# Good brownies are ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552 "2010-12-17T19:54:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/1 "2010-12-17T19:54:53Z")
Poll in a second. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/2 "2010-12-17T20:03:54Z")
yummy… brownies…no frosting. Is there any event where it is traditional to have brownies? Birthdays have cakes, Thanksgiving have pies. X-mas has cookies and candy. But AFAIK, there is no event where brownies are KING. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/3 "2010-12-17T20:09:20Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > yummy… brownies…no frosting. > > Is there any event where it is traditional to have brownies? > > Birthdays have cakes, Thanksgiving have pies. X-mas has cookies and candy. But AFAIK, there is no event where brownies are KING. Possibly certain holidays in Colorado and the Netherlands. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/4 "2010-12-17T20:13:53Z")
One does not frost brownies,of course. Nor include nuts. If your brownies require nuts for deliciousness they were not made properly. Cake browneis are an abomination to Anansi. ---
**Author:** ![MN\_Maenad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@MN\_Maenad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MN_Maenad)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/5 "2010-12-17T20:17:01Z")
The only frosted brownies I ever have are the crappy supermarket varieties, so I firmly believe frosting is an abomination. Besides, it’s overkill on a properly fudgy brownie. A light dusting of powdered sugar at most. Nigella Lawson’s [Triple Chocolate Brownies](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/triple-chocolate-brownies-recipe2/index.html) FTW. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/6 "2010-12-17T21:10:23Z")
I just made peppermint brownies for my students: fudge brownies with alternating stripes of white and pink butter frosting flavored with peppermint extract and dusted with crumbled starlite mints. (Why yes, I am a man, why do you ask?) They were pink and delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/7 "2010-12-17T21:13:19Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I just made peppermint brownies for my students: fudge brownies with alternating stripes of white and pink butter frosting flavored with peppermint extract and dusted with crumbled starlite mints. (Why yes, I am a man, why do you ask?) They were pink and delicious. I have reported you to the Brownie Gods. Not for baking while male (which I also do) but for adulterating fudge brownies with frositing. In a civilized world you would be keelhauled. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/8 "2010-12-17T21:13:58Z")
No controlled substance brownies? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/9 "2010-12-17T21:19:55Z")
Generally I hate brownies. I have had those light brown ones that aren’t too bad. I would probably prefer the controlled substance ones though. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/10 "2010-12-17T21:22:13Z")
Brownies must be fudge. Nuts and/or frosting are a bonus. Such is the will of Karana. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/11 "2010-12-17T21:22:41Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Possibly certain holidays in Colorado and the Netherlands. And Humboldt County, California! ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/12 "2010-12-17T21:25:20Z")
And no to controlled substance brownies. It wastes the controlled substance, and fucks up the brownie. Both are blasphemy. If so inclined, consume the controlled substance first, listen to some tunes, then go for the brownie. And ice cold milk. This guy I used to know in college said that totally rocks. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/13 "2010-12-17T21:32:59Z")
I didn’t even think of mary jane brownies; I’ve never had them. Ah well. I’m old now, so it’s too late. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/14 "2010-12-17T21:50:42Z")
made with shredded baking coconut ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/15 "2010-12-17T22:21:17Z")
> [@notfrommensa](#): > > yummy… brownies…no frosting. > > Is there any event where it is traditional to have brownies? > > Birthdays have cakes, Thanksgiving have pies. X-mas has cookies and candy. But AFAIK, there is no event where brownies are KING. That’s because **every** day is brownie day! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Conqueror\_Worm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@The\_Conqueror\_Worm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Conqueror_Worm)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/16 "2010-12-17T22:29:39Z")
made with chopped jalapenos. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/17 "2010-12-17T22:46:35Z")
I will grudgingly allow my mothers cheesecake brownies, and once she made them with crunched up candy canes in the cheesecake part. Only because my mom made them, mind you … ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/18 "2010-12-17T22:55:57Z")
Frosted brownies? WTF? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that. ETA: Yes, I certainly have. And it’s wrong. ETA 2: And I voted wrong. I voted the first option, not noticing the third. My preference is fudgy, no nuts. although with nuts is acceptable, as I love nuts. But it’s not what I think of when I think of the ur-Brownie. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/19 "2010-12-17T23:30:14Z")
Cake-like fudge with nuts. Yum! ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552/20 "2010-12-17T23:33:55Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Frosted brownies? WTF? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that. ETA: Yes, I certainly have. And it’s wrong. ETA 2: And I voted wrong. I voted the first option, not noticing the third. > > My preference is fudgy, no nuts. although with nuts is acceptable, as I love nuts. But it’s not what I think of when I think of the ur-Brownie. People commonly make single-layer cakes, frost them, and call them “brownies.” That is of course a sick and depraved lie akin to calling Britney Spears a songstress of unparalled vocal power, but it’s infected the language to such an extent that only wholescale massacres and public floggings of the offenders could correct it, and I can’t get behind that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/good-brownies-are/564552.md?page=2)