I understand that when a website but 5 11/12 years old boasts not one or two but a dozen or so variations on brownies that it’s possible, perhaps, or at least worth considering that the brownie category: it’s been exhausted. The brownie beat reporter can retire. The archives are full. I get it, I do. Shouldn’t we be discussing blueberry pie, summer harvest tians or backyard grillery? Probably.
But the thing is, I really wanted a brownie. And more so, I wanted my favorite brownies. And despite having an alphabet of brownie recipes on this site from Adorable Hearts to Baked Bakery to Cream Cheese, Cocoa, and Creme de Menthe, I actually haven’t shared my go-to brownie recipe in its purest form, what I dub my Forty Minute Naptime Brownies. And for that, we need to talk about, well, Jacob.
I don’t mean to shock you, but my son, the light of our lives, and don’t even get me started on how I plan to gaze adoringly at the photos from shirtless “pig-sketti” night last week long into my rocking chair days — were he to have a singular flaw, it would be that he’s just never been that into sleep. He was 18 months old before he took a nap longer than 40 minutes and I am not allowed to talk about the oh-so recent age when he started mostly sleeping through the night because it scares my friends who haven’t had kids yet, and I promised to stop doing that. Lest you think this post is going to become a disposal ground for my parental woes, fear not. The upshot of this is that when you have a child who takes short naps, you learn to excel in short baking projects, and I can now make these in my sleep. You know, whenever it is granted.
My favorite brownies take 10 minutes to put together and embody everything I love in a brownie; they’re bittersweet and chewy, where so many brownies are excessively sweet and fudgy (or worse, the dreaded cakey and chocolaty in color only). Like many of my favorite recipes, they’re defined not by what they have in them but what they don’t; there’s no brown sugar or brown butter, baking powder, Dutched cocoa, cake flour, nuts, coffee granules, chips or frosting. Seriously, I think if a brownie needs frosting to sing, it probably wasn’t a great brownie to begin with. There are seven ingredients and the most important one, as it should be, is the unsweetened chocolate. Why unsweetened chocolate? If you want a baked good with deeply rooted chocolate intensity without using a half-pound or more of chopped bars (these use just three ounces of chocolate, which means you can splurge on the best stuff), you’re going to have to start with unsweetened chocolate, every time. These brownies understand that.
And although they take well to all to all sorts of dolling up (from cream cheese to white chocolate mint ganache to being cubed and buried in cheesecake, true story), they need none of that to make for a speedy in preparation, cooking and clean-up time square of mood management, one you can tuck into even before your resident Nap Conscientious Objector (no more Malcolm X board books for you, kid!) wakes up. Because I don’t know about you, but when I decide I want a brownie, I want it exactly then. These brownies will not make you wait.
One year ago: Hazelnut Plum Crumb Tart
Two years ago: Raspberry Limeade Slushies, Sweet Corn Pancakes and Eggplant Salad Toasts
Three years ago: Summer Pea and Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Salad, Lobster Rolls, Espresso Chiffon Cake with Fudge Frosting and Grilled Eggplant and Olive Pizza
Four years ago: Grilled Eggplant with Caponata Salsa, How to Poach An Egg, Smitten Kitchen-Style, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake and Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
Five years ago: Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake and Plum Almond Tart
My Favorite Brownies
Updated to note: If you only have semi- or bittersweet chocolate (60 to 72 percent), I created a version of these brownies with that last year, the darker half of this duo. But, the chocolate intensity is definitely dialed down. However, the sugar level is also adjusted to accommodate for the sweeter chocolate.
Two-bite brownies: I had directions up here for one of my favorite riffs to date, baking these into 2-bite brownies in mini-muffin tins. However, there are so many comments below about them sticking and never getting unstuck, even with nonstick pans greased well, that I felt it was irresponsible to encourage this anymore. However, I’ve since received many notes asking for the lost directions, so here you go. Please proceed with caution. :) “I found a new way to ruin our lives, er, make these awesomer and that’s to bake them in mini-muffin pans. This is ideal for brownie edge lovers, as they become nothing but edges with the fudgiest of centers. Spray the pans first with a non-stick spray and fill them almost to the top. They bake for about 16 minutes before a toothpick comes out batter-free. Let them sit in the pan for 5 minutes on a cooling rack before unmolding them, or they break easily. Mine had a frustrating yield of 29 (i.e. just enough to require more than a pan’s worth) but it made for such perfect, delicious, two-bite servings, I forgive them.”
- 3 ounces (85 grams) unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
- 1 1/3 cups (265 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt
- 2/3 cup (85 grams) all-purpose flour
In a medium heatproof bowl over gently simmering water, melt chocolate and butter together until only a couple unmelted bits remain. Off the heat, stir until smooth and fully melted. You can also do this in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. Whisk in sugar, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and salt. Stir in flour with a spoon or flexible spatula and scrape batter into prepared pan, spread until even. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out batter-free.
Let cool and cut into desired size. If you’re like me, you will prefer these and all brownies, cold, from the fridge. But I bet you’re normal and will just eat them hot from the pan. If desired, dust the brownies with powdered sugar before serving.
Just this weekend I went on the hunt for the perfect brownie. I didn’t find it because they didn’t exist yet! Thanks for sharing.
These are devil brownies!!
Wow! These look great. Might have to surprise my fiancé with these tomorrow!
One can never have too many brownie recipes in their arsenal. Because, let’s face it, brownies are chocolate at their best.
Thank you for this recipe! These are the only brownies I’ve made for the last several years. Today I’m wondering: do you ever frost them? If so, do you have a recommendation? Looking to dress them up with frosting and sprinkles for a kid’s birthday!
They look simply perfect! And I had not seen the brownie cubes in cheesecake concept before….LOVE that and will have to try for sure. Thanks for the inspiration…as always:-)
These look lovely, and I would love to make some properly chewy brownies. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen unsweetened chocolate in the UK – what brand do you use?
Katy — Here, almost every brand sells it, from Ghiradelli to Baker’s to Guittard to the fancier Scharffen-Berger/Callebaut/Valrhona’s. I used Scharffen-Berger.
In the UK, look for 100% dark (plain) chocolate; there’s no sugar in it. I found some on amazon, but I have 90% that I’m going to try.
Ritter Sport has a good dark chocolate at 73% which gives a good chocolately flavour. It’s available in most Lidl chains, not sure about he UK, but if you can find it, it’s a good choice!
I just ran out to trader joe’s for some other stuff and am making these for a friend today. Usually would just sub 3 T cocoa and one T oil (I think that’s right), but thought I’d ask and they had this brand from the UK: Montezuma’s. It has an M in a 6-pointed star on the black cardboard package and says, “100% cocoa solids, dark chocolate, absolute BLACK with cocoa nibs”. & it’s 3.5 grams in weight! used the whole thing because why not have a little more chocolate.
Laura, how did the chocolate you bought from Trader Joes work out/ I bought the same ones.
I’m also in the UK and struggled to find unsweetened chocolate in my standard supermarkets (and don’t want to splurge on a special online order). Instead, I have dark ‘cooking’ chocolate (but the ingredients list confirms it’s still with sugar). I reduced the sugar in the recipe by a quarter to try to compensate, but I fear it will still be too sweet. Did you try it?
I used Aldi salted caramel dark chocolate (which says 52% on the packet). Added a tablespoon of cocoa, splash milk and cut sugar to 180g. Turned out very well.
Katy, I agree – it’s hard to find in the UK. Look in the baking section of a good supermarket or even health food store (my local one sells several brands).
Divine, absolutely divine!
Oh, drat. Wish I had this recipe last week when I needed a little something extra to go with the browned sugar Blondies I took to a neighborhood gathering. The Blondies were winners, but my dry, bland brownies were a train wreck. Happily, many of them slid off the platter and onto the ground on the way to the party. I’ll keep this recipe to try. Sounds perfect.
yum! I’ll have to try it. I’ve made your best cocoa brownies about 9 million times.
You do have more than a couple brownie recipes – and a I love a FAST brownie recipe where you just melt the butter & choc, stir in the sugar & flour and bake. My fave recipe, indeed :)
I love that it makes an 8×8 pan full…i am less likely to make a 9×13 pan knowing well enough that I will eat them all!
I am making these tonight!! I love that they’re so quick… it doesn’t allow you enough time to second-guess your awesomely indulgent decision.
just made brownies last night for my daughters birthday dessert pick. i served it with homemade vanilla ice cream. once the pan is done, i will have to give these a try.
Thanks! I can order the Ghiradelli from Amazon UK. I will be giving these babies a go as soon as it arrives.
I saw this recipe and my shoulders fell because I’m not much of a sweet tooth and brownies are usually too granular and cakey for my palate. But then I read:
“…they’re bittersweet and chewy, where so many brownies excessively sweet and fudgy (or worse, the dreaded cakey and chocolaty in color only).”
There. Right there you’ve convinced me, by listing exactly what is wrong with most brownies. I am making these as soon as I get home from work.
i too am a frequent maker of the best cocoa brownies (i have those down to about a 40-minute science, myself). but i’ll have to try these and compare. for science’s sake.
These look a lot like the brownies I grew up making, from an old, yellowed book, that doesn’t even have an image on Amazon. Thanks for reminding me of them. Can’t wait to try, this and the older one.
I think I have enough unsweetened chocolate (Valhrona) to make these tonight. Even if I doll them up a bit, it would be lovely to have tasty brownies.
My standby brownies (that I just made for the umpteenth time to bring to a bbq this weekend) are your Best Cocoa Brownies…people go nuts for them and they are fantastic warmed in a brownie sundae with ice cream and chocolate sauce. Must try these and see how they compare!
This is very similar to Mark Bittman’s brownie recipe from “How to Cook Everything”, which I have always relied on as my go to brownie recipe. I think these might have a bit more sugar and flour. You can’t go wrong!
wow….these are some gorgeous brownies! can’t wait to try them out! i love how simple yet soo beautiful your blog pics are!
Can. Not. Wait. To. Make.
Quick and simple brownie recipes always win out. I LOVE brownies and these look absolutely scrumbtious.
I love the Baker One Bowl Brownie, whcih this looks to be a riff upon. And I have always done the foil liner. And licking the spatula? I may have done that . . .
Awesome. Two weeks ago, I spent an hour examining all of your brownie recipes to pick one for a potluck (because your recipes are so reliably delicious!!!). I read the comments, scanned for ingredients that I actually had and then finally settled on the One-Bowl Brownies from the Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake recipe. It was a fabulous choice. But reading all of those recipes, I wondered what your absolute favourite brownie was!? Now I know. And I guess that means that I have to make these too. Bummer. ;) Thanks, Deb. You sure know how to keep us chocoholics happy!
Candice/Margie — Yes! These are a riff on the One-Bowls. I’ve been making them since high school! They’re thicker in a smaller pan; they have slightly more eggs (which makes them slightly chewier), a smidge more chocolate, and salt, which the original lacked.
Deb, Deb…I am so glad that you are back with these brownies which are my kind of food. I am drooling like a baby. It’s all your fault. :) Now I am gonna have to stop what I am doing to make those — or I’ll die. I just have to remind myself not to step over the scale tomorrow morning. My happiness will last longer. :)
I admit, it’s been too hot for me to bake here in Los Angeles. But that doesn’t mean I don’t wish for something as glorious as a simply put-together brownie. Unfortunately, I’ve had throw out an insane amount of flour due to meal moths in my house this summer.
But you can bet… when the moths are destroyed… when the sweat from my brow is slightly less while sitting… these brownies shall be made. Because I have yet to use my new 8×8 inch brownie pan.
And brownies are always my faves.
Thanks for the recipe!!
*bookmarks*
I absolutely love the idea of cutting these into little bite-sized squares. If only that would stop my husband from eating the while pan.
those peanut butter brownies in the archives are insanely good. one of the first things i made from the SK way back when!
Thanks for sharing! These brownies look simply delicious :)
*whole* pan
I totally agree with you about the frosting. A really good brownie can and should stand alone. These look like really good brownies and I can’t wait to try them!
…I needed this. :o)
…You’re the only other woman I know, besides myself, that dusts her brownies with powdered sugar. Bless you my dear. ;o)
…Thank you for this & have a lovely nap filled week!
…Blessings :o)
Please NEVER stop sharing new brownie recipes! Never.
My mouth was watering as I read this.
I hadn’t ever thought to put brownies in cheesecake. Now I must. Simply must, I say.
Maybe this is sacrilege, but I can’t eat milk (butter) and yet I desire these brownies! I made a disapointing substitute over the weekend–box mix and black beans–too good to be true. Any decent substitute for that butter out there? Or should I give it up?
* From a fellow parent of 3 hardened sleep-resisters
Elizabeth — Try extra virgin coconut oil. It will keep the richness, though give it a hint of coconut flavor. You can use oil, too, but it doesn’t taste like much.
This is so close to my own recipe! The biggest difference is that I have nearly twice as much of everything (apart from flour, which I only have 50% more of) but I also use an 8×8 pan so mine are just taller, I guess. :-)
I was literally JUST looking through your backlog of brownie recipes (and had decided to make your classic brownies from 2006) when you posted this. So excited to try this recipe out tonight!
Thank you for not only sharing the recipe but your lack of sleep! I can unfortunately relate! : )
Katie (comment 6) you can use Bourneville, any supermarket own brand dark chocolate, any 70% cocoa solids chocolate, or my favourite find, Sainsbury’s basics plain chocolate – 30p per 100g, over 50% cocoa solids and makes really good brownies (I usually use Lindt and I can’t tell the difference). You don’t need Ghiradelli, honestly, though I’m sure the brownies will taste great with it.
