These chewy fudgy homemade brownies are made completely from scratch. You will never make a box mix again!
Everyone has a favorite brownie recipe and this is one is mine. No mixer, no strange ingredients, no box mix, just pure brownie love. And bonus! They’re made in 1 bowl.
Brownies Should Be 2 Things: Chewy and Fudgy
Chewy brownies have a dense structure, but still have a little crumb. Fudgy brownies are dense with a moist intensely chocolatey interior—somewhere between chocolate truffles and piece of fudge. I like my brownies so rich and dense that it tastes like frosting you can eat in bar form. How delicious does that sound?
How to Make 1 Bowl Homemade Brownies
Before making homemade brownies, it’s helpful to know the importance of each ingredient. I wasn’t able to develop this brownie recipe without a little practice and learning. There are 4 main ingredients in brownies—varying amounts of these ingredients will affect the texture of the finished product.
- Chocolate: Cocoa powder or solid chocolate are used in homemade brownies. If using all cocoa powder, you need more fat in the brownie batter because cocoa powder does not contain cocoa butter. My brownie recipe uses mostly solid chocolate with a little cocoa powder. Double the chocolate goodness! Semi-sweet chocolate is best, though milk chocolate would be great for a sweeter brownie. I don’t suggest using unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate unless you love deep, dark chocolate.
- Flour: Like I mention above, I prefer my brownies chewy and fudgy. The fudginess in this brownie recipe relates to the small amount of flour. More flour = a more cake-like brownie.
- Sugar: These homemade brownies use 3/4 cup of granulated sugar. I also add 1/4 cup of brown sugar, which enhances the moist texture. As long as you use 1 total cup of real sugar (no sugar substitutes!), then your brownies will turn out wonderfully. You can use 1 full cup of white granulated sugar instead. That version is just as fantastic and easier since you only need 1 type of sugar!
- Eggs: Eggs perform about 1 million functions in baking like binding, adding richness, tenderizing, providing structure and lift. My chewy fudgy brownies recipes uses 3 eggs, which give the brownies a tight crumb and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
If you’re an extreme chocolate lover (of course you are), add chocolate chips to the brownie batter and top the finished brownies with chocolate buttercream. Because… why not?
And if you want to take your homemade brownies a step further, try this brownie pie or caramel turtle brownie pie next!
More Homemade Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vanilla Cupcakes
- Strawberry Cake
- Chocolate Cupcakes
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts
Chewy Fudgy Homemade Brownies
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 16-20 brownies
- Category: Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Chewy fudgy homemade brownies made completely from scratch. Try them with chocolate frosting and sprinkles on top! You will never make a box mix again, trust me.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (115g) salted or unsalted butter*
- two 4-ounce (226g) semi-sweet chocolate bars, coarsely chopped*
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons (79g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 Tablespoons (10g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- optional: chocolate buttercream
Instructions
- Melt the butter and chopped chocolate in a medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Or melt in a large microwave safe bowl in 20 second increments, stirring after each. Remove from the heat, pour in a large mixing bowl, then allow to slightly cool for 10 minutes.
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9×9-inch square baking pan* with aluminum foil or parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides. Set aside.
- Whisk the granulated and brown sugars into the cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla. Gently whisk in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Once combined, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour/spoon batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 35-36 minutes or until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with only a few moist crumbs when the brownies are done. All ovens are different, so keep an eye on them after 30 minutes and use the toothpick test to see when yours are finished.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. Once cooled, lift the foil out of the pan using the overhang on the sides. Frost with chocolate buttercream, if desired. Cut into squares. For neat squares, I use a very sharp knife and wipe it clean with a paper towel after each cut.
- Unfrosted brownies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week. Frosted brownies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, these brownies (both frosted and unfrosted) freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Medium Saucepan | 9×9-Inch Square Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Cooling Rack
- Butter: I love to use salted butter in these brownies! If using unsalted, no need to increase the salt in the recipe. The flavor difference between using salted vs unsalted butter in this recipe is very slight.
- Chocolate: Use real, quality chocolate. You can find the 4 ounce baking bars in the baking aisle. I like using Ghirardelli or Baker’s brand.
- Baking Pan: You can use an 11×7-inch baking pan instead. The bake time is about the same.
Keywords: homemade brownies, chewy brownies, fudgy brownies
Hello! Sounds delic – I may try these today but have a few questions. Sorry – I didn’t read thru all 749 comments to see if you’ve already addressed these. 🙂
1 – What is the difference in a semi-sweet “bar” and “chips”? Can I just use ALL chips for example, or will that make a difference?
2 – Are you partial to a brand of choc bar or chips for this recipe? (not to turn this into an advertisement!)
