How To Attract A Brownie To Your House? Trust The Answer

Brownie, in English and Scottish folklore, a small, industrious fairy or hobgoblin believed to inhabit houses and barns. Rarely seen, he was often heard cleaning and doing housework at night; he also sometimes mischievously messed up rooms. He rode for the midwife, and in Cornwall he made swarms of bees settle quickly. Cream or bread and milk might be left to him, but other gifts offended him. If you made him a suit, he would put it on and then disappear, never to come back.

The Boggart of Yorkshire and the Bogle of Scotland are hostile, mischievous brownies indistinguishable from poltergeists. See also swaddling.

My daughter loves the house fairy. She is 6 and we had never taught her to tidy up or care for her room because we thought it would be pointless as we are anything but neat freaks ourselves. When I first visited your site, she was in the room. She was tied to the computer screen and fascinated by the house fairy! She didn’t even want to finish watching before she ran off to pick up 5 things!! Since then she’s been very conscientious and I’m saving money and having MUCH more fun (with BETTER results) than paying pocket money. Thank you for everything you do. ~ Sincerely, Ashli

Hausfee hier: I think one of the reasons kids want to work with me is because they go into what I call what I call “corporate tidying” mode. Their precious imaginations get going and suddenly they find joy in the everyday. The thought of the house fairy coming is exciting for children. Just like you thought Matt Damon would come by to inspect your room!

So offer Brownie a piece of bread, a mug to drink, or a new coat and hood, and he scoffed at it, and in his anger perhaps left the place for good; but leave a nice bowl of cream and a few fresh honeycombs in a snug private corner, and they soon vanished, though Brownie presumably never knew of them.

When most people think of fairies, a few classic images spring to mind – Tinkerbell from Peter Pan, Puck from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the Fairy Godmother from Cinderella. Throw in Cosmo and Wanda from The Fairly Odparents and it’s clear that most of society sees fairies as little creatures flying around with glitter and wands. In other words, fictional and cartoonish. However, there is actually a large group of people who not only believe they are real, but really want to know how to contact fairies.

Belief in the existence of fairies seems to date back to the 13th century, with the first historical record of fairies being by the historian Gervase of Tilbury. While recent popular culture can depict fairies in a number of ways, there are many different types of fairies, not all of which can fly. Interest in communicating with these fairies continues to this day – and while some may find the idea kind of spooky, many others believe that these spiritual creatures can actually help make dreams come true.

If talking to fairies is on your wish list, then it’s time to scratch it off. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you might be able to contact them.

Fairies are tiny, often beautiful humanoid creatures (sometimes with wings) featured in legends and folklore around the world. Fairies likely began as versions of pagan nature gods and goddesses, and as such are often associated with nature (especially forests), as well as magic and travel.

Depending on the region, fairies are said to live in forest communities, subterranean kingdoms or lakes, hills, or circles of stone or grass—often alongside centaurs, elves, ogres, gnomes, and other similar animals. Fairies come in many races and tribes and are also said to vary in size and shape; Although most are small, some change size, becoming human-sized or larger if they choose.

Frances Griffiths and the Dancing Fairies, one of the photos she and her cousin Elsie Wright took of “real” fairies. Many people, including author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, believed the photos to be real. (Image credit: Cottingley.net

In centuries past, people were much less keen on what was real and what wasn’t; Much of the world was still unexplored and shrouded in mystery. Traveling shows brought amazing creatures from around the world to people who had never seen such wonders. Animals such as giraffes, bears and tigers appeared as attractions in carnivals and circuses in the 18th century. For many who saw these animals for the first time, dragons, mermaids and fairies didn’t seem far-fetched.

Not so nice

In modern times, fairies have mostly been relegated to magical children’s literature, hence the term ‘fairy tales’. However, in past centuries, many adults also believed in the existence of fairies. Early fairies weren’t cute elves; They were lustful, evil and cruel creatures that would kill you just as much as take you out of the forest. They were often benevolent, but could also be moody and vindictive. Travelers on long journeys (or even those outside their native villages) would bring offerings to the fairies, typically bannock (bread) cakes, tobacco or fruit. In return, the fair folk could provide good weather or safe passage from wild animals and highwaymen.

On the other hand, those who didn’t risked extinction; If you have fallen on the bad side of a fairy, sooner or later fate will strike you. Whether in the form of a terrible storm, an accident, or the death of a child, the fairies would get their revenge. Even the mention of fairies was enough to anger her; Because of this, they were often referred to indirectly as “the gentle people” or “the good people”.

Fairies have also been associated with Changeling beliefs, and have sometimes been said to secretly trade sickly fairy babies for healthy human ones. In fact, belief in fairies was at the root of a famous murder in Ireland. In 1895, a woman named Bridget Clearly was killed by her husband, who claimed she was not really his wife but a changeling brought to him by fairies.

fairy tale pictures

Fairy affairs resurfaced two decades later when two teenage cousins, Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright, played with fairies in the English countryside near Cottingley. Interacting with imaginary fairy friends would probably be considered normal behavior for 10- and 16-year-old girls, but the couple insisted the fairies were real. They even provided proof in the form of five photographs showing little fairies playing with the girls.

While some dismissed the photos as obvious fakes, many others weren’t so sure. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, creator of Sherlock Holmes, believed that fairies were real and wrote a book called The Coming of the Fairies, in which he discussed fairies and his belief that their existence was proven beyond a reasonable doubt . Many have been tricked, and the reality of fairies has been a subject of debate among some adults for decades. Finally, Frances Griffiths, then 75 years old, admitted in 1983 that the “fairies” were drawings cut out of a book,

Although belief in fairies persists to this day in some places – notably Ireland, Iceland, Norway and Scotland – modern fairies have been sanitized for today’s children and (thankfully) lost their murderous ways.

Benjamin Radford is Associate Editor of the science magazine Skeptical Inquirer and the author of six books, including Tracking the Chupacabra: The Vampire Beast in Fact, Fiction, and Folklore and Scientific Paranormal Investigation: How to Solve Unexplained Mysteries. His website is www.BenjaminRadford.com.

Every team in every sport needs a logo and mascot to call their own. This is done primarily to support the activity of franchise marketing. A team needs an image – something to sell itself with.

Since their birth in 1946, the Cleveland Browns have faced a problem from the start: How do you promote a team named after a single man — or a color, by the way?

The answer? A brownie.

Old World folklore relating to brownies

The Cleveland Browns didn’t invent the brownies. This task was done a long time ago in Northern England.

Brownies are meant to live in people’s homes, only coming out at night and doing minimal household or farm chores. It was customary to leave a bowl of fresh cream on the stove for the brownies to serve them. If not, or if the cream wasn’t fresh, the brownies would leave the house forever or be mischief.