Thank you for this. I have so many events at work that I need to make food for, sometimes several items. I’ve given up on anything that requires any amount of detail, but of course I still want it to be delicious. These sound like they will be making it into the regular rounds of event food.
A go to brownie recipe is always a must! I have my aunts that I have been using for ages, but this looks too easy not to try!
These are nearly identical to what my family calls “The Brownies that Dad married Mom For”. No really, that’s what the hand written recipe book that my mother sent me off to college with says. In my childhood, they were whipped up on any old weeknight or occasion with Baker’s brand chocolate, underbaked slightly to keep them gooey in the center, and almost always served warm with a scoop of Breyer’s vanilla ice cream. I always went for a corner. They’ve been married 40 years as of July, and these are still a favorite.
What a lovely story. And I love that your mom sent you off to college with a hand written recipe book. How practical and heartwarming. <3
Scharffen-Berger–I love being right! My kids are grown and gone so I’ll make them after my nap. And why had I never thought about using parchment? Everything you do is perfect.
Brownies are my husbands favorite sweet. These I will make for him, because they look like his kind of yummy!
Yum! Can’t wait to try these.
Oh Deb, these look amazing! I wonder, do you have any suggestions for a substitute for eggs? My son is allergic and I have figured out how to adapt all our favorite recipes with many different egg free combinations, but for some reason, brownies remain impossible. I’ve tried everything and they always end up oily and more like hot fudge…any ideas?
Use aquafaba (bean water). 3 T = 1 egg. I use it in all my baking and it works out so great!
Fudgy brownies are my absolute favorite, but there may be room in my affection for a chewy brownie too!
Thanks for the brownies, but more importantly, for sharing your kid’s sleep issues. I have one of them too. They aren’t all like that. My second child, exactly two years younger, started sleeping through the night before she did (even with crazy reflux and milk allergies). I have had nearly four years of extreme sleep deprivation and unlike most parents who only think they are sleep deprived — I get it. I really do. The upside is that you get to spend a LOT of time with him!
Never enough brownie recipes1 I love to make them, with browned butter, and I sometimes sprinkle the top with flay fleur de sal and a bit of olive oil. Of course, you can never go wrong with a simple scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of a warm brownie. :)
I am definitely game to try out a new brownie recipe at any time–especially if it only takes ten minutes to mix up. Hooray!
Deb, how do you cut your brownies so neatly? Each time I make them, when I slice them I end up butchering them– the knife gathers so many crumbs, they stick, the brownies fall apart and total brownie chaos ensues. Any tips? perhaps my brownies are too fudgy.
Sarah — I cut them from the fridge. Or, the freezer, which is a great place to swiftly cool of baked goods from the oven.
I’ve been making these for a while and absolutely LOVE them! I always have to make a game-time decision… do you sprinkle salt on top before you bake or after? As often as I make them, I can never remember from one time to the next. It’s also possible I completely made up that step?! Thank you!!
Another surprisingly effective technique is to use a plastic knife. I always keep a set of plastic cutlery around just for that. Nothing special, just a regular fork/knife/spoon set you might get for a picnic or that comes with takeout.
I love your site and your recipes but one thing I always find is that there is often way more sugar than needed. These brownies remind me of your cocoa brownies–also fantastic. But I always cut the sugar in half. I’m betting you could do at least a third less with this….
I was also looking for the “perfect” brownie recipe for this past weekend. Ended up making Deb’s blondies, which are awesome in their own right, but they’re not brownies. Once the blondies are gone (i.e., tomorrow), I’ll give these a go. Thanks!
How can I make this travel- friendly? Prep the batter and freeze, then bake for a few extra minutes once I get there?
Or bake, then freeze the finished brownies and thaw when ready to devour? How long will they keep?
Kat — Bake then freeze then thaw.
Lindsay — I know! I hadn’t realized that Boston was not a popular destination until I asked that we add it. They’re working on it. I will make a full book tour announcement after Labor Day; the schedule should be mostly set by then. :)
My mom makes brownies with a mocha frosting. Don’t get me wrong; I love mocha, but I agree wholeheartedly that brownies shouldn’t need icing. Hers are more like cake.
Can’t wait to try these…after the stupid morning sickness is gone. I know by the time these are finished baking I’d want to puke looking at them no matter how badly I want them now :(
I’m in the UK, too, and am wondering, is it possible to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate and cut down on the sugar?
These look wonderful! And on another note, I just noticed that Luisa from The Wednesday Chef has posted her book tour dates and I was thrilled to see that she’s coming to Boston … PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come to Boston on your tour, as well!!
I don’t know what it is about brownies, but very few people dislike them, even the “regular” kind. One of the first recipes my youngest daughter could make, and make well, was brownies. In fact, her friends used to ask her to make them for her birthday. :)
I nearly split my sides reading this – sleep deprivation makes for a great sense of humour. I have two kids – both soundly asleep now and who deserve these brownies, I think!!
Deb?
Don’t get me wrong, but when I saw the title and the photo, I thought, for a tiny second, that I accidentally hit on the “Surprise me!” button, and was re-directed to one of your 11 (thanks for counting!) brownie recipes! I then blinked, checked the date, and laughed so hard in my head :)
I really hope you won’t take this the wrong way, like I wouldn’t want you to post another brownie recipe, because, au contraire, I was always wandering why I couldn’t find this favourite brownie recipe of yours on the site. All fixed now. Thanks!
Eliza
ps: Plus, the boy has me on hunting down the perfect brownie recipe, the “best cocoa brownies” leading right now. I wander, for how long… :)
I made the grasshopper version earlier in the summer for my dad’s birthday treat. Once the family got over their whining (“too fudgy!”, “too dark!”, “too rich!”, “waywayway too mushy!”- let’s face it, we’re more the cakey sort of people), I watched them sneakily devour piece after piece- they were gone within two days. I’m excited to try this simpler, pared-down version!
Oooooo…looks delicious! And you even used Scharffen-Berger, I love that stuff! I used to live right down the street from the S-B factory when I lived in SW Berkeley, CA. Ahh…those were the days…
Thanks, Deb — here’s hoping! Boston loves you!
I don’t think I’m the only one to believe that you can never have too many brownie recipes. Let’s face it, brownies rock. This might just become one of my favorites too.
Another vote for coming to Boston!!
I am seriously so grateful for this recipe. I totally love the simplicity, and unsweetened chocolate. Sometimes, like you said, you just want a brownie now. Sometimes I just want one too, now, and I am a simple ingredients kinda gal at times. So this is going in my arsenal for that day, like yours, when I need a brownie fix. I fell it happening soon though, so I will let you know how amazing they are:)
cannot believe that it is 5 years since your brownie mosaic cheesecake posting…that is now a staple in my kitchen with one in the freezer for the upcoming holidays!
so thanks deb…as always!
Thanks for sharing, I like simple recipes. Next time I’ll sprinkle some powered sugar on them. yum!
Hello! Re: the above book tour discussion… I know it’s probably nowhere near your destination list, but Champaign IL is a mighty great place to come! And I would be so excited with my pre-ordered book to wait in line. :)
For years, I have been making a variant of this recipe found on the Baker’s chocolate box. I like your idea of using a finer chocolate and think I’m ready to graduate to Scharffen-Berger or such. Can anyone recommend an onsite vendor for finer baking chocolate?
I’m terrible with baking but the recipe looks pretty simple, maybe simple enough for me to make it. :)
GORGEOUS brownies, and I love your photos! stunning. As a self-professed brownie snob, I highly approve of these, and cannot wait to try them. They might be the holy grail of brownie recipes!
I have had a serious brownie craving. Perfect timing!
Another plea for a Boston book tour stop. Please.
“If you’re like me, you will prefer these and all brownies, cold or even frozen.” Hehe. I always delude myself into thinking I can stop myself from consuming an entire tray of brownies in less than 24 hours by freezing them — and then I just eat them frozen in about the same amount of time.
Oh my word, these look incredible! I think I’ll chop them into little pieces and mix them in with vanilla ice cream and boozy cherries!
I have never been able to find a brownie recipe that I absolutely love. I can’t wait to try out this one and see if it is the one! ;)
To add to the echo, these look fantastic. I never got the appeal of frosting on brownies either–if you’re doing that, why not just make chocolate cake?
Also, I think there’s a bit of a duplicate in the instructions about lining an 8×8 inch pan :-)
Christina — Fixed, thanks.
Molly — Oh no! I know you’re a great cook but… is there any chance whatsoever that you forgot the flour? Because I’ve done that, twice, and what you described is what happens.
karla — I use metal baking pans. They’re better conductors. If you ever need to use a glass one instead, you’re supposed to reduce the baking temperature by 25 degrees.
Hi deb, because of my pregnancy i crave anything chocolate almost every day and i really want to make the brownies, but i dont have a square pan, so when i go buy it should i get a glass or metal pan? i dont know if there is a diference,and i also have a gas oven, i dont know if this does make a difference on the baking times
Reporting from the trenches: Brownies were started at 4PM. Went into the oven at 4:13. Half an hour in, they were still kind of soupy. 45 minutes in, still not quite there. Not sure what’s going on, but I had them in the oven for close to an hour. They are resting on the counter. The taste is great, but not quite brownie. I’ll probably just end up eating them out of the pan with a fork. Will report back later if they become more brownie-esque.
I didn’t think it could get any easier or quicker than the cocoa brownies…or better. I like brownie recipes for an 8 inch pan as I find brownies stale so quickly if you don’t eat them the day they’re made. I’ve never tried freezing, let alone eating them from a frozen state..I think I’d like that! I must have 10 of those Lindt 85% cocoa chocolate bars, so I will make the first batch with one of those just to get one used and to see if it’s a decent substitute. Thanks for this, Deb,
Who doesn’t love a solid brownie recipe? I have many to resort to in case of need but doesn’t mean I can add an extra one to my list.
Gonna try your recipe as soon as the temperatures cool off a little bit and I’ll find myself craving for chocolate (which will happen sooner than later…)
This is nearly identical to MY perfect brownie recipe, which I started making when a friend scoffed at me years ago for thinking it took too long to make brownies from scratch! I have never used a mix since (in 20 years), and the ONLY other brownie recipe I’ve ever used is yours, the one with cocoa, which is completely delicious, too. My friend at work wants me to make both so that we can do a blind taste test of which is better: chocolate brownies or cocoa brownies. Yay for brownies!
wow, i might have to use my new kitchen aid on these!
I just made the cheesecake-marbled brownies last night because… I needed them. But i had to laugh when i read this recipe because those are the “best brownies ever,”(many more than i have this)but the laughter is because whenever you talk about how many servings your brownies make. I try to tell my family how small the pieces “should” be, but they just say whatever and cut pieces that are about 4×4. The joke is that we have never gotten more than 9 brownies out of a 9×9 pan and i’ve never gotten to cut the first piece at room temperature (always just short of hot). I’ve tried reading the directions to the family but they do not listen. (seriously 25 brownies?) keep those brownie recipes coming.
Oh my…dinner can wait, I think I’ll make brownies instead. I may have to follow that up with a brownie-studded cheesecake. Too much for a Monday? Nah. Thanks for the recipe!
“Because I don’t know about you, but when I decide I want a brownie, I want it exactly then.” yes. I’m not one to crave food, but brownies are the exception. This speaks to me and my rare but powerful need for a brownie at 10pm on a weeknight. Thanks Deb!
Hey Deb – great brownie recipe. I’ve made a similar one over the years and it always comes out terrific. Hey, I just wanted to point out that the ads I’m getting from my browser are pro-Romney ads. If you’re cool with political ads, that’s fine, but I thought you might not know. Personally, I come here for food, not politics.
I love knowing people’s favorite brownie recipe, it’s such a personal preference! These look perfectly delicious! I can’t wait to try.
Deb-
Do you have a recommendation on scaling this recipe up to a full 9×13” pan? I would be very grateful :)
Thank you for sharing!! I have been hoping for this recipe since you hinted at it in the mosaic cheesecake. Also- I’m relieved. Almost 2 weeks without a post, I was worried you had (god forbid) gone on vacation.
Ariella — Bleh! This is not the first time it has happened; each time, we think we get rid of them (trust me, I want no political ads on this site, ever, but these come in batch buys and slip through, like bugs in flour bins!) they come back. I’ll take care of it again. I’m sorry you’re having to see this.
Lauren — Believe it or not, vacation is not until next week — but I’m on a cooking tear now and shouldn’t leave you guys hanging up. I ended up just slammed with boring life details (meetings, appointments, childcare shortages) and couldn’t come up for air until now. I missed this!
I guess I’m not ‘normal’ because I only like brownines cooled or frozen…..not HOT from the pan! Thanks for sharing your recipe! :-)
I just made brownies this weekend using the same ingredients but substituting quinoa for the flour as my friends wanted gluten free. It works like a charm!
I feel that the only responsible thing to do here would be to bake all 12 recipes from your site, have people over, and do a taste test for the definitive best Smitten Kitchen brownie. That’s the responsible thing, right?
These look so good, but I was recently diagnosed with celiac disease so I can’t enjoy them! =[ Have you ever experimented with gluten free flour? If so, do you recommend any specific type/brand? Thank you so much!
I am so pleased to find someone else who agrees with me that brownies should be served cold! I always have to ask in restaurants to have my brownie without it being heated up, and they are always puzzled by this crazy request! I now feel in good company :-) I feel the same way about chocolate fudge cake – why should it be hot?!