3 – Do you usually weigh ingredients – specifically FLOUR? I see that you’ve included both volume and weights and I’ve heard to always weigh flour.
4 – AND – do you usually SIFT your flour? (for this or ANY other recipe?)
Thanks so much! I’m newly retired and one of my hobbies is to get back into baking (along with a dozen other hobbies I’ve put off for 30 yrs!) Barbara Hume
Hi Barbara, Chocolate chips are different than a bar. They contain stabilizers in them to help them keep their shape – which makes them ideal as an add-in but makes them difficult to melt smoothly. I don’t have a preferred brand – Hershey’s, Ghirardelli, Bakers and Lindt are all great! I try to always include weight measurements as it’s easier for my international readers. You do not need to sift the flour for this recipe. If you need to sift the flour the recipe will specify “sifted flour”. Enjoy!!
Hey Sally, I really love all your recipes, they always turn out perfect. I have just tried these brownies, but for some reason the batter is runny, it is not thick like yours. I have placed the pan in the oven to bake, hope they turn out good. Will update you. Keep up the good work!!
Hi Maira! Are you using pure chocolate as the base? That guarantees a thick batter.
Hi Sally, would it make much of a difference if I bake this brownie recipe in a 8×8 pan?
Thanks for all your amazing recipes!
The brownies will be super thick and may take longer to bake!
These are the best brownies ever! They’re so fudgy and amazing that the whole batch disappears in no time! I love the idea of frosting them too – I’d never thought of putting frosting on brownies before but WOW they really can get better!
I used a mix of dark and milk chocolate as semisweet doesn’t exist in the UK and I’m not a fan of pure dark chocolate. But, that gave me an idea: do you think that if you used a flavoured chocolate eg. chocolate orange then you’d get chocolate orange brownies? The sugar might need reducing accordingly but that would be the dream!
Hi Sally,
I made these brownies for my children on Wednesday for Valentine’s Day and they loved them. This is the best recipe so far! Tomorrow, I am making your strawberry cake for my daughter’s birthday. The recipe looks fantastic!
Thank you so much!
Hi Sally, I am a huge fan of yours. I have baked many of your recipes and they all turned out amazing and so delicious!!
I have 2 questions regarding these brownies….in your recipe notes you wrote “You can use an 11×7 inch baking pan instead. The bake time is about the same.” In your actual recipe you wrote to use a 9×9 inch square baking pan.
I’m confused. If I use a 11×7 pan won’t the brownies be thinner?
Also, I would like to double this recipe. If I double all the ingredients and bake it in a 13×9 inch pan will that work ok?
Hi Nicole! The thickness of the brownies is about the same in a 9×9 inch or 11×7 inch baking pan. You can double the recipe for a 9×13 pan, but I’m unsure of the bake time. I also have a 9×13 pan of brownies recipe. Just as fudgy, just as chewy!
You will NOT be disappointed!!!!!! The best brownie that I have ever eaten……
This is a post for someone who cares a lot about brownies.
I have made a LOT of brownies because there are a LOT of brownie recipes out there. Every single one of them tends to promise dense, fudgy and chewy brownies (because those are the words everyone wants to hear) yet I have experienced cakey brownie after cakey brownie. Or dense, but not really chewy. Or way too gooey with no structure. Or way too thick and still not fudgy. Or the middle is good but the edges (which should be the most delicious part) end up crunchy and so wrong. I even tried a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen that swore by using oil in the recipe instead of butter to get a fudgy result, but those weren’t good. I am a seasoned baker (meaning I know how to bake brownies correctly) and I was beginning to believe that nothing could ever compare to box mix brownie chewiness. Truthfully, I started to think that I actually didn’t even like brownies that much. GASP!
Then one Monday I innocently see one of Sally’s brownie photos on Instagram and make her chewy fudgy homemade brownie recipe. I must have been so over trying more brownie recipes that I had never even thought “Duh, I should try one of Sally’s brownie recipes because I make her recipes all the time and they’re foolproof and delicious.”
An hour later, I was eating the most perfect, elusive brownie of my dreams. I have the only brownie recipe I’ll ever need for the rest of my life.
Sally! I LOVE you! EVERYTHING I have made have tasted INCREDIBLE! I don’t know how you do it. So, let me tell you a story about these brownies. I baked them a couple of years ago and ate the entire pan in one sitting. My husband came home and was very sad that I didn’t even leave any for him. I vowed to NEVER make these brownies again and started looking for “healthy” brownie recipes. I tried to make “healthy” brownies over and over again and was disappointed and downright sad whenever I made them. I would eat once piece and then throw out the entire pan. I FINALLY convinced myself to come back to these brownies because while they are sinfully delicious and not healthy in any sense of the word, they are worth it once in a while. Please never take this off your site as this is the only brownie recipe that makes me deliriously happy and is PERFECT in every sense of the word. Thanks, Sally!
