Bake

3-Ingredient Buckwheat Brownies

by:
May  3, 2021
4.4
14 Ratings
3-Ingredient Buckwheat Brownies
Photo by Julia Gartland. Prop Stylist: Amanda Widis. Food Stylist: Anna Billingskog.
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • makes one 8x8-inch pan
Author Notes

There are lots of three-ingredient brownies on the internet, but the vast majority use chocolate-hazelnut spread (such as Nutella), eggs, and all-purpose flour. As it does in other baked goods, this everyday flour contributes body and structure. But its flavor is neutral and nondescript. So why not up the ante? Swapping in buckwheat flour makes a world of difference. This grey-hued ingredient has a slightly bitter, very nutty, incredibly confident flavor, which balances all the sweetness. It’s also naturally gluten-free, which yields an especially tender, fudgy brownie. I like storing buckwheat flour in the freezer, which extends its freshness and shelf life.

If you can’t get your hands on buckwheat flour, you can use the same quantity of whole-wheat, white whole-wheat, or rye flour, all of which will bring some welcome personality and complexity. If you happen to have any leftovers, just wrap well and pop in the freezer for an afternoon snack down the road. —Emma Laperruque

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 cups (370 grams) Nutella
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (60 grams) buckwheat flour
  • Flaky salt (optional)
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, with overhang on two sides, or grease and flour.
  2. Combine the Nutella and eggs in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add the flour and stir again until smooth. Spread into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with salt if you’re using it.
  3. Bake for about 20 min until puffy, crackly, and a cake tester inserted near the corner comes out clean.
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Emma Laperruque
Emma was the food editor at Food52. She created the award-winning column, Big Little Recipes, and turned it into a cookbook in 2021. These days, she's a senior editor at Bon Appétit, leading digital cooking coverage. Say hello on Instagram at @emmalaperruque.

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20 Reviews

Manon
Manon September 28, 2024
This is such a simple recipe but so good—the buckwheat manages to elevate every Nutella-or-alternative I use; it cuts the sweetness of the chocolate and rounds out the flavor, the chewiness is lovely, and the flaky salt is the perfect finisher. Wildly efficient use of ingredients for maximum flavor, texture, everything. Mwah.
 
Cblicken
Cblicken August 2, 2023
Tried this recipe for the first time. I used the Trader Joe’s cocoa almond spread and baked it for 20 minutes. The brownies were still molten in the center so I baked it for another 10 minutes and toothpick came out clean. Could not wait for it to cool down so I cut a piece while it was still quite warm. I really like the taste and chewiness of the brownies. A nice mellow sweetness (I prefer desserts not to be overly sweet) and inside was still soft while the outer layer was slightly crispy. Texture might change as it cools down though I would definitely bake these again!
 
plotto
plotto February 26, 2022
Have made this recipe several times. Originally made it for my GF friends/family. Recently told to be GF/DF for 4 months and want to stab my eyes out! This recipe has been a go-to. My eyeballs remain intact. I use Nocciolata DF in place of Nutella and bake for 23 mins. Wonderful eaten frozen, too!
 
Troymidwife
Troymidwife January 7, 2022
Used Justin’s Chocolate Almond Hazelnut spread. Because it is drier than Nutella, I substituted 1/4 cup plant butter (used 1 cup chocolate nut spread snd 1/4 cup ‘butter’). Baked 20 mins. Tested clean with knife. Let them cool. Tasted one bite. Swallowed. Rest going into compost. Yuck. What a waste. (PS I love chocolate, hazelnuts and buckwheat. I was very excited for these. But taste and texture are both just….yuck!)
 
Shyamali
Shyamali October 16, 2021
Used a common health food store brand of chocolate-almond-hazelnut spread. They came out spectacularly dry at exactly 20 minutes. Not sure whether to reduce the flour by 10g or reduce the baking time—maybe both?—but the basic flavor is good and this is easy, so I will try again.
 
Assya
Assya October 16, 2021
I made this to a T today and overall I was satisfied with the recipe. They did end up very thin on my side and I still found them to sweet but everyone else liked them
 
erinrae
erinrae October 13, 2021
These are great! I added some ground espresso as another comment mentioned, but left them in for 23 minutes, and they came out a bit dry, so definitely avoid that, but it's a sound recipe (aside from user error!). Would agree that some more cocoa or chocolate would be good too!
 
Jim A.
Jim A. May 11, 2021
Delicious but these need more baking time than 20 minutes. They came out molten in all but the edges. Next time I'll try 30 minutes, and there will be a next time!
 
Peaches
Peaches May 6, 2021
I made these as recipe described and they were a bit to sweet for me, not that it stopped me from eating them. So for take 2, I added a good tsp of instant espresso powder and a 1/4 tsp fine salt to the batter (in addition to the flaky salt on top) and a heaping tbsp of cocoa powder. I enjoyed them more. I know it isn't 3 ingredients any more but still took just 5 minutes to stir together. So that is my version and I will make it again, today actually! Thank you for the inspiration Emma.
 
Tina W.
Tina W. April 26, 2021
Different, but delicious. The texture of these brownies is perfect - surprising considering just 3 ingredients. The sweetness is subtle, unlike most brownies, so some may find it too healthy tasting (I took it as a pass to eat another).
 
Colleen M.
Colleen M. April 25, 2021
Made a vegan version with Maesie Jane's chocolate hazelnut spread and "vegan egg." They are both fudgy and crumblely. Super nutty and dark as well. I'm not the biggest fan, but my vegan and gluten free friend loved them! I am planning on making the recipe as is to compare.
 
jhmahe23
jhmahe23 April 19, 2021
These are delicious. The buckwheat tastes healthy and a bit nutty and balances out the nutella perfectly. Super fudgy too. Will definitely make these again!
 
sticksnscones
sticksnscones April 18, 2021
I made this with Trader Joe's Chocolate Almond Spread & it was perfect. The buckwheat certainly tempers all the sugar in the spread & give it a nuttier flavor.
 
Marie V.
Marie V. April 15, 2021
I made these and loved them. Used the Whole Foods brand of hazelnut spread. I found the buckwheat flour to be nutty and a great compliment to the hazelnut. I also added a cup of chocolate chips, which made them even more dense and delightful. What can I say, I'm a glutton for punishment!
 
Rebecca D.
Rebecca D. April 14, 2021
I love Food52, but these were a massive disappointment. The buckwheat flour overwhelms even the nutella. Not tasty at all.
 
Lhos Y.
Lhos Y. April 14, 2021
I made a vegan version and it actually worked, didn’t think it would but it did work. However it lacked sugar and flavor and everything a brownie offers. I mean it was edible. Nutella has loads of sugar and other not so great ingredients so it probably balances it all out just fine. But if using homemade version you may want to add some extra sweetener and cocoa. Best
 
FoodIsLove
FoodIsLove April 13, 2021
Saw these and thought "I have everything for this". Super easy and quite good, especially given the amount of work they took. Next time I'll add some salt and baking powder to the recipe. I'm thinking I'll try some different flours too...maybe teff? Buckwheat has a very distinctive flavor which the Nutella really helps mellow out.
 
vrinda
vrinda April 13, 2021
sounds amazing
Now I need a clean nutella recipe instead of all that artery clogging shelf product !
 
Ginny S.
Ginny S. April 13, 2021
Right here on Food 52, there is a homemade nutella recipe. I haven't made it, but it sounds good. https://food52.com/recipes/25707-homemade-nutella
 
Bonnie
Bonnie April 13, 2021
Looks amazing. Can’t wait to try!