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.
Hi, Sally! I have read countless recipes of brownies. Your recipe is the best! For the longest time, I’ve been wondering how to make shiny crackly tops in brownies and your recipe is the only one that explains in detail how it’s done. Thank you so much for your tip! I really appreciate it.
Cheers!
Mila
i have NEVER had a brownie this good. Thank you so much for this recipe
This is my all time favorite brownie recipe- I’ve made it at least a dozen times! I find it to be extremely customizable as well, in terms of mix ins and chocolate flavors. I’ve used white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, sometimes a mixture of chocolates and peanut butter chips as well. I’ve also done some batches with topping swirls, a raspberry one and a dulce de leche one. They always come out perfect. They freeze wonderfully, which is great because if I don’t freeze them, I’ll eat the whole batch in 2 days! Cannot recommend these brownies highly enough!
About to make my second batch, the first was a hit! Could I freeze the batter in the tray a few days beforehand and let it thaw before baking? I’d rather have them freshly baked than freeze them once cooked.
Can i use 3/4 cup of oil instead of butter?
Hi Roua, butter is definitely the best choice here. You can try using oil instead, but the flavor will be lacking.
So good. Made them in a 9by9 because we like thicker brownies and cooked for about 40min, turned out amazing
Hello. I made this recipe yesterday for my Food Tech project and boy, was it delicious. Thank you for this fantastic and easy snack. My family loved it.
Best ever homemade brownies. Rich and fudgey. Followed the recipe to the letter. I always follow exactly and she never steers me wrong.
Sally,
I have been making brownies for many years and they were always delicious!
However, these brownies are by far the best I have EVER tasted! They are moist, fudgy chewy, dense,chocolately, did I mention very chocolately?
I could go on and on! If there was a Nobel Prize for baking I would nominate you for creating this indescribably delicious brownie recipe! These brownies made me a hero in my neighborhood today!
Thank you Sally for your dedication to helping bakers succeed!
Hello Sally,
This is my first time trying out brownies recipe and I choose yours. The brownies tastes delicious but I’d prefer less sweet. Maybe next time I should reduce to 200-300g granulated + brown sugar?
Since it’s my first, I can’t really tell the good time to take it out from the oven.
I saw another recipe of yours Chewy Fudgy Homemade Brownies, what’s the major difference to this one?
Hi Yushiza! Our Chewy Fudgy Homemade Brownies use the same ingredients but with some minor changes to yield a bigger batch.
Okay so I accidentally added all the chocolate into the brownies and didn’t save some for chunks. However, they were still absolutely amazing despite my inability to follow a recipe and I added mini eggs when I realised I didn’t have chocolate left. Thanks Sally and sorry I’m not the best recipe follower
Hii. I tried this recipe for the first time it was da bomb. I don’t have any semi sweet choc bar n changed it into milk compound and reduce the amount of sugar. Is there any difference if i change the choc bar? As this is my first time idk whether i do it right or wrong.
Hi Anie! 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.
Best brownies ever. Step mom loved them for her birthday and everyone there said they were delicious. The chocolate buttercream frosting was amazing. Thank you!
Made these today with salted caramel chips 🙂
So AMAZING!!! I’ve tried many recipes and this is by far the best brownies I have ever had! I am wondering, to make these gluten free, can I sub the flower? What would you recommend?
Hi Tamara, we haven’t tested this recipe with GF flour, but let us know if you give it a try!
Seriously, the brownies are the BEST!!! One of my new favorite brownie recipes!
Hi Sally. I plan on making these for my step moms birthday. She said she wanted walnuts in them and frosting. Would it be alright to add in some walnuts to this recipe? And do you have a recipe for frosting? Thank you so much:)
Hi Nora, absolutely. You can add about 1 cup of chopped walnuts to the batter. As for frosting, our Chocolate Buttercream would pair wonderfully with these brownies. Hope they’re a hit!
This just wasn’t the type of brownie I was looking for. I like them with a bit of shimmer to them from the oil and these came out cakey. I followed directions to a T
♀️
These are delicious ! I can’t decide if they are better then the Nutella brownies on your site but Sally your recipes are the best ! I added crushed hazelnuts to this and used a dark chocolate bar because that’s all I had. So delicious as always . Thank you
Can I make these in a glass Pyrex dish? If so do I have to change the baking time or the temperature of the oven?
Hi Kate, a glass Pyrex dish will work just fine, though using a glass pan may require a couple extra minutes in the oven. Bake at the same temperature. Enjoy!
These are truly “1 step up from eating pure chocolate” – exactly what I want from brownies! As a chocoholic this recipe has everything I need and MORE. So dense, fudgy and chewy. Thank you Sally!
Amazing brownies! I halved the recipe and put it in an 8×8 inch. I immediately covered it tightly with aluminium foil after I pulled it out of the oven, put it in the freezer to cool ~45 minutes, then into the fridge until cold. In my experience, that traps the moisture and yields a better result. They were wonderful. I added white chocolate chips on top and it’s just chocolatey goodness! (If you’re an area where they allow you to medicate food, this is a great recipe to use. The chocolatey and fudgy texture hide the flavour well.)
I tried this recipe and made the best brownies I have ever made. My family loved them. This is the only brownie recipe I am going to keep using. Thank you Sally.
This is the best brownie recipe from scratch. I have tried many and always resort back to the box mix. I followed the recipe exactly as indicated. Definitely saving this!
These are what the name implies…seriously fudgy…and seriously delicious! Also very easy to make. I like that this recipe is for a 9×13 pan, because can bring to a potluck.
How are these brownies different than your recipe made in 8×8 pan?
Trying to decide whether to divide this recipe in half for smaller batch, or make your other recipe than makes smaller pan.
Hi Suzanne, these are a lot like our Chewy Fudgy Homemade Brownies, using the same ingredients but with some minor changes to yield a bigger batch. See the section “Let’s Bake 1 Bowl Homemade Brownies” for more details. Either approach will work — enjoy!
These are amazing. I made half a batch and used an 8×8” pan. Other than cook time (because of the smaller pan) I followed the directions exactly. Very, very, very good!! Thank you!
I made this and the taste was INCREDIBLE, however, I’m having trouble cutting them. How do you get such a clean cut?
Hi Patricia, The key to brownie cutting is to wipe the knife completely clean between cuts. The fudgier the brownie the harder clean cuts are but we try to embrace the imperfections! 🙂
This recipe is a chocolate lovers dream!!! I did the 1/2 light brown sugar and 1 1/2 cup white sugar combo suggested in your notes. I also used semisweet morsels instead of a chocolate bar since that’s all I had on hand. Oh and I used ghiradelli Dutch process cocoa powder! I ate 3 brownies in one sitting….my ABSOLUTE favorite recipe so far!
I love fudgy brownies, but I don’t like them to be super dense. If I want to add just a teeny bit of baking powder to this to make them just a smidge less dense, how much would you recommend I use?