Brown-skinned little creatures, hooded ragged clothes, very hairy and ugly with pointy cloth shoes, these brownies are able to disappear and reappear at will. They are villainous and known to pull nasty pranks on lazy household members, especially servants. Brownies are also full of mischief, are rarely seen, and are usually all male. The people in the household can neither laugh nor criticize them. There are very few female brownies nicknamed “Silkies” because of the ragged gray silk clothing they always wear.

The goal of every household was to please the brownies and not anger or offend the creatures for fear that they would leave and therefore stop doing chores. It’s said brownies would leave a home if they weren’t treated with respect or gratitude. The greatest insult is to offer a piece of clothing as a gift that the brownie would wear and disappear – never to be seen again.

Brownies aren’t fairies, and they’re not leprechauns either. They are not goblins or dwarves or goblins and definitely not elves. The most modern categorization has been that they are “household spirits”. Brownies work alone, live alone, and love solitude, while the other wraiths all live in groups.

Elves are either fair-skinned or extremely dark-skinned. In addition to being mischievous by nature, they are also evil. They will steal children and give bad dreams to others. Elves also have the ability to cause disease and disease in humans and cattle, and are usually thought of as demonic beings.

Although many books had mentioned different types of brownies, the earliest reference appeared in the 1818 book The Brownie of Bodsbeck, written by James Hogg. The most famous collection of stories about brownies first appeared by author Palmer Cox with The Brownies: Their Book in 1887. Cox later wrote several other children’s books about the brownies. His successful renditions of the characters became popular in North America, where Cox, also an illustrator, licensed his cartoon brownie characters for use on children’s boots, dolls, and other miscellaneous toys and clothing items.

Cox tried to trademark the term “brownie” but was unsuccessful as it referred to an ancient creature from folklore and belonged to all humans.

In 1900, George Eastman launched a new line of lower-priced cameras and called the line the Brownie Series. The B-1 model was inexpensive, selling for a dollar. Eastman-Kodak Brownie Starflex cameras continued to be sold into the 1950s.

In 1919, Girl Guides were an organization for young ladies whose group name Juliette Low called the lower levels “brownies.” This association was later called “Girl Scouts”.

One pro football team out – another takes its place

The Cleveland Rams had just won the 1945 NFL title after struggling to remain a viable franchise in the city of Cleveland. Two years ago, Rams owner Dan Reeves wanted to relocate to California, but was turned down both years by the other NFL owners who didn’t want to travel the distance, which at the time was only accessible by bus or train. At the time, the league was in the Midwest and Eastern United States.

But when Reeves learned there would be a new pro football club in town as part of the brand new NFL rival league All-America Football Conference (AAFC), he pushed the other owners to give him the opportunity to move west Coast.

Air travel was now a viable transportation option, and Reeves had some influence.

For starters, his Rams were the defending champions. Second, Dan Topping, owner of the NFL New York Yankees, had his club taken out of the NFL and became one of the eight teams in the newly formed AAFC. The other owners didn’t want a repeat appearance with an angry Reeves and his Rams. Another perk for Reeves was the fact that the new Cleveland AAFC team had hired Paul Brown, one of the most famous sports figures in all of Ohio State, as their head coach.

The AAFC had placed teams in eight cities, most of which already had NFL clubs, and Cleveland was one of them. At first, the new Cleveland franchise was dubbed the “Panthers,” but soon dropped that moniker when a man came forward and said he owned the rights to “the Cleveland Panthers” from another team that played a long time ago. So the new Cleveland AAFC team wasn’t named for a while.

People simply referred to the Cleveland franchise as “Paul Brown’s team.” After a while, owner Mickey McBride said he wanted the new team to be named The Browns after their famous coach. Many sports teams have been named colors, including the St. Louis Browns, Chicago Cardinals, and Cincinnati Reds baseball teams. At first the humble coach Brown declined, but then reluctantly agreed.

But it just wasn’t enough to bear the same name as one of Ohio’s most famous men. The franchise needed something to hang its hat on. A logo. A mascot maybe. an identity.

Cleveland begins using the brownie

McBride made his fortune buying and renting out homes. He then bought a controlling interest in the Zone Cab Company and grew that company into one of the largest in Cleveland in a highly competitive cab market. Eventually, Zone Cab successfully merged with the Yellow Cab Company.

From his experience in the cab business, McBride knew you had to rush and encourage yourself over other people. Zone had built their name and logo into the minds of the city through an aggressive advertising campaign and built awareness.

From this competing war, McBride wanted something that would embody his new professional football franchise. He wanted – a logo that would make his team marketable. After all, the Browns were the new kid in town in a brand new league. The NFL was formed, the Rams were formed, and besides, the other Cleveland team had just won the championship.

What would make Clevelanders come out and see the new boys play? Would Coach Brown’s reputation be enough? Would the fact that the AAFC was brand new make people stay home instead of giving them a chance? Would loyal Rams fans come out to games or now become fans of the Los Angeles Rams instead?

McBride, after careful consideration, chose a logo that was a brownie folk figure. The character he commissioned was a small, boyish creature with pointy ears, a hood, an orange jacket with brown pants held up with a belt and buckle, pointy cloth shoes, holding a soccer ball . And an embarrassed grin full of mischief.

And who drew that first rendition? The idea came from an advertisement by Sears and Roebuck. The Browns simply mixed up some features to come up with their own rendition that suits their needs.

A second rendering was done for game advertisements and programs. “Brownie” first appeared in a newspaper ad for tickets to the 1946 season opener against the Miami Seahawks at the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. This character was similar, but was shown running, maintaining a right-handed stiff arm maneuver while holding a football with the phrase “The Brownies are coming!”

Renderings of Brownie were a staple of the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s sports pages. When the club won, Brownie was shown with a smile, but a loss showed him beaten up and often with a black eye.

The imprinting of their mascot, Brownie the Elf, has raised some questions about him.

When the Browns use “Brownie the Elf” then he is not a Brownie but an Elf named Brownie. Brownies are gentle, mischievous, and helpful creatures. Elves aren’t the cute and cuddly characters that distort the Keebler cookie cartoons. Elves are evil and mean. Do the Browns say their mascot is a brownie or an elf? The football game is not child’s play, so maybe the mean and evil version fits best.

Or have the Browns mismanaged this mascot? Did they plan on calling him a brownie and referring to him as an elf instead? Is he actually “Brownie the Brownie”? According to the Browns’ communications department, his name is “Brownie the Elf,” so he must be an elf.

Representing the club with a brownie rendition makes perfect sense, but the Cleveland Browns are not the Cleveland Elves.

