Best Brownies

After having a terrible headache yesterday and no energy, I knew I needed a chocolate pick me up. Not that I ever really need a reason for chocolate, but still.. I dug into my baking cabinet, looking for my 'reserves' of good stuff..

I found a bag of Penzey's cocoa, and a container of vanilla bean sugar. Mmm.

I scribbled this recipe down from a store brand cocoa container, simply because they always turn out moist and fudgey, and are mixed in a saucepan meaning less prep and dishes..

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

(I used 1 cup of vanilla sugar that I mixed up several months ago by scraping out two vanilla beans, and mixing it around in the sugar. Then I stored it in a tight fitting container)

4 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla extract (if you do not have strong vanilla sugar)

2/3 cup cocoa powder ( I used dutch process high fat cocoa)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 pan. (use the butter stick wrapper!).

In a large saucepan, melt butter.

Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla if using.

Beat in cocoa, flour salt and baking powder. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes, being careful not to overcook.

When I usually smell what I am cooking, that means it is, or almost is, done! Dust with powdered sugar if you are feeling extra indulgent ^_^

These brownies did not last long enough to take any pictures, so I grabbed this brownie picture from AllRecipes.

Let me know if you try them!