Made easy in just one-bowl, this homemade brownie recipe is way better than a box mix! These fudge-y brownies deliver a rich and chewy bite, with a perfect crackly top, that will have everyone reaching for seconds.
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Test Kitchen Review
Brittany
These brownies were so rich and chocolate-y with a dense and moist texture! Don’t skip the espresso powder, I really think that’s what gave them such a good depth of flavor compared to other homemade versions I have tried before!
In 16+ years of blogging, I’ve never shared a classic homemade brownie recipe before. Why you may ask? Well, to be honest, I have never made one that tasted better than the ones from the box… until now! After a lot of delicious taste tests, I’ve finally narrowed it down and selected the very best homemade brownie recipe to share. These bad boys are decadent and fudge-y, with an intense chocolate flavor, and the perfect chewy texture. Even my kids (who never agree on anything) all say that these are their favorite brownies! And here’s the best part — it’s a foolproof recipe made in just one-bowl. It’s our go-to easy dessert whenever that chocolate craving strikes!
What Makes This Brownie Recipe The Best?
- Better Than Boxed Mix: Homemade brownies with the same ease, but a million times tastier.
- Crackly Top: Achieve that Instagram-worthy glossy, crackled crust every time!
- Chewy and Fudgy: The perfect balance of moist and dense, with just the right amount of chew.
- Made in One-Bowl: This brownie recipe is super easy to whip up and ready to bake in just 10 minutes.
- Simple Ingredients: Everything you need is likely already in your pantry!
- Tons of Chocolate Flavor: Made with chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and a pinch of espresso powder for a rich chocolate taste.
Satisfy your chocolate cravings with more of my favorite easy dessert recipes like flourless chocolate marshmallow cookies, chocolate milk bundt cake, and chocolate flan!
Ingredients Needed
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this recipe for homemade brownies. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Butter: I like to use salted butter for just a touch of salty and sweet! Unsalted butter also works just fine if preferred, just add an extra pinch of salt.
- Cocoa Powder: Make sure it’s unsweetened and be sure to sift it if it’s lumpy. The sweetness in this recipe comes from the sugar, never sub hot cocoa powder.
- Eggs: Eggs are very important to creating the perfect brownie texture. For even denser brownies, you can use 3 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk.
- Baking Powder: Always check your package and make sure it’s not expired before using.
- All-Purpose Flour: Avoid using too much flour by spooning the flour into the measuring cup. If you dunk the cup into the bag of flour, you’ll pack it in there. Packed flour will create overly dense and dry brownies!
How to Give Your Brownie Recipe a Rich Chocolate Flavor
- Use a Quality Cocoa Powder: A good quality unsweetened cocoa powder will create a brownie with a lighter color and moderately intense chocolate flavor. Dutch-process cocoa powder will create darker brownies, with a super deep and intensely rich chocolate flavor.
- Add some Espresso Powder: Another optional ingredient, but we’ve found that a hearty pinch of instant espresso powder really sends this recipe over the top. And no, it doesn’t make your brownies taste like coffee! It simply enhances the rich chocolatey flavor in the best way.
- Chocolate Chips (Or Chunks): These are also optional, but we personally love them and always add them for lots of chocolate flavor! You can use semi-sweet, dark, milk, or even white chocolate, whatever you prefer.
How to Make Brownies
Our kids love baking with us, and brownies are always their first pick. The batter comes together quickly in one bowl, then it’s tossed into the oven and baked to gooey perfection! Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll down to the recipe card for full instructions.
- Melt the Butter: Microwave the butter until melted, then stir in the sugar and heat again until well combined.
- Start Making the Batter: Stir in the cocoa powder and espresso powder into the butter mixture. Then, add in the eggs, salt, baking powder and vanilla.
- Add the Flour: Stir in the flour a little bit at a time. Do not over-mix, just stir until the batter comes together and you don’t see any dry areas.
- Add Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the chocolate chips. I also like to sprinkle a handful on top of the batter.
- Bake: Add the batter to a baking pan, then bake and enjoy how good your kitchen smells! I like to line my baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal. There’s nothing worse than brownies stuck to a pan!
- Enjoy: As tempting as it is to dive right in, it’s best to let the brownies cool for just a little bit before lifting them out of the pan and slicing. That way, they actually hold their shape!
Brownie Mix-ins and Toppings
- Top with Flaky Salt: We always add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of the brownies before baking. It balances the sweetness beautifully and gives a slight sweet and salty flavor.
- Add Oreos: Add half of the batter to the pan, add a single even layer of Oreos, followed by the rest of the batter. Use mint Oreos for mint brownies! Or top your brownies with Oreo and marshmallow cream for cookies and cream brownies.
- Go Nutty: Stir in up to 1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds for extra crunch.
- Serve with Ice Cream: Warm brownies topped with ice cream and chocolate sauce, or salted caramel sauce, are a match made in heaven!
Chef’s Tips for Success
- Don’t Over-Mix: Mix your brownie batter together until all ingredients are just combined. You don’t want to over-mix the batter – that’ll result in cake-like brownies because of all the air that gets incorporated.
- Better to Under-Bake: It’s better to have the brownies slightly under-baked, with a gooey center, than over-baked and dry. Insert a toothpick into the center to test — a few moist crumbs means they are done!
- Halve the Recipe: We always make these in a 9×13 and they still disappear all too quickly! However you can cut the recipe in half and bake in a 9×9 baking pan instead. Start checking in on them around 30-minutes.
- Cut with Plastic Knife: I know this sounds crazy, but if you want perfect edges, use a plastic knife to cut your brownies. It works every time!
Yield: 15 brownies
Homemade Brownie Recipe
Made easy in just one-bowl, this homemade brownie recipe is way better than a box mix! These fudge-y brownies deliver a rich and chewy bite, with a perfect crackly top, that will have everyone reaching for seconds.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chocolate chips (or chunks), optional
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper, allowing it to hang over the edges, set aside.
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt butter, by cooking in 30-second intervals. Once completely melted, stir in the sugar. Microwave mixture for 1 minute and stir again.
- Pour the butter/sugar mixture into a large bowl. Stir in cocoa powder and instant espresso powder, mixing to combine. Add in eggs, salt, baking powder and vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated.
- Slowly add in flour, stirring until just combined. Do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips and pour the batter into your prepared pan. If you want, you can add a few more chocolate chips on top of the batter.
- Bake for 50 minutes, until cooked through and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs attached. Do not over bake the brownies or they will be dry. It’s honestly better to underbake brownies a little rather than over bake them!
- Allow brownies to cool for at least 10 minutes, then lift the brownies out of the pan and cut into squares.
Notes
- Storing: Homemade brownies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To help keep them moist for longer, store them with a slice of white bread. Replace the slice of bread every few days as it becomes stale.
- Freezing: I recommend freezing individual brownies, not the entire pan! Wait for the brownies to totally cool to room temperature. Then, wrap each brownie in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer safe bag. When you’re ready to enjoy one, just place it on the kitchen counter and let it thaw for about 30 minutes or so. Brownies will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 brownie, Calories: 354kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 302mg, Potassium: 182mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 34g, Vitamin A: 450IU, Calcium: 47mg, Iron: 2mg
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These brownies are so delicious and easy to make, we loved them!!