Cold-weather favorite': Just 5 ingredients. I’ve made it enough times to eyeball everything.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch pie dish with butter or nonstick spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until well combined and slightly glossy.

Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition until the mixture is thick and smooth. If using, stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.

Sift or stir in the cocoa powder and flour. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no dry streaks remain. The batter will be thick and fudgy—try not to overmix.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pie dish and spread it into an even layer, smoothing the top with your spatula.

Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted about 2 inches from the edge comes out with a few moist crumbs (the center should still look slightly soft for a fudgy texture).

Let the brownie pie cool in the dish for at least 15–20 minutes before slicing. It will firm up as it cools. Serve warm or at room temperature, plain or with your favorite toppings.