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: 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.
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.
Can Black Cocoa be used instead?
Hi Rose, yes, that will work just fine if you enjoy a darker flavor.
These turned out pretty good, but they were VERY dark. Can you please let me know if they are supposed to be that way? I feel like ’dark’ should be in the title because it was pretty surprising to me. Still very yummy, but a tad confusing. I always use a scale and I’m very careful so not sure how this could’ve happened if it’s not meant to be that dark. I also may have over baked them a tad due to a chocolate chip looking like some wet batter on my toothpick sadly. But I don’t think that could cause this darkness so lmk please. thanks in advance :)))
Hi Rey, most of the chocolate flavor comes from cocoa powder. What type of cocoa powder were you using? Is it super high quality, or labeled as dark? I usually use Hershey’s natural cocoa powder.
Hmm yes I used that same cocoa powder… strange. I’ll have to try them again soon 🙂
Hi, would this recipe work the same if I infuse the butter with cannabis?
Could I sub the semi-sweet chocolate for Milk? I’m looking to make some Milk Chocolate Brownies.
Hi Claire, Yes, milk chocolate works great in these brownies- they’ll be a little sweeter than if you had used semisweet chocolate, but still very delicious.
Thank you Sally! These are the best brownies that I have ever made and I have been baking from many years. I used a dark chocolate bar and semi-sweet chocolate chips and they are amazing.
These are the best brownies, hands down. I’ve gotten so many compliments on them! I used my pampered chef brownie pan that makes individual squares and the bake time was 25 mins. I need to perfect getting the cracked top because I haven’t achieved that yet, but it could be because of the pan. We’ll see next time!
In the story/ description you mention not using baking powder or soda for lift, but then you say its okay to use Dutch processed cocoa… which is neutral and will not give rise. It and normal cocoa powder DO NOT act the same in a recipe. I feel like this needs to be mentioned as not everyone is aware of these facts.
Hi Alicia! You’re right, they do not act the same in baked recipes. However that’s the case when there is a leavener involved. And there’s none in this recipe. So you can use either.
Heyy Sally
I really love this recipe.. I made it before and it came out amazing!!
I forgot to add the salt to my batter this time.. Will it make a difference?
Hi Salma, the brownies will be just fine — perhaps a tad sweeter than normal, but certainly still edible!
Hi Sally, I’ve made your other brownie recipe and it was amazing!! However, I made this recipe and it was super dry and bitter. I used semi sweet chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder like it said in the recipe but they came out super dry and bitter. I also baked them for 4 minutes less and they were still dry! Can you tell me why this went so wrong?
Hi Olivia! Did you make any changes to the recipe? How did you measure the flour and cocoa powder? Make sure to spoon and level (instead of scooping) to avoid packing in too much flour/cocoa powder into your measuring cups – or use a kitchen scale. You can read more about properly measuring baking ingredients in this post.
These are the best.
Question: do you have any advice on, when doing the toothpick test on something very chocolatey, how to tell the difference between melted chocolate and not-done batter?
Maybe I’ll just have to practice (oh darn).
PS: baked this recipe in 8×11 glass dish for 40 minutes, lots of toothpick pokes, turned out great!
Hi Laura! Uncooked batter will typically come out thicker and with some “crumbs” since it has been baking for a while. Glad you enjoyed the brownies!
These are my favourite briwnies to make. How would I go about adding espresso flavour to this recipe?
Hi Jennifer, try adding 2 teaspoons of espresso powder to the brownie batter, when you add in the dry ingredients.
Hi Sally, I normally make your AMAZING Fudge Brownies with Peanut Butter Chips but need a 9×13 recipe, rather than the 8 inch that recipe yields. Are the two recipes similar? And could I add peanut butter chips to this recipe in lieu of the chocolate chips here?
Hi L, You can definitely substitute peanut butter chips for chocolate chips in this recipe. Enjoy!
Hi Sally! I’m looking to make a German chocolate brownie-do you think this would be a good base for that? I’m going to reference your German Chocolate cake recipe for frosting inspiration. I don’t want them to be too overwhelmingly sweet/decadent.
Hi Kristin, yes, this is our go-to classic brownie recipe, so a great place to start!
We cut these into 36 small log brownie pieces, and they disappeared in a matter of seconds when we dropped these off for a get-together. I also added mini marshmallows on top and returned them to the oven, and dropped broken graham crackers the second time we made this because they were THAT GOOD. Thank you so much for the recipe!
