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This decadent brownie recipe has been on my website since 2009, and I made sure that it was in my first cookbook—that’s how good it is and how much I stand behind its excellence. This has been one of the most popular recipes on my website for years and years now, so I’m giving it an update with new photos and new tips and tricks. This is honestly the best brownie recipe; it’s all that you are going to need from here on in!
The Best Brownie Recipe
Ever since I made the best chewy, fudgey brownie recipe ever, that were the most delicious, chewy brownies I have ever eaten and promptly lost the recipe for them, I have been searching for a recipe that creates the same chewy-riffic, chocolate bliss that I once experienced. In the search to learn how to come up with the best chewy brownie recipe that I possibly could, I learned a few things. Read on to learn how to make thick, fudgey, NOT CAKEY brownies! We aren’t making cake; we are making stick-to-your-teeth-and-smile-a-chocolate-smile brownies.
How To Make Brownies from Scratch
Making brownies from scratch is super easy! You guys, this is a one-bowl dessert, and trust me, once you try these ooey, gooey brownies from scratch, you will never use another recipe again. Remember, these were in my cookbook; these homemade, from-scratch brownies are the best! And I never say that lightly because claiming something is the best is a bold thing to do. The reviews on this recipe speak for themselves, however!
To make brownies from scratch, all you need to do is:
- Preheat your oven.
- Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper or grease it really well with butter.
- Melt the butter in a pot. Stir in the sugar, then the cocoa.
- Add in your eggs, then stir in the vanilla.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Add in your flour and barely stir it in.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the brownies pull away from the edges slightly. Cool the brownies.
How to Make Brownies Step-by-Step Video
Ingredients Needed for Brownies
Brownies are one of the easiest things to bake up and a great recipe to start your kids baking with! To make a chocolate brownie, you only really need five ingredients :
- salted butter
- eggs
- white sugar
- flour
- cocoa powder
How to Make Them Extra Chewy
People usually fall into two camps when it comes to brownies and their preferences. Either you like your brownies like cake, fluffy and a little moist, or you want them thick, chewy, and so decadent you can barely stand it.
Adding chocolate chips to the batter ensures that these are even richer and chewier!
If you need proof that this is the best brownie recipe ever, take a look at the photo below. These brownies aren’t under-cooked and raw-looking, like some brownie recipes are, to get that fudgey look and feel. They are simply wonderfully thick, chewy, and fudgey, with no raw batter middle in sight. There is a vast difference between raw batter and fudgey!
Use Butter, Never Oil in Your Brownies
It’s all about the fat, baby. A brownie recipe that will yield you fudgey, delectable brownies will have a higher fat ratio than flour. Look at how small the flour I use is – it’s only 3/4 of a cup! This ensures that it’s NOT a raw, under-cooked brownie that will yield your result of chewiness; it’s the butter. And it should only be butter, so why waste your fat calories on tasteless oil? If you see a brownie recipe with oil, skip it! (The boxed mixes use oil; do I need to say more? They have their time and place, but only when camping!)
Karlynn’s Tips & Tricks for Baking up the Best Brownie Recipe Ever
- You need to learn how not to mix the heck out of them when you put in the flour; thus, you need to do things in a particular order to do that. Make sure to follow the directions for success!
- You do NOT need any leavening agents at all in authentic brownie recipes! No raising of these brownies; thank you kindly! We are aiming for thick, fudgy little bites of chocolate heaven. If you use a leavening agent ( baking soda or powder), you turn these into a cake, making them rise and become airier.
- UNDER BAKE THEM. Always. Remember that your baked products are safe to eat when the temperature reaches 165 °F in the middle, which kills any germs from the raw eggs. Baked goods firm up around 200-210 °F, so you have a lot of area in between to play with. You want them to be chewy but not raw. The brownies will continue to cook a little after you pull them from the oven, so if you insert a toothpick and it comes out reasonably clean – you still want some fudgeyness on it, though – remove them before they bake too much.
Happy baking, everyone! Let me know in the comments below if you tried this brownie recipe!
Love,
Karlynn
The Best Brownies AKA Chocolate Chewy Wonders
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Course
- Dessert
- Cuisine
- American
- Servings
- 16 servings
- Calories
- 231
- Author
- Karlynn Johnston
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips (this makes them extra fudgy, omit if desired.)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- On the stove over medium heat, melt the butter in a medium pot. Remove from the heat and stir in the white sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar as much as you can.
