Check out this super easy pressure cooker recipe for the BEST chocolate brownies ever! My family loves brownies! We can have them in any season, any time of the day!
My girls and hubby love it with ice cream, drizzled with caramel or chocolate sauce, and I love them plain. But there is one thing all four of us are particular about - the chocolate brownies should be FUDGY! The inspiration to make brownies in an Instant pot came after I successfully adapted my Chocolate Lava Cake recipe. I baked our favorite brownie mix from Trader Joe’s in the instant pot and the result was simply mind-blowing! The brownies turned out so moist and decadent, and way fudgier than the oven-baked ones! The end texture was like Chocolate Brownies and Lava Cake had a baby 🙂 Since then I’ve experimented with a few different brownie recipes in the Instant Pot and they all turned out great. Today, I’m sharing all the tips and tricks on how to make the best brownies that are moist, chewy, and absolutely delicious.
Why Make Brownies in the Instant Pot
Here are a few reasons why making brownies in the Instant Pot is worth a try:
By pressure cooking, the brownies steam cook in a water bath which helps them get that moist and fudgy texture. On days when the outside temperature is soaring, I don’t have to turn on the oven, which heats up the whole house.If you don’t have an oven, or are traveling with your Instant pot, you can whip up a batch of brownies using this pressure cooker recipe.
I’m sure you’re curious to see how these are made. Let’s get started!
Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions
All we need is a box-mix and a few staple ingredients that you most likely already have on hand. Let’s see what we need to make the best fudgy Instant Pot Brownies:
Brownie-mix: I use trader joe’s brand, but feel free to use your favorite mix. Alternatively, you can use this recipe for brownies from scratch. Butter or oil: Use whatever your box insructions recommend. If adding oil, use regular olive oil, avocado oil or any clear oil.Eggs: To ensure that eggs reach room temperature remove them from the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to baking. Mix-ins: This depends on personal preference, and if your brownie mix already comes with chocolate chips. If not, you can add ½ cup of semi-sweet or bitter-sweet chocolate chips. Additionally, you can add ¼- ½ cup of chopped walnuts as well.
Pro-Tip: If adding chocolate chips or walnuts, add to the dry mix before stirring in the wet ingredients. This prevents them from sinking to the bottom.
How to Make Instant Pot Brownies
I use the cake preset in the Instant Pot, which defaults to 40 minutes of pressure cooking at high pressure. Let’s check out the step-by-step direction and photos for this recipe. No cake button? No problem. Pressure cook on Manual/Pressure Cook for 40 minutes at High Pressure (sealing mode). Step 1: Melt butter in the microwave in 20-second increments. The total time may vary depending on the temperature of butter and microwave strength. Step 2: Whisk in room temperature eggs, one at a time. Step 3: Mix in the brownie mix using a spatula. Gently fold the batter to prevent over-mixing. Step 4: Grease an oven-safe baking pan. Line it with a parchment base (optional), and pour the batter in. In this recipe, I used a 7-inch springform pan for a 6 quart Instant Pot. Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil to prevent any excess moisture from dripping in the pan. Step 5: Pour a cup of water into the pot, place a trivet and place the cake pan on top. Close the lid and select the CAKE button and press START. Set the timer to 40 mins at high pressure. Step 6: Once cook time is over, wait 10 minutes and then release pressure manually. Open the lid once the in drops. Using silicone mitts, remove the cake pan and remove the foil. Step 7: Using a plastic knife, go around the edges of the brownie. Release the spring and remove the ring. Let the brownies cool 10 minutes before cutting.
Serving Suggestions
These brownies are best had warm. Enjoy them with a dollop of your favorite ice cream, like vanilla, coffee, or caramel. Alternatively, serve it with whipped cream and sliced fresh strawberries.
Store & Reheat
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Recipe Tips & Notes
Room Temperature Ingredients: For best results, remove the eggs and butter from the fridge 30 minutes prior to baking. Fold not Stir: When mixing the brownie-mix, gently fold it in using a spatula. That prevents over-mixing the batter and reduces air-bubble formation in the batter. That is key for the dense texture of the brownies.Line the pan: For an easy release of brownies, line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment rounds. Checking for doneness: If you find that your brownie batter doesn’t look cooked at the end of 40 mins, seal it, and put it back for another 5 mins or so, depending on the quantity and how underdone it looks.Rest before serving: For best results, cool the brownies 10 mins after cooking.Adding nuts and/or Chocolate Chips: Add these to the dry mix, before mixing with wet ingredients. This prevents them from sinking to the bottom.
Popular Chocolate Recipes on the Blog
These recipes are part of the Dessert Recipes collection. Size of Pan: The bake time stated on your box-mix is probably for an 8" X 8" pan, or a, 9" X 13" pan. So, if you’re using a 7-inch cake pan, increase the cooking time by about 5 minutes so the batter cooks through. Texture Difference: The oven uses dry heat to bake brownies, whereas, an Instant Pot uses ‘steam’. Steam adds more moisture to the texture of the batter. I recommend adding another 5 minutes to cook that off and balance the end result. My Time Calculation Formula: Suggested bake time + 5 mins for pan size adjustment + 5 mins for moisture adjustment.
More Instant Pot Dessert Recipes
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