The Browns’ first AAFC game was a home game against the Miami Seahawks on September 6, 1946 in front of a crowd of 60,135 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. In an ad before the competition (see above) the headline reads “A world first for Cleveland!”. and later, “The Brownies are Coming!” with a cartoon depiction running the soccer ball with a stiff arm sticking out. The cartoon player is dressed as a brownie – not an elf. And if Brownie is actually “Brownie the Elf”, why isn’t it “The Elves are Coming!”?

Yet every depiction of him – regardless of year or pose – has dressed him as a brownie, not an elf.

Which might suit the club better. Wouldn’t a professional soccer team prefer the nasty, mean, mean version, capable of instilling disease at will, as a better testimony than that of a helpful loner hanging around doing chores for free? What fan would like to yell at their opponent as they drive across the field, “Fold their laundry! Milk your cows!”

The Browns even had a live Brownie mascot. Tommy Flynn was a dwarfed man who roamed the Cleveland touchline during AAFC games. He yelled at umpires and Browns opponents dressed either as a goofy looking elf or in some sort of Cleveland Browns garb. He gambled passes with then-quarterback and future Hall of Famer Otto Graham during a pregame warm-up. Flynn’s real job was assistant equipment manager for the franchise. He even mimicked Paul Brown’s moves on the touchline on match days, to the amusement of home crowds.

When the Browns merged into the NFL in 1950, league officials said Flynn and that whole live performance of “Brownie the Elf” was a side show they considered minor league. For decades, Americans were only interested in baseball and college football. The NFL had worked very hard to present their league as the environment of a true professional entity. With Cleveland now an NFL club, Flynn was gone, as were all references to him. The League owners didn’t ban “Brownie the Elf” outright, but instead instructed McBride to tone down the character. Descent.

Helmbrownie, the demise of Brownie the Elf, and the return of Brownie the Elf

In 1948, Rams running back Fred Gehrke, a college art major, approached Reeves about an idea he had regarding their helmets. The end result was that Gehrke painted ram horns on each helmet for games. These would be the first American football team to wear a logo other than stripes on their helmet.

Beginning in the early 1950s, other professional football franchises began experimenting with logos, numbers, or letters added to helmets. In 1953, Coach Brown asked longtime coach Leo Murphy to come up with several helmet designs that used Brownie on the helmet sides of orange shells with combinations of different stripe designs.

After reviewing some of Murphy’s drafts, Coach Brown decided to keep the status quo and deferred the idea for more important items on the agenda. The day the idea was revisited most likely never came again because Cleveland was a consistent powerhouse and you just don’t mess with traditions and change habits when you win.

Brownie the Elf was still used. In 1950 an orange version was introduced. The logo on the 1952 felt souvenir pennant was that of Brownie about to heave a long right-handed pass that read “Cleveland Browns.” Also noticed was the fact that his pointy cloth shoes are actually cleats.

But things are changing. Since the franchise’s inception in 1946, Coach Brown has essentially been the team’s GM and made most of the decisions. McBride confided in Brown, as did the new owners, who bought the club in 1953 for the outrageous price of $600,000.

When Art Modell bought the Browns in 1961, he wanted to be the football operations side of the team while Coach Brown devoted his resources to coaching only.

One of the first things Modell did as the Browns’ new owner was to fire Brownie. He hated that his franchise’s model was that of a cartoon character. He thought it was childish and not big, mean, aggressive soccer players. He made sure that Brownie was never used as a team symbol or mascot for any idea again.

Art Modell was quoted as saying, “My first order of business as the owner of the Browns will be to get rid of this little [Eleven].”

The 1961 media guide featured Brownie on the cover in front of an orange helmet, but for 1962 the little ghost was replaced with a rumbling helmetless Jim Brown, whereas in earlier years it was usually Brownie in a sort of football pose.

What had become an icon of the Cleveland Browns franchise since its inception in 1946, proud alongside four AAFC championships and three NFL titles, was now abruptly discarded. This remained so until the day Modell moved the club to Baltimore after the 1995 season.

What Modell did instead was come up with a logo in 1965 that would be their new helmet design. Referred to as the “CB” helmet, the helmet was sold on a variety of merchandise and used for many souvenirs, coasters, toys, and electric soccer games. For whatever reason, the actual helmet design was never seen on the practice field or used in games.

When the new Cleveland Browns became an expansion club in 1999, all of the history, colors, and logos stayed with the new team. The new owners were Al Lerner and Carmen Policy. Gradually, Brownie reappeared.

Brownie has some new friends and logos

The New Browns began Brownie’s resurgence with new ownership. Any long-time Browns fan has been familiar since childhood with the eleven’s story that shaped his association with the football team.

As the new Browns emerged with new owners, Brownie was slowly being brought down by the mothball for reuse. But this time, instead of a mischievous, spooky goblin character, the logo is a great anchor for the organization’s storied tradition and, if toned down, would become perfect for capturing children’s jewelry. It was decided to produce a “brownie” in live-action costumes that would be tame, huggable, smiling, less threatening, yet traditional.

With the 2004 team, Brownie was in his 1946 pose on the backs of player ponchos and gear cases. Two years later, a special logo was presented for the 2006 season – the club’s 60th anniversary, using Brownie on a patch and the corresponding media guide of that year. In 2018, Brownie was the official logo for that year’s training camp.

Currently, the Browns website features a prominent logo at the top, which is their old-school “Brownie the Elf” logo with the embellishment “Est. 1946.”

Did you know? The sleepy town of Aurora, Ohio used brownie as a logo in the 1940s and into the 1960s. The high school is currently called The Greenmen. Their current logo is a hooded “Gremlin/Goblin/Brownie/Elf”-like creature, but many years earlier it was the same 1946 Brownie the Elf logo used by the Browns. At the time, some Browns employees had children who attended Aurora High School, and the school was given permission to use the Brownie logo in its accuracy. Also during this time the school was coined “Die Grünen”, but has since transformed into “Die Grünen”.

Meanwhile, the team also introduced a new mascot called “Chomps,” which is a snarling Labrador Dawg costume. In 2014 the club decided they wanted a live hunting dog too, so they introduced ‘Swagger’, a 145-pound bulldog who has since retired and died of cancer. His duties were passed on to his son “SJ”.

While Brownie’s revival was welcome news for some, there were no plans to side with him on the helmets side.

His return as the Browns’ logo drew mixed reviews. An online petition entitled “The Brownie Elf Most be abolished” was started by Toast Wienman a few years ago after Jimmy Haslam bought the club. The target was 100 petitioners, but to date there are only 14.

The petition’s search was explained with: “The Browns have a throwback brownie pixie logo. I want to take it down because I think it’s a disgrace to the franchise. If the Browns keep using the 11, they’ll be the laughing stock of the NFL. That’s why the Browns should get rid of the Brownie Elf logo.” Apparently, 14 die-hard Browns fans agree.

