Brownie Recipe

When you need a perfectly sweet chocolate fix that comes together in just a few minutes homemade brownies cannot be beaten! This truly is the best brownie recipe ever, they’re fudgy, gooey, intensely chocolatey, and irresistibly delicious. Better yet, they are just as easy as any box mix recipe but they taste 10x better.

You can opt to add nuts for texture or switch up the flavoring (see my variations below) but I love these brownies just the way they are, rich and chocolatey washed down with a glass of milk. See my full recipe tutorial below including important notes on ingredients, step-by-step photos, tips, and video to help you make the most delicious homemade brownies from scratch!

Looking for more delicious brownie recipes? Don’t forget to check out my Cheesecake Brownies and Brownie Cookies!

What you need to make this recipe

Cocoa powder – I love using a high-quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa powder is darker, less acidic, and fudgier in baked goods making it perfect for brownies! My go-to company is Ghirardelli 100% Cocoa or Hershey’s Special Dark Dutch-Processed cocoa powder but there are lots of great brands out there, including Valrhona, Callebaut, and lots of organic and fair trade options too! 

Butter – Make sure you use unsalted butter because additional salt is added to the brownie recipe separately. The butter also needs to be melted which you can do on the stove or in the microwave in short bursts.

Eggs – eggs are essential for a gooey and delicious texture they’re also what helps the brownies to rise in the oven since there is no baking powder involved. They should be at room temperature so take them out of the fridge in advance.

Sugar – I use a combination of white sugar and brown sugar, the brown sugar adds a lot of flavor and texture (you can use light or dark brown).

Coffee – A little splash of coffee adds so much flavor to these brownies and really brings out the chocolate flavor. It is optional so if you don’t want to use any just skip or add a drop more of vanilla.

Vanilla – Make sure to use real vanilla extract and not essence which is synthetic.

Chocolate chips – I find that dark chocolate chips are best for making brownies because there is already enough sugar in the recipe. I use Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips but bitter-sweet will also work. You can also use chocolate chunks or chop up your favorite chocolate bar.

Salt – Although this is a sweet recipe salt really enhances the flavors, you just need a little.

How to make Brownies

1. Add your butter, eggs, coffee, and vanilla to a large bowl then whisk together. 

2. Add the sugars to the mixture. 

3. Whisk the mixture together until it’s nice and smooth.

4. Sift in the flour, salt, and cocoa powder. 

5. Stir the mixture together until just incorporated.

6. Fold in the chocolate chips or chunks. While you have the spatula out it’s a good time to scrape the bottom of the bowl and really make sure there are no pockets of unmixed ingredients hanging out.

7. Transfer the batter to a lined baking dish and smooth it to the corners then bake.

Pro tips for making this recipe

• Measure and prepare all your ingredients before starting to make the recipe even easier.
• Make sure to line your baking pan otherwise your brownies will stick to the pan, this is a super important tip!
• Make sure to sift your ingredients to avoid lumps where possible, cocoa powder can be quite lumpy.
• If you don’t have an 8×8 inch pan for your brownies just use foil to create one or two walls for a smaller baking dish. Line with parchment and you’ll be good to go!
• The batter is thick so spread it out to the corners of the baking pan as best you can but it’ll level out in the oven.
• The coffee really helps to enhance the chocolate flavor, the brownies themselves don’t have a strong coffee flavor but you can skip it if you want.
• You can add either chopped chocolate or chocolate chips to the top of your brownies but this is totally optional. I’ve made the recipe both ways but found the brownies to be a bit more photogenic without the additional chocolate on top. 
• Don’t over-bake your brownies. Unlike cake layers, brownies will not have a springy center and a skewer inserted into the center will not come out clean. Your brownies are done when the center is set and you see the top just begin to crack. 
• The center will continue to bake and set after you remove the brownies from the oven so don’t worry if they seem a bit fudgy. 
• Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to your brownies will take away from that nice fudge-like texture. The best and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What flavor variations can I try?

Although I absolutely love my brownie recipe just as it is it’s sometimes fun to switch it up with different flavors and textures. See some of my recommendations below;

Add nuts – You can add 2 cups of chopped toasted nuts into the brownies for crunch and texture or 1 cup of nuts and 1 cup of chocolate chips, pecans, peanuts, and hazelnuts work really well!

Caramel or toffee – Caramel or toffee pieces adds such a delicious flavor you can chop up store-bought or homemade toffee or caramel and fold it into the batter.

Add candies – Candies are always such a fun addition and you can add any you like my favorites are M&Ms.

White chocolate – Simply switch the dark chocolate chips for white chocolate!

Dried fruit – If you love dried fruit in desserts it’s a great option to add into the batter.

Shredded coconut – sweetened shredded coconut is absolutely delicious added to chocolate brownies!

What’s the best way to serve them?

I love to serve brownies just as they are with a glass of cold milk but for an extra indulgent treat, they are perfect warmed up slightly and served with ice cream and chocolate sauce!

How do I make my brownies extra fudgy?

Add an extra yolk for more creaminess and melt one cup of the chocolate with the butter, which you’ll then use in step one below. You can also slightly undercook your brownies so they’ll be even fudgier.

Should I bloom the cocoa powder?

To bloom the cocoa powder add it to the warm melted butter and let it infuse for a few minutes. This really intensifies the chocolate flavor in your brownies but this step is totally optional. If you want to do it, go for it!

Can I make these without an 8×8 inch pan?

Sure! You can use a larger pan and have thinner brownies OR you can make a wall inside of your pan with aluminum foil then line it with parchment paper. If you look very closely in the photo for step seven below you can see that I did this!

How long do they last, can they be frozen?

Stored in a sealed container your uncut brownies will keep for up to four days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer. Your cut brownies will last up to two days although they rarely last beyond a day if anyone knows they’re there! 

If you’ve tried this Brownie Recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!