Kids Can Bake: Spiderweb Brownies

Ingredients

Brownies

One bowl for wet, one bowl for dry. Kids can measure every single thing on this list.

• 227g (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled 5 minutes
• 350g (1¾ cups) granulated sugar
• 200g (4 large) (4 large) large eggs — Room temperature if possible
• 10g (2 teaspoons) vanilla extract
• 85g (1 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder — Natural or Dutch-process
• 125g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• 3g (½ teaspoon) fine salt
• 2g (½ teaspoon) baking powder
• 85g (½ cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Spiderweb Icing

Thick enough to hold a line, loose enough to pipe. Add the milk slowly.

• 90g (¾ cup) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
• 15-22g (1 to 1½ tablespoons) milk — Add gradually, a few drops at a time
• 1g (¼ teaspoon) vanilla extract (optional)

Total flour: 125g

Pro tip: Melted butter is what makes these fudgy instead of cakey. Let it cool five minutes before it meets the eggs.

Equipment

Method

Prepare the Pan (Grown-up runs the oven)

Set up before you mix. A lined pan means the whole slab lifts out later, which makes slicing easy and safe.

1. Preheat and set the rack. A grown-up should put an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
2. Line the pan. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the two long sides. Kids can press the paper into the corners and gather the measuring tools.

Tip: Kid job: line the pan and set out the tools. Grown-up job: the oven, always.

Mix the Wet Ingredients (Glossy is the goal)

Butter and sugar first, then eggs one at a time. Whisking gets you that shiny, papery top brownies are known for.

1. Whisk butter and sugar. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar until glossy, about 1 minute.
2. Add eggs and vanilla. Crack the eggs into a small bowl first so shells are easy to fish out, then whisk them into the batter one at a time. Stir in the vanilla.

Tip: Kid job: measure the sugar, crack eggs into the small bowl with help, whisk. Grown-up job: melt the butter.

Add the Dry Ingredients (Fold, do not beat)

This is where kids learn the difference between stirring and folding. Stop as soon as the flour disappears.

1. Whisk the dry bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder together.
2. Fold it together. Add the dry bowl to the wet bowl. Fold with a rubber spatula just until no dry streaks remain, then fold in the chocolate chips if you are using them.

Tip: Overmixing makes brownies tough. When the last flour streak vanishes, put the spatula down.

Cool Completely (The hardest part)

Warm brownies melt icing into a puddle. Cool brownies hold a crisp white web. Use the wait to mix the icing.

1. Rest on a rack. Set the pan on a wire rack and cool completely, about 1 hour. Kids can watch the top go from soft and shiny to firm and sliceable.

Wait: PT1H

Make the Web Icing (Thick, not runny)

The icing should fall from a spoon in a slow ribbon. Too thin and the web spreads out and disappears.

1. Stir the icing. In a small bowl, stir the powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk and the vanilla if using. Add more milk a few drops at a time until it is thick but pipeable.
2. Fill the bag. Spoon the icing into a small piping bag or a zip-top bag. A grown-up snips a very small corner off the bag.

Tip: Too thick to pipe? One or two drops of milk. Too thin? A spoonful more powdered sugar.

Draw the Spiderweb (Circles, then pulls)

This is the part kids remember. Circles from the middle out, then drag lines through them with a toothpick.

1. Pipe the circles. Pipe a small dot in the center of the cooled brownies, then pipe 4 to 5 circles around it, each one bigger than the last.
2. Pull the spokes. Starting at the center dot, drag a toothpick or skewer in a straight line out to the edge. Repeat all the way around the pan, like the spokes of a wheel. Count them as you go.
3. Let it set. Give the icing 10 to 15 minutes to firm up before slicing.

Tip: Never put plastic spiders or other non-edible decorations directly on food meant for young children.

Slice and Serve (Grown-up holds the knife)

Lift the whole slab out by the parchment overhang and cut it on a board, not in the pan.

1. Lift and cut. Use the parchment overhang to lift the brownies out. A grown-up cuts 16 squares: 4 rows by 4 columns. Kids count the squares and plate them.

Bake the Brownies

Moist crumbs on the toothpick, not wet batter. That is the line between fudgy and raw.

Oven: 175°C / 350°F.

Standard Oven, 9x13 Pan (recommended)

The only method you need for this one.

Equipment: Parchment-lined 9x13-inch pan

1. Spread the batter. Scrape the batter into the lined pan and spread it into the corners with a spatula. Kids can do this part.
2. Bake. A grown-up places the pan on the middle rack and bakes 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F (175°C).
3. Check doneness. The edges should look set and a toothpick near the center should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
4. Out of the oven. A grown-up removes the hot pan and sets it on a wire rack.

Note: Every oven task belongs to the grown-up. Kids set the timer and watch through the door.

Storage

• Room temperature: Airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Frozen: Freeze undecorated brownies in an airtight container up to 2 months. Thaw, then decorate with the spiderweb icing before serving.

Slide a sheet of parchment between layers so the icing does not stick to the brownie above it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know the brownies are done without overbaking them?

Start checking at 25 minutes. A toothpick pushed into the center should come out with moist crumbs clinging to it. If it comes out with wet batter, give it 3 more minutes. If it comes out totally clean, they are already at the dry end, so pull them right away.

My spiderweb icing ran together into a blob. What went wrong?

Two likely causes. Either the brownies were still warm, or the icing had too much milk. Cool the pan completely, and stir in more powdered sugar until the icing falls from the spoon in a slow ribbon instead of a stream.

What jobs can a five-year-old actually do here?

Measuring, whisking the wet bowl, folding the batter, spreading it into the pan, piping the circles, and pulling the web lines. That is most of the recipe. The grown-up owns the oven, the melted butter, and the knife.

Can I make these ahead for a party or classroom?

Yes. Bake and cool the brownies a day ahead, keep them covered at room temperature, then decorate the morning of. Undecorated brownies also freeze for up to 2 months.

Can I use a natural cocoa instead of Dutch-process?

Either works. Dutch-process gives a darker color and smoother flavor, natural cocoa tastes a little sharper and more fruity. The recipe has baking powder, so you do not need to adjust anything.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 brownie): 296 calories, 40.2g carbohydrates, 3.9g protein, 15g fat, 2.3g fiber, 109mg sodium. Makes 16 servings.