We Tried The Original Brownie Right Where It Was Invented

The brownie feels immortal. I would have sworn the first brownie recipe was written in invisible ink on the back of the Declaration of Independence; it seems that integral to our history as a people. It turns out the brownie was invented less than 200 years ago at a hotel that’s still in business today.

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In 1893, the Chicago World’s Fair debuted many important pieces of Americana: Pabst Blue Ribbon, the pressed penny, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Ferris Wheel to name a few. None have made a bigger impact on the baking aisle than the brownie. The short version of the story is that the owner of the Palmer House hotel tasked their pastry chef Joseph Sehl to bake something chocolate, smaller than a cake, and easy to transport in a boxed lunch for attendees at the Fair. Enter: Brownie.

If you aren’t planning to visit Chicago anytime soon, there are two different ways you can try these for yourself; read on to the end of the piece for details. In the meantime, let’s find out whether the OG version set a standard yet to be topped.

The Palmer House Brownie Review

Very Not-New Brownie!

Pros: I’m not sure why we ever strayed from this recipe. The use of quality dark couverture chocolate in the recipe adds a richness beyond any standard brownie. On the spectrum of “fudge brownie” to “cake brownie”, this is as fudgey as it gets. If you handed this to most people, they would assume it is some sort of soft fudge before calling it a brownie.

While the apricot mentioned in the ingredients may worry you at first glance, the fruit’s use in the glaze actually a great addition. The specific taste of apricot is barely there beyond a vague fruity sweetness, which goes a long way to temper this brick of rich chocolate flavor.

Cons: I’m not a “nuts in my brownie” kind of person, but these walnuts are chopped finely enough (and so distinctly different in texture from the uber-fudgey base they lay on) that I’ll survive.

I would say that my biggest complaint is that I have to return to Chicago to eat another Palmer House Brownie, but there’s a few different ways we can all enjoy these for ourselves without a road trip…

Credit: Griffin Parker / Hilton / Freepik

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

How can I try this for myself?

For maximum authenticity, there’s no better place to enjoy this brownie than the Palmer House itself. The historic hotel even offers a “Brownie Lovers Experience“–pairing an overnight stay for two with every brownie-based treat on offer at the hotel: Brownies, Brownie Old Fashioned Cocktails, Brownie Lattes, and Brownie Pancakes. I stayed at the Palmer House for a recent family trip to Chicago; I hope to return and try those brownie-based innovations for myself as soon as possible.

If a trip to Chicago isn’t in your future, you can also order these brownies straight from the Palmer House kitchen through Goldbelly. While the price for a dozen of these hefty brownies is eye-watering, it’s likely a lot cheaper than traveling to Chicago from wherever you are. (The single brownie I bought at the hotel cost $8.50, if you’re trying to do all the math.)

While the prestige surrounding this historic brownie recipe would have you thinking it’s guarded under lock and key, it’s quite the opposite. For the brownie enjoyers on a budget, the Palmer House has published the original recipe for all to use! I’ll be adding this to my rolodex of interesting recipes for sure; I love the concept of bringing “The Original Brownies” to a potluck.