I am also really pleased to see this recipe since my family joke that I am cursed – I can’t cook brownies – they never go right! Maybe I will try this recipe though, if you promise it is as easy as it sounds?
For the UK readers (I’m one too) like Katy who asked about unsweetened chocolate in the UK – Bourneville and most supermarket own brand plain chocolate have loads of sugar, so isn’t what’s described here. Check the ingredients as most dark chocolate does have sugar (some quite a lot). Get one that either doesn’t have sugar in, or has it near the end of the ingredient list, and has a ratio of cocoa solids above 70% to have a chance at what Deb describes above. Thanks Deb!
Saw this recipe and within 5 minutes I made these brownies. They’re still in the oven but can’t wait to try them!
Cold or straight from the freezer. Absolutely. Made these when I replicated your hearted black and white ones. Yep – it’s one good brownie recipe (in case you needed any reassurance).
Ha! Totally legit question, as Rich asked the same thing of me. It’s so strange, because I actually got out the scale for this one and measured the flour and sugar and chocolate. (Was so proud of myself!) Rich describes the finished product as “fudgy” which is actually a pretty good description. Let me be clear: They are quite delicious, but kind of not-quite baked. So peculiar! Also, wait? You’re not coming to Boston? But it’s Boston! We’re a real city!
Wow. I just made these tonight and they are incredible. Seriously, perfect. I just love a simple recipe that produces amazing results.
Annie, I recently went gluten-free myself, and the best advice I ever read about it is that if you want to make recipes you already have, you just have to substitute weight-for-weight on the flour. You can either buy an all purpose mix or make your own (about a 1 to 1 ratio of starch flours vs whole grain flours). Almond flour tastes great in baked goods, but can get expensive. Sorghum flour is a whole grain and tastes the most like wheat, etc.
Happy baking!
I always think I have the perfect brownie recipe… until I don’t. I’ll have to try these because they look irresistible!
You can never go wrong with a brownie recipe. In fact, I actually have some baking in the oven right now(to celebrate my bday with my classroom tomorrow!) My own blog boasts a brownie recipe hidden so far back in the archives that I’m positive I’m going to have to make it resurface again soon. thanks for sharing! P.S. My baby doesn’t nap well either.
Brownies hold a special place in my heart. :-)
They’re the first recipe that I learned how to make by myself when I was around 7 years old and they are the first recipe that I entered in my handwritten recipe journal. This recipe looks delicious! Not too far from my own favorite recipe that I’ve been making for years.
I just pulled my first batch of these out of the oven and can hardly wait until they cool enough that I won’t burn my tongue on them…
…
…ahhh, burned tongues heal. These are delicious!!!
holy cow that looks AMAZING! what a great recipe!
Thank you and perfect timing! My Daisy Girl Scouts are now BROWNIE Girl Scouts and for the first meeting I wanted to make….yes, brownies. But I was lacking a recipe I love. I’ll try this one!
I have 40 minutes to kill right now, but I have no chocolate or butter! Ah! Tomorrow perhaps. I love these go-to recipes.
Please, please, please come to Boston– or Cambridge– even better. The Harvard Bookstore (harvardbookstore.com) is a wonderful, independent bookstore (not affiliated with the university, just in the neighborhood) that has an outstanding speaker series. You have many loyal followers here who would be thrilled to meet you.
My friend made some brownies just like yours and they were delicious!!!
I have not made these but I have a feeling these will always be my favorite. I love them. http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2006/10/and-then-i-went-shoe-shopping/
the brownie looks really chocolaty and yummy.
I just put these in the oven. My 4-year-old was SO EXCITED when I asked if she wanted to help me make brownies. She measured everything herself! I’m telling myself it’s good math and fractions practice. Of course, she’s licking the whisk now, so…
The do look pretty darn perfect. Nothing beats a perfectly fudgy brownie. NOTHING.
Where did you get those amazing glass canisters? Must have!
This is almost exactly my mom’s childhood girl scout recipe for brownies. Only difference is she uses 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup flour. I’ll have to try your’s to see the difference. It is a great recipe, isn’t it! I am always amazed when people are shocked when you whip up brownies from scratch right after dinner. So easy!
Youo haven’t made raspberry brownies yet, so there’s room for another recipe. In fact I may try these to try it on my own since my local bakery only made them as a special :(
Oh my. My teeny four-month-old girlie is also one of those babies not so into sleep. To make it even worse, she just started to roll over on her own, so she loves to wake up a few extra times a night just to try it out…and then start to cry. Poor honey. These brownies might just be the perfect midnight companion! Thanks.
Naptime brownies? That’s exactly what I need!
Soooo, if one were a fusser – tho I’m not confessing to anything ; )…how much butter would I use if I were to brown the butter, please? I think there’s some sort of “brown butter has less water than regular butter” thing that people-who-are-better-bakers-than-I (everyone!) might know…Thank you!
Ha. Crazy this was your post today because I made the Brownie Mosaic Chessecake just yesterday for my brother’s birthday!! He said it was soo good he wished it would never be gone. Thanks.
Well, I must say… the batter tastes absolutely AMAZING. I’m smelling HEAVEN coming from my oven! Can’t wait to eat these suckers!
So impressionable lately – I went straight home and made these. I have been trying various iterations of that ingredient list and this is definitely the best yet. I only have glass pans and it took almost 40 min at 325 (I am also at 4,000 ft) but they still came out very good. This recipe is pasted next to the other I’ve been using and I shall use it often. :)
I have to say you have persuaded me to try these brownies Deb! I have a favorite go-to brownie recipe, but you made these sound so enticing and simple that I just have to give them a shot.
Seriously, just came here to look for a brownie recipe to make because I didn’t have all the ingredient for my normal one, and look what was the most recent recipe! And it’s awesome!
Shirtless pig-sketti! And the look in his eye … that’s the kind of charm only a nap-resister can muster. The brownies look wonderful too.
good timing, baked these this morning, delish!
Hey, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with an unabashed love of brownies. Have you ever tried the Bon Appetit recipe? The cacao brownie with browned butter and walnuts? Ooh, for me, it is perfectly delicious. Just like you said, not too sweet, and nice and chewy. Yay! I love any ode to the brownie and can’t wait to try yours!
Just made brownies last week using your Brownie with spices recipe and was happy to finally find what was to be my brownie recipe for life and now I saw this and you have me in a brownie quandary here. Is there room for two perfect brownie recipes?
These were fantastic! I made them with gluten free flour and the consistency was excellent.. Thanks!
I’ve been looking for the perfect brownies recipe for what seems like ages and I think I’ve finally found it! These look just delicious and incredibly easy to put together…I guess this will become my go-to recipe for brownies, as well! Thanks Deb for sharing :)
xo, Elisa
To the commenters who wanted an egg replacement, try chia seeds. 1 tablespoon chia seed mixed with 3 tablespoons water per egg (I might use a little less water with this recipe).
These look great, and if they take only 10 minutes to make, it’s the perfect recipe for me !
I’m new to the dessert cooking world ..but with a young nephew recently moved nearby, I’m trying to brush up on my sugary treat making skills! This is exactly the kind of thing that’s going to get the job done, and doesn’t look too much out of my comfort zone :) – Jon
Oh.my.goodness!!!! This is our family’s favorite go to brownie recipe!!! I, like you, have tried many a brownie recipe, but this is the one we go back to time after time. (And we call them the “Gotta have dessert, but it is almost bedtime” brownies bc they are that quick to make.) Thanks for sharing!
i would just like to say that you are a magician. i came to your website specifically to look at brownie recipes and you just posted this up. great minds (or stomachs) think alike! :)
Hi Deb
I’ve never had any luck with Brownies and sadly this recipe seemed to be the same. Can you tell me, is all purpose flour = “self-raising flour”? I put these into the oven and the top went a crispy candy consistency and the underneath didn’t cook at all. Could it be that I needed to add baking powder to my flour? Also, does using a fan-forced oven have an effect here?
Vic — All-purpose is not self-rising flour. Self-rising flour has leavener already in it (like baking powder or baking soda). You want a plain flour without leavening for brownies. I, sadly, know nothing about fan-forced ovens. Hopefully someone else can jump in.
Glory — You can brown the whole amount; no need to add more. Use the hot brown butter to melt the chocolate. You won’t then need a double boiler.
Shane — The powdered sugar jar is a larger version of the jars I use for my spices. You can find them here in different sizes, and I’m sure if you Google around, many other places.
Ok, it’s 5:30am and all I can think about is brownies. These are just lovely.
I am so WITH you regarding frosted brownies. I am particular about frosting anyways, even on cake; I don’t like overly sweet, gritty frosting. On a brownie?! Never! My Aunt Pat is famous (in our family) for her brownies. She dusts them with powdered sugar and your picture looks exactly like the brownies she is required to bring to every family party. It looks like I will be baking today.
I think these still have a little too much sugar, but otherwise, excellent.
Re: coconut oil: it works well and nutiva brand has no coconut flavor.
I trust you completely when it comes to brownies since I have made every single brownie recipe on your blog. In Greece we don’t have brownies so when I discovered them, I needed to learn from the best. So thank you. And yay! Another brownie recipe. I’ll whip these up soon.
By the way, your sweet little boy is adorable eating his pig-sketti. :)
I make this exact recipe – and I agree, it’s perfectly chewy and intensely chocolatey and definitely not in need of icing, but I do like it with walnuts…
Yours is the only food website I check with any regularity and it never disappoints.. Thank you!!!
Deb, you give me hope that someday my 20-month-old might actually sleep through the night! When it happens, I’ll be celebrating with these brownies. And everything else I can think of.
Ok, am I the only one who cuts an 8 inch pan of brownies into EIGHT pieces??? I freeze them and eat one every Friday. I recently started baking brownies in silicon muffin pans so each one has more *edge* (and they come out so easily). I freeze them and they last 12 weeks.
I hear you about the non-sleeping thing. My kids are now 18 and 16 but I was in your shoes when they were little. I don’t want to scare you but my son (younger one) did not sleep through the night until he was 8 years old. EIGHT! And neither one was a super-napper or a stroller dweller. They were up by 5 am no matter what time they went to bed. So, you will undoubtedly adore the elementary school honeymoon years and you will breeze through the teen years while your friends of teens complain about a lack of sleep because you’ve already been there and done it! My sister always made me feel like an abject failure because her kids slept in 12-hour stretches and napped gloriously. Well, my kids are smarter because they spent more hours awake and absorbing the world. Ha-ha.
I’m a new parent… of a little girl that (like Jacob) doesn’t nap for more than 30-40 minutes (when we are lucky)… this recipe is perfect for us, too!!Good news for the quick section of your blog (already so useful)! thanks for sharing
Martina
There’s no such thing as too many brownie recipes.
Is it so wrong that I now want a brownie for breakfast?
What type of pan do you use? I’ve never seen a white pan like the one displayed. Thanks.
It’s a gold touch pan from Williams-Sonoma.
No no – definitely brownies over pie and grilling right now. Pass me one, would you? :)
I have a similar recipe, I use 70% cocoa chocolate (from Venezuela “El Rey” delicious!), and add less sugar. For me it is perfect, deep intense flavor, moist, and will keep up for days (if it last hehe). By the way, hate nuts in brownies, so I appreciate other people that dont use them! Thanks for sharing.
I’ll give these a go today. I do pretty much all my baking from scratch, but a completely satisfying plain brownie still eludes me for some reason. Maybe it’s from being brought up on the boxed mixes–I keep trying to find that same texture, even if I can do without the cloying sweetness.
Can sympathize with the non-sleeping child problem. My oldest (now 11) was two before he slept through the night. And he was by no means consistent about it until fairly recently. He still needs far less sleep than most kids his age, and has real trouble falling asleep. He also used to wake up inconsolable. I think it was a transition problem (transition from awake to asleep then asleep to a wake). Good think he’s a terrific kid in almost all other ways or I might have killed him at some point in his young life. My second child sleeps like a log. Go figure.
These are in the oven now and will be the perfect surprise for my boys when they come home after their first day of school. My oldest son loves peanut butter, do you think I could add some to this recipe for a little pb kick or would it change the consistency too much? Thanks for sharing.
Seriously? An unadulterated brownie that tastes good and it doesn’t some from a box…luckily for me it is only going to be 65 degrees out today so I’m going to fire up the ovens and make these, these I’ve got to try!
Deb, I don’t know when I’ll have time to make these, but you described my favorite brownie. Chewy, chocolatey, with the ever so slight hint of salt. No nuts, frosting, or other add-ons. Just a damn good brownie.
I can’t wait to try these out!
yes, please please come to Boston for your book tour!
I’ve been liking the Flour bakery brownie recipe a lot. But I like that your recipe makes an 8×8 size instead of the jumbo family sized 13×9.
I liked this recipe,it seems eazy and quick,Deb i had one question hope you would answer.Do it need to whisk the batter with electric beater and make it airy? plz answer.
Rohit — Not at all. You can hand-whisk, no need to incorporate air. Brownies should be dense.
Curious re: unsweetened chocolate (bars) vs using unsweetened cocoa powder?
As a child my mama always used those Nestle unsweetened chocolate liquid packets that I never see anymore. I’ve taken to Ghirardelli as my go to…never thought i’d leave Hershey’s behind. But when I read your recipes I wonder about using powder instead of bars (3T:1T oil)?
Thoughts?
Thanks
ps I’m on a smitten kitchen baking roll these days…apple pie, chocolate shortbread cookies, spicy caramel corn… trying to pick a brownie recipe. Who knew it could be so angsty??
