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 a homemade 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 9×9 inch pan of chewy 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
- Vanilla Cupcakes
- Chocolate Cake
- 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; 175g) unsalted butter
- one 4 ounce (113g) semi-sweet chocolate bar, coarsely chopped*
- 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 (spoon & 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 2 ounces of 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 a little dull looking.
- Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, remaining 2 ounces of chopped chocolate and the chocolate chips. Fold it all together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Batter will be very thick. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
- (See note about how to tell if brownies are done in the post above.) 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. My brownies take 31-32 minutes.
- 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: Brownies freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature before serving.
- 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.
Keywords: Seriously Fudgy Homemade Brownies
I love your recipes so so much! Thank you! I wanted to make these for valentines tomorrow and if I halved the recipe would an 8×8 square pan be the right size? Thank you so much!
Hi Anne, yes that should work! 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. Or for a 9×9 pan you can use this recipe for Chewy Fudgy Brownies.
My batter was so thick it wouldn’t spread in my pan prepared with aluminum foil sprayed with oil. I followed the recipe exactly as written. Any thoughts on how to get the batter to spread evenly in pan?
Hi Erica! This is a pretty thick batter – did yours look like the photos above and the video tutorial? If it was thicker, how did you measure the dry ingredients? Make sure to spoon and level (instead of scooping) to avoid packing in too much flour or cocoa powder into your measuring cups – or use a kitchen scale. You can read more about properly measuring baking ingredients in this post.
These were really good. Fudgy, chocolately, everything you want in a brownie. I used 1.5 cups granulated sugar and .5 cups brown sugar. The tops were shiny and the corners were crispy and delicious!
I’ve made these a few times and love them but was wondering if they could be made vegan with flax eggs and earth balance butter?
Hi Alicia, we haven’t tested those substitutes so we’re unsure of the results. Let us know if you give them a try!
I want to make this recipe tonight but I don’t have any semi sweet chocolate bars. I do, however, have semi sweet chocolate chips. Can I substitute the bar with the chips and have the same results? Thank you! I have never been steered wrong with any of your amazing recipes 🙂
Hi Pepper, 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!
These are the PERFECT brownies. I’ve made them twice and both times they received rave reviews. This is definitely a recipe that goes in my “forever” pile!
★★★★★
We’re so thrilled that you love these brownies, Meaghan!
These are exactly as advertised!!! Chewy, decadent and yummy. Used 1\4 cup light brown sugar along with the white. This one’s a keeper
★★★★★
Have made this recipe several times and it’s become my go to brownie recipe. It’s always a huge hit with my family!
★★★★★
These are definately SUPER fudgy! My kids are HUGE fans. They turned out perfect with following the recipe to a “T”. Extreme chocolate and rich flavor. It’s a keeper for our family!
★★★★★
Gorgeous brownies, the best I’ve ever tasted. Very sweet, chocolatey and rich. Thank you for your work here, Sally; it’s a valuable resource and a beautifully organised website.
★★★★★
These are very delicious! I made them exactly as written. New favorite brownies!
★★★★★
is it possible to use whole wheat flour instead?
Hi Olivia, we don’t recommend it. The brownies would be quite dense with whole wheat flour. You could try swapping half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, and then adjusting further for future batches.