Others agree that the logo is still just a caricature. But quite a few NFL clubs use or have used drawings or caricatures of animals, people, or objects as their official logo. Since the 1950s, the New York Football Giants have used a drawing of a towering quarterback emerging from a football stadium. The Chicago Bears use a drawing of a mean old bear. What about the Philadelphia Eagles and their flying eagle holding a soccer ball in its claws? Or the old San Francisco 49ers pistol-hopping cowpoke logo?

Football is a macho sport and teams go out of their way to present their franchise as strength, power, determination and a winning heritage. Is it embarrassing that a pro football club’s emblem is that of a cute little old elf? Where are the standards that would define “cute” and “soccer” in the same sentence?

Then explain why at games the chant is, “Here we go Brownies, here we go!” followed by “Woof! Shot!”

Could it be that Brownie the Elf is the Browns’ only symbol? Doesn’t it bring back fond memories whether it’s the hands on hips standard position, the “crowned” standard version with a crown after winning multiple championships, the stiff halfback, or the bomb passer?

How’s that for a fact? Brownie the Elf’s lineage holds seven championships. Chomps, Swagger and SJ together have zero.

The bottom line is that brownie is considered a secondary logo today. It has historical value and its place, but with the acceptance and development of the Dawg Pound, the club simply went in a different direction with the Dawg concept. If a helmet design was ever considered, it’s far more likely that a Mastiff design would see the sides of Cleveland helmets more than Brownie ever would.

In a recent Twitter poll, 57% of Browns fans said they actually prefer the old Brownie logo as the main logo for the Browns, despite the success and popularity of the Dawg image.

The Brownie the Elf logo has nothing to do with being current or modern. It’s strictly vintage and represents a time long ago when the Cleveland Browns were not only relevant but were the New England Patriots of their day. From 1946 to 1957, the franchise played in 10 consecutive championship games and won seven.

And Brownie the Elf has been with them in a way every single season.

Poll As a Browns fan, what do you think of the use of “Brownie the Elf” as a logo? This poll is closed. 80% Always excited (487 votes)

12% yes (73 votes)

7% agree with model: “…get rid of the little (elf).” (47 votes) 607 total votes Vote now

Barry Shuck is a professional football historical writer and a member of the Professional Football Researcher’s Association

supernatural being

A sprite is a supernatural being in European mythology. They are often depicted as fairy beings or as ethereal beings.[1]

The word sprite is derived from the Latin spiritus (“spirit”) via the French esprit. Variations on the term include spright and the Celtic spriggan. The term is primarily used in reference to elves and fairies in European folklore, and is rarely used in modern English in reference to spirits.

Belief in sprites[edit]

Belief in tiny creatures such as goblins, elves, fairies etc. was widespread in many parts of the world and to some extent may still be found in neo-spiritual and religious movements such as “Neo-Druidism” and Ásatrú.

In some elemental mages, the sprite is often assumed to be the elemental of air (see also sylph).

Aquarius[ edit ]

For the plant species, see Ceratopteris thalictroides

According to the alchemist Paracelsus, a water spirit (also called a water fairy or water fairy) is a general term for an elemental spirit associated with water. Water spirits are said to be able to breathe water or air, and sometimes to fly.

These creatures exist in the mythology of different groups. The ancient Greeks knew water nymphs of various types, such as naiads (or nyads), who were divine beings who tended to be fixed in one place[2] and so distinguished from gods or physical creatures. Slavic mythology knows them as Vilas.

Water spirits differ from corporeal beings such as selkies, mermaids, and sirens in that they are not purely physical and resemble local deities rather than animals.[3]

See also[edit]

On this side types

Tough

fiddly

cakey

So you want to make brownies from scratch. Great! We guarantee it’s worth the extra effort, but it’s not as easy to bake as the first recipe you see. First you have to decide: do you want a chewy, fudgy, or cakey brownie?

As we developed new brownie recipes, we asked ourselves: What is causing the discrepancies between these brownie textures? Are the ingredients different, or is it just the way they are combined? After doing some research and testing several batches, we came to some conclusions. Read on to learn how to make brownies chewy, softer, or more cakey by swapping out a few basic ingredients.

Types of brownies

The chewy brownie (middle of the photo) is probably the one you know and love. It has—you guessed it—a thick and chewy outer crust with a rich chocolate core. A fudgy brownie (far left in photo) is slightly underbaked and very gooey and dense. It’s for real chocoholics. Cakey brownies (far right) may get a bad rap, but think of them as slices of fluffy chocolate cake, complete with an irresistible, crunchy shell on top.

Chewy brownies

While butter is the only fat used in crispy and cakey brownies, chewy brownies benefit from the addition of canola oil (which might be why this version reminds you of the boxed mixes, too). The addition of brown sugar is also crucial as it speeds up gluten formation, resulting in a chewy texture. Using cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate ensures they don’t fall too deeply into the fudgy category.

fudgy brownies

Fudgy brownies benefit from less cocoa powder and the addition of chopped chocolate, which is melted with the butter to create a thick, melted base. Pulling them out of the oven before a toothpick comes out clean will also ensure the center stays fudge-like and gooey.

Tasty brownies

As an American living abroad during an election year, I was unknowingly cast in the role of ambassador. I’m lucky enough to live in Berlin, a city that was once saved by Americans, which means I’m usually the recipient of goodwill. But these days, I can’t leave the house in the morning without one of my neighbors volunteering their opinion on what’s at stake on November 4th and what needs to be done about it. More than once it has been suggested to me that Germans should vote in the US elections because they feel so affected by our government’s policies.

Not so fast, darling.

Yes, it is possible to enter our society. But it requires a serious commitment. For example, my mother was born in England and became a US citizen in 1972 to vote against Richard Nixon. Americans come from other countries, I explain to my neighbors, and together we are greater than the sum of our parts. But it’s not that easy to convey to them what connects us as a culture. When it comes down to it, I stick to the basics: dream home ownership, great TV, a few essential desserts. The brownie in particular comes to mind. Its roots can be traced to many places – Latin American ingredients, European baking traditions, Asian finger foods – but its flavor and density, portability and ease of use make it universally appealing. The essence of American culture, right?

Home » Brownies » How to Tell When Brownies Are Done

Brownies are one of the easiest baked treats to make. But taking them out at the right time can be tricky. A few minutes rest and you could end up with something far from what you wanted to make.

How good you want your brownies to be is of course personal preference. In general, you should be able to tell if your brownies are done by appearance, timing, or toothpick sampling.

I’m Angie, I’m a self taught baker who has been baking for over 10 years. Brownies are a specialty of mine, peanut butter, s’mores, swirled cheesecake, I’ve made them all. In this article, I’m going to show you a few ways you can tell when your brownies are done.

Ready for perfectly baked brownies? I know I am!

How to tell when brownies are done

Here are the top ways you can tell when your brownies are done.

1. Visual

You can tell if your brownies are done by looking at them. Open your oven door and look for any hard crust that has formed around the edges. The center of your brownie may still wobble slightly, but the edges should be completely set and just pull away from the pan.

The top of your brownie should be matte and no longer shiny, at this point you should also see a thin film that has formed on the top of your brownies that are cracked.

2 times

Baking time for brownies may vary depending on the size of your pan. For brownies, which are baked in an 8-inch square pan, you’ll want to set your timer for about 40 minutes.

Personally, I like to split my baking time in half, removing the tray after 20 minutes, sprinkling some salt on top, and dropping the pan onto a flat surface a few times. This will help your brownie bake more evenly throughout and leave some nice cracks on the top.

3. The toothpick test

To make sure your brownies are done, you can also do the Trustee Toothpick Test. We often use this when baking to check the doneness of various baked goods.

Just grab a toothpick and give your brownies a kick. This should be done twice, once closer to the edge of your brownie and once in the middle. As you slowly pull your toothpick out, no residue should come loose from the edges.

When you remove the toothpick from the center of your brownies, you will see a smear of chocolate goo on the toothpick. This is if you’re looking for a chewy or fudgy brownie.

Don’t worry about undercooking as your brownie will still be cooked with residual heat after you take it out of the oven.

4. Check the temperature

Use a digital thermometer to check the temperature in the center of your brownie. The temperature should be somewhere between 165 and 210°F to achieve the perfect doneness. If your temperature is higher, you will end up with a cakey brownie.

Different brownie textures

Depending on how you prefer your brownies to be, the things to look out for will also vary. Below is a detailed guide.

cakey

The ingredients in Cakey Brownies are very different from those in a regular brownie. It’s drier and fluffier, and you may not see any crust formation on top at all, more like a thin, soft film similar to what you find on a chocolate cake.

Cakier brownies generally require less wet ingredients and therefore take less time to bake. After 20 minutes in the oven, you can start checking the doneness.

When you do the toothpick test, expect to pull out your toothpick with some crumbs on it. That should tell you it’s done.

In terms of temperature, your cakey brownie should reach an internal temperature of 210°F.

Tough

Chewy brownies are my favorite type of brownie. It’s not too moist, but it’s still tender and super decadent.

To see if your chewy brownies are done, insert a toothpick into your brownie and your toothpick should come out clean around the edges and slightly sticky in the middle.

A chewy 8-inch diameter brownie should take about 45 minutes to fully bake, with an internal temperature of between 165 and 210F. Make sure to check when it’s about 30 minutes.

fiddly

Fudgy brownies are the moistest of the three. Take out your brownies, wearing mittens of course, give your brownies a little wiggle. Your crispy brownies should still wobble slightly in the middle. The top of your crispy brownie should be dull with a thin, cracked film.

Similar to a chewy brownie, a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownie should come out sticky, but expect a moister texture compared to a chewy brownie.

Baking your moist brownies should also take between 30 and 45 minutes. Once the center of your brownie has reached 165°F, it should set properly and be ready to remove from the oven.

frequently asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions about how to tell when brownies are done.

How do you know if brownies are overcooked?

You’ll know your brownies are overcooked when you can stick a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean. Once you take your brownies out, the residual heat will continue to cook them and the result is a very cakey, dense, and uncomfortable slab of brownies.

Of course, you also know your brownies are overcooked when they go from brown to black and start smelling burnt.

Can undercooked brownies make you sick?

When it comes to brownies, many of us prefer them to be a little undercooked rather than overdone. It’s generally okay to eat slightly undercooked brownies, just make sure you’re not catching salmonella poisoning from raw eggs.

However, since the setting temperature for brownies is 144°F, which is higher than 135°F, the temperature high enough to kill salmonella, you shouldn’t have to worry too much unless your brownies are visibly wet and raw.

Can you put brownies back in the oven if they’re undercooked?

Yes you can! Simply set your oven to the same temperature you originally baked them at, it should be around 350°F, return your brownies to their tray or directly onto a baking pan and bake until they are the desired doneness achieved.

Final Thoughts

Easy? I think so. Now that you know four ways to tell if your brownies are done, I hope you’ll have less trouble making brownies that are the perfect texture for you.

How do you like your brownies? Cakey, chewy or fudgy? And how do you know when they’re done? Share your tips and tricks with us in the comments below!

Brownies become a member of a Six, a small group with names like Badger, Fox, Mole, Leprechauns, Fairies, Gnomes etc. Here at 1st Waddington (RAF) Brownies we have 4 Sixes: Foxes, Hedgehogs, Rabbits and Squirrels and each Six has one Sixer (Brownie in charge) and a second (her deputy).

Traditionally, the oldest brownies are chosen as the Sixers and Seconds, but it can vary depending on when girls joined brownies, their age, and whether or not they actually want to take on the role. We choose our Sixers and Seconds based on a variety of factors. do not automatically select the oldest girls. As a Sixer or Second, Brownies are responsible for completing the following tasks each week.

Take Six’s Register

When coloring, put a tablecloth on the floor

Make sure all trash is thrown in the trash can

Fold table and put away (give to leader)

Make sure everyone puts their pencil cases away.

Make sure all coats and bags are removed from Bin Six

Make sure everyone has their water bottle.

One of our leaders (usually Daisy) mentors new Sixers and Seconds and walks them through a handy guide that explains exactly what’s expected of them, with useful hints and tips on how to be a very effective Sixer or Second. We have a 3 week trial first to see if the brownie is comfortable and able to take on her new role. To date, we’ve never had to withdraw a sixer or second!

A space to try new things

Brownies is about getting together regularly—often every week—to work on badges, learn new skills, play games, and meet friends. It’s about trying adventurous activities and participating in special events, day trips, overnight stays, camps and holidays.

All Brownies are sure to try new things and take on a wide range of challenges while exploring the themes housed in our six program themes – Knowing Myself, Expressing Myself, Being Good, Adventuring, Taking Action and Skills for My Future.

Learn more about topics.

Brownies go for it!

Girls in Brownies are part of a small group called Six, led by a girl named Sixer. They make their own decisions about what badges and activities to do next. They work together to explore the world around them and make a positive difference in their community.

Brownies have adventures

In their regular meetings, girls will try new things – they can work in groups on skill-building activities like Live Smart or Network and have fun together in the unity meeting activities.

They work towards badges of interest in their own time, choosing topics and skills they are interested in and exploring everything from languages ​​to space.

