“May I have one of those chocolate brownies?”

(Turns out that’s actually not redundant)

Okay, so have you ever heard anyone ask for a “chocolate brownie”? I have, multiple times (during my years at a quick service restaurant), and inwardly cringed at what I thought was redundancy. Turns out, the OG brownie did not, in fact, have any trace of chocolate in it!

Origin Stories

One fascinating version of the story involves a wealthy woman named Bertha Palmer. Kentucky-born, Bertha lived in Chicago when she got married in 1870. To give you an idea of how rich she was, get this: her new husband (Potter Palmer) built her a hotel as a wedding present. A hotel! Because of her husband’s position at the hotel, Bertha was qualified to be part of the Chicago social elite.

On any given day, she could be wearing upwards of $10k in jewelry at once or grabbing an original Renoir, Monet, or Picasso while shopping in Paris. But this little lady could get so down-to-earth–and you’ll see why. Besides her support for the women’s rights movement and, of course, inventing the brownie, Bertha made a significant difference in Florida after her husband passed away.

Bertha was a philanthropist and a brilliant businesswoman. Keep in mind, she did the following during the 8 years before she passed in her late 60’s: she led the transformation of 14,000 marshy acres into farm and ranchland — today known as Sarasota County—using canals and other genius to drain the saturation. Bertha was part of developing the region’s first farmers’ market and was an avid fisher, quail hunter, motorist, speedboater, party hostess, and so much more!

In other words? An absolute delight!

These two places in Florida, which she had helped develop, have spots on my bucket list:

Now, jumping back a bit to her socialite days in Chicago and our main character, the brownie . . . Bertha’s involvement with the elite women of the time and the approaching 1893 World’s Fair led her to want to create a non-messy dessert for the ladies’ luncheon boxes. It wasn’t for all the women, though, just for those on the Fair’s board. Bertha collaborated with the hotel’s pastry chef, Chef Joseph Sehl, and together they introduced the world to a sweet, dense bar topped with chopped walnuts and an apricot glaze. And to this day, The Palmer House Hotel still offers this treat on its menu.

What’s so interesting is that at the same World’s Fair, Walter Baker and Company, the makers of the early chocolate bar (today known as the Kraft-owned Baker’s Chocolate brand), was showing the public how chocolate is derived from the cacao fruit and how to incorporate it into everyday cooking. But chocolate was not an ingredient in the brownie until years later.

Another narrative of the brownie’s debut dates back to 1898, when the recipe was printed in the Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog. (Image below). Sidenote: I searched why there would be recipes in the publication since it was geared toward advertising products to buy. Maybe it will come to light in the near future.

*I am curious . . . would you try this at one at home??*

In 1904, Bangor, Maine, a home economics instructor, Mildred Brown Schumpf, aka “Brownie,” [shockingly] failed to include baking powder while preparing a cake. The result was a dense dessert that had failed to rise—but was apparently still a hit, as her “Bangor Brownies” made the cookbooks! Not all was lost.

Rising Popularity

My son eating a brownie next to baby sister. I made these bad boys practically weekly during my maternity leave with her. It was so nourishing! (And toddler approved!)

As chocolate became more affordable, and dare we say more processed, it became readily available to everyone. Companies like The Hershey Company and Mars, Incorporated were familiar labels on grocery shelves.

During that time, housewives were learning new ways to prepare meals in their kitchens, home economics classes were educating more cooks, and as science and knowledge were whisked together, bakers became more inventive with ingredients. Resources such as Fannie Farmer and (celebrity chef) Maria Parloa’s cookbooks were full of tips and tricks. Companies would advertise each other, such as Betty Crocker and Pillsbury with Hershey’s, through boxed mixes, a newly introduced convenience. As they grew more confident and creative, homemakers refined their recipes over the years.

Here’s such a fun commercial:

Duncan Hines Brownie Commercial

Oh, the Varieties!

Today, with countless ways to enjoy a brownie, it is unclear who should be credited with first adding chocolate to Bertha Palmer’s version. But we are surely appreciative recipients of the idea and its execution. (I know I sure am!)

Whether you’re a corner, center, or wherever brownie lover, did you know there are actual methods to ensure three popular and desired results? You’ve got the fudgy, cakey, and chewy.

For fudgier the better, the key is to perfect the fat-to-flour ratio.

A cakey crumb is lighter because of more flour and an extra egg.

A third option is the chewy, dense, and clean. The secret? Brown sugar.

No knock on a box-mix brownie (they are absolutely classic, and I like a good one with some finesse), but about 5 years ago, I came across an incredible brownie recipe that I have not veered from since. There are three somewhat unexpected ingredients that I think make it simply exquisite. Check out my recipe card below! You can download it for free!

Sidenote: whenever I make a boxed brownie, I will use melted butter instead of vegetable oil (cuz, gross) and milk instead of water. It just elevates it, in my humble opinion.

Bonnie’s Favorite Brownies (free recipe card!)

Although it is mighty fine on its own, I have added chocolate chips (dark, milk, white, etc.) and used a homemade cream cheese icing from time to time, but it’s not at all required.

Some final thoughts related to chocolate…

Way back in 1670, in the British American colonies, Dorothy Jones and Jane Barnard, women who advocated for social rights, petitioned to keep chocolate circulating in Boston. Their efforts paid off as they were granted a license to sell chocolate and coffee. But like anything that is new and rallied for, reactions to chocolate were varied. Some individuals found it so enjoyable and decided it must be sinful. (Isn’t that so true to life? haha).

This picture was taken at Monticello, Jefferson’s house in Virginia. In the background is the cutest little coffee canister and cart.

Allow me to leave you with these quotes by some Founding Fathers that you’d likely appreciate:

During the mid-1700s, Benjamin Franklin advertised chocolate for sale in his Philadelphia print shop. So enamored with what he believed to be chocolate’s abilities to improve health and spirit was Franklin that he even recommended chocolate for smallpox treatment and included “6 lbs. of chocolate” (along with sugar, tea, coffee, vinegar, cheese, Madeira, Jamaican spirits, and mustard) in the provisions shipments for each of the subaltern officers fighting in the French and Indian War. [Brownies – US History Scene]

I wholeheartedly agree that chocolate has the ability to improve health and spirit. While maybe not quite in the ways that Franklin was suggesting, it is proven. Take me as an example! Enjoying brownies during my maternity leave was quite life changing as I was embracing freedom from food insecurities.

Thomas Jefferson famously wrote to John Adams in 1785, remarking on chocolate’s growing popularity: “The superiority of chocolate, both for health and nourishment, will soon give it the preference over tea and coffee in America, which it has in Spain.” [Brownies – US History Scene]

Jefferson’s passion I can acknowledge and respect, but I’m sorry, I don’t think chocolate can surpass coffee in superiority. While I indulge in a dense square of fudgy brownie, I will balance the decadence with a cup of black coffee. Thank you, please.

Thanks for reading along!!

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning a few new things about a classic dessert: the brownie (my favorite sweet treat after cheesecake). From Bertha Palmer to the Sears Roebuck catalog to a baker dubbed “Brownie,” I’d say we all have a part in the making of the brownie. It may have been first incepted in a hotel kitchen, but as we lovingly prepare the treat, whether from the instructions on the back of a box or a worn recipe card, we are sharing a timeless history of baking something delicious from the heart.

Bon Appetit.

The following websites contributed to the facts included in this piece: