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We LOVE brownies in this house and we make them all the time. After years of trying to perfect my homemade recipe I landed on this one and it’s so good you’ll never buy a box mix again.

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brownies in a stack


Why We Love These Fudgy Brownies

  • These make a thick brownie, perfect for baking in a 9×13-inch pan.
  • They have lots of chocolate: baking chocolate AND cocoa powder!
  • These are super rich and fudgy with the perfect crackly top.

This is our go-to brownie and I know you’ll love it.

This is the BEST Brownies recipe you’ll ever make. It’s the only one you need and you’ll never use a box mix again.

hand placing brownie on stack

Homemade Brownie Recipe Ingredients

  • Butter: unsalted butter is best
  • Baking Chocolate: this is found in the baking aisle. Use unsweetened baking chocolate so your brownies are the perfect sweetness.
  • Sugar: granulated sugar makes these rich
  • Eggs: my secret is adding 4 eggs to this – the extra egg makes them SO fudgy.
  • Cocoa: for extra chocolate flavor. You can use unsweetened cocoa powder OR even dutch process.
  • Salt, Vanilla: for flavor
  • All-purpose flour: be sure to measure it correctly. You don’t need much!

How to Make Brownie from Scratch

  1. Melt: add the chocolate and butter to a microwave safe bowl. Heat in 30 second increments, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. You can also do this on the stove top in a saucepan.
  2. Stir: stir in the sugar, then the eggs, then the cocoa salt, vanilla and flour. The mixture will be thick and rich.
  3. Bake: bake in a 9×13-inch pan. These are thick brownies and the recipe is written for that pan. These are done when a toothpick comes out mostly clean 2-inches from the edge of the pan.
  4. Cool: cool in the pan before slicing or removing.
  5. Storing: store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Best Brownie Recipe Tips

  • Don’t overmix! I prefer to use a wooden spoon or spatula (not a mixer) to make brownies. Stop stirring as soon as the flour is incorporated.
  • Add your favorite mix ins (chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or candy).
  • Cutting tip: cut your brownies with a plastic knife and the gooey center won’t stick to the knife!

If you’re looking for an easy homemade brownie recipe that produces super decadent brownies, THIS is the one you need.

What makes brownies cakey?

Too much flour, adding baking powder or baking soda, using less eggs, and adding water can all make brownies cake-like.

What kind of cocoa powder should I use?

I prefer using natural unsweetened cocoa powder. You can also use Hershey’s Special Dark or even dutch process.

Should I use a Metal of Glass Pan?

Either pan works just fine!

How do I know that brownies are done?

These are done when you insert a toothpick 2-inches from the edge of the pan and it comes out mostly clean.

What makes brownies the BEST recipe? Well, in my opinion they have to be:

  • Fudgy
  • Thick
  • Gooey
  • SUPER chocolatey

This recipe is all of that and it’s only one bowl and no mixer needed.

The secret to fudgy brownies is in the chocolate you use.

This recipe uses two kinds of chocolate:

  1. Normal unsweetened cocoa powder from the grocery store. Nothing fancy or special, just what they have in the baking aisle.
  2. A 4-ounce bar of unsweetened chocolate (from the baking aisle). Use your favorite brand!

Whenever I make these brownies they disappear fast…and it’s way too easy to make them. In just 10 minutes they’re in the oven and after 30 they’re done baking. Good luck waiting for them to cool; normally we take forks to the pan.

stack of brownies with bite taken out

This super easy fudgy brownie recipe is great plain if you’re a brownie purist, but we also love adding nuts. You could also make peanut butter cup brownies or add a frosting on top even add any kind of candy you like (maybe Kit Kat Bars or Almond Joy?)

The best ever brownies recipe

How to make the best brownie recipe in the world:

  • Start with a good quality butter. I like to use unsalted but you can use salted if that’s what you have.
  • Use a good quality chocolate from the baking aisle – no generics!
  • Don’t skimp on the sugar!!
  • Four large eggs make them super thick and fudgy.
  • No, you’re not missing something: a good brownie recipe has no baking soda or baking powder. The rise comes from the eggs, plus brownies aren’t airy like cake. They’re meant to be super fudgy.
  • You don’t need a lot of flour to make these brownies. More flour would make them more cake-like.
  • Make these gluten free brownies easily by substituting Gluten Free 1:1 All purpose flour (i.e. King Arthur brand).

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brownies in a stack

Best Brownies Recipe EVER

4.92 from 12 votes
This is the BEST BROWNIES RECIPE ever! You’ll never buy a box mix again after making this easy one bowl brownie recipe.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Yield 36 brownies
Serving Size 1 serving

Ingredients
 

  • 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped 113g
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, sliced 227g
  • 2 2/3 cups granulated sugar 332g
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 21g
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5ml
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour 165g
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Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Place chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high power in 30 second increments, stirring between each, until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth (about 2 minutes, depending on your microwave).
  • Stir sugar and cocoa into chocolate and butter mixture using a spatula or wooden spoon. Stir in eggs and vanilla, then stir in salt. Mixture will be grainy looking but smooth. Stir in flour carefully.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the top is no longer glossy and a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs when placed 2-inches from the side of the pan. Cool completely before slicing. I prefer mine baked only 25 minutes; if you want yours less fudgy, bake longer.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Tip: add 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips or chopped nuts to the batter after stirring in the flour or frost with chocolate frosting.

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 143kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 48mg | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 185IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.9mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American

**Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!**

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Last Updated on September 28, 2020



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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15 Comments

  1. Can you half this recipe and vakevit in an 8″ pan? It would just be for me (husband doesn’t care much for chocolate….I know, right?)