Does the world really need another brownie recipe? Yes, because these are the richest, most decadent homemade brownies you’ll ever try. The best part is that you don’t need a mixer and they’re made in only 1 bowl!
We’re doing it. A big 9×13-inch pan of homemade brownies is on the table tonight.
If you google “homemade brownies” there are 1000s of search results. (I don’t recommend doing this if you’re hungry.) I threw my homemade frosted brownies recipe into the running back in 2014. They’re chewy, dense, and easy. But lately I’ve been craving something new; a different brownie option to toss into the mix. Because that’s the best part about baking: you can constantly experiment like a mad butter-loving scientist. And, if you think about it, we can never have enough recipes combining butter, sugar, and chocolate.
Let’s Bake 1 Bowl Homemade Brownies
These brownies are lot like my 9-inch square pan of chewy fudgy frosted brownies, but there’s a couple minor changes to yield a larger batch. We’re using all the same ingredients:
- Chocolate: Use real chocolate and cocoa powder. You can make brownies with either or both, and I prefer both. What’s interesting is that cocoa powder has more pure chocolate flavor because it is not diluted with milk and sugar—so the resulting brownies are always fabulously rich. Though natural cocoa powder can be used, I suggest a dutch process cocoa powder for a deeper, smoother chocolate flavor. This brownie recipe does not* rely on chemical leaveners so either works. If a recipe does, that’s when it’s important to remember the difference between Dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder.
- Butter: For flavor, of course!
- Sugar: There are 2 cups of sugar in this pan of brownies. It sounds like a lot, but recipes calling for mostly unsweetened cocoa powder do not contain the extra sugar from recipes calling for semi-sweet or milk chocolate. Also, sugar does much more than sweeten brownies. It liquifies as they bake, creating a softer center.
- Eggs: Eggs are one of the main ingredients in brownies. Just as they do in my beloved flourless chocolate cake recipe, eggs bind, add richness, tenderize, and provide structure here. This brownie recipe uses 3 eggs, which give the brownies a tight crumb and fudgy texture.
- Flour: The cocoa powder takes the place of some flour, so you’ll only need 1 cup in this brownie recipe. The more flour in brownies, the cakier they will taste. We want dense and fudgy brownies, so use as little flour as possible.
Why is there no baking powder or baking soda in these brownies? Adding baking powder or baking soda lifts brownies up and creates a cakier result. But today, we all want a brownie so dense and fudgy that it’s basically 1 step up from eating pure chocolate.
You’ll get a taste of how dense these brownies are when you’re mixing up the batter. It’s so thick and so fudgy. Seriously fudgy.
How to Tell When Brownies are Done Baking
This can be tricky, so here’s how to determine when these brownies are done. Turn the timer to 30 minutes as soon as the brownies go into the oven. Once you begin to smell that captivating scent of chocolate permeate through the kitchen, check the brownies. Even if this is at the 25 minute mark. Use a toothpick, stick it into the center, and pull it out. The brownies need more time if there is wet batter on the toothpick. If there are a few moist crumbs on the toothpick, the brownies are done. You don’t want a clean toothpick! (That’s an odd sentence, but you get me!)
How to Get Shiny Crackly Tops in Brownies
The secret is in the sugar! Melt the butter and 2 ounces of chocolate first, then quickly whisk in the sugar while it’s all still warm. Whisking the sugar into warm butter helps the sugar migrate to the top of the batter as the brownies bake thus creating that signature shiny and crackly top we all love!
Here’s the real question: are you a center person or an edge person? Save me the corners please. ♥
More Homemade Recipes
- Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Cupcakes & Chocolate Cake
- Vanilla Cupcakes
- Rice Krispie Treats
- Chocolate Lava Cakes
- Soft-Baked M&M Cookie Bars
Seriously Fudgy Homemade Brownies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 18 large brownies
- Category: Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These are the richest, most decadent homemade brownies you’ll ever try. You only need a few basic ingredients, 1 bowl, and they’re done baking in 30 minutes!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter
- 4-ounce (113g) semi-sweet chocolate bar, coarsely chopped and divided*
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar*
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (82g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder*
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- optional: 1 and 1/4 cups (225g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13-inch pan or line with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished brownies out (makes cutting easier!). Set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and half (2 ounces/57g) of the chopped chocolate. Melt in 30-second increments, whisking after each, until completely smooth. Whisk in the sugar until completely combined, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla. The batter will be light brown and look a bit dull.
- Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, remaining 2 ounces/57g chopped chocolate, and the chocolate chips. Fold it all together with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Batter will be very thick. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then test the brownies with a toothpick. Insert it into the center of the pan. If it comes out with wet batter, the brownies are not done. If there are only a few moist crumbs, the brownies are done. Keep checking every 2 minutes until you have moist crumbs. Brownies typically take 31–32 minutes in my oven.
- Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.
- Cover and store leftover brownies at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions:Â Brownies freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Baking Pan (Metal or Glass) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | Cooling Rack
- Chocolate Bars: Chocolate bars are typically sold in 4 ounce bars. 2 ounces will be melted down and 2 ounces will be chopped up and folded into the batter with the chocolate chips. I suggest Ghirardelli, Baker’s brand, or Lindt.
- Sugar: Try the recipe with 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar and 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) of granulated sugar. Absolutely delicious! I wrote the recipe with 2 cups of granulated sugar to make it easier for most.
- Cocoa Powder: You can use either natural or dutch-process cocoa powder. I prefer dutch-process for a smoother flavor.
My family agrees that was THE BEST brownie we ever ate!
Can I make these with cocoa powder only? I never have chocolate chips or bars in the house.
Absolutely. No changed to the recipe, other than leaving them out.
If you are looking for a fudgey, moist brownie recipe….this is NOT it. They were the driest, hardest brownies I have ever made. I followed the directions precisely and checked the baking time at 28 minutes. It was done at that time. They were not burned at all, just hard as a rock around the edges and only slightly softer in the middle. I gave it one star because it did have a strong chocolate flavor.
Mine were absolutely perfect. Think you just messed up lol.
Just made these and they are delicious! I had a 3.5 oz bar of I guess bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao) so I used that and they came out wonderful. Sprinkled on a tiny bit of coarse salt when I took them out f the oven. Great brownies, better than my favorite mix and I had everything in my pantry. Sally never lets me down
I don’t know what I did, or even if it is me. I reduced the sugar by 25%, and used chocolate chips for the grated semi-sweet chocolate bar. Did not add the optional chocolate chips – Other than that, followed the recipe exactly, and it is so sweet that I can’t eat it. I guess I just don’t have a sweet sweet tooth. The texture is quite good though, nice and moist and it does have a nice crackly crust so there’s that.
I’ve been looking for a good chewy brownie recipe and this did not disappoint. Made them today and I’m keeping the recipe, they’re delicious and were super easy to make.
Hi, what kind of salt do you use as a default in your recipes? Thanks!
Hi Jessica! We use table salt in all our recipes unless otherwise noted.
Tried this recipe and my family absolutely loved it! Paired it with vanilla ice cream and it tasted even better. My parents who usually aren’t very fond of sweets couldn’t get enough of it. Definitely going to stick with this brownie recipe from now on <3
I made these for my fiancé and she loved them! She is my biggest critic and the first to tell me how to improve a recipe and she didn’t say a word!
Hi, What is the best way to store these delicious brownies?
Hi Patty, Cover and store the brownies at room temperature for up to 1 week.
I misread the recipe and melted all 4 oz of the chocolate. Then I used an 8×8 pan rather than 9×13, went with a mix of white and milk choc chunks, and used a mix of soft brown sugar and granulated as per the notes. Ofc, I had to babysit them a bit to get the cook just right since I ended up freestyling a bit (it took 40 minutes in my oven).
They came out perfect. The right amount of fudginess with a very slight “caramelly chew”, probably because of the brown sugar.
I want a brownie that doesn’t have any chunks of solid chocolate pieces, just the brownie. Can I just melt the entire 4 oz in step 2? Thanks!
Hi Bernadette! If you don’t want any chocolate chunks/chips just use the 2oz that gets melted into the batter and skip the rest.