Cook’s Illustrated and a few other sites have written about how to replace unsweetened chocolate with cocoa powder and more. And thank you!
Re, picking a brownie recipe: If you have a soft spot for brownies from a mix (no judgement), the cocoa brownies seem to be favored. If you’re looking for something slightly chewier with a slightly crisp top, make my favorite brownies, here.
Don’t feel bad – my son first slept through the night when he was 10 weeks old and we about threw a party. Then he didn’t do it again until he was EIGHT! And he didn’t sleep in his own bed until he was about 11. Both my XH and I had to work in the morning and you do what you gotta do to get some sleep.
To clarify that sleeping in his own bed comment … my XH and I separated when our son was 3 so there was only one adult in that King Size bed.
One of my absolute favourite things about brownies is the amount of debate that they stir up. Unlike something like a pound cake, there doesn’t seem to be a set formula and I find it endlessly fascinating to see how the various combinations and quantities of ingredients bake up!
These look amazing, I will have to make them with my chocoholic 7 year old daughter this week! Thanks for sharing, I love your site!
Deb, I totally agree about frosted brownies- great brownies should stand alone! My partner does not share my opinion, which leads us to much brownie related pre-marital strife! Maybe you can come to Denver (very far away, I know) on your book tour and speak to her about the error of her ways when we come to get our book signed?? ;)
I made these last night. My husband and children loved them! I found them slightly bitter (my husband insists I have a sensitivity to bitterness, I hate coffee and dark chocolate!). If I wanted to sweeten them up some, would you recommend going with more sugar or a sweeter chocolate? Last night, I just covered them in whip cream.
I’ve been fighting the craving for DAYS. I think it’s time to obey!
so funny……..I was feeling the brownie craving yesterday. I went through all my cookbooks and the internet and ended up with “Joy of Cooking”. Just made a plain old, good old fashioned brownie. They are excellent!
Kathi
Oh, they look lovely! I’ll think I’ll break out the baking supplies and tackle them tomorrow, I’ve been looking for a good adult-y brownie to pack in my uni lunch box for long stints at the library.
And I can chime in on the fan assisted ovens, lower the temperature *slightly* and expect them too cook in about 5 minutes quicker a time. Wow, there was an awkward sentence. Oh well.
A must-try, as a similar recipe from, oh, a 1964 or so magazine has been my fave for years. Only one disaster, when my then-12 -years old daughter neglected to read the complete instructions and kept on using the melting pan to cook, rather than bake, the brownies! Happy to say, they were eventually baked and enjoyed. Love your recipes and cannot wait for your cookbook!
What a coincidence! Another brownies recipe that I am reading today :).”Let cool and cut into desired size. If you’re like me, you will prefer these and all brownies, cold or even frozen”. Yeah, I do it same as you. Cold brownies is the best!
These would really hit the spot right now!!
These are Swedish Brownies – we call them kladdkaka “sticky cake” the difference is no baking power and more sugar than the American Brownie also my favorite brownies. Here is the original Swedish Brownie recipe if you were ever interested :) – http://delishhh.com/2010/04/08/swedish-brownie-%E2%80%9Dkladdkaka%E2%80%9D/ The other difference is take it out just before the toothpick comes out batter free. It’s better that way :)
P.S. My little on is 6 months and has been sleeping through the night most of ther life, i have no idea what i would do if she didn’t until she was 2!! I think i would go bananas. .
Can I just tell you how much I adore those brownie-cheesecake marbleized confections? I made them for the first time and was astounded (ASTOUNDED!) by how simple and delicious they were. And I love that you’ve now separated them to be just delicious brownies.
Just read this post yesterday afternoon and made this recipe last night. WOW! It was my first time to ever make brownies not using a box mix. It really was quite easy (maybe only 5 minutes more time than the box mix), but oh so worth it because the results were spectacular!!! Don’t think I’m ever going to use the box kind ever again. These brownies completely satisfied the chocolate craving I had that day. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
This week I took microbrews, potato salad, breads meat and cheeses and TWO types of brownies to a group of young men who were hauling ice, water and gatorade to forest fire fighters. One brownie was chocolate truffles and wanuts, the other was a blondie with oats, chocolate and pecans. Microbrews can help put a a blazing forest.
Deb – You’re one of the few blogs I actually read and not just use the recipe from. I so enjoy your writing and personality – funny, witty and smart! Plus, I’ve made quite a few of your recipes and your cookbook is on this year’s Christmas list :)
Thanks for creating such an enjoyable blog for us!
Julie
A girl can never have too many brownie recipes. And I’ll say what your friends are afrraid to know, my daughter was five before she slept through the night!
Oh, loved the shirtless pig-sketti pictures! I noticed that he keeps his glass handy too. ; ) I love a chewy brownie, and I also agree that good brownies don’t need frosting~! I’ve missed you, -glad you’re back, -I was beginning to worry!
Deb, the brownies sound fabulous. I’m really laughing about the “chocolate in the face of the bounty cravings” because just this weekend my 10-year-old daughter, who adores brownies but may love ice cream even more, told me she’d had enough with all the fruit-flavored ice creams and why can’t we just have one with chocolate, peanut butter and Reese’s mixed in? The base is chilling for later. Thanks for the encouragement.
Hi. You definitely make these sound and look delicious. I’m definitely trying your recipe soon, but am wondering… 3 oz sounds like such a small amount of chocolate – even for unsweetened. Does 4 oz make it too fudgy? Thanks for all of your recipes & postings!
lynn — I’ve never made it with four ounces. Trust me, 3 ounces will render it quite chocolaty. When you work with unsweetened chocolate, you need less.
How do you think buckwheat flour would work as a substitution to make it gluten free?
Deb,
I made these tonight and they are the BEST brownie ever. They melt in the mouth – and I will have to try them when they are cold/frozen if they last that long!
Thank you!
Just tried this recipe the brownies came well and tasted fantastic!one among the best brownies i ever had.Glad you shared the recipe.DEB did you used powdered sugar in the recipe instead of grain sugar,I had a really tough time dissolving the grain sugar in the batter,i managed any how.HOW did you manage?
Deb
Can you use Scharfennberger unsweetened cocoa powder,and how much to equal the 3 ounces of solid chocolate?
Hey Deb! Sorry if this is a repeat, I skimmed the comments and didn’t see the answer. I love really dark chocolate. If I use 72% chocolate instead of unsweetened chocolate + sugar, would that ruin the integrity of the brownies? Would you recommend sticking to unsweetened chocolate and just adding less sugar? Thanks for all you’re great work, you’re an inspiration!
Sep and others asking about using bittersweet chocolate — I created a version using bittersweet chocolate (with the sugar adjusted) over here. However, I don’t think their flavor is nearly as excellent as this one is.
Lisa — I am doubtful. It doesn’t have cocoa butter in it. If you only have cocoa powder, make these.
Rohit — I used what I suggested, granulated sugar. It doesn’t need to dissolve in the batter. It dissolves in the oven.
Cristina — I think it’s got a good chance of working well. The flour amount is low and much of the structure comes from the eggs.
I live in Switzerland, so you’d think they’d know what unsweetened chocolate is. I have looked around and asked around and all i got were confused expressions and people asking me what unsweetened chocolate is. Looks like i will have to work a little harder to find that ingredient! That reminds me – my brother-in-law is a chocolatier – if he cannot help me then all hope is lost… I *must* make the brownie mosiac cheesecake!
If Deb says these are her favorite brownies, I’m making them! My biggest tweet-toothed weakness are brownies and I’ve honestly been searching high and low for the best brownie recipe EVER…I bet yours will take the title! I thank you for sharing, Deb, I thank you! :)
These look and read scrumptious, but since I’m watching the sweets intake — where did you get that fab wooden platter? I hope it’s not vintage!
These are a lot like a James Beard recipe that I have used since 1975. Always liked that I did not use a lot of dishes to make them. They are a great snack for after school! They also can be made into great ice cream sandwiches with ice cream of your choice.
Sold. I am making these brownies merely minutes after seeing this post. Baby boy is napping and the in-laws are coming over for dinner. This recipe is exactly what I need right now. I am melting the chocolate and butter over a pot of simmering black beans. That works too, right? This is perfect – thank you.
These brownies look delicious!! I love brownies with powdered sugar on top, makes the brownies look and taste more complete.:) Great job!
I made the cocoa brownie recipe only a few days ago, it was delicious but I wanted them to be a bit more chewy, luckily I now don’t have to wrangle with changing the recipe, I’ll just try this one!
These look delicious.. I’m always amazed by how mouthwatering your photos of the baking process are!
With such a small amount of flour, any simple suggestions to make these gluten free? Thanks!! They look amazing!
These look amazing!! And so simple. I do have a question though. If I decide to bake them in cupcake tins, or the mini-cupcake tins, how do I know how long it’ll take to bake? I’m thinking of making these for a party. Thanks!
These came out perfectly. I had to make 2 minor adjustments due to both of my kids having the Dreaded Throw Up disease so I couldn’t get to the store. I only had 1 oz left of unsweetened chocolate, but tons of bittersweet, so I used 2 oz of bittersweet and left out 1/3 cup of sugar to compensate. Then I only had little tiny eggs from my neighbor’s very young chickens, so I added a yolk. They are still delicious!
Made these and they didn’t turn out. Used Valrhona 40% chocolate and was expecting big results but after 30 min in convection oven and waiting for them to cool, they were completely mushy and inedible. Disappointed.
Hi Brenda — Isn’t 40% chocolate milk chocolate?
Sarah — Oh no! It’s fine if your oven is slow; just don’t take them out before a toothpick comes out batter free. Baking times are always estimates. They should be good ones (I have two oven thermometers; one in front and one in back so I can feel confident that I’m giving you guys as accurate times as I can get), and I generally err towards them being a little short (i.e. every so often, I have a batch that takes 35; but since it’s usually 25 to 30, I’d rather people leave them in for a few more minutes than estimated that risk overbaking them) but in the end, all that matters is that a toothpick or other tester comes out clean.
Cindy — It might have been at Whole Foods but they sell them a lot of places. It’s very lightweight.
Hi Deb, I’m here to report similar troubles as Molly. 50 minutes in, I finally pulled them. Cut into one edge shortly thereafter, and they are entirely goo in the middle. I’m thinking it may be my ovens’ fault, as it struggles to reach and stay at a temperature. (I know I added flour! And I double checked your cup>gram conversions as I used grams, and they’re all spot on.) Perhaps not getting the initial “oomph” from the right temperature was enough to doom these suckers? Either way, I’ve baked some mighty tasty goo.
What would you suggest to modify this for high altitude? I made them and they are delicious, but not brownie consistency. I call them Ugly brownies since they didn’t rise like they should have.. Ugly or not they are super delicious!
I honestly don’t know if I’m capable of making anything except your classic brownies. Seriously. They’re my go-to recipe, although I sub bittersweet chips for the walnuts because walnuts give my teeth the twangers. But they’re the best brownies ever and never fail. I appreciate the one-bowl action here, so maybe I’ll try when I’m pressed for time, but I don’t know…
Mmm…nothing beats fresh baked brownies.
Because I’m impatient, and I couldn’t resist such ease for a brownie (and holy moly – your pictures!), I used what I had – some 55% dark bar (pulled back on the sugar) and bread flour. Call me crazy. But that’s okay – I’m not expecting them to be over the top until I try the unsweetened later this week. THANK YOU, Deb. Thank you.
MAKE SURE YOU SPRAY THE FOIL! What a delicious mess we have stuck to the foil. :(
My grandmother used to make a very similar brownie since, well, as far back as I have any brownie memories. Though your recipe has slightly more flour and sugar, it is the same basic formula. My family has never accepted any other brownie. It comes from the old Claiborne NYT cookbook, and it is a treasure. http://tspsa.wordpress.com/2011/07/14/notorious/
For the commenter who needed an egg substitute…I have tried making vegan (so, dairy and egg-free) brownies for vegan friends on numerous occasions. I can tell you that brownies are one of the few baked goods I have encountered that just do not translate well to dairy & egg-free substitutes — the texture is never right, even though it usually tastes good (meaning, really chocolatey). The substitute that I liked the best — which results in fudgier brownie, not a cakey one — is super soft tofu. Use about 1/3 cup, add a bit of soy milk to thin it a little (1 raw egg is usually about 2oz of liquid, so just try to end up with around 4 oz of finished tofu/soy milk mixture), and beat it as smooth and lump-free as you can manage. I have found this to be a much better binder/texture provider than making flaxseed “eggs”. I’d also add maybe a teaspoon of baking powder with the flour, if you want to try for a slightly less dense texture.
These were amazing and easy. I have always done Alton Browns cocoa brownies and while good, these are better. (and easier) I had so much fun making them. I need better chocolate next time, but Bakers worked fine as that was what I had on hand. I need to get out of the kitchen or I am going to eat them all!
Yes, totally agree. Brownies have to be refrigerated at least. Anything that is cakey doesn’t deserve to call itself a brownie.
I have a 6 month old who naps exactly 40 mins… where did your baby recipes go? I started my son on solids and wanted to try your baby food recipes..
Alas, I had the same thing happen with these brownies…and definitely added the flour…they were rich and tasty, but never fully set up right even after 45 minutes in the oven. More fudgey. I did use a glass pan, maybe that added to the problem. But I have made every other brownie recipe of yours, as well as several dozens of the other recipes, and usually have no problems…this one didn’t quite come together as well for me. Oh well, as I said, a tasty experiment none-the-less!
Sorry if this has been asked elsewhere — but what brand of butter do you use?
