This easy Chocolate Brownies recipe is what you are looking for if you want to make the best fudge brownies. Crispy top, super fudgy center, and melting chocolate chunks. With 11 tips for making the best homemade brownies. It only takes 10 minutes of active preparation time, and you need 9 ingredients.
What you will learn:
- how to make Chocolate Fudge Brownies
- what makes Brownies chewy
- how to tell when Brownies are done
- when to cut brownies and how long to cool them
- how to cut brownies
- if brownies can be frozen
How to make Chocolate Brownies?
To make super homemade fudge brownies, you only need 9 ingredients and 10 minutes of hands-on preparation time.
In a large mixing bowl, using a whisk, stir together butter, white and brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Then sift in flour, cocoa, and salt. Fold in chocolate chunks. Transfer to the baking pan and sprinkle with more chocolate chunks. That’s it. That is the whole process of making homemade brownies.
Here are my 11 tips for the best chewy brownies:
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper with an overhang on the sides that you can easily lift them out of the pan after baking.
- The butter has to be melted but shouldn’t be hot. Melt the butter in the microwave by 2/3. Then stir until it is completely melted. This trick makes sure that the butter is not hot but warm when using it.
- Do not mix the batter with a stand or handheld mixer. Use a whisk and stir by hand. This makes sure that you don’t mix in any air. The batter shouldn’t be light and airy. It should be dense and thick with no air pockets at all.
- Don’t overmix the batter, just until combined. Once the batter is fully incorporated, stop stirring immediately.
- Use unsweetened cocoa powder instead of sweetened one. Sweetened cocoa would make the brownies too sweet. 2 cups of sugar and 1 + 1/4 cups of chopped chocolate is enough sweetness.
- I recommend using high-quality chocolate from a brand you love. The chocolate chunks have a high impact on the flavor. I used half milk chocolate and half dark chocolate and chopped them roughly.
- This is the most important advice. Do not overbake the brownies. The perfect time to get them out of the oven is when they have no jiggle anymore in the center and are just set to touch. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out dirty.
- Set the baking timer for 20 minutes for the first time. Then watch the brownies every 1-2 minutes until they reach the described consistency. Then write down the time, that you know how long to bake them for the next time.
- Baking the brownies on the middle shelf in the oven in a 9×13″ baking pan leads to the best result for chocolate brownies.
- Let the brownies cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then carefully remove them from the pan and let cool to room temperature before you cut them.
- Cut into 15 brownies (5×3). The brownies have then the perfect size.
What makes Brownies chewy?
There are 5 main factors for chewy brownies:
- mixing with a whisk
- no baking soda or baking powder
- a high amount of butter
- the usage of brown sugar
- shorter baking time
This means: Mixing with a whisk makes sure that there is no air in the brownie batter. When not using baking soda or baking powder, the brownies don’t get lifted and stay compact. 1 cup of butter brings in lots of moisture and great taste. Brown sugar is naturally moist and keeps the brownies moister compared to dry white sugar. Brownies are not as long baked as a chocolate cake. The longer Brownies get baked, the cakier (=dryer) they get.
How to tell when Brownies are done?
The best method to tell when brownies are done is with a toothpick test. The toothpick should come out dirty and not clean. See the photo below for clarification.
Maybe you don’t get PERFECT brownies at the very first time. Don’t worry too much and learn for the next time. When you write down the minutes you bake them, you can adjust the baking time in both directions for the next time.
I baked mine for exactly 27 minutes. But it’s so important to find out the baking time for YOUR oven. Every oven works differently. Older ones maybe don’t have the full power anymore. There are so many different reasons why baking time is never the same in different ovens.
How long do Brownies need to cool?
After removing the Brownies from the oven, let them cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. They still keep baking in the hot pan. Then transfer them with the parchment paper to a wire rack to cool completely.
When the Brownies are too soft to lift them out of the pan without any problems, then you might have baked them too short, and they are slightly undercooked. In this case, just let them in the pan until they can be lifted out of the pan easily. When Brownies are a little undercooked, the middle pieces will be very, very soft. Still delicious of course, but you might need a fork to eat them.
When to cut Brownies?