P.S. The center pieces are the fudgiest… therefore they are the best *dies in a chocolate trance*
QUESTION and REVIEW: I made the Chewy Fudgy Homemade Brownies and they were AMAZING!!! PERFECTION. Everyone LOVED them. But now I would like to make the larger pan 13×9 version of the Seriously Fudgy Brownies for a larger crowd. For the Chewy Fudgy 9×9 you noted “two 4-ounce semi-sweet chocolate bars” however for the Seriously Fudgy 13×9 you suggested “one 4 once semi-sweet chocolate bar”. Is that possibly an error? I figured the larger pan recipe would require more of the chocolate bar than the smaller pan. I don’t want to mess up a perfectly good recipe. Please advise.
Hi Karen! This recipe uses a combination of baking chocolate and cocoa powder for its chocolate flavor. The recipe is correct! Hope you love these are much as the chewy fudgy version!
This recipe is AMAZING! This will be my go-to brownie recipe for the rest of my life, seriously.
Hey I only have a 9×9 pan can I use that and add a little more baking time. Or do I need to get a bigger pan ?
Hi Emily, for a 9×9 pan you can use this recipe for Chewy Fudgy Brownies instead. Enjoy!
very happy to report that this works great with KAB 1-for-1 gluten free flour
I made this recipe and the brownies LOOKED delicious, but were so bitter. I used 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup of granulated sugar. I also used Hershey’s Cocoa powder. I followed the recipe to the T. Any idea why they were so bitter? Should I cut the cocoa? Help please.
Hi Emily, Thank you for giving this recipe a try. For the sugar we recommend using 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar and 1 and 1/2 cups (300g) of granulated sugar. Also, what type of chocolate did you use – semi sweet or darker? Also, how did you measure the cocoa powder? Be sure to spoon and level or use the weight measurements (scooping the coco powder could cause you to use too much). You can certainly try to use less cocoa powder and/or a sweeter chocolate next time for a less intense taste.
I used 25% less sugar than the recipe and they were perfect. Addictive and indulgent, I would highly recommend this recipe.
This recipe is PERFECT, Sally! Wow wow wow.
Question: Is it possible to make this recipe in a mini muffin pan (silicone)? The thought of little round brownie bites seems appealing for a crowd. I’d wonder on timing or if there is another recipe that might be better to use? By the way, love the recipes here! I’ve made several things and they always turn out amazing plus I’ve learned more about baking with the Sally baking geek out moments – I love those!
Hi Michelle! That will definitely work, but we’re unsure of the bake time. Let us know if you give it a try! And thank you so much for making and trusting our recipes 🙂
Hi Sally can u suggest me if I am making from compund chocolates so chocolates high in bitter (i.e 45%) will work as unsweetened chocolate for the brownies
Hi Ruheen, Compound chocolate would be fine in most recipes calling for pure baking chocolate and yours should work well here. Let us know if you give this recipe a try!
I LOVE it! Easy to do even in the evening, when we have to do the meal prep for the week. It may not look like it, but this recipe saves time! And it’s delicious. 😀
Hi Sally!
I accidentally bought unsweetened chocolate instead of semi-sweet, is there any way I could use this chocolate instead, and how should I adjust the recipe? If it wouldn’t work well in this recipe at all, what is another recipe that I could use it in?
Hi Victoria, It’s not necessary to add more sugar or make any other changes if using unsweetened chocolate. These brownies will have a darker chocolate flavor and will still be plenty sweet. Enjoy!
I can’t believe how amazing these brownies turned out. I only had about 1/2 cup of sugar so I did extra chocolate chips, and it was perfect. I used a dark glass 9 x 13 pan and baked them 37 min. Thank you for the recipe, can’t wait to take them to a bbq tomorrow 🙂
Have I died and gone to heaven? Have I just made the greatest baking discovery of my life? These brownies were awesome. And quite trying for my self control. I followed the recipe exactly and baked them probably 2-3 min too long. But I will gladly eat all those edges… they are that good.
Time and time again I come back here for baking recipes and I’m never disappointed. Thank you for sharing and making all my homemade brownie dreams come true ❤️
Is it possible for me to cut the amount of sugar? And by how much where it wont affect the result? Thank you.
Hi Candice, Sugar is used for moisture and texture in baked goods as well as taste. You can certainly try reducing the sugar, but the resulting texture will be different than intended.
These are the best brownies I’ve baked so far! Great recipe!
Thank you so much Sally! God bless you 🙂
Question! It looks like you cooked these in a dark-colored metal pan. (Thank you for including a picture of that! So helpful to know.) I only have shiny metal and ceramic. Do you have any advice, oh wise baking goddess, on how to adjust the time or temp for this recipe, based on using a different kind of pan? Thank you!
Hi Elizabeth! Using your metal pan will be the same baking time, but baked goods baked in ceramic pans do take longer to bake through – usually a few minutes longer but always check with a toothpick!