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. Dessert is served.
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. I even have a skillet brownie recipe, too!
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 (I really like this brand) 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. (And if you love white chocolate, here are my white chocolate brownies!)
- 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
- Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies
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 (such as this brand) for a smoother flavor.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I made these brownies with my friend and I’m only 11. It was pretty easy and we needed almost no help at all. I was a little concerned when we mixed it up at the end because it was so thick. It turned out delicious though!
My daughter, DIL and I are HUGE fans of yours! I usually don’t LOVE brownies like (just about) everyone else does, but this recipe is game-changer for me. So delicious! Thanks for sharing this and all your others. (Your lemon meringue pie recipe is the best I’ve found.)
Based on other questions about pans, I have two square pans and since 1/2 of the group likes nuts and the other 1/2 doesn’t I’m going to divide this batter in half. Just sharing in case someone else has a (picky) family like mine. 🙂
I am making your death by chocolate brownies from your cookbook Sallys baking addiction,the recipe states 1-1/2 cups of choc chips,but never mentioned adding them in the method part,I left them out,sounded like too much chocolate
Hi Nancy, the recipe instructs the baker to add the chocolate chunks or chips after folding in the flour, but if you left them out, that’s fine!
I baked these brownies to round out meals that my charity group makes for seniors. To my surprise, my picky husband, ate the leftovers down to the last crumb! Seriously perfect brownies! The only alteration was out of necessity. I only had enough semisweet chocolate to melt with the butter, and added a chopped milk chocolate bar along with the chips.
This will be my ONLY brownie recipe!
Best. Brownies. EVER. There’s no close contender.
Note: She’s not joking about the batter being very thick. It could double as modeling clay! Lol
Best brownies ever! I followed the recipe exactly but left out the chocolate chips and stuffed them with frozen peanut butter. They were sooo fudgy and the peanut butter makes them taste like a reese’s!
I’ll never need another brownie recipe, ever! Perfection achieved! This recipe has been the absolute best for cranking out the simplest, most fudgy brownies, but it also serves well as a springboard for whatever accoutrements you want in your brownies. Most recently I added in mini Reese’s peanut butter cups directly in the batter for a nice peanut buttery addition. The possibilities are endless!
Hi! Can I swirl salted caramel in this or should I just drizzle on top? I wanted to make salted caramel brownies but didn’t want to make the turtle brownies you have. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Hi Mariel, layering the caramel inside the brownies resulted in burnt edges and the caramel layer virtually disappearing, so it works much better to pour the slightly cooled salted caramel on top of the warm brownies when they come out of the oven. You can use this recipe for the brownies, and follow the instructions on the turtle brownies recipe for adding the caramel. Enjoy!!
This recipe is brilliant! Our brownies came out perfect 🙂
Hi sally! it says the prep time is 10 minutes, cook time is 30 minutes and total time is 3 hours? can you clarify this as I am using your recipe to make brownies for my food exam but I only have 1 hour and 40 minutes. Thanks!
Hi Nishi! The total time includes cooling.
Perfect fudgy brownies. They were even better the next day. I know it’s best to use proper bar chocolate when it’s called for because chips melt differently (something about cocoa butter content idk), but I used Ghirardelli chips for everything and it was totally fine. For the 2 cups of sugar I used approx 1 cup white, 1/2 cup brown, and 1/2 cup of a monk fruit based baking blend. Sometimes swapping in too much alternative sugar can ruin things, but this ratio worked fine. Next time I’ll try 50%! Oh, I also threw in like a teaspoon of cinnamon just because.
omg I veganized this by replacing the eggs with flax and using vegan butter/chocolate- and they are AMAZING. fellow vegans try it out. sally you are a queen
Can this recipe be used for 9 by 9 pan
Hi Sara, for a 9×9 pan you can use this recipe for Chewy Fudgy Brownies instead. Enjoy!
I’ve made this twice, and it’s spectacular! The batter is super thick, and I have to use a spatula and press hard to spread it around the whole pan, but it’s worth the extra effort. In my oven, it only takes 25 minutes to bake.
Honestly, it’s recipes like this one that made me want to buy all of your books! 🙂
Love these! If I am making these as brownie cake layers what would you recommend for 9” circle cake pans? How many layers, would I need to double it, bake time, idk etc. Thank you for the wonderful tips in all of your recipes!
Hi Rey! Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes.
Can I put these in an 8×8 for thicker brownies? If so, what would my cooking temp and time be?
These brownies would be very thick in an 8×8 pan – we recommend halving the recipe to use a pan that size. Best to stick with the recipe as written, but let us know what you try!
What a disappointment! I used high quality ingredients, followed the recipe perfectly, used a calibrated oven, and the tip for brown sugar. I started checking doneness at 25 minute, then every 5. Even after 15 additional minutes the toothpick came out wet. The bottom was burnt and I threw it all out.
The first couple of times I tried this recipe, I accidentally melted all of the chocolate along with the butter, and not just 2 oz. I misread this small step. This was the difference for me as, like you, no amount of time in the oven seemed to be enough to stop the middle being molten.
Just a thought. I’ve made them dozens of times since and now they are always perfect. And my favourite brownie recipe.
Could I add frosting to these (like your chocolate buttercream recipe)? Or do you think it would be too rich/too much for this particular brownie recipe? My husband requested brownies for his birthday…he likes the fudgey dense kind but also wants frosting since it is his birthday. 🙂
Frosting would be great! Does your husband happen to enjoy Oreos? These cookies & cream brownies are a favorite as well.
What would be the bake time for a mini muffin pan
Hi Christine, We’re unsure of the exact bake time, but it should be quite a bit less. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
I accidentally left a half cup of the white sugar out (I used a mix of brown and white sugar), and they still tasted fantastic! Can’t wait to share them
Can I use 90% dark chocolate?
Hi Karen, yes, feel free to use dark baking chocolate bars for a darker flavor.
I love everything all of it is so tasty
Would I need to tweak the recipe at all to make mini brownies, in a mini cupcake tin?
Hi Oriana, you’ll just need to adjust the bake time to be much shorter. Enjoy!
This is the best brownie recipe I’ve ever made! Thank you Sally for once again giving me magic from my kitchen to share with friends and family. You are wonderful!
I’m not sure what’s wrong here but I made this recipe. Exactly except for the size of the pan. My brownie pan is glass. I adjusted the temp for it. I used the brown sugar version. The texture is wrong, the flavor off. My favorite recipe is from Cooks Illustrated. I’m a prolific baker & was looking for a recipe I could use with semi sweet chocolate because it’s what I had & I wasn’t planning on making brownies. Anyway lesson learned. I will not use this recipe again. I didn’t enjoy it & neither did my kids.
I’m picky about brownies and I absolutely love this recipe. Now it is my official go-to brownie. Thank you!
This recipe came out great. The taste is pure bliss.
I have made these brownies so many times it’s impossible to count. The recipe is memorized. They comforted my father in law in the loss of my mother in law. I ship them to him frequently. I make them for my husband a few times a month. They greet new neighbors. They really are the best fudge brownies you will ever make. 10/5 stars, if I could!
If the chocolate chips don’t melt in the oven, are they hard when you bite into them?
its good , but others says its little bitter. What can i do to reduce the bitterness?
Hi Jan, for next time, you can use milk chocolate baking bars (rather than semi-sweet) for a sweeter brownie. Thank you for giving these a try!
Wow! These are delicious! I used Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa powder, with the semi sweet baker’s chocolate, and semi sweet chips. Unfortunately I crossed the point between underbaked and overdone. Next time I will pull them a little faster. Also the parchment paper trick made cutting neat brownies a cinch