Let the brownies cool completely before you cut them into pieces. This makes sure that you get the most accurate cutting results.
How to cut Brownies?
The long side is 13″ (33cm), and the short side is 9″ (23cm). To get 15 almost equally sized brownies, lay a ruler along the first long side and make little notches with a knife every 2.6″ (6,6cm). Repeat with the second long side. Then lay the ruler along the first short side and make little notches every 3″ (7,6cm). Repeat with the second short side.
Then use a long sharp knife, match up the notches on both long sides, and cut all the way through to the bottom. Clean the knife after every cut. Repeat with the short side.
That is the most accurate and cleanest method for cutting brownies.
Can Brownies be frozen and how?
Yes, Brownies are perfect for freezing. The question is, do you want to freeze the whole pan of brownies or just single pieces?
For freezing the whole pan after baking, chill the brownies for about 4 hours in the fridge after they are cooled completely. Then place them with the pan in the freezer until the brownies are firm, for about 2 hours. Remove brownies from the freezer and the pan and tightly wrap in plastic foil twice. Then wrap two layers of tin foil around. Place in a large freezer bag and remove as much air as possible.
For freezing single pieces, also make sure that they are cooled completely. Then wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible.
They freeze well up to 2 months.
For thawing, unwrap the brownies and let come to room temperature. The whole pan of brownies will take 3-4 hours, single pieces about 1 hour.
You get the most even baking results when you bake brownies in a 9×13″ (23x33cm) baking pan, but you could bake this recipe also in a 9×9″ (23x23cm) baking pan if you are looking for 1-inch thick brownies. In this case, bake them about 3-5 minutes longer. Check with a toothpick again. However, the baking results in a 9×9″ baking pan will be uneven, and the edges will turn out a little cakey.
Olive oil in brownies
It is possible to replace the vegetable oil with olive oil 1:1. Keep in mind that this substitution is going to change the taste of the brownies. They are more fruity with a slight bitter note when baked with olive oil. If you want to substitute the vegetable oil with olive oil for brownies, then use olive oil with a milder flavor that it doesn’t stand out that much in the brownies.
You may also like Soft and Moist Chocolate Banana Muffins, Best Oreo Cheesecake Recipe, Easy Blueberry Bread Recipe, Mirror Glaze Galaxy Cake Recipe, or click here to see all recipes.
If you make this gooey Brownie Recipe, leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #alsothecrumbsplease on Instagram! Would love to see your snap!
This easy Chocolate Brownies recipe is what you are looking for if you want to make the best fudge brownies. Crispy top, super fudgy center, and melting chocolate chunks. With 11 tips for making the best homemade brownies. It only takes 10 minutes of active preparation time, and you need 9 ingredients.
- 1 cup butter, melted and cooled (226g)
- 1 cup granulated white sugar (200g)
- 1 cup brown sugar (200g)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 vanilla beans* (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spoon and level (120g)
- 1 cup dutch-processed or unsweetened natural cocoa powder, spoon and level (84g)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 + 1/4 cups high-quality chocolate, roughly chopped (7.5oz / 220g)
Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C (in the video stands 375°F but this is a typo, the 350°F are correct). Line a 9x13" baking pan with parchment paper with an overhang on the sides to easily lift the brownies out of the pan after baking. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl stir together butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla* just until combined. Don't use a hand or stand mixer or you have too much air pockets in the batter, and this makes the brownies cakey instead of fudgy. Stir by hand with a whisk. Sift in flour, cocoa, and salt and stir just to combine. Fold in 3/4 cup of chopped chocolate. Spread evenly into prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining chocolate on top.
Bake for 23-30 minutes until the brownies don't jiggle anymore and are just set to touch. A toothpick should come out dirty. Don't overbake the brownies or they are getting cakey. Because every oven is different, set the timer for 20 minutes for the first time and check every 1-2 minutes until the brownies are done. Then write down the time the brownies needed in your oven for the next time. Maybe they are perfect at the second time you bake them. I baked mine for exactly 27 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. They will keep baking in the pan. Then carefully transfer with the paper to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into 15 brownies (5x3) before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.