Brownies can be proud of their achievements with awards for each theme and work towards the Brownie Gold Award – the highest honor a brownie can receive!

Every team in every sport needs a logo and mascot to call their own. This is done primarily to support the activity of franchise marketing. A team needs an image – something to sell itself with.

Since their birth in 1946, the Cleveland Browns have faced a problem from the start: How do you promote a team named after a single man — or a color, by the way?

The answer? A brownie.

Old World folklore relating to brownies

The Cleveland Browns didn’t invent the brownies. This task was done a long time ago in Northern England.

Brownies are meant to live in people’s homes, only coming out at night and doing minimal household or farm chores. It was customary to leave a bowl of fresh cream on the stove for the brownies to serve them. If not, or if the cream wasn’t fresh, the brownies would leave the house forever or be mischief.

Brown-skinned little creatures, hooded ragged clothes, very hairy and ugly with pointy cloth shoes, these brownies are able to disappear and reappear at will. They are villainous and known to pull nasty pranks on lazy household members, especially servants. Brownies are also full of mischief, are rarely seen, and are usually all male. The people in the household can neither laugh nor criticize them. There are very few female brownies nicknamed “Silkies” because of the ragged gray silk clothing they always wear.

The goal of every household was to please the brownies and not anger or offend the creatures for fear that they would leave and therefore stop doing chores. It’s said brownies would leave a home if they weren’t treated with respect or gratitude. The greatest insult is to offer a piece of clothing as a gift that the brownie would wear and disappear – never to be seen again.

Brownies aren’t fairies, and they’re not leprechauns either. They are not goblins or dwarves or goblins and definitely not elves. The most modern categorization has been that they are “household spirits”. Brownies work alone, live alone, and love solitude, while the other wraiths all live in groups.

Elves are either fair-skinned or extremely dark-skinned. In addition to being mischievous by nature, they are also evil. They will steal children and give bad dreams to others. Elves also have the ability to cause disease and disease in humans and cattle, and are usually thought of as demonic beings.

Although many books had mentioned different types of brownies, the earliest reference appeared in the 1818 book The Brownie of Bodsbeck, written by James Hogg. The most famous collection of stories about brownies first appeared by author Palmer Cox with The Brownies: Their Book in 1887. Cox later wrote several other children’s books about the brownies. His successful renditions of the characters became popular in North America, where Cox, also an illustrator, licensed his cartoon brownie characters for use on children’s boots, dolls, and other miscellaneous toys and clothing items.

Cox tried to trademark the term “brownie” but was unsuccessful as it referred to an ancient creature from folklore and belonged to all humans.

In 1900, George Eastman launched a new line of lower-priced cameras and called the line the Brownie Series. The B-1 model was inexpensive, selling for a dollar. Eastman-Kodak Brownie Starflex cameras continued to be sold into the 1950s.

In 1919, Girl Guides were an organization for young ladies whose group name Juliette Low called the lower levels “brownies.” This association was later called “Girl Scouts”.

One pro football team out – another takes its place

The Cleveland Rams had just won the 1945 NFL title after struggling to remain a viable franchise in the city of Cleveland. Two years ago, Rams owner Dan Reeves wanted to relocate to California, but was turned down both years by the other NFL owners who didn’t want to travel the distance, which at the time was only accessible by bus or train. At the time, the league was in the Midwest and Eastern United States.

But when Reeves learned there would be a new pro football club in town as part of the brand new NFL rival league All-America Football Conference (AAFC), he pushed the other owners to give him the opportunity to move west Coast.

Air travel was now a viable transportation option, and Reeves had some influence.

For starters, his Rams were the defending champions. Second, Dan Topping, owner of the NFL New York Yankees, had his club taken out of the NFL and became one of the eight teams in the newly formed AAFC. The other owners didn’t want a repeat appearance with an angry Reeves and his Rams. Another perk for Reeves was the fact that the new Cleveland AAFC team had hired Paul Brown, one of the most famous sports figures in all of Ohio State, as their head coach.

The AAFC had placed teams in eight cities, most of which already had NFL clubs, and Cleveland was one of them. At first, the new Cleveland franchise was dubbed the “Panthers,” but soon dropped that moniker when a man came forward and said he owned the rights to “the Cleveland Panthers” from another team that played a long time ago. So the new Cleveland AAFC team wasn’t named for a while.

People simply referred to the Cleveland franchise as “Paul Brown’s team.” After a while, owner Mickey McBride said he wanted the new team to be named The Browns after their famous coach. Many sports teams have been named colors, including the St. Louis Browns, Chicago Cardinals, and Cincinnati Reds baseball teams. At first the humble coach Brown declined, but then reluctantly agreed.

But it just wasn’t enough to bear the same name as one of Ohio’s most famous men. The franchise needed something to hang its hat on. A logo. A mascot maybe. an identity.

Cleveland begins using the brownie

McBride made his fortune buying and renting out homes. He then bought a controlling interest in the Zone Cab Company and grew that company into one of the largest in Cleveland in a highly competitive cab market. Eventually, Zone Cab successfully merged with the Yellow Cab Company.

From his experience in the cab business, McBride knew you had to rush and encourage yourself over other people. Zone had built their name and logo into the minds of the city through an aggressive advertising campaign and built awareness.

From this competing war, McBride wanted something that would embody his new professional football franchise. He wanted – a logo that would make his team marketable. After all, the Browns were the new kid in town in a brand new league. The NFL was formed, the Rams were formed, and besides, the other Cleveland team had just won the championship.

What would make Clevelanders come out and see the new boys play? Would Coach Brown’s reputation be enough? Would the fact that the AAFC was brand new make people stay home instead of giving them a chance? Would loyal Rams fans come out to games or now become fans of the Los Angeles Rams instead?

McBride, after careful consideration, chose a logo that was a brownie folk figure. The character he commissioned was a small, boyish creature with pointy ears, a hood, an orange jacket with brown pants held up with a belt and buckle, pointy cloth shoes, holding a soccer ball . And an embarrassed grin full of mischief.

And who drew that first rendition? The idea came from an advertisement by Sears and Roebuck. The Browns simply mixed up some features to come up with their own rendition that suits their needs.

A second rendering was done for game advertisements and programs. “Brownie” first appeared in a newspaper ad for tickets to the 1946 season opener against the Miami Seahawks at the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. This character was similar, but was shown running, maintaining a right-handed stiff arm maneuver while holding a football with the phrase “The Brownies are coming!”

Renderings of Brownie were a staple of the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s sports pages. When the club won, Brownie was shown with a smile, but a loss showed him beaten up and often with a black eye.

The imprinting of their mascot, Brownie the Elf, has raised some questions about him.

