Katharine Hepburn Had A Knack For Making This Classic Baked Good

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In the 1930s, Katharine Hepburn gained fame as a leading lady, playing outspoken, independent characters quite similar to her real-life self. Hepburn had strong opinions about many things — including, it seems, brownies.

After Hepburn's death in 2003, a woman named Heather Henderson wrote a letter to the New York Times, sharing an anecdote of how her father enlisted the actress — at that time, a local Manhattan stranger — to persuade his daughter not to drop out of Bryn Mawr, Hepburn's alma mater. In her tribute, Henderson also shared Hepburn's brownie recipe, along with a funny story about how it came into her hands.

After Hepburn convinced Henderson to graduate, the actress invited her father over a few times. When he heard that Hepburn had been in a car accident, he dropped off brownies and a card, only to be invited in while the actress sampled them. The four-time Academy Award-winner did not approve. She declared them over-baked and exclaimed, "Too much flour!" Hepburn then dictated her own recipe (which used only ¼ cup of flour), while Henderson's father frantically wrote it down. The actress added, ”And don't overbake them! They should be moist, not cakey!” When PBS Food made Hepburn's brownies, the writer described them as "wonderfully rich and gooey." It turns out Hepburn's strong opinions were justified!

In an interesting twist, a variation of Katharine Hepburn's brownie recipe was apparently circulating for years before Heather Henderson's piece in The New York Times. In the Editor's Diary of the August 1975 issue of Ladies' Home Journal, Hepburn shared a slightly different recipe with interviewer Ralph G. Martin. That version used two unsweetened chocolate squares (melted) instead of cocoa, and half the amount of vanilla. Perhaps Hepburn slightly altered her recipe over the years, or maybe Henderson's father didn't write down the recipe correctly. Either way, it's a safe bet that both are delicious.

We suggest trying both versions (we certainly plan to), but if you want to branch out, we're happy to oblige. For the most decadent baked treats imaginable, here are some chocolate-lover brownie recipes you'll swoon over. Interested in variations beyond traditional chocolate? Mashed curated a round-up of 23 recipes for the best homemade brownies.

If you aren't a baker and want to whip up a boxed mix, that's okay, too! There are all kinds of easy hacks to make boxed brownie mix taste homemade, like experimenting with creative toppings, so they'll never guess your secret at the bake sale. If, unlike Hepburn, you prefer crispy yet fudgy brownies, bust out the muffin tins for boxed brownie mix. You could even use a tin with Hepburn's brownie recipe, but we wouldn't put it past her to haunt anyone defying her strict baking rules. Whatever your choice, happy baking!