Toss raw roughly chopped walnuts in the slow cooker and 4 other ingredients to get a sweet treat so delicious your friends will be begging for more.

These 5-ingredient slow cooker walnut brownies are my kind of Earth Day treat: minimal dishes, pantry-friendly, and just special enough to share. You literally toss raw roughly chopped walnuts into the bottom of the slow cooker, whisk together four simple ingredients, pour, and walk away. No oven, no fancy equipment, and the slow, gentle heat keeps the brownies fudgy while the walnuts stay pleasantly toasty and crunchy. It’s the kind of dessert you can throw together between meetings and have ready by the time friends or family swing by.

Let the brownies cool just enough to firm up, then scoop or slice and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. A drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce makes them feel extra special. For a lighter pairing, serve with fresh berries or sliced strawberries on the side. A mug of coffee, hot cocoa, or herbal tea goes really well with the rich chocolate and crunchy walnuts.

Servings: 8

1 cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped

Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray or a thin layer of oil. For easiest removal, you can also line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper that goes slightly up the sides.

Scatter the raw roughly chopped walnuts evenly over the bottom of the slow cooker. This should look like a loose, rustic layer of nuts covering the base.

In a medium mixing bowl, add the brownie mix, eggs, oil, and water. Whisk or stir with a spatula until the batter is smooth and no dry pockets of mix remain. Don’t overmix; just combine until uniform.

Slowly pour the brownie batter over the layer of walnuts in the slow cooker, using a spatula to gently spread it into an even layer without disturbing the nuts too much.

Cover the slow cooker with its lid. If your lid tends to drip condensation, you can place a clean kitchen towel or a layer of paper towels over the top of the cooker before putting the lid on to catch excess moisture (keep the towel edges away from the heating element).

Cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours, or until the brownies are set around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Slow cooker temperatures vary, so start checking around the 2-hour mark.

Once done, turn off the slow cooker and remove the lid. Let the brownies cool in the slow cooker for at least 20 to 30 minutes to firm up; this makes them easier to slice or scoop.

For neater pieces, carefully lift the brownies out using the parchment paper (if used) and transfer to a cutting board before slicing. Otherwise, scoop directly from the slow cooker into bowls, making sure each serving gets plenty of walnuts from the bottom.

For extra chocolate flavor, stir 1/2 cup of chocolate chips into the batter before pouring it over the walnuts (this technically adds an ingredient, but it’s a fun upgrade when you’re not strict about the 5-ingredient rule). You can also swap in a flavored brownie mix, like one with chocolate chunks or espresso, to give the brownies a little twist without changing the method. If you prefer a more toasted walnut flavor, you can briefly toast the chopped walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes before adding them to the slow cooker, but the recipe is designed to work with raw roughly chopped walnuts as-is. For a slightly less rich version, replace half of the oil with plain Greek yogurt, knowing the texture will be a bit cakier. Food safety tips: Always cook the brownies on LOW until the center is set and eggs are fully cooked; undercooked batter with eggs can be unsafe. Use clean utensils and a clean slow cooker insert, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooling. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and rewarm individual portions in the microwave in short bursts.