Recipe Video
*First, cut off the straight end of the vanilla bean. Then place the tip of your sharp knife below the curled end and cut the vanilla bean through the middle of the bean lengthwise. Although you don't need to cut it all the way through, it's ok when you do so. Then open the vanilla bean and scrape out the flavorful seeds with the back of your knife. Just use the seeds.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Watch the video for better understanding.
- Look through the process shots to see the consistency.
- The photo of the toothpick test will bring clarification when it's time to remove the brownies from the oven.
- Reed blog post above for plenty of useful tips on how to make the best gooey brownies, how to cut them, freeze them, etc.
Kelley
May 6, 2019 at 11:50 pmOh man! These are, by far, the best brownies I have ever had! And thats saying a lot because i bake every single day. Super fudgy and delicious! I used hershey’s special dark cocoa and bakers semi sweet chocolate bars (I don’t like super sweet desserts). They are AMAZING! The girls at work are going to lose their minds tomorrow! Thank you for this recipe! I have eaten so many i’m going to be sick! lol
Sabine
May 9, 2019 at 9:17 amThank you so much for you nice feedback, Kelley! I’m so happy that you like these brownies. Happy baking 🙂
Samantha
April 7, 2019 at 6:31 pmMy brownies turned out very bitter and not sweet like a normal box brownie . I used Hersheys natural coca and collwed the recipe exactly. What did i do wrong ??
Sabine
April 8, 2019 at 4:40 amPlease make sure to spoon and level the cocoa as described. If you pack the cocoa in the cup, you easily end up with 1.5x the required amount of cocoa. And the more cocoa the more sugar you need to balance the flavor. Two cups of sugar and one cup of cocoa is the correct ratio when measured correctly. Hope that helps.
rita kumari
March 30, 2019 at 2:44 pmHi, I’ve been making these brownies for the last few years and they always turned out amazing! Except for the last two times, I made them they’re still good, but the texture is off. They turned out just very dense and not fudgy and no crinkly tops. Am I undercooking? The batch I cooked a little longer tasted a bit dry so not sure what has been happening. I’ve also been using the same oven. Any ideas? Advice would be very appreciated!
Sabine
April 2, 2019 at 2:09 pmThat’s indeed very strange that the recipe didn’t work out the last two times but every time before. If you didn’t change any ingredients (maybe you tried a new brand of anything?) then it must be the oven. I suggest using an oven thermometer and check if the oven works properly. Place it on different places in the oven to see if there are significant differences in temperature within the oven. Maybe something is broken or lost its power. Good luck!
Vaishali
February 15, 2019 at 9:23 amIt was gooey also I got shiny crust on the top, Could not stop eating. I used chocolate chips on top which looked beautiful.
Sabine
February 17, 2019 at 3:29 amThank you so much for your feedback! I always face the same problem with can’t stop eating them (: Have a great day!
Stephanie
February 13, 2019 at 7:33 pmCan I make these in cupcake molds ? If so, how much should I scoop in each ? I know you mentioned a 13×9 would be best…
Sabine
February 14, 2019 at 1:16 pmYes, that’s absolutely possible. Although they are not as super duper fudgy as baked in a 9×13 they are very delicious. Here I have a recipe for you https://www.alsothecrumbsplease.com/brownie-cupcakes-recipe/
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Ana
January 28, 2019 at 9:18 amI’m trying to do a brownie-like cake, if I add baking powder and baking soda, do you think I could make it? I don’t want to lose the moist! Just make it more spongy as cakes are…
Thanks!
Sabine
January 29, 2019 at 1:19 pmHonestly, I don’t have any experience to turn brownie batter into a cake batter. So I can’t say for sure how that would turn out. If you are looking for a super moist chocolate cake, I have a great recipe for you https://www.alsothecrumbsplease.com/hot-chocolate-cake-recipe/
Hope that helps!
Leyla
January 23, 2019 at 9:15 amHi
What kind of chocolate should we use??
Sabine
January 23, 2019 at 12:11 pmHi Leyla,
I recommend using any high-quality chocolate bars from a brand you love and chop into chunks. Brands I love are Ghirardelli, Lindt, and Hershey.