When the Browns use “Brownie the Elf” then he is not a Brownie but an Elf named Brownie. Brownies are gentle, mischievous, and helpful creatures. Elves aren’t the cute and cuddly characters that distort the Keebler cookie cartoons. Elves are evil and mean. Do the Browns say their mascot is a brownie or an elf? The football game is not child’s play, so maybe the mean and evil version fits best.

Or have the Browns mismanaged this mascot? Did they plan on calling him a brownie and referring to him as an elf instead? Is he actually “Brownie the Brownie”? According to the Browns’ communications department, his name is “Brownie the Elf,” so he must be an elf.

Representing the club with a brownie rendition makes perfect sense, but the Cleveland Browns are not the Cleveland Elves.

The Browns’ first AAFC game was a home game against the Miami Seahawks on September 6, 1946 in front of a crowd of 60,135 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. In an ad before the competition (see above) the headline reads “A world first for Cleveland!”. and later, “The Brownies are Coming!” with a cartoon depiction running the soccer ball with a stiff arm sticking out. The cartoon player is dressed as a brownie – not an elf. And if Brownie is actually “Brownie the Elf”, why isn’t it “The Elves are Coming!”?

Yet every depiction of him – regardless of year or pose – has dressed him as a brownie, not an elf.

Which might suit the club better. Wouldn’t a professional soccer team prefer the nasty, mean, mean version, capable of instilling disease at will, as a better testimony than that of a helpful loner hanging around doing chores for free? What fan would like to yell at their opponent as they drive across the field, “Fold their laundry! Milk your cows!”

The Browns even had a live Brownie mascot. Tommy Flynn was a dwarfed man who roamed the Cleveland touchline during AAFC games. He yelled at umpires and Browns opponents dressed either as a goofy looking elf or in some sort of Cleveland Browns garb. He gambled passes with then-quarterback and future Hall of Famer Otto Graham during a pregame warm-up. Flynn’s real job was assistant equipment manager for the franchise. He even mimicked Paul Brown’s moves on the touchline on match days, to the amusement of home crowds.

When the Browns merged into the NFL in 1950, league officials said Flynn and that whole live performance of “Brownie the Elf” was a side show they considered minor league. For decades, Americans were only interested in baseball and college football. The NFL had worked very hard to present their league as the environment of a true professional entity. With Cleveland now an NFL club, Flynn was gone, as were all references to him. The League owners didn’t ban “Brownie the Elf” outright, but instead instructed McBride to tone down the character. Descent.

Helmbrownie, the demise of Brownie the Elf, and the return of Brownie the Elf

In 1948, Rams running back Fred Gehrke, a college art major, approached Reeves about an idea he had regarding their helmets. The end result was that Gehrke painted ram horns on each helmet for games. These would be the first American football team to wear a logo other than stripes on their helmet.

Beginning in the early 1950s, other professional football franchises began experimenting with logos, numbers, or letters added to helmets. In 1953, Coach Brown asked longtime coach Leo Murphy to come up with several helmet designs that used Brownie on the helmet sides of orange shells with combinations of different stripe designs.

After reviewing some of Murphy’s drafts, Coach Brown decided to keep the status quo and deferred the idea for more important items on the agenda. The day the idea was revisited most likely never came again because Cleveland was a consistent powerhouse and you just don’t mess with traditions and change habits when you win.

Brownie the Elf was still used. In 1950 an orange version was introduced. The logo on the 1952 felt souvenir pennant was that of Brownie about to heave a long right-handed pass that read “Cleveland Browns.” Also noticed was the fact that his pointy cloth shoes are actually cleats.

But things are changing. Since the franchise’s inception in 1946, Coach Brown has essentially been the team’s GM and made most of the decisions. McBride confided in Brown, as did the new owners, who bought the club in 1953 for the outrageous price of $600,000.

When Art Modell bought the Browns in 1961, he wanted to be the football operations side of the team while Coach Brown devoted his resources to coaching only.

One of the first things Modell did as the Browns’ new owner was to fire Brownie. He hated that his franchise’s model was that of a cartoon character. He thought it was childish and not big, mean, aggressive soccer players. He made sure that Brownie was never used as a team symbol or mascot for any idea again.

Art Modell was quoted as saying, “My first order of business as the owner of the Browns will be to get rid of this little [Eleven].”

The 1961 media guide featured Brownie on the cover in front of an orange helmet, but for 1962 the little ghost was replaced with a rumbling helmetless Jim Brown, whereas in earlier years it was usually Brownie in a sort of football pose.

What had become an icon of the Cleveland Browns franchise since its inception in 1946, proud alongside four AAFC championships and three NFL titles, was now abruptly discarded. This remained so until the day Modell moved the club to Baltimore after the 1995 season.

What Modell did instead was come up with a logo in 1965 that would be their new helmet design. Referred to as the “CB” helmet, the helmet was sold on a variety of merchandise and used for many souvenirs, coasters, toys, and electric soccer games. For whatever reason, the actual helmet design was never seen on the practice field or used in games.

When the new Cleveland Browns became an expansion club in 1999, all of the history, colors, and logos stayed with the new team. The new owners were Al Lerner and Carmen Policy. Gradually, Brownie reappeared.

Brownie has some new friends and logos

The New Browns began Brownie’s resurgence with new ownership. Any long-time Browns fan has been familiar since childhood with the eleven’s story that shaped his association with the football team.

As the new Browns emerged with new owners, Brownie was slowly being brought down by the mothball for reuse. But this time, instead of a mischievous, spooky goblin character, the logo is a great anchor for the organization’s storied tradition and, if toned down, would become perfect for capturing children’s jewelry. It was decided to produce a “brownie” in live-action costumes that would be tame, huggable, smiling, less threatening, yet traditional.

With the 2004 team, Brownie was in his 1946 pose on the backs of player ponchos and gear cases. Two years later, a special logo was presented for the 2006 season – the club’s 60th anniversary, using Brownie on a patch and the corresponding media guide of that year. In 2018, Brownie was the official logo for that year’s training camp.

Currently, the Browns website features a prominent logo at the top, which is their old-school “Brownie the Elf” logo with the embellishment “Est. 1946.”

Did you know? The sleepy town of Aurora, Ohio used brownie as a logo in the 1940s and into the 1960s. The high school is currently called The Greenmen. Their current logo is a hooded “Gremlin/Goblin/Brownie/Elf”-like creature, but many years earlier it was the same 1946 Brownie the Elf logo used by the Browns. At the time, some Browns employees had children who attended Aurora High School, and the school was given permission to use the Brownie logo in its accuracy. Also during this time the school was coined “Die Grünen”, but has since transformed into “Die Grünen”.

