This homemade fudgy brownie recipe is the best I’ve made. Since we use cocoa powder, these brownies are easy to make and so much better than the boxed mixes! I bet you already have everything you need in your kitchen right now!
Watch the Video
This brownie recipe is easy to make from scratch! You don’t need special equipment. These brownies taste like rich dark chocolate, have fudgy middles, and have crinkly, shiny tops.
If you are looking for sweeter brownies that are thicker and chewier around the edges, see our easy brownie recipe.
Key Ingredients
- Cocoa powder: I love cocoa brownies! It’s what makes our brownies so delicious. Use any unsweetened cocoa powder in this recipe. I’ve used natural, Dutch-processed, and even raw cacao in this recipe. For a chocolate flavor similar to Oreo cookies, try Dutch cocoa.
- Butter: We use 100% butter in the recipe. If you use salted butter, leave out the salt called for in our recipe below.
- Granulated sugar: Helps with our shiny top, and balances the bitterness of unsweetened cocoa powder. Brown sugar works in our recipe, but you might lose the crinkly top.
- Eggs add richness and provide structure to the brownies.
- All-purpose flour: These easy brownies need a small amount of flour for structure. We want extra fudgy brownies, so keeping the flour to a minimum helps. For gluten-free, read through the comments (many readers have used a gluten-free flour blend like the Bob’s Red Mill in this recipe).
How to Make the Best Brownies
We’re going to make our brownie batter in a saucepan. Easy and less dishes!
The trick to the best brownies is to combine HOT butter with sugar and cocoa powder. I melt my butter in a saucepan and then immediately stir in sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and salt. Then, after a minute or two of letting it cool, I add my eggs one at a time and then the flour.
As the brownies bake, this heated sugar moves up to the top of the brownies when they are in the oven, which is how they get that shiny top. The hot butter also blooms the cocoa powder, making our brownies taste better.
This brownie batter is thick. I usually tell you to avoid over-mixing batters, but that’s not the case with these cocoa brownies. The same goes for blondies batter. Here’s our blondies recipe, which are like brownies, but made with a vanilla batter.
I bake my brownies in a 325°F oven until the edges are set and the middle looks slightly underdone. I like using a toothpick to tell when my brownies are ready to come out of the oven. Look for a small amount of batter left on the toothpick, and the hole where you inserted the toothpick should be visible. If there is a lot of wet batter on the toothpick, they need more time. In my oven, these brownies bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
Note: This brownies recipe originally used a double-boiler, but we’ve simplified the method to make it easier and quicker, using fewer dishes while maintaining the same results. For previous readers who love the original method, see the tips section of the recipe below.
Storing Homemade Brownies
Keep your baked brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Or store them in the fridge for 2 weeks. You can also freeze brownies for up to 3 months! I like wrapping them individually so I can take one or two out of the freezer.
Perfect Fudgy Brownies
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
Say hello to our favorite brownies recipe from scratch. You only need a saucepan and spoon to make these brownies. Mixing the sugar and cocoa powder into the hot melted butter helps get that shiny, crinkly top we all love.
If you reach for darker chocolate over milk chocolate, these bittersweet brownies are for you. Use natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder. See the tips below the recipe for guidance on choosing the best cocoa powder for your brownies. Try this brownie recipe for less bittersweet brownies with chewy edges.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
10 tablespoons (145g) unsalted butter
1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder, spooned and leveled, see notes
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large cold eggs
1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, see notes
2/3 cup (80g) chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips, optional
Directions
- Prepare Batter
1Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 325°F (162°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on opposite sides to help remove the baked brownies from the pan.
2Add the butter to a medium saucepan. Place over medium-low heat and cook until the butter melts completely, then turn off the heat. Stay close, and do not let it brown.
3While the butter is hot, stir in the sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Stir well until blended. Don’t worry if the batter looks gritty. Once you add the eggs, the brownie batter will become smooth.
4Set the saucepan aside to cool until the mixture is warm, not hot — 5 to 10 minutes. Test the temperature by touching the batter, it should be comfortable to hold without feeling hot.
5Add the cold eggs, one at a time, stirring vigorously after each egg.
6When the batter looks thick and well blended, add the flour. Use a spoon to beat the flour into the batter until it is very thick and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. I use a wooden spoon or spatula and beat for 40 to 50 strokes (see video for reference).
7Stir in nuts or chocolate chips (optional).
- Bake Brownies
1Spread the thick brownie batter evenly in the prepared pan — it can be hard to spread because it is so thick. Do your best to push the batter to the corners and even out the top.
2Bake the brownies until the edges look dry and the middle is slightly underbaked, 20 to 30 minutes. A toothpick plunged into the center should emerge somewhat moist with batter. As the brownies cool, they firm up but will always be moist and fudgy in the middle.
3Cool completely before removing the brownies from the pan — this step is essential and helps the brownies set. Cut into 16 squares. (Cooled brownies are much easier to cut. For clean edges, use a chef’s knife and wipe it clean after each slice. For guaranteed perfect edges, chill the brownies in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours before slicing.)
