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Why is the miniaturization of desserts and pastries so popular? I was visiting my sister in NYC this weekend, and mini cupcakes, mini cookies, mini anything, really, seem to be all the rage right now. We were walking in SoHo and passed by Baked by Melissa, a tiny storefront cupcake window selling baby cupcakes. We also stopped into Veniero’s, the esteemed Italian bakery, and nibbled on a two-bite cannoli. Mini is definitely popular… could it be because in an increasingly weight-senstitive society, people believe that “mini” means “healthy?” I suppose smaller desserts do equal less fat… but that’s really only if you stick to one. And I don’t see that happening!

Case in point: Dorie Greenspan’s Brownie Buttons. So small, so cute, so yummy. But you can’t just stop at one! These babies are so easy to pop into your mouth—they’re the perfect bite-sized treat. Stack them up, pile them in a bowl…these diminuative desserts can really be mistaken for snacks, and not the calorie-laden sweet treats that they really are. Eat too many, and they can definitely pack a punch!

That’s not to say they aren’t absolutely fantastic! I found the texture to be very light and cakey—not so much thick and chewy the way traditional brownies are. They were more “springy” than dense, so to me, I thought they were like cake bites. After eating my fair share of these little treats, I thought the word “brownie” was a bit of a misnomer. But that’s OK—they were still mighty delicious. Especially with the icing I dipped them into.

A few weeks ago, I made Cappucino Brownies that had a white chocolate frosting. I didn’t want the same type of frosting for these little cuties, so I dipped them in a Kahlua-based icing instead. I thought they were a nice complement to the Brownie Buttons.

Thanks to Jayma for picking this recipe this week! You can find Dorie’s original recipe for Brownie Buttons on Jayma’s blog, Two Scientists Experimenting in the Kitchen. My version is below!

Recipe: Brownie Buttons
Adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan
Serves 16

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp whole wheat flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 stick (4 tbsp) Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend, cut into 4 pieces
• 2 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup Egg Beaters

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two miniature muffin pans, each with a dozen cups, and place them on a baking sheet.

Melt the butter, chocolate and brown sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over very low heat, stirring frequently with a heatproof spatula and keeping an eye on the pan so nothing overheats and burns. When the mixture is smooth, remove from the heat and cool for a minute or two.

Stir the vanilla, egg and the zest, if you’re using it, into the chocolate mixture. When the mixture is well blended, add the flour and stir only until it is incorporated. You should have a smooth, glossy batter.

Spoon the batter into 16 of the muffin cups, using about a teaspoon of batter to fill each cup three-quarters full. Put 1 teaspoon of water in each empty cup.

Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the tops of the buttons spring back when touched. Transfer the pans to racks to cool for 3 minutes before carefully releasing the buttons. Cool to room temperature on the racks.