- Once that is combined, mix in your cocoa until thoroughly combined into the mixture.
- Beat in the eggs until fully incorporated, then add in the vanilla.
- If you are using chocolate chips to make these extra fudgy, mix them into the batter now.
- Add in your flour and barely stir it in. This will prevent the brownies from being too cakey. You want to just mix the flour into the batter.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the brownies pull away from the edges slightly. A toothpick inserted should come out fairly clean, with no raw batter on the stick. A few crumbs sticking to the toothpick means they are baked and fudgy inside.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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Jessie says
Thank you for sharing THE PERFECT brownie recipe! I have tried so many and failed every time – as an experienced baker this has been SO frustrating. I specifically used bensdorp fat dutched cocoa powder, and I highly recommend it! Discovering this cocoa powder has been a game changer in my baking. I also didn’t realize until I pulled them out of the oven that I accidentally used an 8×8 dish and I am so glad that I made that mistake! I definitely think a 9×9 would have made them too thin for my liking. In the 8×8 pan they came out about 1 inch thick. For me, these took 37 minutes in the oven and I know my oven heats correctly because I keep a thermometer in it.
I couldn’t wait until they were completely cooled to try them, so I am anticipating the perfect amount of “chewy” when they are. Thanks again!
Joanna says
Ok these are REALLY good! I just made them and ate one as soon as they were cool enough. I agree with many of the comments that say bake for LESS than 30 minutes. I’d check them at 25 minutes. If you’re on the fence about whether they’re done, they are done. Other than bake time, I followed the recipe to a T including the 9X9 pan. I’d cut back on the sugar if you don’t like super sweet things. These are definitely VERY sweet. I’ll go with one cup of sugar next time.
Peggy Medley says
I love these brownies and have made them often. They are thick, dense, delicious and easy! I just noticed the ingredients say 1 cup chocolate chips and the directions say 2/3? I must have just used the 1 cup. I also use an 8” pan because I like brownies thick. What is the accurate amount of chips?
Jessie says
Most brownie recipes that call for chocolate chips have you add most to the batter and then sprinkle the rest on top before baking. My guess is that the 2/3 cup gets mixed in and the directions forgot to specify sprinkling the leftover 1/3 on top 🙂
Kim says
I made these twice before but it’s been a while. Both times I did it in a 9×13 but I can’t for the life of me remember whether I doubled the recipe exactly or not. Has anyone else done these in a 9×13 and did you double it? Also, if you find my mind I’d like it back! Ha!!
Nicole says
Taste was good, but the amount of batter does not entirely fill the noted pan size. I would recommend doubling the recipe as a result of my experience. Also, the bake time is more like 25-30 minutes for the indicated pan size. IF you cook it as directed, you will end up with overcooked, dry cake-like brownies. So disappointing with all of the 5 star reviews :/
Joanna says
Agreed on the bake time! I’m so glad I checked mine before the initial 30 minute was up. 30-40 minutes would’ve dried them out.
Heaven says
If I were the teacher of this baking class your recipe would score a 100% plus I would give you a week off of school with no homework, except baking of course!
Steph says
Absolutely FANTASTIC recipe- the most delicious brownies I have ever tasted.
Megan Scott says
I’m getting ready to make my weekly batch of these perfect brownies; I will never use another recipe. I use just 3/4 cup white sugar, otherwise I follow the recipe to the letter. After baking 350 for 20 minutes, I pull them out and give them a little slam on the counter to make them very dense with the perfect center. No cake-like brownies will ever again pass my lips!
Gina says
what type of flour? self rising or all purpose?
Sarah says
Which cocoa powder do I use?
Jessi says
So I did make a small modification as I stupidly started making brownies without making sure I had enough nesquik, and tbh I have not actually eaten the cooked brownie, but damn does the batter taste great 😂 I am positive these brownies will be delicious even though 1/4 of the cocoa powder is nesquik whoops! Can’t wait to try them!
Abi says
2nd time to do this recipe and it turned out even better than the last time (i think i left it too long in the oven last time, more than 30 minutes).
I followed all the measurements and steps. I used salted butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips. It’s delicious and fudgy on the inside, crisp on the outside! I think next time i’ll reduce the sugar by a little bit because it is really sweet. Otherwise, it’s perfect and I’ll definitely be saving this recipe.
