My Nanny's cookies were always a hit with anyone who stopped by, but out of her whole recipe box, these fudgy walnut brownies were the one I loved most. They bake up with a crackly top, a rich chocolate center, and a good bit of walnut crunch in every bite.
I love bringing her handwritten recipes into my own kitchen, and this one was too good to keep to myself. If you're a fan of old-fashioned, from scratch brownies made with simple pantry staples, this is going to be your new favorite.
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Why You'll Love Nanny's Recipe
You'll get that old school chocolate flavor from ingredients you probably already have in your cupboard. Melting the unsweetened chocolate right into the butter gives these a rich base that beats any boxed mix, hands down.
You only need a saucepan and a mixing bowl to make these, so cleanup is quick. A few simple steps and you've got a fudgy, chocolatey brownie loaded with walnuts, just like Nanny used to make.
What Goes Into Nanny's Walnut Brownies
- Unsweetened Baking Chocolate: Melt this down with the butter right in your saucepan. It gives the brownies a deep, dark chocolate base without being overly sweet.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter here so you can control the salt level yourself.
- Granulated sugar: Beaten into the eggs and vanilla to sweeten the chocolate base and bring structure to the batter.
- All-purpose flour: Sifted twice to keep the baked brownies from feeling heavy or dense.
- Chopped Walnuts: Stirred right in before baking to add crunch to the brownies.
How to Make Walnut Brownies
Nanny's recipe card was short on details, the way a lot of old handwritten recipes are. I've filled in the gaps with what I've learned from baking these myself over the years. Here's how it comes together in 4 easy steps:
- Melt the chocolate base: Warm the unsweetened chocolate and butter over low heat on the stove until completely smooth, then set it aside to cool slightly.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Beat your eggs in a mixing bowl, then stir in the sugar, salt, and vanilla before blending in the warm chocolate mixture.
- Sift and fold: sift your flour and then measure it. Sift it again with the baking powder and salt, adding it to the wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts.
- Bake: spread the thick batter into a well greased or parchment paper lined pan and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
Easy Swaps & Substitutions
If you don't have every single ingredient in Nanny's card sitting in your pantry, don't worry - these brownies are pretty forgiving. Here are some simple swaps I've done in so I don't mess up the recipe:
- You can swap the 2 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate with 6 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder plus 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil extra melted butter. Whisk the cocoa powder and oil into melted butter before adding the eggs and sugar.
- If you don't have walnuts, chopped pecans work just as well in the same amount. Have a nut allergy or just want extra chocolate? Leave the nuts out and stir in ½ cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips right before baking.
Tips for Nanny's Brownies
- Use parchment paper: Nanny greased her pan, but lining it with parchment paper is my modern trick. It lets you lift the cooled brownies right out of the pan so cutting clean squares is a breeze.
- Cool the chocolate slightly: Let your melted butter and chocolate sit for 2 minutes before stirring in the egg mixture so you don't accidentally scramble them.
- Don't skip the double sift: The first sift keeps your flour measurement accurate. The second blends the baking powder evenly through the batter.
- Watch your bake time: Pull them out at the 25-30 minute mark when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
How to Store and Freeze
Store the cut brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you want to freeze a batch, use a freezer-safe container with sheets of parchment paper between the brownies to prevent sticking.
Brownie Questions
Yes, you can easily double this recipe. Just keep an eye on the clock near the end as a larger pan usually adds 5 to 10 minutes to the total bake time.
Sifting first aerates the flour and breaks up any lumps, so it measures more accurately than flour straight from the bag.
Yes, you can use salted butter if that's what you have. Just cut the salt measurement in half so the batter doesn't turn out too salty.
Probably overbaked, or too much flour. Pull them out when the toothpick has a few moist crumbs on it, not clean, and stick to the sift-and-spoon method for your flour.
More Heirloom Desserts You'll Want to Try
If you are like me, and love legacy recipes like my Nanny's Walnut Brownies, you will want to check out these other time tested and family loved vintage dessert recipes:
- Raisin Filled Cookies - Nanny's recipe made with a tiny upgrade of rum in the raisin filling!
- Old Fashioned Butterscotch Pie - Topped with a fluffy meringue topping, this is a family vintage recipe straight from Nanny's recipe box.
- Nanny's Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies - a soft take on classic flavors.
If you give these a try, I'd love to hear how they turned out! Leave a comment and a star rating below to let me know. And, if you snap a photo, tag me on Instagram @grumpyshoneybunch so I can see your walnut brownies.
📖 Recipe
Nanny's Walnut Brownies
Equipment
- Small saucepan or microwave safe bowl
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Ingredients
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- 2 squares unsweetened chocolate , melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs , beaten
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a square baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- Sift flour, then measure out ⅔ cup by spooning flour into the measuring cups and leveling off the top. Do not tap the cup to pack the flour.
- Add sifted flour back into the flour sifter along with the baking powder and salt. Sift a second time to combine.
- Melt butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir to combine.
- Add eggs to a mixing bowl and whisk well with a hand whisk. Add the sugar and vanilla, and mix thoroughly.
- Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and stir until well combined.
- Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in walnuts.
- Transfer brownie batter to prepared baking dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until top of brownies is no longer wet.
Shelby Law Ruttan says
These are fudgy and delicious, hard to stop eating! And, they are very easy to make. The hardest part is waiting for them to cool enough to cut!