Mini Chocolate Brownie Pies Recipe

Make dough

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tsp granulated sugar, and a pinch of sea salt until evenly combined.

Cut in fats

Add 6 tbsp cold cubed butter and 2 tbsp cold shortening to the dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter or two forks (or pulse in a food processor), cut the fats into the flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.

Bring dough together

Stir in 0.5 tsp vanilla. Sprinkle 2 tbsp ice water evenly over the mixture and gently fold with a fork until dough just comes together when pressed. Add up to 1 more tsp water only if very dry. Do not overwork.

Chill and roll

Form the dough into a flat disk, wrap in plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days). Once chilled, lightly flour a work surface, roll dough to about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick, and cut rounds slightly larger than your mini pie pans or a standard muffin tin (about 3.25–3.5 inch rounds).

Fit shells

Gently press each round into mini tart pans or muffin cups, trimming excess by pressing with a knife or your fingers so shells have even edges. Prick bottoms a few times with a fork to prevent puffing.

Pre-bake (blind bake)

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line each shell with a small circle of parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes, remove weights and parchment, then bake 3–5 more minutes until edges are set and lightly firm. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) for filling bake.

Melt chocolate and butter

Place 170 g chopped bittersweet chocolate and 85 g unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl set over a small pot of simmering water (double boiler) or microwave in 20–30 second bursts, stirring between, until smooth and melted. Remove from heat and let cool 3–4 minutes.

Whisk in sugars

Whisk in 3 tbs granulated sugar and 3 tbs packed light brown sugar until dissolved and mixture is glossy.

Add eggs and vanilla

Whisk in 2 large eggs, one at a time, whisking vigorously after each until fully incorporated and mixture is shiny. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract.

Fold dry ingredients

Sift together 3 tbs all-purpose flour, 2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder, and a pinch of sea salt. Fold the dry mixture into the chocolate batter with a rubber spatula just until no streaks remain—do not overmix.

Portion into shells

Spoon the brownie batter into the pre-baked mini shells, filling each about 3/4 full (they will puff slightly). If using mini chips or nuts, sprinkle 1–2 chips/nuts on top of each now.

Bake

Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 12–16 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the edges are set and centers still look slightly soft (a toothpick inserted will come out with a few moist crumbs). Avoid overbaking to keep a fudgy texture.

Cool

Remove from oven and let the mini brownie pies cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The centers will sink slightly as they set, creating a mini pie top.

Once cooled, dust tops lightly with 1 tsp powdered sugar and sprinkle a very small pinch (about 1/4 tsp divided) of flaky sea salt over several pies if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream (about 1/2 cup divided among servings).

Storage: Store cooled mini brownie pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Rewarm gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–7 minutes before serving if desired.