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Baking pan: We use a metal 8-inch square pan. Ceramic and glass pans may affect bake time. Check on doneness 5 minutes early and every 5 minutes after that. Double the recipe for a 9-inch by 13-inch pan. The brownies will be slightly thicker
- Cocoa powder: Try Dutch-process for a mellow, Oreo-like flavor or natural cocoa powder (like Ghiradelli or Guittard) for a rich, dark chocolate taste.
- Measuring: Carefully measure the flour and cocoa powder. Either weigh them or use the “spoon and sweep” method: Fluff the flour/cocoa, spoon it into the measuring cup, then level off the top with a flat edge. See our video for a demonstration.
- Longer bake time: These take 20 to 25 minutes in our oven. Still, ovens vary, so use our tips in the recipe to tell when your brownies are done. Remember, brownies continue to cook and firm up as they cool, so don’t be afraid to take them out of the oven with the center still a little underdone.
- Double-boiler method: If you prefer the original double-boiler method, place a heat-safe bowl with the butter, sugar, and cocoa powder over barely simmering water. Once melted, cool and continue as directed.
- Alice Medrich’s Cocoa Brownies inspired this brownie recipe. Medrich revolutionized brownie recipes years ago when she used cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate. This change allows for better control of ingredients, resulting in incredibly moist brownies with a perfectly fudgy center and a shiny, candy-like top.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
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Made it. Worth it. Amazing.
Nice! Thanks for coming back and letting us know.
Just wanted to say that I have been using this specific recipe for years, and literally everyone that I’ve made it for(and including me of course baba) LOVES it! My friends (even those that aren’t too fond of sweet foods!), my family, my boyfriend, even his family really like them.
Hi Damla, Thank you so much for coming back and letting us know. I’m so happy this recipe has been such a success for you.
I’m about to take a BIG bite, lets see how it tastes!!
We’ve made this quite a few times since the first time as it’s quickly become a family favorite but honestly any add ins like nuts really don’t do it justice because it’s delicious on it’s own. We also added just a little extra flour. I wanted to add to anyone that meal preps, these freeze and thaw VERY well and as impossible as it seems because they’re already delicious… they seem to have a better texture and even flavor after.
Is it the best thing you ever baked in your whole in tire life??
I had a beautiful time making these with my grandson Keenan who is 15. We shared and not only did we LOVE them all our family did as well. Comments were “The best brownies ever!!!”
WOW.
These are the BEST brownies I have ever made my entire life. I didn’t add any chocolate chips and they still came out fudgy and chocolatey. Amazing. Also I used self raising flour the second time and it came out delightful!
That’s great! I’m glad the self-rising flour worked well for you.
This recipe is such a hit for my kids and for everyone else who have tried it, thank you for sharing this lovely recipe. May I ask tho, I am curious, would the temperature of the eggs make a difference in making the brownies?
Hi Jodi, We use cold eggs in this recipe since the batter might be a bit warm.
Simple and delicious.
Glad you enjoy them, Jonathan.
If I wanted to make it in a 9×13 pan would I need to double the recipe?
Hi Rebecca, That’s correct, you need to double it.
I have made this recipe before and it is absolutely delicious!! I have a question. Can I make the batter and let it sit maybe 30 minutes before I put it in the oven…I have 2 other things in the oven and there’s no room for the brownies until those things are finished.??? I am having company for dinner .
Hi Judy, You should be fine.
I am excited to make these brownies. How does altitude change the consistency of this recipe? Should I add anything to prevent it from sinking in the middle?
Hi Vivien, I’m inclined to say you should be fine without any changes, but might have a different baking time. That said, I’ve not made this recipe at altitude, so it is hard to say for sure.
It was awesome. There was a lot of sugar and cocoa powder but they tasted awesome. The brownies don’t rise that much though. Still great and gooey.
Hi Derick, These brownies are intentionally on the thinner side because they are so fudgy. Happy the recipe worked well for you!
I needed a last minute dessert recipe with few ingredients. These brownies are so easy and delicious! I will definitely make these again. Thank you.
I have never made brownies from scratch, and because of sensitivity to vegetable oil I haven’t been able to enjoy the store bought mixes in a long time. I’m so glad I found this recipe. It’s definitely super fudge so I’ll try baking it longer next time but these are so rich and good. Be warned… make sure you have milk or ice cream on hand!
Really are the best brownies I have ever made and I love brownies.
Love it! Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave a review 🙂
I loved the recipe but I couldn’t achieve a crack shinny top and the brownies were too much sweet can I decrease the sugar quantity in the recipe next time ?
Hi there, you can reduce the sugar. Did you add the sugar to the hot butter and beat well with a spoon before adding to the baking dish? These two things help the sugar move up to the top for the shiny top. Also, keep in mind, reducing the sugar will make your shiny top a bit harder to achieve.
We love them!!
The best brownies ever. I have been making them for a couple of years for special occasions and everybody loves them. Thank you so much for the recipe, I’m now known as the brownie maker of my family and friends.
Yay! I love that you were given that title 🙂