Meanwhile, the team also introduced a new mascot called “Chomps,” which is a snarling Labrador Dawg costume. In 2014 the club decided they wanted a live hunting dog too, so they introduced ‘Swagger’, a 145-pound bulldog who has since retired and died of cancer. His duties were passed on to his son “SJ”.

While Brownie’s revival was welcome news for some, there were no plans to side with him on the helmets side.

His return as the Browns’ logo drew mixed reviews. An online petition entitled “The Brownie Elf Most be abolished” was started by Toast Wienman a few years ago after Jimmy Haslam bought the club. The target was 100 petitioners, but to date there are only 14.

The petition’s search was explained with: “The Browns have a throwback brownie pixie logo. I want to take it down because I think it’s a disgrace to the franchise. If the Browns keep using the 11, they’ll be the laughing stock of the NFL. That’s why the Browns should get rid of the Brownie Elf logo.” Apparently, 14 die-hard Browns fans agree.

Others agree that the logo is still just a caricature. But quite a few NFL clubs use or have used drawings or caricatures of animals, people, or objects as their official logo. Since the 1950s, the New York Football Giants have used a drawing of a towering quarterback emerging from a football stadium. The Chicago Bears use a drawing of a mean old bear. What about the Philadelphia Eagles and their flying eagle holding a soccer ball in its claws? Or the old San Francisco 49ers pistol-hopping cowpoke logo?

Football is a macho sport and teams go out of their way to present their franchise as strength, power, determination and a winning heritage. Is it embarrassing that a pro football club’s emblem is that of a cute little old elf? Where are the standards that would define “cute” and “soccer” in the same sentence?

Then explain why at games the chant is, “Here we go Brownies, here we go!” followed by “Woof! Shot!”

Could it be that Brownie the Elf is the Browns’ only symbol? Doesn’t it bring back fond memories whether it’s the hands on hips standard position, the “crowned” standard version with a crown after winning multiple championships, the stiff halfback, or the bomb passer?

How’s that for a fact? Brownie the Elf’s lineage holds seven championships. Chomps, Swagger and SJ together have zero.

The bottom line is that brownie is considered a secondary logo today. It has historical value and its place, but with the acceptance and development of the Dawg Pound, the club simply went in a different direction with the Dawg concept. If a helmet design was ever considered, it’s far more likely that a Mastiff design would see the sides of Cleveland helmets more than Brownie ever would.

In a recent Twitter poll, 57% of Browns fans said they actually prefer the old Brownie logo as the main logo for the Browns, despite the success and popularity of the Dawg image.

The Brownie the Elf logo has nothing to do with being current or modern. It’s strictly vintage and represents a time long ago when the Cleveland Browns were not only relevant but were the New England Patriots of their day. From 1946 to 1957, the franchise played in 10 consecutive championship games and won seven.

And Brownie the Elf has been with them in a way every single season.

Poll As a Browns fan, what do you think of the use of “Brownie the Elf” as a logo? This poll is closed. 80% Always excited (487 votes)

12% yes (73 votes)

7% agree with model: “…get rid of the little (elf).” (47 votes) 607 total votes Vote now

Barry Shuck is a professional football historical writer and a member of the Professional Football Researcher’s Association

People often wonder if it’s worse to eat an entire pan of brownies (or pint of ice cream, a packet of cookies, or some other treat) in one go or spread it out over a few days. The truth is that eating too much in one sitting can lead to unhealthy binge eating behaviors that can lead to weight gain and worsen certain health conditions.

There isn’t a ton of research that specifically tells you that eating a high-calorie treat all at once is any more harmful than consuming it over a period of time. But we do know some of the risks of overindulging in sweet treats (and why it’s still okay to indulge in moderation).

Overeating foods high in added sugars can increase your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

What are discretionary calories?

Discretionary calories are commonly referred to as “empty calories”. These are the extra calories you can spend on anything you want after you’ve met your nutritional needs for the day.

The number of calories available is different for everyone, but if the rest of your daily eating pattern consists of nutrient-dense foods, you may be able to leave calories for “extras” that could be used in treats (i.e. fat and sugar) and still stay within your recommended daily calorie count. Consider brownies as an example.

Nutritional values ​​of brownies

The following nutritional information is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a large brownie (about 3 inches square and 1 inch thick):

Calories: 227

: 227 fat : 9.6 g

: 9.6 g Sodium: 160 mg

: 160 mg carbohydrates : 25 g

: 25 g Fiber: 1.2 g

: 1.2 g Sugar: 20.5 g

: 20.5g Protein: 2.7g

Eating a brownie every day might fit into your discretionary calorie category. As long as you stick to just one or maybe half a brownie each day (although that can take a lot of willpower), the damage the brownies do should be negligible.

In addition, you could still meet the American Heart Association’s recommendation that no more than half of a person’s daily discretionary intake should be spent on added sugars. Of course, you’ll have to give up other sweet treats like cookies, candy, or that mocha latte.

Discretionary calories are helpful because they allow you to eat your favorite foods in moderation.

overeating

What happens when you overeat and use up the whole pan of brownies? The reality is that eating all of the brownies at once is not a wise idea, especially if you have health conditions like diabetes or heart disease.

But eating them all in a few days isn’t much better either. Either way, you’re consuming too many calories, too much fat, and too much sugar in a relatively short amount of time.

Eating an entire nine-by-nine pan (roughly nine brownies) would add about 2,043 extra calories, mostly from large amounts of sugar and fat. This can be dangerous if you have a medical condition like diabetes.

Possible Benefits

On the plus side, eating a whole pan of brownies might give you a small boost in iron, B-complex vitamins, magnesium, and potassium, but not enough to be worth the extra calories.

But what if you ate two brownies a day and spread the chocolatey goodness over four or five days? In this case, you would get about 440 extra calories per day, which – unless you need a large number of calories – is still more than what is available for daily needs.

Of course, you could increase your physical activity for those days to make up the difference, but it would take a lot of exercise to burn an extra 440 calories.

A person weighing 154 pounds would have to run more than four miles in an hour to burn that many calories.

binge eating

Eating an entire pan of brownies would be considered binge eating. If this rarely happens to you, it may not cause long-term damage. However, if you tend to binge eat, eating all nine brownies may trigger an eating behavior that just isn’t good for you.

Even two brownies a day can create a lasting bad habit, especially when you find yourself searching for sweet treats every day after you’ve eaten all of the brownies.

A word from Verywell

It’s not a good idea to eat all of the brownies in one day, especially if you have a medical condition. But it really comes down to your overall eating habits. When eating a whole pan of brownies becomes a habit, you’re dealing with unhealthy eating habits, weight gain, and other health problems.

Remember that eating a balanced diet that emphasizes true whole foods and limits processed foods or foods with excessive sugar content is a healthy choice for both your waistline and overall health.