History of Brownies Creation

The history of the brownie is definitely an interesting one. Some say the brownie was discovered by housewives in Bangor, Maine while others claim brownies were created when a careless cook forgot to put baking powder in the chocolate cake batter recipe.

Still, a few state that the brownie’s creation is because of the mass production of chocolate in the late 19th century. Because there was so much chocolate to be had, it was no longer only enjoyed by the rich. Everyone could have some! Now isn’t that the best news of all…

With the addition of such a fine treat, it couldn’t have been long before the history of the brownie began to form. Whether one company created it or the recipe evolved from various families still remains a mystery but one thing is certain… brownies are delicious and one of America’s favorite desserts!

According to one theory, the brownie evolved from a bitter cake, like coffee. Soon it was sweetened with sugar, as sugar became more available in the late 18th century. Once it became a sweeter dessert it was not only popular with the adults, but children who happened to run across a brownie or two in their kitchen, also enjoyed it!

In 1780 a man by the name of John Hanan opened the first chocolate factory followed by the introduction of cocoa powder in 1828. After cocoa was invented it wasn’t long before the first chocolate bar made its way onto the scene. In 1842, the Cadbury Company of England developed that idea and it was an instant hit with all the locals and beyond.

In addition to the discovery of the brownie, what about that name “brownie”. It is believed that the name “brownie” was derived from… that’s right, you guess it… its color. When the brownie was first baked, same as now, it had a dark brown color in the confection which eventually led to its name… brownie.

Another interesting theory of the origin of the name “brownie” comes from a feature article in the Sears Roebuck Catalog of 1897. In this catalog, you could mail order chocolate candies that were named after cartoon elves. Yes, that’s right… I said elves. These elves were created by Palmer Cox and were displayed in a series that started as “The Brownies: Their Book” and some believe that that is how the name “brownie” was created.

Once invented and named the history of the brownie evolved even more. It went public; pictured in ads, magazines, cookbooks, and a brownie mix was even sold in the Sears Roebuck Catalog. By the 1920’s brownies could be purchased in local bakeries or made right in your own kitchen.

But really, how ever you slice it, brownies are tasty and worth every bite. The history of the brownie may be uncertain but their popularity isn’t and many people all around the world love them!