you generally don't count salt in on the number of ingredients because you use it everywhere.. She is aware of the 'comments' concerning the 'number' of ingredients. In the long run the question that begs to be answered is: Do you LIKE the brownies? Have you even MADE the brownies…or are you too busy just BI*CHING about the number of ingredients to fill your pathetic life?
Thats four ingredients. .
Nutella is very expensive in Brazil. They would not be very cost-effective ;(
Same here in AK… these would be called "3 Ingredient $12 brownies" haha I think I'll stick to my $2 boxed mix!
Here in California there are many hazelnut chocolate spreads of various quality and price. The jar from the 99 cents store works fine for many purposes.
I made these today and my family thought they were too salty. Most other versions of this recipe that I've seen do not have salt. If I make them again I would definitely cut the salt in half! Otherwise they were good and easy!
I wish I read through the reviews earlier. I made the brownies today and found them to be too salty. Lesson learned.
Yeah me too! I made them today and they turned out salty but that’s fine. Next time I’m not gonna use salt. Otherwise this recipe is easy and delicious.
I never see a "print" tab next to your recipes. I have to copy and paste it into Word.
I see a lot of Negative Nancy's posting 🙁 She was kind enough to provide a recipe, no need to hound her about formatting, cost of ingredients, or saying there are 4 ingredients instead of 3 blah blah. Geez!
I see that all the time too.
Thank you for the cutting tip. I'll have to try it next time. My daughter is allergic to tree nuts, but can eat peanut butter. I wonder if this would work with one of the chocolate peanut butters?
Looks yummy! Could this work with peanut butter?
Chocolate Peanut Butter might work fine in the recipe but your Brownies would not be very chocolaty. Nutella doesn't have a super nutty taste, but the chocolate peanut butters taste very peanut buttery. So I think you'll end up with peanut butter bars w/ chocolate. Good luck!
condiments never count as ingredients.
Thank you for the recipe. If you need to make the nutella at home just purchase hazelnuts and cocoa powder and look up the a recipe on pinterest or your favorite place….. or you can use any other type of nut, walnut,cashew these are great replacements for the hazelnut.
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The best recipe ever that I tried for brownies
For those complaining that these are $12 brownies versus $2 brownie mix…umm, you get what you pay for and the $2 mix requires eggs, oil (usually), so how do these cost $12?? If one bakes, one has flour and one usually has eggs (2 are fairly cheap prorated cost of a dozen), sea salt at Aldi is $1per 8 0z or more grinder, never seen it anywhere over $2 and Nutella is a brand name at most in my area is less than $4 per container but buying store brand or JIF is $1 to $3 so huge exaggeration that these are $12 brownies…I made them for less than $4 and they are awesome! I even made them reducing the 'nutella' a bit to swirl in peanut butter…also awesome!
Nutella in some areas is hideously expensive.
If anyone has an Aldi close by, they sell their own version of Nutella. It's Berryhill Hazelnut Spread and it tastes identical. Might be worth looking into for those concerned about the cost of Nutella.
I made these today with chocolate chips instead of Nutella, simply because I didn't have Nutella, 1 tsp of vanilla, two eggs and 3/4 cup ground almonds. Very definitely the best brownies ever!
I like the ground almonds replacement. I will try it instead of the gluten free flour as it has more protein and good fats. Thank you for posting.
Do u have to use sea salt or does regular salt work fine?
You can use any salt. If substituting with a fine grain salt (such as table salt reduce the amount to 3/4 teaspoon). Enjoy and let us now how it goes.
What was the measurement for nutella?
One whole jar
What was the nutella measurement?
What was the measurement for nutella?
Why can't these recipe bloggers just put the recipe up, and leave the stories and garbage for scrolling and linking? And learn to count, you can't have a three ingredient recipe that has FOUR ingredients!
That's like saying, "Why can't these recipe blog readers just keep their nasty comments to themselves." It's a blog, not just a cookbook. Food blogs contain stories in addition to recipes. If you just want recipes, look to a cookbook. If you don't like what's written, don't continue to read it. There's no reason to be nasty about it. You actually took the time out of your day to intentionally be mean.
Bahahahaha. Awesome reply.
Yes, I really wanted to tell these people, "OH COME ON!!!, Behave and give her coudos, Stop being so negative !!
Sometimes the comments are better than the recipes, but in this case, even though I have not made them yet, I KNOW the recipe is delicious! Costly? Maybe, depending on where you live. But it's the convenience of quick brownies. Don't like Nutella? Then don't make these! Three ingredients vs four? Really? Salt doesn't count. I just want to thank you for posting this quick, delicious sounding recipe that I am trying in a bit to take to work this morning. I'm sleepy still and these are quick…WINNER for me! And that is what this is about…quick and delicious brownies. Thank you for taking the time to post the recipe!
A true baker knows you don't count salt as an ingredient. I also did not find this to be an expensive dessert. Thank you Donna for taking the time to share your recipe.
Let's be nice to each other please. There is so much HATE and NASTINESS in the world especially right here in the US. Can't we do something as simple as recipe exchanging without being UGLY to each other?
I agree.
I agree! People just need to be kind. This recipe sounds amazing and will be making it at home today as I have a date tonight. ( Go me ! ) Regarding the comments of scrolling down to see the recipe…Seriously? It's not a biggy. It doesn't take that much time to scroll to the recipe. Sometimes scrolling, especially when it involves a recipe is worth its wait in gold. Again, please be kind to one another. Remember the golden rule. Happy day to you all.
Tammyneuroth stop complaining about silly things like how many ingredients are in it geeeze I thought we are adults. I'm going to try this today it looks great and I love Nutella and the brownies look dence which I love. I'm not one for cake like brownies so thanks for the recipe,I'll let you know how it goes.
Currently have a batch of loaded brownies in my oven. I love this recipe, but this time I've added a swirl of caramel; milk, dark and white chocolate chips and some fresh raspberries. I'll let you know how they go, and if they're good I'll share the quantities! 😉
Thank you!