Classic Brownies
intro
Dense, fudgy classic brownies with a signature shiny crackly top and deep rich chocolate flavor, an iconic easy-to-make sweet treat for gatherings and casual snacks.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep oven and baking 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 lifting, then lightly coat the exposed pan edges with nonstick cooking spray.
Melt chocolate and butter
Place the chopped 170g dark chocolate and cubed 113g unsalted butter in a heatproof glass bowl set over a small saucepan of gently simmering water (double boiler setup, ensure no water touches the bottom of the bowl). Stir constantly for 3-4 minutes over medium-low heat until the mixture is fully melted and completely smooth, then remove the bowl from heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
Whisk in sugars and eggs
Add the 200g granulated sugar and 100g packed light brown sugar to the cooled melted chocolate mixture, whisking vigorously for 1 full minute until fully combined. Add the 2 room-temperature whole eggs, 1 egg yolk, and 5ml (1 tsp) pure vanilla extract, whisking for another 45 seconds until the batter is thick, glossy, and pulls slightly away from the bowl sides when stirred.
Fold in dry ingredients
Sift the 65g spooned-and-leveled all-purpose flour, 20g Dutch-processed cocoa powder, and 2g (1/2 tsp) fine sea salt directly over the surface of the wet batter. Use a silicone spatula to fold the dry ingredients in gently for 20-25 seconds, stopping as soon as no dry flour streaks remain—do not overmix, as this will create tough, cakey brownies instead of the classic fudgy texture.
Bake the brownie batter
Pour the finished batter into the prepared 8-inch pan, spreading it evenly into all corners with your spatula. Bake on the middle oven rack for 22-25 minutes at 175°C (350°F). Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick 2.5cm (1 inch) from the pan edge: it should come out with 2-3 moist, fudgy crumbs attached. The center will look slightly underbaked, and a shiny, crackly top crust will have formed across the surface.
Cool and slice brownies
Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire cooling rack to rest for 20 minutes at room temperature. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire solid brownie slab out of the pan, then cut into 9 equal 5cm (2-inch) squares with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts for smooth, clean edges.
Tips
2.Resist the urge to overbake: if a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean, the brownies will be dry and cakey rather than the classic dense, fudgy texture.
3.For optional add-ins, fold in 85g (1/2 cup) of chopped toasted walnuts or semi-sweet chocolate chips right after combining the wet and dry ingredients, before pouring the batter into the pan.
OMG these are SO good!!! I was nervous I’d mess up brownies from scratch because I usually use the box mix, but this was so easy even my 10 year old helped measure ingredients. The edges are perfectly chewy and the middle is that fudgy texture everyone fights over at potlucks. My whole family devoured half the pan before it even finished cooling! 10/10 will be making these for my kid’s soccer team snack next weekend.
Total game changer. I’ve been chasing that perfect crinkly top brownie for years and this recipe finally nailed it. Only note for new bakers: make sure you actually let them rest the full 10 minutes after baking, I tried cutting into a batch early last week and they totally fell apart. Tasted amazing still, just looked messy. Worth every minute of cook time!
Great easy recipe for meal prep! I make a pan every Sunday to cut into squares and toss in my lunchbox for the work week. They hold up really well in an airtight container for 4-5 days, and they’re way less sweet than the store-bought brownie bites I used to grab from the gas station. I swapped half the butter for Greek yogurt once to lighten it up and it still tasted amazing, would recommend that swap for anyone tracking macros.
Tried making these last night and they were good but I think my pan messed things up! I only have a glass 9x13, do I need to adjust the temp or time for that? The edges got a little too crispy before the middle was fully set, so I ended up with super chewy edges and a softer middle than the photos show. Still ate three pieces in one sitting though, no regrets 😂
My kids loved it!!! I’ve been trying to find a dessert recipe that doesn’t have a million weird ingredients, and this one uses stuff I already keep in my pantry. I let my kids top their pieces with whipped cream and sprinkles after dinner last night and they asked for seconds before they even finished their first serving. Way better than the fancy brownie mix I paid $8 for last month that tasted like cardboard.
Made these in my tiny dorm oven last night and they turned out perfect! I was worried because my oven runs super hot and I don’t have fancy baking equipment, just a cheap metal pan I got from the dollar store. I baked them for 22 minutes instead of 25 and they came out exactly fudgy like I wanted. Shared them with my roommates and they all begged for the recipe, already sent the link to our group chat. 10/10 for broke college students who don’t know how to cook.
Brought these to our neighborhood block party last weekend and people were coming up to me all night asking for the recipe! I was worried a double batch wouldn’t be enough, but it ended up being exactly the right amount — even the picky teenagers who only eat chips and soda were going back for seconds. The cook time is totally accurate too, I didn’t have to mess with adjusting anything, just followed the directions exactly and they came out perfect first try.