Homemade Fudgy Brownies
These fudgy brownies are the best brownies recipe you will ever make! Thick, gooey and so decadent with bits of melted chocolate oozing here and there. It’s made with simple pantry staples and no mixer necessary!
Chocolate lovers should also check out my Birthday Chocolate Cake recipe and my Chocolate Lava Cakes. You can thank me later! :)
The BEST homemade brownies!
Are you a center brownie person or an edge brownie person?
I know this is a polarizing topic, but I figured I’d share my story. I used to be a center brownie lover until this recipe converted me.
It turns out that the dry, too chewy edge brownies I used to dislike were actually overbaked brownies. Now, thanks to this recipe, my life has been filled with thick, moist brownies that are absolutely to die for!
Middle, center, corner, give me them all! I don’t discriminate.
And I’m also happy to report that they are very easy to make! Seriously, one bowl, one spoon and one brownie pan. Five to ten minutes to combine everything and off to the oven they go.
You will never touch a box of brownie mix again!
Grocery List
What you’ll need to buy:
- Eggs – You will need 4 eggs to make this recipe.
- Semisweet or Bittersweet Chocolate – 8 ounces
Pantry essentials:
Ingredients I assume you already have at home. But, if not, make sure to grab them at the store!
- All-purpose Flour – 1 cup
- Brown Sugar – 3/4 cup
- Granulated Sugar – 1/2 cup
- Kosher Salt
- Cocoa Powder – 1/2 cup
- Vanilla Extract
- Unsalted Butter – 1.5 sticks
How to make homemade fudgy brownies
There are so many brownie recipes out there. Chewy, cakey, thin, thick, swirled, plain, you name it!
The number one rule to make the best brownies recipe, is to choose the right recipe for you, so you don’t end up disappointed. This recipe makes fudgy brownies.
Soft, rich, melt in your mouth delicious brownies that will knock your socks off! If you like fudgy brownies, that is. If that’s not your jam, look for another recipe!
I’d also like to point out that I prefer making these in a 8-inch square pan because I like very thick brownies. For not so thick brownies, you can use a 9-inch square pan. For thin brownies, I’d go with a 9×13-inch pan.
Recommended tools and equipment: large bowl, wooden spoon, 8-inch square pan.
Here’s how I make this fudgy brownies recipe. As always, you will find the printable (and more complete) version of the recipe at the end of this post!
- Combine butter and chocolate in a large bowl.
- Microwave until melted. Be careful not to overheat it. I recommend starting with 30 seconds and then doing increments of 15 seconds until it is almost all melted. Then, just keep stirring and let the residual heat take care of the last tiny pieces of solid chocolate.
- Add cocoa powder, sugar and brown sugar.
- Mix until combined and smooth.
- Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time. Mix really well.
- Add the salt.
- Add the sifted flour.
- Mix just until combined. Don’t overmix!
- Fold in chopped chocolate.
- Bake!
How do you tell when fudgy brownies are done?
Fudgy browies can be tricky to bake if you don’t know what to look for. You don’t want to overbake them and end up with cakey brownies, but you also don’t want to eat raw batter.
If you like fudgy brownies, chances are you are after a brownie that is gooey, rich and studded with luscious melted chocolate.
But how do we achieve that?
Unfortunately, the toothpick test doesn’t work here, because you want it to come out with moist crumbs attached to it. If you see no crumbs, it means you’ve overbaked your brownies.
The secret is to follow the recipe and to keep an eye on the top of the brownie. When it looks shiny and set, perhaps even showing a crack or two, it is time to come out of the oven!
Another good trick is to gently shake the pan. The center should not wiggle.
 | Olivia’s Tip: Resist the urge to cut into your brownies too soon. They will continue to set and develop flavor as they cool down in the pan. Plus, after they cool slightly, it’ll be much easier to slice them! |
How long will these fudgy brownies keep?
Although I prefer eating them the day they are baked, fudgy brownies will keep well at room temperature, stored in an airtight container, for 3-4 days.
For longer storage, you can place them in the fridge for a week or two.
Reheating brownies
If you, like me, love the pieces of melted chocolate oozing out of these brownies, you will probably want to reheat them.
Unfortunately, using the oven will likely dry them out. So your best bet is to microwave the brownies for 10-15 seconds at a time, until fudgy and soft again.
Can brownies be frozen?
Yes, they can be frozen for up to 3 months.
When ready to eat, take them out and thaw at room temperature. Then quickly reheat in the microwave to bring back the gooey texture.
I like to wrap them individually, so I can just take one when I need a treat!
Fun add-ins
Want to jazz up this brownie recipe? Here are a few fun things you could add to the batter:
- Nuts: They add a nice texture to these fudgy brownies. Walnuts are the obvious choice, but almonds, pistachios, macadamia nuts, pecans and hazelnuts can all be used!
- Marshmallow: Love the gooey chocolate in these brownies? Imagine gooey marshmallow instead (or as well)! Pure decadence!
- Pretzels
- M&Ms
- Oreo or chocolate chip cookie pieces
- Crushed peppermints: If you’re feeling Christmas-y!
- Peanut butter cups, or your favorite candy.
Serving suggestions
These brownies are so decadent that they don’t need anything else for the perfect brownie experience! A glass of cold milk or a cup of coffee will help wash them down.
That being said, you can certainly transform a plain fudgy brownie into a fancy dessert. Just top it with ice cream, gelato or whipped cream. Then, drizzle with caramel, dulce de leche, hot fudge, melted peanut butter or a berry syrup.
You can also top with crushed nuts, sea salt, shaved chocolate and/or fruits (sliced bananas or berries are nice).
And if you got leftovers, I recommend making my Brownie Trifle. It’s one of the most popular recipes on this site!
Homemade Fudgy Brownies
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons 170 g unsalted butter
- 8 ounces 227 g chopped bittersweet chocolate, divided
- 1/2 cup 55 g cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup 115 g sugar
- 3/4 cup 170 g brown sugar
- 3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 128 g all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with a rack in the middle.
- Grease a 8-inch (or 9-inch) square dark metal pan with softened butter, then line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides. Grease the parchment paper with more softened butter. Reserve.
- Place the butter and half of the chocolate (4 ounces) in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave, uncovered, for 30 seconds. The butter should have melted by now, but the chocolate will still be solid. Give it a good stir and microwave again, this time for 15 seconds. Repeat until the chocolate has melted. Alternatively, you can melt the butter and chocolate on a double boiler on the stove.
- Wait for the melted chocolate to cool slightly and then add the cocoa powder, sugar and brown sugar. Stir until smooth.
- Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, stirring until combined.
- Stir in the vanilla extract. Mix really well until you reach the "ribbon stage", meaning when you lift your spoon, the batter falls back into the bowl in ribbons.
- Place a fine mesh sieve over the bowl and sift the salt and flour into the brownie batter. Mix just until combined.
- Fold in the remaining chopped chocolate, mixing to spread it evenly into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Bake until lightly puffed on top, 20-25 minutes, depending on how fudgy you like your brownies. (see notes)
- Remove the pan from the oven and let them cool completely.
- Use the parchment paper to lift the cooled brownies out of the pan and cut into 9 to 16 squares before serving.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Best pan size: A 8-inch square pan will produce very thick brownies, which is how I like them. For thinner brownies, use a 9-inch pan.
- When do I know the brownies are done? Gently shake the pan. The center should not wiggle and the top should look shiny and set. If performing the toothpick test, moist crumbs should come out in the toothpick when you pull it up.
- How long will they keep? These brownies will keep at room temperature, tightly wrapped or stored in an airtight container, for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze them for up to 3 months.
