Brownie
intro
Rich, dense fudgy brownies with a signature crackly shiny top, deep chocolate flavor, and gooey center, made with simple pantry staples.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep oven and pan
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) with a rack positioned in the middle. Line a 20cm (8-inch) square metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving 5cm (2-inch) overhang on two opposite sides for easy brownie removal; lightly grease exposed pan edges with 1g of softened butter to prevent sticking.
Melt chocolate and butter
Combine 170g chopped 70% dark chocolate and 113g cubed unsalted butter in a heatproof glass bowl. Set the bowl over a small saucepan of gently simmering water (double boiler, ensure bowl does not touch the water) and stir constantly for 3-4 minutes over medium-low heat until fully smooth and melted; remove from heat immediately to avoid scorching the chocolate.
Mix sugar and eggs
Let the melted chocolate mixture cool for 5 minutes at room temperature, then stir in 200g granulated sugar until fully incorporated, about 1 minute of stirring. Add 2 room-temperature large eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously for 30 seconds after each addition, until the batter is thick, glossy, and pulls slightly away from the bowl sides.
Fold in dry ingredients
Stir in 5ml (1 tsp) pure vanilla extract and 1.5g (1/4 tsp) fine sea salt. Sift 65g (1/2 cup, spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour and 15g (2 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder directly into the batter, then fold gently with a spatula for only 15-20 seconds until no dry flour streaks remain; do not overmix, as this creates cakey instead of fudgy brownies.
Bake the brownie batter
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spread into an even layer with an offset spatula, and tap the pan firmly on the counter 3 times to release trapped air bubbles. Bake for 28-30 minutes at 175°C (350°F): edges will be fully set, the top will form a thin crackly crust, and a toothpick inserted 5cm (2 inches) from the pan edge will come out with moist, fudgy crumbs (not wet batter, not completely clean).
Cool and slice brownies
Let brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for 1 full hour at room temperature, then use the parchment overhang to lift the entire brownie slab out of the pan. Cut into 9 equal 5cm (2-inch) squares with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean with a paper towel between slices for clean, neat edges.
Tips
2.Never overbake your brownies: if a toothpick inserted into the center comes out completely clean, the brownies are overcooked and will be dry and cakey instead of rich and fudgy.
3.For extra texture and flavor, fold 50g (1/3 cup) of toasted chopped walnuts or semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter right before pouring it into the baking pan.
OMG these are SO good! I baked these for my kids’ after-school snack yesterday and they begged for seconds before they even finished their first brownie. The fudgy center is perfect, not cakey at all which is exactly what our family loves. Took these to our neighborhood potluck last night and every single piece was gone in 10 minutes. Total game changer for my go-to dessert rotation!
Super easy recipe, even for someone who burns toast half the time lmao. Cook time was right on 45 minutes for me, I was worried I’d underbake them but the toothpick test with those few moist crumbs worked perfectly. Only thing I did different was add a pinch of flaky sea salt on top before baking, cut the sweetness perfectly.
Really solid brownie recipe! I loved the fudgy texture, though I think my oven runs hot because the edges got a little crispier than I prefer after 40 minutes. Next time I’ll lower the temp by 25 degrees and keep a closer eye on them. Still ate half the pan with my roommate last night though, no regrets.
Wait quick question — do I need to use melted butter that’s cooled, or can I pour it hot over the chocolate? I’ve had brownie recipes turn greasy on me before when I used too-hot butter, don’t wanna mess these up because they look insane!
Made these for my church bake sale and we sold out in 20 minutes flat! People were coming back to buy a second piece before they even finished their first. I cut them into those big 2-inch squares like the recipe says, perfect portion size. 10/10, will be making these for every event from now on.
I made these dairy free by swapping the butter for vegan butter and used dairy free chocolate chips, and they turned out INCREDIBLE. You literally can’t tell the difference, my partner who eats literally everything didn’t even notice I made a swap. So happy to have a fudgy dairy free brownie recipe that actually works!
Bro these brownies hit. Made them for movie night with my friends last weekend and we demolished the entire pan while we were watching that new horror movie. No crumbs left, zero complaints. 10/10 easy as hell to make too.
Ugh I was so excited for these but mine came out more cakey than fudgy? I followed the recipe exactly, measured everything with a kitchen scale, baked for 45 minutes. Did I overmix the batter maybe? I’m so sad because the flavor was amazing, just not the texture I wanted.
Swirled 1/3 cup of creamy peanut butter into the top of these before baking and I swear I could eat the whole pan in one sitting. The fudgy chocolate and salty peanut butter combo is unmatched. My husband said these are better than the fancy bakery brownies we pay $5 a piece for downtown!
I baked a pan of these on Sunday to portion out for quick treats for my work lunch all week, and they’re still perfectly fudgy 4 days later! I stored them in an airtight container on the counter like the recipe says, no stale edges at all. Way better than grabbing a candy bar from the vending machine.
Added a teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the batter to amp up the chocolate flavor, highly recommend. It doesn’t taste like coffee, just makes the chocolate taste extra rich and deep. So fudgy, so perfect.
Hey y’all, I only have a 9x13 pan right now, will this recipe work in that? Or do I need to wait until I buy an 8x8? I’m craving brownies tonight and don’t wanna run to the store lol.
I’ve been making brownies from scratch for 50 years, and this recipe is easily the best one I’ve ever tried. My grandkids went crazy for them when they visited last weekend, even the picky one who only eats store-bought snacks asked for the recipe to take back to college. It’s a new family heirloom recipe for sure!
I know brownies aren’t exactly post-workout fuel but let me tell you, these were the perfect reward after my long run on Saturday. I cut them into smaller squares so I could have a little treat every night after dinner without overdoing it, and they hit the spot every single time. So rich I only need a small piece to satisfy my chocolate craving.
Made these for my daughter’s 10th birthday party this past weekend, topped them with rainbow sprinkles and a little vanilla ice cream on the side, and all the kids were raving. Multiple parents texted me after for the recipe! I was worried they’d be too messy for a kid’s party but they held up perfectly, even when the kids were running around with them on paper plates.
Just pulled these out of the oven 10 minutes back and I may have already snuck a corner piece while they were still warm. 1000/10, so fudgy, the edges are chewy, the center is gooey, exactly what a brownie should be. I’ve tried like 4 other homemade brownie recipes and none of them come close. This is my new go-to forever.