Leyla
January 25, 2019 at 8:23 amNo I mean we plain or milk or dark☺️
Sabine
January 27, 2019 at 12:46 pmOh, I’m sorry 😉 I love using a 1/3 milk chocolate and 2/3 dark chocolate. But you can use the chocolate you love the most.
Jessica
January 16, 2019 at 3:17 pmDo you know how many calories are in this recipe and serving size suggestion
Sabine
January 16, 2019 at 4:01 pmYes, you can find both in the recipe card. This recipe makes 15 brownies and each has 381 calories.
Elissa
January 7, 2019 at 10:07 amHello, I am excited to try this recipe! Would it be okay to use Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar in place of Brown sugar? Are these the same? Thank you!!
Sabine
January 7, 2019 at 11:37 amHi Elissa, brown sugar and Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar are not the same. They are different in taste and the granules of Turbinado sugar are bigger. Turbinado sugar is less processed. I don’t recommend replacing the brown sugar. It will affect the taste and the texture of the brownies. Hope that helps!
Elissa
January 7, 2019 at 1:32 pmAhh okay wonderful! I will purchase the brown sugar. I am so excited to eat these yummy things!
Sabine
January 9, 2019 at 12:31 pmHappy baking 🙂
Ain
January 4, 2019 at 3:12 amHello,
This recipe looks & sounds amazing. Can’t wait to try it but I have a 7*7 pan. Can you please help me with the measurements?
Sabine
January 4, 2019 at 12:00 pmHey Ain, when using a 7×7″ pan I recommend dividing the ingredients by half. The baking time will be almost the same. Check after the first 20 minutes to be safe. Hope that helps!
Karin
January 3, 2019 at 6:24 pmIs it better to use oil or butter for this recipe? And does it matter if it’s salted or unsalted butter?
I’m dying to make this lol
Sabine
January 3, 2019 at 6:35 pmI tried both and have to say that I prefer the butter. It is a lot of butter in the batter, that makes sure that the brownies are fudgy and chewy. And the butter adds a great taste to the brownies. Oil brownies have less taste. I used unsalted butter and recommend to do so because they are otherwise too salty. Hope that helps! Happy baking 🙂
heddwikk
December 16, 2018 at 1:54 pmI made this recipe for my birthday cake. I used 70% chocolate that I and my husband made from cocoa beans from Chiangmai. It turned out beautifully. The cake is extremely moisted. I love that it was really one bowl needed. Thank you for sharing this recipe…love it and definitely will make again.
Sabine
December 17, 2018 at 2:55 amThat’s a great idea to make a birthday cake out of brownies. Sounds like my next birthday cake. 🙂
Thank you so much for your feedback. Happy holidays!
Kyra Robson
December 4, 2018 at 11:43 amI can’t wait to try out this recipe but what type of brown sugar should I use exactly? Most recipes say Muscovado but I just wanted to check, thank you! Xx
Sabine
December 4, 2018 at 1:50 pmHey Kyra, Please use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar but no Muscovado. Muscovado sugar contains molasses and this would make an impact of the taste (unless you want to have it a bit “Christmassy”). Happy baking! xo
Aayushi Shah
November 30, 2018 at 1:35 amfor how long can i save cooked brownies? How to keep them fresh?
Sabine
November 30, 2018 at 1:15 pmStore them in an airtight container at room temperature. They are best eaten within 3 days but you can store them up to 5 days without a problem.
Matisse Maynard
November 11, 2018 at 6:44 pmThis turned out great. The video said 375 but the recipe part said 350… Which is best?
Sabine
November 12, 2018 at 2:00 amSorry for the mistake! 350 is correct! I have to change that in the video. Thank you!
Ashlee Glanville
November 10, 2018 at 4:27 amSabine, the brownies are without a doubt the absolute best I’ve ever had! I’ve tried so many recepies and they were either too cakey, too wet and lacked flavour. But these, my goddess! Seriously the most perfect, delicious, fudgey and decadet brownie over ever had! Thank you for your amazing recipe! 😩
Sabine
November 10, 2018 at 7:47 amAww Ashleee! Thank you so much, you literally made my day! I’m beyond happy that you like it 🙂
Emmi
August 8, 2018 at 9:47 pmI added 2 cups sugar and 3 Tablespoons of molasses. I use a fork to mix my batter together.
