15-Minute No-Bake Brownies

Written by
Stephanie Gallagher
Stephanie Gallagher is a journalist and food writer who has authored multiple cookbooks.
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Stephanie Gallagher
Updated 09/08/19
No bake brownies

The Spruce

 
  • Total: 15 mins
  • Prep: 5 mins
  • Cook: 10 mins
  • Refrigerate: 4 hrs
  • Yield: 12 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
230 Calories
12g Fat
27g Carbs
5g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 230
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 4g 18%
Cholesterol 11mg 4%
Sodium 75mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Protein 5g
Calcium 113mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Whether the kids are bugging you to bake something chocolatey and you don't have the time, or you just remembered you volunteered to donate to the bake sale, this no-bake brownie recipe is the perfect solution. This brownie recipe is quick, easy, and uses ingredients you probably have on hand in your pantry. It is also ideal during the heat of summer because you don't have to turn on the oven.

Ingredients

  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 ounces chocolate (unsweetened)
  • 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

    No bake brownies ingredients.

  2. Spray a 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

  3. Heat the sweetened condensed milk and unsweetened chocolate in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.

    Add condensed milk and chocolate to heat and cook until melted
     The Spruce

  4. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the graham cracker crumbs and half of the chopped walnuts.

    Stir in graham cracker crumbs and walnuts
    The Spruce

  5. Spread in the prepared pan. Top with the remaining walnuts.

    Spread brownie mixture in pan and add walnuts
    The Spruce

  6. Chill until firm, 3 to 4 hours.

    No bake brownies in 15 minutes
    The Spruce 

  7. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe Tips

The easiest way to make graham cracker crumbs is to put the crackers into a food processor and pulse until they are a fine crumb. You could also crumble them with your hands, or put them in a zip-lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. (Of course, buying a box of graham cracker crumbs is the simplest method.)

Make sure you use sweetened condensed milk for this recipe and not evaporated milk. Both have over half of their water content removed, but the condensed milk contains added sugar while the evaporated is unsweetened.

If you like, you can turn this mixture into brownie balls instead of squares. Simply use a tablespoon or cookie dough scoop to portion out and then roll the batter into a ball. Place remaining chopped nuts on a plate and roll the balls in the walnuts to coat. Chill for 3 to 4 hours until firm.

Recipe Variations

You can easily alter the taste of these sweet no-bake treats by swapping out one or two ingredients. Instead of walnuts, try chopped hazelnuts; fans of Nutella will be clamoring for more. Pecans can add a nice Southern twist, and including almonds would make the brownies reminiscent of a favorite candy bar. Also, feel free to use a combination.

If you substitute white chocolate for the unsweetened chocolate, this brownie will turn into a decadent confection. Consider using pistachios for the crunch; the green tint will make for an attractive dessert.

Other No-Bake Desserts

If your kids love to cook but you don't love the idea of them using the oven, no-bake desserts are the ideal solution. From a chocolate pudding pie to an ice cream sandwich cake, or butterscotch haystack cookies to a peanut-butter bar, there are a plethora of sweet and tasty choices.