Bertha Honoré Palmer, a well-known Chicago socialite, is credited with the creation of the first iteration of the brownie in 1893 in the kitchen of her hotel, The Palmer House. This early brownie had similar ingredients to the modern brownie - such as chocolate, flour and sugar - but included other more unique ingredients, like apricot preserves and gelatin.

A few years later, American cook Fannie Farmer first coined the term "brownie" in her best-selling cookbook Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, published in 1896. The name "brownie" was apparently in reference to the dark color of the molasses used, as these "brownies" contained no chocolate! By today's standards, Fannie Farmer's brownie is much closer to the equally delicious - but chocolate-free - blondie.

In 1899, Marie Kelley of Wisconsin submitted her recipe for "brownie's food" to the Machias Cookbook, published in 1899. Her version of the recipe is much more similar to modern-day recipes for the brownie. Another recipe for brownies was included in the same cookbook, submitted by Mrs. Forster Thompson.