This recipe makes rich, dense, fudgy Homemade Brownies with crisp, crackly tops—every time! Plus, they’re super easy and come together with just a bowl and a whisk.
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The Best Fudgy Brownies from Scratch
I first started making these brownies back in my university days, when I found all my recipes on Allrecipes.com and had no knowledge of food blogging. On a whim, I decided to try this particular recipe. I mean, how else do you possibly choose a brownie recipe from the 371 options on one website alone?
Best decision ever.
Anyway. This is THE brownie recipe you need.
Unless you like cakey, fluffy, crumbly brownies. These are definitely not those.
These brownies are dense, fudgy, and rich. They are slightly chewy at the edges, crisp and crackly on top, and incredibly moist and fudgy underneath. How many times can I use ‘fudgy’ in a brownie description without it becoming redundant?
They are perfect on their own or as a base for this Brownie Sundae! You can also jazz them up with Easy Homemade Ice Cream, Whipped Cream and Strawberry Sauce.
What Makes These Brownies So Good?
One reason that these brownies are special is that they aren’t overly sweet. I use a whole cup of cocoa and only 2 ½ cups of sugar, which allows the rich chocolatey flavor from the cocoa powder to really shine. The original recipe called for 3 cups of sugar, which is a lot for one 9×13 pan, in my opinion. (If you like things extra sweet, feel free to add it back in, or you can reduce further to 2 cups).
I also often swap whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour, which is a healthy trade that also gives a deeper, fuller flavor—and in a brownie like this, I honestly don’t think you can tell any difference in the texture!
But again, if you don’t have any whole wheat flour (or just don’t want to use it), feel free to use all-purpose.
Finally, while a lot of great brownie recipes call for vegetable oil, this one uses melted butter! So indulgent!
Recipe Ingredients
Another great thing about these brownies is that the list of ingredients is very short. That cuts down on the measuring and prep time. If you make these often enough, you may end up memorizing this easy recipe! (For the full recipe card with amounts and nutrition facts, scroll down to the bottom of this post.)
- Butter: I use melted butter instead of oil, for extra richness.
- Sugar: You can use plain granulated sugar, or swap out raw sugar if you prefer.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract gives the best flavor.
- Eggs: You’ll need four whole, large eggs.
- Flour: Use whole wheat flour or all-purpose, it’s up to you!
- Cocoa: Using cocoa powder gives these brownies an extra-deep chocolate flavor, compared to brownies made with melted chocolate.
- Salt: a bit of salt balances out the sweetness and adds incredible flavor
- Chocolate Chips: These are optional! Sprinkle them on top, mix them into the batter, or leave them out.
How to Make Homemade Brownies from Scratch
The method for making these brownies couldn’t be simpler. All you need is a bowl and a whisk.
- Get Ready to Bake. First things first! Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×13 pan with foil or parchmet. Spray the lined pan with non-stick spray.
- Combine the Liquid Ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, the sugar, and the vanilla; whisk until smooth. Then whisk in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the Dry Ingredients. Stir the flour, cocoa and salt into the wet ingredients, just until combined.
- Bake! Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, and bake. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick inserted into the baked brownies comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The great thing about brownies is that you can cook them more or less according to your tastes. Keep in mind that the brownies will continue to set after baking.
Tips and Variations
As with most of my recipes, this one is flexible and can easily be tailored to your needs. Here are a few easy ways to do just that.
- Butter Swap: Feel free to use vegetable oil, coconut oil, ghee, or applesauce instead of the butter. Each one will add its own unique flavor and nutrition profile to the recipe.
- Tweak the Bake Time: The brownies do not need to be totally set when you pull them out of the oven, as they will continue to cook in the pan—and if you like them gooey-er, you can just take them out on the earlier side. If you want them fully baked, wait until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Add Your Favorite Mix Ins: You can mix all kinds of goodies into this basic recipe! Here are a few great ideas to get you started:
- Chopped nuts
- Mini marshmallows
- Chocolate candies
- Toffee bits
- Chopped or quartered cherries
- Dried fruit
- A swirl of chocolate ganache
- White chocolate chips
Serving Suggestions
Aside from serving the brownies on their own (perfect snack!), you can also serve them as part of a larger dessert, like this:
- Brownies A La Mode: Top a warm brownie with a scoop of your favorite ice cream—No Churn Turtle Ice Cream, perhaps?
- Caramel Nut Bars: A platter of homemade brownies alternating with these Caramel Nut Bars makes a festive and perfectly-paired dessert.
- Strawberry Topping: Homemade Strawberry Sauce makes a luscious topping for these amazing brownies.
How to Store Brownies
You can store brownies at room temperature, in the fridge, or in the freezer! Here’s how:
- Counter: Place brownies in an airtight container and store on the counter for up to 3 days.
- Fridge: Also store them in an airtight container, but place it in the fridge. The brownies will keep for up to a week this way!
- Freezer: Slice the brownies and wrap each brownie individually in plastic wrap. Store multiple brownies in zip-top bags. They will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw the brownies before serving.
- To heat them up: Pop them in the microwave for a few seconds at a time until warm. Watch out for hot and/or cold spots!
