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.
These brownies were served at a party. Best I’ve ever had!
This recipe was AWESOME . Thank you so much Sally! You have made so many wonderful and thoughtful ideas in your recipes. Have a great May!!
These gave me the perfect texture and fudge flavor. Definitely my new go to brownie recipe. I can always rely on you, Sally 🙂
This recipe is amazing. One of the best brownies I’ve ever had. I recently made brownies that were too cakey, and I was so disappointed. I searched for one that would be more fudge-like. It’s the perfect mix of cake and fudge. I also halved the recipe and it took about 20 min to bake in an 8×8.
This is such a great recipe! The top is crunchy and the inside is soft, just all around amazing!
Would love to try these brownies in a cupcake liner….would that work?
Trying to find great recipes for making bake sale items
Absolutely! Same oven temperature and about 1/4 cup per brownie. Should be around 25 minutes, maybe a little more.
Thank you so much, I’ll send a picture when I’m done! Maybe after a test one lol
Chocolate lovers unite! These brownies are the best. 5 starts from my whole family. I was requested to make them two weekends in a row for our Sunday dinner dessert! Next time I may add walnuts. Thanks for the great recipe. A keeper for sure.
Hi Sally, I have a question about your “Chewy, Fudgy Homemade Brownies” recipe, but I couldn’t find the “leave a comment” section on that page for some reason. I’ve attempted these brownies a few times, but each time, the edges get very hard and chewy, but the middle is still liquid and raw. I baked for 35 minutes, and I even left them in longer, but my toothpick still came out with liquid chocolate. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Elizabeth, are you using an especially dark baking pan by chance? That could be causing the edges to bake up much faster than the rest of the brownies. For next time, you could try tenting the brownies with aluminum foil part way through bake time. That will allow the middle to keep baking while protecting the edges from overbaking. Hope this helps!
AMAZING! Definitely the fudgiest brownies I’ve ever made. So happy I chose this recipe because usually the brownies I make come out way too sweet and too crumbly. So delicious!
So, so good!!!!!!!
The whole family are in love with them <3
I've had a request for another (larger) batch- I know what I'm doing tomorrow night =)))
Also, if I used Caramilk chocolate instead of semi-sweet, how do you think it would turn out?
Hi Faith, we’re so glad the brownies were a hit with your family! We’re unsure how they would work with Caramilk chocolate — we fear they won’t melt down quite the same way. If you’re looking for a brownie with caramel, you may enjoy these salted caramel turtle brownies instead. Let us know if you give them a try!
Hands down, BEST brownie I’ve ever made. To confess, I’ve never liked homemade as much as a special box brand but these are way better.
These brownies were SO GOOD! My fiancé has never raved so much about a dessert before! I’ll never make a boxed brownie again. Thank you!
These were indeed fudgy and decadent, and very easy to make. The only thing I would change next time would be to grease the aluminum foil liner, as the brownies stuck to the foil a bit. Thank you for including weights in your recipes, it makes it so much easier to use them!
So good! The recipe is easy to follow and results in perfect brownies every time I make them!
I just made them. They are fabulous. I used parchment paper and cut them with a plastic knife and they cut perfectly.
I tried the recipe and it turned out dry and crumbly, so disappointed.
Hi Mathew! How did you measure the flour and cocoa powder? Make sure to spoon and level (instead of scooping) to avoid packing in too much into your measuring cups – or use a kitchen scale. You can read more about properly measuring baking ingredients in this post.
Hi Matthew! Did you over baked the brownies? Sally’s ream goes over brownie doneness. You’re not supposed to get it baked like a cake. I’ve made this recipe over a dozen time and for fam, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. They all love it. It did take me a couple tries to perfect it. I hope you give it another try. Oh another time it was dry for me was when I tried halving the sugar and that caused it to overbake with the usual time. Happy baking!
Great recipe! I was wondering if I could freeze the batter? Also can double the recipe? I’m doing a pop up event in March and want to bake several in a foil pan 8X8 and thought if I can double it would make my job easier.
Hi Frankie, doubling the recipe isn’t a problem at all. Warning that the batter is quite thick, and may be even thicker after doubling due to the extra volume. I honestly have never frozen this batter, so I can’t say for sure. Can’t see any issues, but you may want to freeze in the baking pans. Thaw at room temperature, and then bake.
I’ve made these brownies several times and while they taste great, they always come out much flatter than the ones in your picture. Any reason why?
Hi Nathan, the brownies do not rise much. You can certainly try baking them in a slightly smaller pan for thicker brownies, but we are unsure of the exact bake time you would need for a different size pan. Glad you’ve been enjoying them!
Hey! This recipe tastes really great! I followed the recipe, spoon and leveled flour and cocoa, baked for 30 minutes, but the brownies are breaking apart as I cut them, and edges are pretty hard too. I did give them a few hours to cool. Do you think I overcooked? I did grease my pan with butter, but did not line with parchment paper, and I’m guessing that being able to pop them out would make it easier to cut?
Hi George, it sounds like the brownies may simply be over baked. An easy fix for next time! Using the parchment paper does make it easier to remove the bars and cut without the edges of the pan getting in the way. Thank you for giving these brownies a try!
These taste delicious, but I was wondering how do I get them thicker?
Use a smaller pan or do they need to rise more?
Also, is there a way to search keywords in the comments ?
Hi Lola, The brownies do not rise much. You can certainly try baking them in a slightly smaller pan for thicker brownies but we are unsure of the exact bake time you would need for a different size pan.
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!
I have made this recipe several times since discovering it! It is my favorite. How do you think browning the butter would affect the taste?