Aside from wanting-to-be-like-cooking-guru-Deb-in-every-way curiosity, they’ve recently stopped my selling my favorite brand at my store and I’m looking for a good substitute.
Your tot is a-dor-able. “Pig-sketti” — he kills me. And makes me want to cook up some pasta with pancetta?
Ayanah — I use a range of brands, generally, whatever I can get — right now I have Whole Food’s 365 store brand in the fridge, plus Plurga (it was on sale!) and then a small amount of some local fancy cultured stuff for toast. I will say, though a more polite person would keep this to themselves, that after most of a lifetime (my mom used it too) of using Land O’Lakes, I stopped when a reader pointed me to the ingredient of “natural flavorings,” which irked me as butter has never needed any flavoring, “natural” or otherwise, to be good.
shalini — They’re still here but I stopped making baby food very soon after I started as he took quickly to solids.
creed — Absolutely.
Great brownies! LOVE one-bowl recipes. My boyfriend declared them his favorite thing I’ve ever baked–praise he does not pass out lightly. (For the chocolate debate: I used Ghiradelli and they were great.) Two things: 1. I split the difference between table and Maldon salt and used a scant (read: flicked some out) 1/2 tsp of Kosher salt–they were a touch salty, but in the best possible way. 2. These took closer to 45 minutes to finish baking. No idea why, but they did get there without getting dried out.
Oh, and I promptly ate three and half (of sixteen). Yum!
I just made these, and they’re great, but the tops of mine are very crunchy and brittle, and much lighter in color than the rest of the brownie and your picture. Weird. I didn’t overcook them, the insides are still chewy and soft. This tends to happen when I make brownies, I wonder what it is?
Thanks Deb for the reply,planning to make them once again!Glad you shared the recipe.
These look AMAZING! Just for future reference: in the UK unsweetened chocolate is also called cooking chocolate, which can be found at any supermarket :) We might also be able to use 100% cocoa chocolate?
I made these last night and they were YUMMY! It resembles a recipe I first saw published by the well-known NYT food writer and cookbook and book author M– B–. However, no matter how many times I made his recipe, I was never completely satisfied. They were too soft, too greasy, and often had to be eaten with a spoon. These however, these are perfect. With 50% more chocolate, a little more sugar, and a little more flour, you’ve somehow found the perfect balance to make the perfect brownie.
I saw people asking about glass vs. metal pans. I used a glass pan lined with aluminum foil, used the regular oven temp, and baked them for 26 minutes and they were perfect.
I thought I was the only person that loves my brownies frozen! When I was in college, my roommate made your baked brownie, spiced up but accidentally doubled the amount of chipotle powder, which made for some very spicy brownies. She put them in the freezer with the intent of making mole sauce with them, but instead I single-handedly ate those spicy brownies right out of the freezer every time I walked by. That’s when I fell in love with frozen brownies. Now, when I make brownies, I leave half out and put half in the freezer. I’m going to have to try these frozen, they seem so easy and delicious!
Ah, the 40 minute nap… a beast I know well! What’s with short napping babies choosing to only sleep for 40 minutes? Just the perfect amount of time to catch up on cleaning the kitchen OR have a cup or tea and relax, but not enough time for both. Frustrating!
I’ve been trying to decide on a good birthday dessert for myself, and I think these brownies and some ice cream sound like the perfect thing for the upcoming weekend. :)
Hi Deb,
Aside from the fact that my oven is iffy on temp, and I think my brownie pan LIES (I think it’s more like 7×7 instead of 8×8), necessitating a longer bake time, these came out great.
However, they were a tad greasy. I mean, brownies usually are, but I felt like these were more buttery than I’d like. Do you think it’d hurt anything if I held back a tablespoon or two of the butter?
Other than that they were FAB and my ideal brownie!!
Update: this morning I noticed that my brownies (which took 45 min to bake last night) never fully baked in the middle–they set, but are kind of fudgy. Would love to know if anyone comes up with a fix to get them more brownie-like throughout. The edge ones were fantastic! (Don’t get me wrong, I like fudge, but I love brownies more.)
Oh, thank you. As a mother of a seventeen month old insomniac and a deep lover of all things started and completed in under 40 minutes, your post made me cry in my coffee this morning knowing that someone, somewhere shares my degree of sleeplessness and penchant for bittersweet chocolate.
You have a wicked, wicked power. Basically, you post it, I make it. Your photos and descriptions have a power of suggestion that cannot be overcome, and I must have it RightNowOrAsSoonAsIGetHome. You posted it on Monday and I made it Monday night, even though I was dead tired and fell asleep right after they came out of the oven. My husband thanks you.
I made these last night – and while I enjoyed them….I had 5 kids tried them, and unfortunately they did not. It was the use of the sea salt flakes. They didn’t like tasting any salt in the brownies and said – eww…I’m crunching on pieces of salt. I didn’t mind the taste…but just fyi if you’re making them for kids.
Deb…you did it again. You had me dancing around the kitchen declaring “Yes! This is the best recipe ever!!!” while simultaneously shoving a decadent brownie in my mouth. It has been a smittenkitchen summer here in my apartment (thanks for so many tasty treats!) and I am counting the days until I can buy your cookbook! I have to confess I added chocolate chips to my brownie batter, though – my husband thinks that all chocolate desserts must be laced with them!
The easiest and most rewarding home-made brownies I’ve found yet. Very chocolaty, but without the heavy feeling afterward, I’ll be making these again, real soon!
These are a revelation. I’ve been posting for a year and have 0 brownie recipes. Despicable. Time to make my first post and I’m starting with this recipe: straight-up, no nonsense OG brownies. Thank you!
Can I double the recipe and put in a 9 x 13 pan?
I owned a bakery back in my day and my most popular item was the fudge brownie and this is more or less the EXACT recipe I used. Completely pure ingredients, no fillers needed. The.Perfect.Brownie. So glad to know you appreciate it as much as I do!
I made these last night, and they were great! I love how the whole thing comes together so quickly–no need to use boxed mixes anymore!
So I feel like I’ve been talking about these brownies for the last few days, first on Monday when Molly (comment 85) and I discussed, then later when I discussed with a co-worker who loved them but also had the soupy problem Molly mentioned. Yhus I had to make mine last night in scientific inquiry and had no problems, and I love them–I love how very chocolatey they are and how dense and un-cakelike in texture. I’m also intrigued that you made them with cocoa flour in the past–there is so little flour it’s interesting to me that the substitution still worked out. I like adding a bit of espresso powder to brownies too, though I think that is because so many are not as chocolately as desired. As you say, these need no such adornments. Thanks for this recipe, it’s a keeper!
Ilove these brownies ! Thank u for recipe ;)
My husband loves the Costco pre-mixed brownies in the box. He is nuts for them. I am going to make these and blow his mind! He just might decide there is nothing better than “his wife’s brownies” ha ha!!! The pictures you took are delicious looking! I can’t wait to make these. Thank you for sharing :)
This is a wonderful recipe (too bad I couldn’t read through it without pop-up Mitt Romney ads getting in the way every other minute)!
These are nearly identical to the brownies my mom made and that I’ve been making now for decades (her recipe calls for 2 oz. of chocolate and 1 C. of sugar but everything else is the same). More chocolate couldn’t be bad! I will try it next time.
Made these last night with Ghiradelli chocolate. They were super easy and came out perfect. I love a simple chocolate dessert. They will definitely be my goto brownie recipe now. Your everyday chocolate cake is also a favorite. Can’t wait for your cookbook, hopefully Seattle is on the tour list.
Yum yum! And the time is just right. On a personal note, my Jacob was the same about sleep (at 11, he’s still not that interested in it). The good news is that his younger sister was the opposite. Hang in there!
Fool proof yumminess. That’s what this is.
Made these last night– I love it when I already have all the ingredients for one of your recipes– and they were indeed very quick! Especially for those of us with a scale. My girlfriend, who is very picky about brownies and has never liked any that I’ve made (including your cocoa brownies), adored these. I thought they were a little too sweet and will try using less sugar next time.
P.S. – Looking at your photos I realize my brownies only turned out half as thick as yours. Any ideas as to why? I used an 8×8 pan.
i have been making your “one bowl brownies” (http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2007/08/alexs-choice/) for months now and i’ve labeled them in my recipe collection, “best brownies.” everyone loves them, so thank you! mmm…brownies!
This looks wonderful – I have ALSO been really craving brownies recently, and will probably bake this version as soon as possible. Your blog is always such a pretty (and delicious) place. Last night I made your peach pie recipe for my grandmother’s birthday, and it turned out beautifully, so thank you!
I just wanted to let you know that in the past couple of weeks I have made several of your recipes but the most important one was the russian black bread. I earned MAJOR brownie points with my in-laws when I baked it for them and sent them back into childhood bliss. Thank you! All the recipes I have tried like the delicious peach pie, apple sharlotka and chocolate babka have come out ridiculously delicious. Please add more russian recipes….I might be able to become the favorite daughter in law! LOL :)
Wow. I just made these with my 5 year old daughter and they are amazing! Sweetened perfectly with 1 extra ounce of unsweetened chocolate. We are going to make another batch tomorrow for her new kindergarten teacher. (They don’t call them brownie points for nothing…..)
DYING over reading this brownie recipe : my favorite brownies” .. making them tonight and taking them to girl’s night tomorrow! Just wanted to give you a head’s up that you’ve written “line an 8×8” twice in your recipe instructions! I, too, am a food blogger and can’t stand when nobody tells me of my strange typos! hope all is well, and thanks again so much for all you post… it’s truly inspiring! x
Just made these, never buying boxed brownies again.
Thanks!
P.S.,
They worked beautifully at 8,000 feet.
Those look delicious, can’t wait to try them! My husband and I definitely understand a child with lack of sleep around here. We have a 4 year old who very, VERY rarely sleeps through the night (we are talking about 5 times a year).
Hi Deb,
If you’re still reading comments, I have a question I’m hoping you (or one of your readers) might be able to answer. I made these today, and I had the opposite problem from those that got a goopy result. My brownies turned out really cakey. I used brown sugar because that was all I had on hand, and I only used 1 cup of it to dial back the sweetness factor. I can’t imagine the brown for white sugar swap mattered, but could it be that omitting that 1/3 c of sugar was what caused the cakey texture? I’m not an experienced baker and have no idea how these things work! Thank you!
I just put this recipe into the oven. The batter was amazing. So thick and dense. It smoothed out really well and had a nice glossy chocolately color. I cannot wait to try these as they come out of the oven. This is my first time using unsweetened chocolate too. I’ve had some sitting around for a while now and I’m super excited to have found a new recipe for it. I plan to eat this with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Delicious!
Love these brownies. Definetly trying this. I sware by cinnamon and nutmeg in all my baking, wonder if they would make these taste better than they already look!
Keep it yummy,
The Princess
Dear Deb,
Those are the best brownies ever. The best brownies in the whole wide world. In the whole universe. They are a “tuerie intergalactique” (I can’t translate that into English proprely, pardon my French, but it basically means that those are to kill/die for). I was already in love with your cheesecake marbled brownies, and was super happy when I saw your receipe for simple brownie, recipe that it so easily and quickly done for such an amazing result. Thank you!!
No chance at all, I guess, that you’ll come over to Europe (Belgium please! We have the best chocolate and beer in the world! And French fries are actually Belgian!) for your book I guess (I already ordered it on Amazon)?
Hey Deb!
These look amazing. Unsweetened chocolate [99%/100% cacao] is nonexistent here. Do you think I can make these with unsweetened-chocolate-substitute [1 oz unsweetened chocolate = 3 tablespoons cocoa + 1 tablespoon oil- that’s what America’s Test Kitchen’s Chris said in one of the shows]?
Because there are no other chocolates in here and it’s the main chocolate flavor, I don’t want to risk it.
Oh, and you accidentally double wrote “Line an 8×8-inch Line”.
Thanks!
I just ate some of these. They were delicious. I baked them at 350 right around 23 minutes. 25 probably would’ve been better. They were just a little underdone but paired well with the ice cream. The top was a little bit crispy but not too sweet at all.
Is it possible to double the recipe for a 9×13″ pan? I have a Pyrex version and while I have all the ingredients at home, I draw the line at buying a new pan in order to make brownies. Also, if I’m using Pyrex, should I lower the baking temp?
Made these brownies last night and they were lovely.
For UK-based readers, You can get 100% cocoa chocolate from Willie’s cacao (of Channel 4(?) TV show fame). Available online or here are a list of stockists (including Waitrose): http://williescacao.com/fine-chocolate/products/
Thanks for the weight measurements – makes me (as a UK-based baker) very happy!
My son also never napped longer than 40 minutes ; ). The first time he napped for 2 hours I went in to check if he was breathing. Now he’s four and still sometimes wakes up at night, just to check if we’re there.
The brownies look great, btw.
made these last night, and we absolutely loved them. they were perfect for our taste… dense without being too dense, moist without being greasy, very chocolatey. this will be my go-to brownie recipe from now on… thank you!
Amazing! Made two batches in two days. One for the family and one for work. My coworkers are in chocolate heaven!
There is no such thing as too many brownie recipes. Especially when they’re dense and fudgy like these! Fudge brownies are the best! :]
Oh my … this is amazing. I dont bake a lot but when I saw your brownies I had to make them. I made it with wallnuts on the top. I sooo love your webside all that beautiful photoes make me eat all that with my eyes I so wish I could do it all :D Thank you verrrry much. Best wishes from Poland.