The Best Homemade Brownies
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter melted
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar 500g
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ cups flour (about 195g) whole wheat or all purpose
- 1 cup cocoa about 80g
- ½ tsp salt
- chocolate chips for sprinkling on top or to mix in, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar and vanilla with a whisk until smooth.
- Whisk in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in flour, cocoa and salt until combined.
- Line a 9×13" pan with tin foil or parchment and spray with non-stick spray. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the outer 3 inches are set. They do not need to be totally set as they will continue to cook in the pan — if you like them gooey-er, you just take them out on the earlier side. If you want them fully baked, wait until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Nutrition Information
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Bethanie says
As written this is a great recipe but I saw a lot of people discussing the bake time being too little and I experienced the same thing. I am very in tune with my oven temp so I know that’s not the problem. I used a glass pan with parchment paper and I do know that glass pans require a lower oven temp by about 25 degrees and a longer baker time so I think there could be a note in the recipe addressing this issue since I think a lot of people use glass pans without thinking otherwise.
Kathryn says
I made homemade brownies for the very first time using this recipe. I loved them. I just sprinkled some pecans on the top of half of them since my family isn’t wild about the pecans in brownies like I am. They were very, very chewy and I think it might have been better for me to cook them just a tiny bit more than 35 mins. I would like them a tiny bit more cakey. We all loved them and I love that they don’t include any fake vegetable oils or shortening! Butter is always best. I didn’t have unsalted so I had to use salted butter and omit adding granulated salt to the recipe.
Laurie says
These are killer! My first thought was, “Gee that’s a lot of sugar and not so much flour.” I was concerned about taste (too sweet?) and texture. I resisted my temptation to modify the recipe and made it exactly as written. I have seldom enjoyed this much success with a brownie recipe or a mix. For once I made brownies that weren’t dry and hard but instead moist and fudgy without actually being gooey or half baked. The flavor is intensely chocolate but but not as sweet as I feared. Glad I added nuts and not chocolate chips because it needs the balance. The parchment paper is a great idea. Brownies tend to stick to the pan and I have ruined at least one prying them out. I just pulled the parchment paper and brownies out of the pan together and cut them on the counter. The pan just needed a rinse. I used an electric hand mixer not a whisk. Great recipe!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Laurie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Vanessa says
These were exactly what I was looking for! Not dry/cakey, but not overly rich with tons of dark chocolate. They also only require one bowl which is always great, and it wasn’t necessary to melt the ingredients over boiling water which most brownie recipes call for. This will be my brownie recipe from now on!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Vanessa! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Jess says
Too much flour too many eggs.
This comes out the consistency of cake. Not a brownie. Now to try it with half of your ingredients.
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe, Jess. The quantities have worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would of been a hit for you. I unsure how you got the result of a cake like brownies, because they are very fudgy.
Venessa says
So good!! Cut the sugar to 2 cups and eggs to 3 eggs… sprinkled mini choc chips in the batter and on top still delish!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Venessa! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Ky says
Love these! Have made them many times tho I do use 2 cups of granulated sugar and a half cup of brown sugar (makes them chewier) I also add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda to make them a little fluffier. Tho they are absolutely amazing even with out my tweeks xD
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Ky! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Michelle says
I used 4 table spoons of strong instant coffee and skipped the vanilla (I didn’t have any). Definitely worked out well. So yummy.
Great recipe. Love this.
Thank you!
The Recipe Rebel says
Great to hear Michelle!
Michele says
Is is salted or unsalted butter?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Michele! You can use either but I tend to use unsalted in my baked goods. Hope you enjoy them!
Barbie says
These were incredible! I made them for an ice cream social, because seriously, who eats ice cream without a brownie? They got rave reviews from everyone who had them. I will never need a box mix again.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Barbie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review
Denise M Smith says
OMG. The best. I baked them in cupcake pans with liners (24) and baked for 24 minutes. I also added 2 TBL instant coffee. Delish!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for sharing Denise!
Karina says
Love, love this recipe! First time making brownies, so I didn’t know what to expect, but it is delicious!!!
I added toasted almond to the batter and on top, they fly away, my family can’t get enough of them.
Almond give a extra crunchy and the inside was like perfect brownie.
I’m making a second batch.
Thank you.
Karina says
I also bake it for longer time, 35 minutes.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Karina! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Patricia says
Super delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I had to bake it a little bit longer, about 45 minutes.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Patricia! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for your review and feedback!
Maria says
It turned out to be very bad and very bad! 😡😡
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Maria, sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe. What happened to them, maybe we could troubleshoot it together?
Karina says
What happened? What was wrong? Tell us to see what was the issue and can be corrected.
Mine estaban deliciosos!!!
Hope you try again.
Mark Smith says
These are absolutely the best brownies I have ever made! I did add 1/2 cup of chopped, toasted pecans and 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and they turned out fantastic. I suspect they would have been just as good without the additions, but were “over to top” with them. I may never use another brownie recipe other than this one.
Kristina says
I’ve had trouble finding a good brownie recipe. These brownies were perfect! Crackly on top and fudge-y in the middle. The key is not to over-mix after you add the dry ingredients. Thank you for the great recipe.