Mine baked for 29 minutes.
I highly recommend not taking the brownies out of the pan after cooling.
Here is what I am in the midst of doing. My brownies almost broke apart upon attempting to move then to a wire rack.
1. Cool on counter top for 30 minutes.
2. Place pan in refrigerator for approximately 60 minutes.
3. Cut brownies while in the pan.
Sabine
August 9, 2018 at 3:11 amHi Emmi, thank you so much for sharing your experience with this recipe! This is so valuable for other readers and me. I need to try the molasses, this sounds delicious. I experienced that I can’t lift them out of the pan after 10 minutes when I take them out of the oven when they still jiggle. I’m happy that you like the brownies!
Priya Mathew
June 27, 2018 at 12:10 amHI.
I wanted to bake brownies for my husband. I searched on Instagram and first pop up was your recipe and I just made it yesterday and it turned out super yummy. I then went through your other posts and my oh my.. I have added so many on my list to try it out!
Thanks for the recipe. Much Love!!
Sabine
June 27, 2018 at 3:44 amHi Priya, thank you so much for your nice feedback! You literally made my day. I’m super happy that you like this brownies recipe. Have a great day! Happy baking (: Sabine xo
Katie
June 17, 2018 at 2:46 amHow come you said the method was only two lines, but then I looked at the actual recipe and there are many more steps? I nearly didn’t print the method with the ingredients list and now I’m glad I did, cause there’s more than those two lines included in the actual recipe! Haha These were amazing!
Sabine
June 17, 2018 at 9:24 amHey Katie! First I want to say that I’m happy that they turned out amazing! What I wrote in the blog post were the technical steps in which order to combine the ingredients and I wanted to point out how easy these brownies are to make. This is possible to write in two lines. The recipe itself delivers all relevant information about baking time, what to consider, or when to preheat the oven…, in order to get the best backing results. These are more than just two lines, you are true! Happy baking (:
Emily
May 23, 2018 at 1:03 amYou don’t have to tell me twice! I love any baking recipe that does not require me to get out the mixer! These look delish!
Sabine
May 23, 2018 at 5:40 pmThe same here. I love one bowl recipes, recipes with just a few ingredients or little preparation time, or very easy ones. Thank you so much, Emily!
Carleen
April 19, 2018 at 5:09 pmI just popped these in the oven. My batter did not look as dark as yours. Did you use a certain type of cocoa powder?
Sabine
April 19, 2018 at 5:19 pmHi Carleen, I used Dutch process cocoa for this brownies. You can use Dutch process or natural cocoa to your preference. Just make sure to use unsweetened cocoa. Dutch process cocoa is a bit darker in color than natural cocoa. I hope you enjoy them anyway.
Marie
April 17, 2018 at 8:39 pmMaking these for a friends birthday; the batter was delicious and they smell heavenly in the oven right now!
Sabine
April 17, 2018 at 8:43 pmYour friend will be super happy! I can imagine how heavenly it smells in your kitchen right now. Thank you, Marie!
Albert Bevia
April 15, 2018 at 10:32 pmI will be honest with you…I have never made brownies before!!! but with this recipe I think I can give them a go, those tips really help!!! plus they look so amazing and tasty. Great post 🙂
Sabine
April 15, 2018 at 11:08 pmThank you so much, Albert! I’m happy that you find these tips helpful. I’m pretty sure that you will make brownies regularly, once you tried them.
Karly
April 15, 2018 at 5:17 pmOh my these look so amazing! I could get in trouble with this! Do I have to share?
Sabine
April 15, 2018 at 10:26 pmThank you so much, Karly! Nope, I’m pretty sure this can be eaten by one person in a day. 😉
Teleza Primus
March 31, 2019 at 10:16 amI can bake the brownie in at 11×17 pan
Sabine
April 2, 2019 at 2:11 pmIf you bake it in such a huge pan then you need to make 1.5 times of the batter. Otherwise, the brownies are too thin. However, the results will be very uneven (baked through around the edges and very fudgy in the center). I recommend a 9×13 pan for the best results.