Loved these. Couldn’t find unsweetened chocolate at the corner shop, but they came out great with 85% Green & Black’s, with the sugar reduced to a cup. Also, I totally agree on the temperature thing. I liked these much better the next day at room temp (true confession: for breakfast), and fridge or freezer brownies rule.
You cannot go wrong with a perfect brownie recipe. This one looks lovely!
I made them, but for some reason they cam eout with a texture similar to cake.. not moist or fudgy… could it be something i did wrong? Perhaps, instead of folding in flour..is it b/c I whisked it too much? I liked the flavor just not the texture I got.. and I know its me since everything else I try on yoru site is amazing!
These look so good! I know what I’m baking today… or begging someone else to make for me!
I have an almost 18 mo old who is not a good sleeper. Hasn’t slept through the night…….yet. So thank you for this because sometimes we moms need to hear we are not alone.
And now we are off to make some brownies!
I am wondering what is the best way to store chocolate, if there is a good way? The store that carries the best cocolate is a long, painful drive from here and when I get over there I’d like to buy a lot. If it can’t be successfully stored, I’d like to know that too, and I’ll just make the trip more often. Thanks for another great recipe. And, oh, I WILL be putting toasted pecans in them! It’s a Texas thing.
MaryM — Just a cool, dry place. I actually keep mine in the living room, because my kitchen gets too hot in the winter. Yes, I said winter. Living in an old NYC building is just weird.
Bunny — I haven’t tried it but ATK is a pretty reliable source of cooking information so it’s definitely worth giving a spin to. Thanks.
Jen — I can’t say for sure. Sometimes overbaking can make things cakier. Sugar does in fact add moisture, too, so a little less could leave the brownies less moist.
My family called these “Cross Ranch Brownies” because we used to make them all the time during the summers we spent on our cattle ranch in North Dakota. I can still remember whipping up a batch in a particular red enamel bowl (that I still use) in about 1960 while listening to the radio soap opera that came on about 11AM every day. We could only get one radio station (KFYR) that broadcast from Bismarck, ND…while eating these fabulous treats for dessert at our midday meal (“dinner” in ranch parlance),we listened to the hog, cattle, and wheat futures report on the same station! The brownies are just as totally yum-a-licious as I remember them. Thanks, SK for reminding me! P.S. the batter is the best for licking too…
MMM! Nothing better than hot brownies. Love this simple recipe.
Made these last night to share with friends today. LOVE!! I have made a lot of brownies in my life, but these are amazing & EASY! With a seven month old, easy always wins over, but for them to taste amazing, also – FANTASTIC! Thank you for the recipe!
My friend made these and let me have 1 bite of one today and I immediately rushed home to bake them. They’re in the oven now and smell amazing! The perfect way to end another long day in the first week back in grad school. Thank you as always for your amazing recipes!
P.s. please please please come to Dallas (or Ft Worth) on your book tour! Pretty much everyone in my grad department has pre-ordered the cookbook and we’re waiting excitedly to see if you’re coming to our area!
By unsweetened chocolate do you mean 70% cocoa solids or more?
(From an English baker lost in translation)
Jessica — Unsweetened has no sugar, 100% or 99% chocolate. Sorry, I’d thought before I shared this recipe that it was available everywhere. It’s considered the standard baking chocolate here, or seemed to be when I was growing up.
YES! Making these as soon as I click submit for this post.
They are almost as easy as the water and chocolate way of making mousse! :)
The woman who was wondering how to make these without butter might want to try using refined coconut oil instead of extra virgin, if coconut-chocolate brownies don’t appeal to her. It’s pretty much completely odorless and tasteless.
I think coconut-chocolate sounds pretty good, though.
I think I’ve read that you care about typos….
you have: “Line an 8×8-inch Line an 8×8-inch square…”
and: “…with parchment, exentending….”
instead of: “…with parchment, extending….”
Hi Deb. I baked up a batch of these this afternoon and they were simply delish! The kids and hubby loved them. I cooked them in an 8×8 glass baking dish and they took longer than the time stated on the recipe. They took 40 minutes in my oven but were still moist and chewy. I also threw in 1 cup of bittersweet Ghirardelli chocolate chips, (because were are chocoholics in my house) and they were perfect! These along with Robert’s absolute brownies are my now my top 2 favorite brownie recipes. Thanks for another great recipe Deb!
I ate these for dinner last night and they were perfection! Even better when they had fully cooled down this afternoon! I will be using this recipe often. Takes two minutes more than boxed brownies and the result is two million times better!
Weekend baking project, check! Thanks Deb! :)
Well, your favorite brownies are now my favorite brownies too. Thanks to this recipe, last night I was able to banish my crummy mood within 45 minutes, and before 9pm! I miraculously had all the required ingredients on hand, including exactly 3 oz. of unsweetened chocolate. Thanks for making my evening!
cool – these are my favorite brownies too, been making them for years! (we add a little chunked white and dark chocolate (cause no such thing as too much chocolate!)
Made them last night and they were AMAZING. Fiancee ate most of them. I used very dark brown sugar, because that’s all we had in and they were delish!
These were terrific. For those tempted to skip the parchment paper step, as I did: don’t! Deb, as always, knows what she’s talking about. These are so rich and fudgy that they are impossible to remove from the pan neatly without the parchment paper help. Alas, this meant that instead of freezing half the double batch I baked, we had to eat all of them in two days. Such difficulty.
These brownies look amazing. I hope I can find unsweetened chocolate though.
YUM! I made fresh whipped cream to sweeten them up a bit for the kids and I ended up topping mine, too!
I baked them in a glass pie plate (cut into triangles to serve) and had no problems.
“All of these things are good. None of them are needed.”
Many a cook could learn from this.
Thank You for an excellent blog.
Let me get this straight: you don’t post for two weeks, and then you post a brownie recipe basically taken straight from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. I used to be a huge fan of this site, but I’m so over it!!
@Marilyn, lots of blogs recycle and share content. Deb brings her own unique perspective, humor, and awesome photos to the recipes as well. Whether she’s tweaked it, invented it on her own, or is just presenting it as her favorite, I’m happy to have all these delicious recipes “bound” in one easy-to-access place. It would take years to work through all the delicious things in her archives. I’m definitely not “over it,” and because I don’t have the BH & G cookbook, I’m happy Deb shared these delicious and basic brownies. I’ve already made them twice since she posted them, they were so damn fine.
Kristen — Me too! Three days, if that. I got them done before speaking at an event last week; would otherwise not bother.
Marlon — Thanks, missed that.
Hi Marilyn — The ingredients in just about every single brownie recipe are chocolate, butter, eggs, flour and sugar. There are 2.6 million brownie recipes on Google alone. It is inevitable that two recipes (and from reading these comments, probably more) will match. It’s hard to argue that there’s anything new in the ingredient list of brownies. That doesn’t mean that there’s nothing left to say about them or that because this resembles another out there, that I decided (after six years of carefully researching the history of recipes and always giving credit when I’ve usen a recipe from elsewhere in part or whole) that I decided that this was the day I was going to start stealing things and passing them off as my own. What do I stand to gain?
The actual inspiration were the Baker’s back-of-the-box one bowl brownies I’ve been making since high school. (I discuss this in comment #32). However, I’ve have changed them so much over the years that not a single ingredient or instruction matches the original, making it a tad ridiculous to credit something that was nothing short of a starting point, 20 (sob!) years ago. The fact that after all of my changes, it matches other recipes I wasn’t aware of, is a testament to the fact that this is obviously a brownie recipe for the ages.
As for the two weeks bit, yeah, I know, I hate being away from here too. But the fact is that Smitten Kitchen is a single person operation (that’s me!) There’s no staff. I don’t have an assistant. Nobody reads or responds to my comments or emails for me, buys my groceries, edits my photos, etc. And from time to time, life — a toddler, family and the avalanche of planning that’s going into my cookbook’s launch/possible 14-city tour this fall and a ton of other stuff that is too boring to share, like where I was yesterday — makes it impossible for me to be here too. It happens. I try to avoid it. But it’s just the real life.
will do this at home.
Hi Deb these look very promising! but I tabbed through all 108 mentions of chocolate to try to figure out how to make these without access to unsweetened chocolate – Amy is right, there really is NO unsweetened version in Switzerland, even in the Lindt and Cailler factory stores, I’ve checked. Same seems to hold in most of continental Europe. So this is just a friendly suggestion to add an asterisk in the original post with a sugar sub adjustment recommendation and/or a link to your b&w heart brownies. Will try these tonight, thanks!
These are very similar to my mom’s brownies, so I know just how good they are. And you’re right, they need no adornment or embellishment. No bedazzling needed.
Deb-
Nice nails! Can never keep my hands done longer than 3 hours.
Brownies get a bad rap. They’re not fancy. They’re not hard. But, they’re so dang good.
I both love and loathe you for this recipe!! I made the yesterday, they were gone in less than 24 hours.
ps. your toddler is VERY cute.
I made these twice in two days. AMAZING and so fast. Thank you so much!
My kids called dibs on brownies from the first batch so I made a half-batch to have my own secret brownie stash. Half the batter, same pan — it made these wonderful, thin, slightly crispy/chewy brownie cookie things that I’m sure you could cut and make ice-cream sandwiches out of.
I only have semi sweet chocolate in the house… but I need to make these and live 30 min from the nearest chocolate source. Can I use semi sweet and cut some of the sugar? Or just make best cocoa brownies (have cocoa powder…)
?????
Wow, Marilyn. How lucky you must be to not have a life that gets in the way of other people’s desire to read a blog!
Deb, I had a quick question. I made these the other day, but I’ve been stupidly sick for 2 weeks. I was tired, feverish, and not paying attention. The brownies taste ok, but looked very, very light. Did I just add 2oz instead of 3oz of chocolate, like I think I must have done, or is there something else that could’ve caused that?
I’m pretty sure that’s what I did, but figured I’d ask the expert. Mine are more of a coffee-brown than that dark, rich looking brown you have.
Thanks!
Killian — I suppose the brand of chocolate could have an effect. My kitchen *is* dark which makes the chocolate look as dark as possible. But, it’s possible that you used too little chocolate. Do they taste chocolaty enough or like they could have more oomph? If the latter, it was probably too little.
casey — Sorry, just added a note up top too because other folks had asked.
Ah, read through the rest of the comments, neve rmind. :)
Baked these immediately upon seeing the recipe- I love it when I already have all the ingredients! Simple, but very delicious; I replaces sugar with granulated sweetener and had no unsweetened chocolate so I used semi-sweet bakers chocolate. Turned out delicious. Any suggestions for making them a bit fudgier next time? Not that they’re not moist, but I’m a goey brownie person, as opposed to a cake-kind.
Thanks for the recipe!
Pretty please with chocolate brownies on top come to Boston on your Book Tour???
Hi Deb! If I want to make these in a muffin/cupcake tin, how long will I need to bake them for? I don’t have a 8×8 baking tin :(
Selena — Sorry, I haven’t tried them in a muffin tin before. I’d start checking after 8 minutes or so.
I love these brownies, they are so chocolaty and rich tasting.
I take them when I go on a hike, they are perfect.
So we just moved to New Delhi, India a week ago. Our stuff isn’t here yet, my supplies were slim and we got invited to a potluck. I substituted bread flour for all-purpose and bourbon for vanilla. A revelation. Delicious, delicious and wonderful chewy texture. Thank you for the recipe that has won me new friends in a new place. You’ve done it again, as always!
Made these yesterday using 3oz of the 85% Dark chocolate Lindt bar that I had on hand and they were, truly, the best brownies. They had that perfectly shiney, thin top crust that you get from boxed brownies, a fudgy but chewy texture, and that deep chocolate flavor that you do not get from a box mix…but are as easy to make. (I’ve never made a box mix, so I’m assuming that the box mix is easy) I may increase the recipe by a third next time to get a thicker brownie. They are perfect without needing any additions, just as you said. Loved them!
Deb, I hear you on the sleeping thing… my daughter spent most of her early years awake.. she first started sleeping routinely through the night after 4… I was 40 and it was such a gift when she finally did and my energy reappeared into my life like an old friend; it was so great. I wish this for you! Enjoy all the moments, even when they are hard; they scoot by so fast.
Having the same trouble as Katy above with chocolate in the UK. The best I could find after three stores was 90% Lindt. Should I had something to make it darker, or use less sugar? I am having a taste testing tonight your vs my go to hummingbird frosted brownie recipe (but I never use the frosting – if it is frosted, it is cake as far as I am concerned)
I don’t know that any brownie could surpass your cocoa brownies, but I am certainly willing to give it a try! P.S. I also finally pre-ordered your cookbook! It’s been in my amazon cart for months, and yesterday I broke down and bought it along with a spaetzle maker. I thought you’d approve.
Two notes for those wondering about other kinds of chocolate and/or making them gluten-free:
*85% chocolate worked wonderfully. When adding the sugar to the melted choco & butter, I started with half a cup and kept tasting and adding in heaping tablespoons until it seemed sweet enough. For me, that ended up being about 2/3 cup sugar total.
*I made these gluten-free by just replacing the regular flour with an equal amount of almond flour.
With my above sugar-tweak and the flour sub I found I needed to bake these about 5 minutes longer. They turned out delectably dark and chocolatey. They were perhaps a tiny bit denser than regular brownies. But my favorite tip from Deb is to freeze them. Oh, my, they are so, so good that way! I kind of want to split them horizontally and make them into ice-cream sandwiches.
I tasted them again, and I’m pretty sure I skimped on the chocolate.
I just bought some Ghirardelli 72% and will try them again!