These brownies were super delicious, and I loved the crackly top!
Hi Sally.
Can I use this as a base in a brownie fruit pizza?
Hi Heather! I fear the brownie batter will spread too much on a pizza pan, so I suggest a cake pan. If you have a 9 or 10 inch springform pan, that would be ideal because the brownie pizza will rise quite high. OR you can divide between 2 9-inch cake pans for flatter/thinner brownie pizzas.
I have made these brownies 3 times so far and i must say they are beyond amazing. This has become my go to brownie recipe. last time i made it i paired them with your salted caramel and some vanilla ice cream. Just heaven!!!!
Hi Sally! I tried these and they turned out great, with an awesome fudgy texture. My only issue was that they really tasted a bit too bitter for me. Any suggestions to sweeten without going overboard? Would using milk chocolate instead of semi sweet make a difference? Thanks!
A sweeter chocolate will definitely help. Milk chocolate is a wonderful sub!
Sally, I have come to just love your blog and am excited every time a new email pops up in my inbox! 🙂 I got a little behind and just yesterday caught up on Sprinkled, which is so well done! I am very interested in trying this brownie recipe. Question…you mentioned in the notes that an 11×7 pan could be used if you adjust the cooking time. Could I also use two (2) 9×9 square baking pans and make a double batch? Would I have to make any cooking time adjustments if I wanted to bake 2 pans at the same time? Thanks!
Hi Susan! Thank you so much for the sweet comment. So glad you’re enjoying Sprinkled!! When baking 2 9-inch pans at a time, you’ll need to increase the bake time as the oven will take longer to cook both. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.
My son, who is a sophomore in high school, had a homework assignment to make brownies from scratch. Of course I immediately directed him to your website to get a recipe. We chose this one because we already knew how good they’d be since I’ve made the peanut butter stuffed version (yummmmm). The directions were so detailed and easy to follow he barely needed any supervision from me. He made them yesterday and brought them into school today. They were very well received and he got 100% on the assignment. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
These brownies are AWESOME! I’ve made them plain, I’ve made them with the layered peanut butter recipe, I’ve made them with the peanut butter buttercream recipe, and I’ve made them with a salted caramel ripple and they turn out mind blowingly, fanstically fudgey and delcicious every time. I’ll also mention that I have only ever made them using gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill + xanthan gum) and continually get comments from people that are not gluten free about how good they are. Hiiiiiiighly recommend this recipe to anyone, especially if you’re looking for something that can be adapted to gluten free without sacrificing deliciousness!!!
Best brownies ever. My only comment is it doesn’t have a shiny top. But the TASTE AND TEXTURE? Just beyond words. Thanks for such an amazing brownies recipe.
These are the Best Brownies Ever! My daughter and I have been searching and making many brownie recipes and we are thrilled to have found THE ONE! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Hi Sally. Thank you for this delicious recipe. I’ve made them twice already. They both turned out great! Only problem was there were bubbles on the top of the brownies, making the crackly top not smooth and not really nice looking. How do I get nice smooth brownies top like yours? Thanks.
Oh my goodness, these are AMAZING. I used half chocolate chips and half white baker’s chocolate that I cut into small pieces. The frosting on top takes it over the edge and I have a feeling these will be gone very soon.
This will now be my go to recipe for brownies! Made them last night and it was my first from scratch brownies. The hubby and I ate half the pan He kept saying how good they were then said, “why do you ever make boxed brownies?!”. I thought they were perfectly chewy without being too fudgy or too caked. Great chocolate flavor. Crinkly top, though not shiny like I hoped. Very easy to make. The only thing I did differently was not add chocolate chips. Oh and I baked in an 11 x 7 ceramic baking dish, took about 40 minutes. Can’t wait to snack on these today!
This is hands down the BEST brownie recipe I have ever come across and I have made it countless times. I use it as a “base” recipe for different types of brownies as well and it has not failed me yet. It always turns out so gooey and rich.
Thank you for blessing the world with this recipes
Hi Sally,
I wondered if you use a fan oven or a conventional oven? It’s always a hit and miss situation because of this. However they come out, my daughter can’t get enough of these! I try to be good, but they are too tempting for a chocolate addict…
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Conventional. My general rule from experience is to always lower the temp by 25 degrees F if using fan-forced.
This is my favorite recipe of brownies ever! They are so fudgey and yummy! I did this recipe once and I loved it! A few months later, a bit after easter I did this recipe once angain but added miniatures Reese’s peanut butter cups to replace the chocolata chips. So good.