Katharine Hepburn's Famous Brownies Are Rich, Fudgy Perfection
Adding to our list of greats whose talents extended beyond their careers is the late, great Katharine Hepburn. This queen of the silver screen has a list of accolades that could be transcribed into its own screenplay. From winning multiple Academy Awards to being listed as one of Britannica’s 300 Women Who Changed the World, Ms. Hepburn was a true icon and force to be reckoned with.
To this day, we revere her many cultural contributions, which include her brownie recipe. Naturally, a dessert from an icon like Hepburn comes with a sweet, unforgettable story. While residing in New York City in the 1980s, Hepburn received a letter from her neighbor who frantically begged her to speak to his daughter, a college student at Bryn Mawr College on the cusp of dropping out of school to move to Scotland to pursue screenwriting.
Given how much the student admired the work of the actress, he thought perhaps Hepburn could stop the student from making a rash decision. And with a harsh lecture over the phone, bring her to her senses she did. Post-mortem, Hepburn even invited the student and her relieved father over for tea, which she served with her now-famous brownies.
As a great admirer of both brownies and Katharine Hepburn, I knew I had to try these out. Here's what happened when I got baking.
Get the recipe: Katharine Hepburn's Brownies
Courtesy of Dante Parker
Ingredients for Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies
The list is short and sweet, pun intended. You’ll need cocoa powder or unsweetened baker’s chocolate, unsalted butter, sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla, salt and chopped walnuts or pecans.
Courtesy of Dante Parker
How to Make Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies
Begin by melting the butter and the cocoa together in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking until they're blended. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the sugar, followed by the eggs and vanilla. Next stir in the flour, salt and walnuts until the mixture is smooth.
Pour the batter into a greased 8-by-8-inch baking pan and bake at 325° until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, which should take about 40 minutes. Let cool completely before serving.
Related: I Made Dolly Parton's Famous 3-Ingredient Cake from Steel Magnolias
Courtesy of Dante Parker
What I Thought About Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies
These brownies were better than anything I’ve ever had from a box! They were sweet, fudgy and had a perfect texture. If Ms. Hepburn is up there looking down on my kitchen, I hope she is pleased with my performance. My rendition of her homemade brownies is probably one of the best batches I’ve ever baked. And with a script so easy, or should I say, with a recipe so easy, it could turn even the most average baker into a star.
Up next: Audrey Hepburn's Simple Flourless Chocolate Cake is a Timeless Classic