These brownies are the best in my opinion. Everyone i have ever made these for has raved about how wonderfully moist they are. These are a regular bake for me.
My go to foolproof brownie recipe!! It’s never let me down. For an extra indulgent treat we fold through a cup of ripe, juicy mulberries at the end #yummo
The perfect balance between chewy, sweet, soft, and fudgy!
Hi! I love all of your recipes. Can I add reeces pieces instead of the chocolate chips?
Sure can!
Hi Sally! I want to make these brownies, but only have wholewheat flour. Can I just substitute simply for the AP flour?
Hi Kate, we don’t recommend it. The brownies will be a bit dry and the taste won’t be quite the same with that substitute.
Hi, if I skipped out on the 2 ounces of chocolate in the batter (not melted) would it make a difference to the brownies? Also, if I used dark chocolate, like 70%-90% cocoa would the taste change majorly? I’ve tried these before and they were amazing, thank you guys so much for sharing your delicious recipes 🙂
Hi Faith! We don’t recommend leaving out the melted chocolate. Dark chocolate would be great in these brownies if you love the flavor of dark chocolate – they would be less sweet. Happy baking!
These brownies are a solid family favourite in a family of chocolate lovers. We are taking them tonight for part of our contribution to the extended family Thanksgiving dinner (Canadian thanksgiving )
I just made these brownies. They are so delicious! I baked them for exactly 30 minutes and they were perfect! Another awesome recipe!
Any adjustments in bake time or ingredients if you want to add dried cherries or nuts?
Hi Morgan, you can add about 1 cup total of chopped walnuts and/or dried cherries to the batter. No other changes needed. Enjoy!
Should I cut the recipe in half if I’m using an 8×8 pan?
Hi Lea, correct—you can halve the recipe for an 8×8 pan. We’re unsure of the exact bake time but they will begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with only a few moist crumbs when the brownies are done.
I made these for my partner’s work do and now every time they have a function I have to make these because they keep requesting them. They are gorgeous
If we wanted to use a muffin tin instead, how would you recommend altering bake times?
Hi Regina, we’re unsure of the exact bake time for a muffin tin, but it should be a bit less. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Seriously OUT OF THIS WORLD!!! Minds were blown this weekend when I made these. I decided to use really high quality ghee from New Zealand, and it really worked so much better than butter. The flavor is indescribably deep and rich and delicious. SAVE THIS RECIPE if you want to dominate at every bake sale!
Can I use chocolate chips instead of the chocolate bar?
Hi Melissa, we highly recommend baking chocolate bars in this recipe, as chocolate chips contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting properly. High quality chocolate chips like Ghirardelli brand will often melt better than some other brands–so you can give it a try if you’re using hight quality baking chips. But for best results, we recommend grabbing a baking chocolate bar if you can!
Can this recipe be cut in half and baked in an 8×8 pan? I’m looking at the amount of butter and if I halve the recipe, it feels like 6 tablespoons of butter is too little. Help?
Hi Diorella, You sure can! We’re unsure of the exact bake time but they will begin to pull away from the edges of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with only a few moist crumbs when the brownies are done.
Can you melt the butter and chocolate on the stove top instead of microwave?
Absolutely.
Can’t get enough of this recipe!
Perhaps you mentioned this tip for butter management someplace. I use a wire cheese cutter to get the weight spot on.
Sometimes I add super large raisins. Sprinkle on top then then submerge with the bowl scraper.
I always split the flour 50/50 Cake and All purpose.
Today in search of the “ultimate fluffy” I added 1 TBSP of sourdough starter. Worked nicely.
Oh my gosh!!!! I’m not a baker but I made these today and they are out of this world. Oh wow, so rich and decadent.
It turned out great BUT I (accidentally) made some modifications so keep that in mind. Instead of melting half of the chopped chocolate with the butter, I accidentally melted all of it. I was already planning to add another egg so I just went with that anyway and it still ended up delicious. From the description and other reviews, I’m going to guess that my version ended up a little more chewy/fudgy rather than just purely fudgy. The chocolate that you use makes a big difference in flavour.