I’ve been hunting for the perfect brownie recipe. If this is your go-to recipe, I suspect it will become mine, too! Thanks, Deb.
Uh oh, I”m in trouble now! These are spot-on perfection! I thought I had the perfect brownie recipe already, but the chewiness, the ease and the pure chocolate flavor put these right at the top in my book! It will be hard to not go back for seconds and thirds tonight!
Amazing. You’ve done it again!
Admittedly, these are the first brownies I’ve ever made from scratch. And I’m pretty sure no other recipe will top these. Thanks for sharing!
THANK YOU! I have been saying for years that if a brownie needs frosting, you should look at what’s under the frosting. Because there is something wrong! By the way I adore your site and it makes me want to cook.
These were amazing and didn’t even last an hour!!! For sure my go to recipe for brownies….thank you thank you!!!
Oh my word, this is it! IT! THEM! YUM! I’ve tried to make homemade brownies tons of times before but they always come out like chocolate cake. Now, I LOVE chocolate cake as much as the next girl, but when a brownie is calling your name, cake just becomes a rude impostor bumping off the big show: BROWNIES! Why are these so much better? The use of REAL chocolate chunks? Very little flour-to-yummy-ingredients ratio? Awesome and really, they are too yummy and I think I’ve gained some delicious brownie poundage…
Oh my, I will have to try this recipe. I could just about gobble up the photos! Thanks for the recipe.
I loved these! The sea salt crunch is a wonderful surprise, and adding chocolate chips will make them even better next time. I’ve needed a from-scratch brownie recipe for a long time :) Thanks!
I just doubled the recipe and made it a 9×13 glass pan, lined with foil. They cooked for about 45 mins (I’m at 4500ft so that could be an issue). They were superb! My kids, and husband, gobbled them up and I hope I can manage to save a few for their lunches tomorrow. Confession: I just ate another. Sooo good. They were just the right amount of chewy without being gooey. And such a smooth chocolate flavor. I’ve always missed that from my former cocoa brownies. This was my first visit to your site, but I can see that I have a back log of recipes to try out. I’ll have to look into this cook book I’ve read about. Thank you so much!
I too made these with almond flour and froze them. I am on my second batch! Just amazing and so much cheaper and better than buying a gluten-free brownie mix.
These are almost exactly the recipe that I use! Its from Julia Child, the only differences are that your recipe is for half of hers, you use more flour and she uses a combo of unsweetened and bittersweet (although i only use unsweetened). So perfect!!
A friend is coming tomorrow and she has celiac disease so I thought I would try to make a gluten-free version of these. This was only my second attempt at GF baking and they turned out really well – if I do say so myself.
After reading some websites devoted to GF baking, I followed their advice and substituted the flour with 2/3 cup of King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour blended with about 1/3 tsp (I eyeballed it) of xantham gum, 1/2 tsp of baking powder and two good tablespoons of dried whole milk powder. The only thing I’d change for next time is to decrease the amount of sugar (they are a little sweet for my taste) – but the texture is fudgey and they have a great flavour.
Thanks for the recipe and the inspiration.
Sounded so good I chased down some unsweetened chocolate specially for this. Baked them, love them! Simple and pretty much perfect. Thanks for sharing this.
Deb – This is very similar to the Katherine Hepburn Brownies I have been making for years to near-universal acclaim.
One trick to cut down of dishes: Hepburn’s recipe has you make it all in a sauce pan, Just remove it from the burner after the unsweetened chocolate, butter and sugar have melted together. Then add the other ingredients, stir a few times and pour into your baking pan.
Then you will have “38 Minute Brownies”
Thanks for your great recipes!
These are really good! I couldn’t quite bring myself to spend £5 on a 200g bar of chocolate, so I used the cocoa/butter substitute that people have mentioned (3tbsp cocoa to 1tbsp butter melted together = 1oz unsweetened chocolate), which worked beautifully. They really are lovely and chewy-edged and not too sweet. Also, they improve immensely as they cool down. And they really did only take about 10 minutes to mix up (making the unsweetened chocolate is no trouble, you just put the 9tbsp cocoa and 3 tbsp butter that you need for the 3 oz unsweetened chocolate in a pan, add the stick of butter called for in the recipe, and melt it all together at the same time). Thanks so much for posting this.
Awesome looking brownies, your recipe looks delicious :)
Interesting! This recipe is just ~slightly~ different from my go-to family brownie recipe, and it makes me really curious to try it. We use 2 oz of bittersweet chocolate, slightly less sugar (1 cup), slightly less flour (1/2 cup), and add 1 tsp of baking powder. Everything else is the same, so I’m guessing our recipe is somewhat cakier (b/c of the higher ratio of egg and the add’l baking powder), and less chocolaty. Which makes me think I would ~love~ this variation. Must. Try.
I’m proud to say that I just pre-ordered the cookbook for a friend’s birthday :) And I am also keen to try these brownies wheat-free since there is only less than a cup of flour. I’ve started using oat flour and its tasty and light like wheat, not gritty like rice flour. Maybe I can take a nap while I’m baking them :)
My go-to brownie recipe is Martha’s double chocolate brownies from her Cookie cookbook. You whip the eggs and sugar for a long time before adding the rest of the ingredients…creating a meringue like crust on the very top…while the interior remains moist. Anyway…moral of that story is too many bowls and too much prep time when I’m in desperate brownie need. Just tried this recipe with a bit of skepticism last night and oh so good and simple! (Better today after sitting a bit…)
I made this recipe at the last minute while my father in law was staying with us this weekend. Absolutely brilliant and everything you said they were! Delicious and easy!
These are so good – really, the perfect brownie. The unsweetened chocolate + salt combination is fantastic. And I agree with #335 – the brownies improved (both taste and texture) after they cooled. Yum, yum, yum! These are definitely a keeper.
This recipe looks perfect for a quick snack to share with friends! Simple enough to make but seem like quite the crowd-pleaser.
Re: Coconut oil: I have recently started using coconut oil while cooking and baking, and love the results. It serves the same purpose as any other oil would, but it is a stable oil–something unique to only coconut oil. Other unstable oils break down when they reach high temperatures and turn into a substance that is not good for our bodies. Coconut oil, because it’s stable, doesn’t break down when it reaches high temperatures. Something to consider when picking your oils!
Brownie recipes are always favorites! This easy to make one is the best! Can’t wait to try it out!
The brownies look scrumptious!
I love the shirtless “pig sketti” photos of Jacob! He is so adorable!
I’ve made these twice in the past week, and they are really great. Perfectly chewy and chocolatey, with little bites of salt scattered throughout. I do think high quality chocolate and salt is key. The second time I did not butter the parchment paper, thinking they would for sure not stick. But they did, so I will butter away from now on. Thanks!
Deb, I have been reading your blog for years and happily cooking and baking your wonderful recipes. After making these lovelies this weekend for house guests, I am finally compelled to write you. These are THE.BEST.BROWNIES.EVER. Thank you for always making me the kitchen hero! My new husband loves me a little more for it I think! Congrats on your new book too…can’t wait to buy stacks for Christmas gifts! Keep up the delicious work!!
This undoubtedly is a keeper of a recipe. Just a tad different from the recipe I have been following for quite some time. And I enjoy my brownie without any adornment what so ever.
My god, it’s like bittersweet fudge.
My first attempt was with the recipe as posted, and it turned out the best brownies I’ve ever tasted. I’ve worked with unsweetened chocolate before, but this recipe had such a perfect ratio of sugar to chocolate that it was almost hard to process the flavor.
My second attempt saw only the smallest changes. I melted the chocolate and butter together, as prescribed, but included freshly scraped vanilla bean with them. I allowed them to melt together for about ten minutes, so as to extract some of that flavor from the vanilla. I also used one egg and two additional yolks, to make the brownies even richer. And I used coarse sea salt so there would be little pellets of crunchy saltiness in the sea of chocolate. They turned out great.
Fantastic recipe as usual, smitten kitchen.
Finally, a homemade brownie recipe that’s not too sweet or too greasy or too dry. Thank you!
I’m curious as to the function of the parchment paper – I see someone else commented that the brownies will stick without it . Well, if that is the case, then perhaps I’m not using it correctly. I’ve only used parchment paper before on a cookie sheet when the recipe said the cookies would stick.
I found the parchment paper very difficult to work with in a pan – it didn’t fit right, it didn’t stay down in the pan, it made the batter difficult to spread throughout the pan and I think it contributed to the brownies baking unevenly. The brownies themselves were very good, as uneven in thickness as they were.
Is there a correct way to use the parchment that I’m missing? I’m just wondering, since I thought the recipe itself was very tasty, very chocolatey, but I felt like I was fighting the parchment putting the batter in the pan.
I enjoyed this recipe along with some others, so thank you!
Jay — Parchment paper is nonstick (coated with silicon) which does make it pesky to keep in pans without it moving. I usually press it in and make firm creases at the inner edges/corners with my nail or an edge or something. Then, when I fill the pan, it’s easier to shift it back into position. If you trust your pans (maybe they’re nonstick?) that you’ll get the brownies out without the parchment, with just buttering, you can skip this step. It’s just supposed to make it easier. You can also use foil, as Susan mentioned, but you’ll want to butter it too.
Learned a trick from the King Arthur flour cookbook — even though I don’t like theirr their brownie recipe. If you stir the flour into the chocolate and butter mixture, it’s faster, and you don’t run the risk of a few unmixed lumps of flour in your batter.
For the vegans/lactose-free/egg allergic out there, here is my failsafe vegan brownie recipe. Tastes amazing, and not one person in the years I have been making it has turned their nose up at it being vegan – and EVERYONE asks for the recipe!
150g unsalted “butter”, chopped
1x 200g block dark chocolate (vegan/no milk solids), chopped
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1x 395g can soy sweetened condensed milk
Grease a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan. Line the base and 2 long sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above edges of pan.
Combine butter and chopped chocolate in a pan. Stir over low heat until melted.
Place flour, sugar, condensed milk, coconut and chocolate mixture in a bowl and mix well, spread mixture into prepared pan.
Cook in moderate oven (180 degrees celcius) for 25 mins, or until lightly browned. Do not over cook. COOL SLICE IN PAN! (If you are too eager, the slice cracks).
Remove from pan when cool and cut to desired size. Personally, I’d just take a knife and fork to it…
As an American living in London, I was surprised when I first arrived at my inability to buy unsweetened chocolate here (when Waitrose doesn’t carry it you know you’re SOL)! Now I stock up on chocolate chips everytime I go back to the US. Katy, thanks for the cocoa + butter tip, I can finally make brownies again!!
Jay, comment 351: Spray your pan with non stick spray before you put down the parchment so it will have something to help the parchment cling to the pan. I measure an 8 inch width of parchment on the roll and crease it to aid in cutting it straight, then crease the bottom where the sheet meets the sides of the pan, just to keep the edges square You can fold the excess under each side level with the lip of the pan or cut the excess off..whatever is easier for you. The parchment is used so you can lift the brownies out of the pan more easily so you can cut them cleanly. You could use foil instead but grease the foil before adding the batter.
it looks delicious, and I would love to make these brownies. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen the chocolate before, I could not wait to make it ….
Oh wow. I made these yesterday and I honestly don’t know why you’ve bothered to try any other recipe.
I’m going to get another one now.
Deb & Susan,
Thanks so much for your explanations, they are very helpful. I will just have to make another batch now that I should be able to use the parchment more effectively. No one will be complaining about that, that’s for sure!
Thank you SO much for this recipe. It’s truly the best brownie I’ve ever had. All previous recipes I’ve tried have left me disheartened to the point of wanting to buy boxed mixes, which I never do. My search for the perfect brownie is happily over.
Kathleen:
I live at 8000 feet, and these worked perfect at altitude. They don’t use baking powder or soda, so you are good to go. Oh, and they are SO good.
I’ve made these three times now in since you’ve posted, and have it scheduled for another two batches tonight! It is amazing. Previously I’ve been pretty committed to Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies as my ‘go to’ brownie recipe, but this comes together so much faster and with fewer steps; I’ve practically got the recipe memorized. I highly recommend using good french salt in place of table salt… it makes them sing!
Also, I ran out of AP flour for the second batch, and tried bread flour. They were ok but not as chewy (weirdly) and the salt stuck out way too much. So just a heads up for anyone who might try that substitution – it’s worth running to the store for more AP flour! :)
So excited to try these! I’ve been on the hunt for a go-to fantastic brownie recipe–I think I know what I’ll be baking this weekend.
Hi Deb,
Long time lurker but these brownies made me come out of the shadows. Have already made these twice this week and everyone says they are the best. ever. They rhapsodize unnecessarily and unsolicited about the perfect hint of sea salt after the fabulous richness.
Have always loved baking but Betty Crocker brownies always seemed to be an amazing product for a box and scratch brownies seemed like too much work in comparison. I was so so wrong. These are so super easy and infinitely better.
Thanks for the great story, photos, and recipe. I really appreciate your work.
Some notes for anyone who’s looking: Trader Joe’s unsweetened chocolate is a bargain and great quality. My second batch even had fat bloom and was still perfect. Parchment paper was super helpful for me. Just buttering made it really hard to get out (probably because I had to cut them warm from the oven and a bit underdone). Nutella makes an easy, delicious icing for anyone who feels like they need one.
these brownies are evil
chewy and chocolatey and crunchy from the 3 oz. of roughly chopped pecans that i added
for the brits: i used Green & Black’s organic baking chocolate (72%) – should be available everywhere
3 oz. of chocolate is just perfect
my previous attempts to cook brownies were nice enough but too cakey – boring
thank y?u
ps i used silicon heart shaped muffin molds as i didn’t have an 8 x 8 pan
i worried about them ending up dry but they were totally chewy and dense and they popped out fine with just a little butter in the bottom
these are just as easy as the best cocoa brownies–i melted the butter in the microwave and man, they are so simple. yummy, too!
oh yeah and i did not use parchment paper or foil–just pam in a disposable foil pan.