Megan says
I searched for a few years a great brownie and I found them in your recipe! I make them just about every week! I like my brownies pretty dense, so I give these a quick slam on the counter after taking them out of the oven, it sort of deflates them and man, it’s perfection.
Melanie says
Everyone LOVED these brownies! I’m a pretty good cook, but baking—eh, not so much. So needless to say, I was a bit hesitant to try something new for my family dinner party this past weekend. You should have heard everyone exclaiming their delight over these brownies! To be fair, I think I used an 8×8 pan because that’s what I have, and I used unsalted butter because that’s what I thought you were supposed to use for baking and the trick of barely stirring in the flour–who knew? Apparently my daughter the baker knew this trick 🙂 Anyway, they were simply amazing. This recipe has already gone into my personal recipe book so we can enjoy them again and again. Thank you!
Oliver says
Followed the recipe exactly and they came out very dry. Not at all fudgey. Pretty sure cake like brownies have more moisture.
Joanna says
My guess would be you over-baked them. It’s a good rule of thumb to always check them BEFORE the minimum amount of bake time is up. The recipe says 30-40 minutes and I only baked mine for about 28 minutes.
Laci says
There are a few (very few) things in life that intimidate me. Baking brownies? Always an anxiety riddled affair. Soggy centers. Crunchy edges. Cakey. I ruin BOXED mixes and I’m a VERY good cook/baker. The science behind this recipe intrigued me with the way the flour is stirred in. I bake and sell Macarons and used the same “Macronage” technique for the flour on these brownies and VOILA! Successful brownies and I’ve been asked to make 2 more batches for friends. I’ve already written this into my cookbook to pass down to my kids someday. THANK YOU! This has saved my life!
Paris Z says
Use 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 3/4 cup white sugar. Use half the cocoa powder and replace the rest with 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and make sure it melts before putting the eggs in. Then add the other 1/2 cup of chocolate chips at the end before pouring it into a pan. Used an 8×8 instead of 9×9 and baked at 350° for around 35-38 minutes. Make sure to let them cool for 45 mins-1 hour before cutting! They were great.
Sam says
How about no. Don’t come on here, modify someone’s recipe poorly then have the audacity to rate it 4 stars. Do better. 🤨
Camelot says
Tbh, why change an amazing recipe!
Zys says
Followed the recipe exactly and only cooked 30 min. Came out cakey and not chewy at all
Mary says
Same! 30 min and it’s totally over baked. Would try 20 next time. Great flavor though.
Deiter1233 says
These are SO good! I used 1 1/4 cup sugar just bc I don’t like them too sweet, esp if I’m adding ice cream. They turned out perfect & have been asked for the recipe every time I make them! I’ll be keeping this recipe forever & a day
Deiter says
These are SO good! I used 1 1/4 cup sugar just bc I don’t like them too sweet, esp if I’m adding ice cream. They turned out perfect & have been asked for the recipe every time I make them!
Mel says
Did not set up at all. Followed everything to a T.
Meeg says
Not chewy at all. Really cakey.
Addison says
These brownies are a death wish my classmates are dying now.
Aaron says
Moat brownie recipes don’t use as much cocoa. This was by far the easiest and extremely great. I had to cook them in a 8 x 8 pan and they took forever but wow are they good.
Amiee S says
I followed the recipe and even cooked it at the thirty minute mark and they came out seemingly perfect however once it was cooled, they tasted dry and more of a biscotti like texture very disappointing.
Polly Burke says
I’ve baked so many batches of brownies and have to say, this is the best! Follow it exactly & use quality ingredients. So good!
Angie says
Do they have that like dark chocolate bitterness like some of the other recipes?
Ellie says
Great!
Ellie says
To much olive oil taste. Not good.
Sutton says
how? Her recipe calls for butter?
Clove says
Awful texture…
Emmalyn says
I’m in 8th grade and I love to bake for my friends, I usually would just use a box recipe, but I didn’t have one on hand and I found this recipe. So good, I will most likely not be going back to box brownies after this. My friends loved them as well.
CJ says
This recipe is fabulous! I just wanted to suggest baking for more like 25-27 minutes. I didn’t have a 9×9 pan so I used a 7×11. Technically it should have taken a little longer. It was a little dry baking for 30 minutes. So next time I will do a shorter time.Perfect texture and taste!!!