You ever feel so mentally exhausted that you feel like giggling like a school girl and crying all at the same time?

I’ve been having a rough week.

Work’s gone a little crazy. I may had some 16 hour work days. One of them was on a Sunday.

I ate an entire bag of Milano Melts.

So what do you do when you run out of cookies and need more chocolate? Bake? That would be my standard answer, but what about when you have no time or energy?

You make a mug brownie.

Individually sized and quick to put together, it’s an easy chocolate quick fix. You just measure out the ingredients, and combine them all in standard mug.

A little oil, water, vanilla, salt, instant espresso and cocoa.

A little sweetness..

And of course something to give this chocolately goo a little structure.

Pop it in the microwave and out comes a hot gooey brownie. Is it as good as a standard brownie? Well… no, it isn’t. But considering the amount of effort is 5 minutes of mixing + 60 seconds in a microwave, it’s totally worth it.

It’s warm, gooey, and chocolate. That’s all I really need on a day where I can’t remember what the world looks like outside of a computer screen.

Did I mention that I slathered chocolate hazelnut gelato all over each Milano Melt cookie?

Someone save me from myself.

Microwave Brownie in a Mug

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
Few drops vanilla extract
A dash salt
A pinch instant coffee powder (optional) (I used instant espresso.)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespooons all purpose flour

Directions

In a 12 oz coffee mug, mix water, oil, salt, vanilla and coffee, if using. Whisk well. (I didn’t have a whisk that fit in my mug so I just used a fork.)
Add cocoa powder, whisk well. Add sugar, whisk well. Add flour, whisk well.
Microwave for 60-75 seconds: 60 seconds for a molten bottom, 75 for uniformly done. (I did 60 and wouldn’t have it any other way.)
Enjoy with a spoon and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Careful, brownie will be very hot.