Absolutely perfect.
I’ve never made a truly delicious brownie until now.
Thanks so much!
I will be baking them often.
Soooo yummy.
These were WONDERFUL! Thanks so much for sharing. Even though I hadn’t made it before I brought it to an event because your recipes are so consistently good.
Like another reviewer, I found the parchment paper cumbersome. Instead, I greased and floured the pans with perfect results. My only change to the recipe might be to use less sugar- personal preference only.
Another UK baker here who found that Lindt 85% chocolate produced a fantastic result – according to my family and workmates.
I added pecans (just because I love them in brownies) and used wholemeal flour – does that mean they are healthy? ;-)
P.S. Deb, just ignore trolls like Marilyn that don’t appreciate you!!!
Hi Deb. I had the same problem as Molly above…soupy after 45 min of baking, even though I followed the directions exactly. I even compensated for the high altitude (I’m in Santa Fe, NM). Such delicious flavor, but more like a souffle. Since there are four children eagerly waiting for chocolate goodness, I spooned the “brownies” out into bowls and added a giant scoop of fresh whipped cream. Still yummy, but I wonder what the heck happened?!?
Hi Julie — Sad to hear they didn’t work out. As I said to Molly, the only time I have ever had that experience, I’d forgotten the flour (it’s a small amount and added last; it’s easy to forget). I of course don’t know if that’s what happened in your kitchen, or if the altitude could have changed it in ways I don’t understand (having only cooked a sea level my whole life!).
I’m making these for the second time in two weeks. I’m very sad to say that my mum’s brownie standby (the Fry’s cocoa label recipe) topples before them. I don’t think I can ever go back.
First time around, these were plain. Tonight, I had some cream cheese-marmalade icing in the fridge, waiting around, so I whipped an egg in and made a swirl for the top of the brownies. They’re in the oven as we speak.
I made these brownies last night, and in honor of International Bacon Day, I folded in four cooked and chopped slices of sugar-cured, thick-cut bacon. I also added a vanilla bean to the batter (you can get them for fifty cents each at IndriVanilla’s website). I like the moistness of something on top of brownies, so I made a “ganache” of 1 c. milk chocolate chips, 3 T. bacon fat, and 3 T. butter. They are truly marvelous brownies, and this will now be my go-to recipe. I’ve been looking for one for over five years. Many thanks.
Deb — many brownie recipes equals much yumminess and much fun in the trying, but let’s be clear — this is the Holy Grail of brownie recipes. After DECADES of dancing with dozens of brownie recipes, all kinds of brownies, I think it’s time for me to stop flirting, as much fun as flirtation is, and commit to this recipe (not to say that I might not dabble in variations occasionally…tee hee). And interestingly enough, this recipe is much closer to the brownies that I too baked in high school. I actually think the significant aspects of the recipe are the unsweetened chocolate, for the depth of chocolate flavor, and the amount of sugar, which provides the chew-factor. If chewy is what one wants (and it’s always what I want), this is no place to cut back on sugar.
I baked these yesterday to bring out to a country house weekend. My dessert audience of family and friends has been eating my homemade desserts for many years, including tons and tons of brownies from different recipes.
EVERYONE, including my cousin, self-appointed co-chocolate afficionado along with myself, agreed that these were the BEST EVER. THE crunchy edges, chewy texture, and dark, bittersweet chocolate flavor just hit the brownie craving place like no other recipe quite has. We had them with a homemade nectarine sorbet — heavenly combination. Thanks so much for this!
WOW is all I can say! These brownies are the best brownies I have ever made. I thought they were delicious, simple and easy – and the results were absolutely fantastic. We had them last night warm out of the oven with ice cream on top and then I refrigerated them overnight and had some for breakfast – they were dense, fudgy and cold. These brownies really are very fudgy. I used a 4 oz bar of Ghirardelli unsweetened chocolate (available at my local grocery store). I did not feel like having an extra 1 oz of unsweetened chocolate laying around. I just can’t get over how incredibly easy these were – I love that they only take 1 bowl, no mixer, and come together so quickly and easily. With regards to the parchment paper discussion above, I did use parchment paper and it makes things so much easier and less clean up. I just sprayed the parchment paper with Pam before putting it into the pan and I found the weight of the batter helped keep the parchment paper in place. THANK YOU DEB!
I’d just about decided that I don’t like brownies (crazy, I know) when I found your recipe. And all I can say is, wow and thank you!
These are just amazingly good, and now I have a new problem – how to stop eating every last one. Can’t wait to make them again, thanks Deb!
Looks great. This recipie looks like your recipie for everyday chocolate cake. It is very simple, no need hours to do it, and I hope, is deliciouse.
Regards
i came across this recipe and had a burning desire to make brownies instantly. so i did. but oh no!! i just poked my head in the oven and they look.. BIZARRO! i have no idea what i did wrong. was it the whole-wheat flour? i will have to read through the instructions again. they’re definitely not cooking right. and the top looks very pale while when i poke a toothpick in it’s dark in the middle.
huff, i really wanted brownies tonight.
I finally found what I have been searching for….your brownie recipe. They are fabulous and turned out great! My husband could not stand waiting until they baked, as they smelled so wonderful. Your recipe only makes four brownies, unfortunately! Too bad. We could have used a dozen more.
the other night my wife was looking for something to make and I pointed her at this recipe. the brownies were awesome! my suggestion: make a double batch, I will EAT HALF THE BATTER! :D
These are basically the Fanny Farmer brownie. I’ve been making them since I was 13 or so and have never found a better brownie recipe either. They are what I think a brownie should be.
Thanks for the recipe. They were delicious. I had to freeze them like you suggested so I wouldn’t eat them all in one day. I now love frozen brownies.
Although I regard myself to be an accomplished brownie baker, these have to be some of the best! Regarding the whole “sticking to the pan” issue, I did what my mother taught me: butter the pan and “flour” the pan with cocoa powder. No sticking -ever- with brownies! I think she won some prize from the Seattle Times in the 1960’s for submitting that cooking tip…. evidently everyone didn’t read it! I used a Pyrex 12×7 Pan and made a recipe and a half (okay, omitting 2 T. of butter and decreasing the sugar by a tad). That was last night….it’s “pre-dinner time” now and the pan is, uh, again available!
Oh, and they baked in 30 minutes… They were a bit thicker due to the pan size. I sprinkled one end with some semisweet chocolate chips and the other end with some dark choc. chips, leaving much do it “bare” for comparison’s sake. None of the chips really enhanced the brownies… save the chips for something else!
Brownies is my favourite dishand i never miss to eat at every weekend.
Perusing and found these. HAD to make. YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the recipe!
These are killa! Made em last night and had some for breakfast. YUM. I will be making these again.
I couldn’t stop my boyfriend from eating them all. We put them in the freezer and they were even better! How is that possible?! Delicious!
Hmm… I made these a couple weeks ago and they turned out perfectly. I just greased the pan, since they were only going to be eaten by my boyfriend and I. Tonight, I made them to take into work tomorrow and lined the pan with aluminum foil for easy removal. They’re a little soupy, although not as bad as some others have reported. I don’t think I did anything else differently and weighed all of my ingredients.
OK. I added 1/2 mini morsels to this. Don’t hate.
these came out beautifully a must keep recipe.
These are very similar to the Fanny Farmer brownies (from the 1960s edition that my mom had on her shelf), one of the first things I ever taught myself to make when I was 12! a true classic. So delicious and not at all cakey.
this looks a lot like my mom’s old brownie recipe, which is definitely the best brownie i’ve ever had…i think she got hers from a recipe on the unsweetened chocolate box she used to use. anyway, excited to try these!
The best brownies are made with real chocolate and butter. Yumm! I have never found a brownie recipe that I have truly fallen in love with. Hopefully this recipe will do the trick and be able to wow my taste buds.
Thank you!
I already commented above, but made these again and had to come back to report. Again, they were fantastic! But this time, I was it of granulated sugar but had to have brownies right now and didn’t feel like going to the store (I know you’ve been there!) so we made them with an equal amount of packed light brown sugar. They were equally as fabulous as they were with granulated with maybe the slightest hint of a butterscotch flavor, Delicious!
I have had a hankering for brownies myself and am so excited to try these. They look perfect. Grilling and pies be damned! Thanks for these :)
I made these last night and they were INCREDIBLE! Thank you, Deb! The flavors are so simple and the end product is exactly what a brownie is supposed to taste like. One co-worker thought they were a tiny bit chewy/undercooked (i know…ungrateful!), even though I let them go in the oven for awhile. Otherwise, not a soul who tried one could do anything but rave ;)
Thank you for these! No matter how many darn Brownie recipes there are in the world I keep trying new ones because I am incapable of making perfect brownies from scratch. I don’t know what the deal is. They are my kryptonite. I can bake anything else wonderfully. I’ll definately try these because they look like chewy goodness.
Also, it would be awesome if you came to Boston. I’m in Portland Maine and its just a train ride away.
It’s like Pandora’s box – now I know how to make a brownie where the scrumptiousness-to-prep-time ratio is way too high – and our family will never be the same again. Thank you!!!
PS – I had the same problem with the parchment paper curling up and thought it couldn’t hurt to butter the pan a little before putting the parchment on – then buttering the parchment. It worked!
Just wanted to leave a note to say I made these brownies a couple of days ago and they were delicious! Loved how quick it was (and, most importantly, the very minimal number of dishes to wash!) and especially the texture – I’m not a fan of really dense fudgey brownies, these were more cake-like and chewy which was perfect. Couldn’t find unsweetened chocolate so I used 70% and dialed down the sugar to 150g, found that was just the right amount for me. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh these are amazing. Tried them at – http://yumsiliciousbakes.blogspot.in/2012/09/one-bowl-chocolate-brownies. LOVE. This has gone into regular recipe rotation!
Thank you smitten kitchen. I made these yesterday and they turned out delicious. I substituted the sugar with dark brown muscavado sugar and it tasted fine. Next time, I might put in less sugar though.
Delicious… I made them with pumpkin puree instead of butter, a few extra squares of chocolate, and two egg whites instead of a whole egg. They turned out fudgy and moist… my favourite recipe so far!
Perfect brownies! I followed the recipe to a T and they are scrumptious. Thank you!!!!
Lovely recipe, and I can’t wait to try it out!
For the other UK readers, the equivalent of the US unsweetened chocolate squares would be to substitute 3tbsp unsweetened cocoa + 1tbsp cooking oil or shortening (e.g Trex over here) and melt together. multiply as needed for each 1oz square or unsweetened chocolate the recipe calls for.
Hi Deb, not sure if you check these comments after you post… I thought I had a great brownie recipe until I tried these – but two friends asked me about the salt. It’s quite prominent and I didn’t add it all. Can I leave it out altogether?
rollie — I always read comments! You can of course leave out the salt. You can also use less. I think salt is helpful in balancing the sweetness of baked goods, but here there is a touch extra, intentionally. A little less would be closer to a normal brownie. Enjoy.
For any europeans reading: you can get ghirardelli unsweetened chocolate on iherb.com quite cheaply.
Thank you Deb! I’ve been reading and following your recipes for a while now and so far everything has been simply wonderful! These brownies are perfect, and really great for a beginner like me. My dad devoured the first piece and immediately asked for more, which is a first when it comes to my cooking creations. Lovely!
made them. *burp* ate them all. thanks! they were wonderful!
These are amazing! Love the amount of salt and I totally agree about eating them cold – so much better!!
Is this recipe taking anyone else a ton longer to bake? I thought I had a hot oven, but these have taken me about 40 minutes both times I’ve made them.
deb – i love so many of your recipes, but these have been made three times over the last two weeks… my excuse is that i’m tweaking and editing the recipe but really i’m just loving the many possibilities these offer in terms of chocolate/sugar/salt ratios!
I just made these and replaced half the butter with unsweetened applesauce. They are sooo good, and the applesauce gave them a silky texture. Your recipes have never failed me!
I made these brownies this past weekend. It was a long week and I was in desperate need of chocolate. Unfortunately, I had no clean glass bowls and did not feel like doing dishes (see “long week” comment above), so I opted for the microwave-the-chocolate-and-butter option in a microwave-safe plastic bowl. This was super fast and I have to say I was super impressed at how easy in general these brownies were to make. They were exactly what I needed :) I used a 6″x8″ pan, which made the brownies thicker and extended the baking time a little. However, it was totally worth it! I love nothing more than thick, fudgey brownies and that it is exactly what came out of the oven. Thank you so much for sharing this bad-week-saving recipe!
W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L! These were a hit at my college group. Loved not only the taste, but the ease of clean-up. For myself, I’ll probably scale back on the sugar purely because of personal preference. There’s no doubt I’ll definitely make these again though.
With three teenage sons I can never seem to make enough brownies. As a brownie connoisseur I am always looking for new recipes and ways to do things better. This is my new favorite recipe. I am going to make a ton of these to take to the bonfire this weekend!
I’ve made these (again) with oatmeal flour this time. I’m slightly wheat intolerant :) Can’t wait to try them. Thank you smittenkitchen for generously sharing your recipes. x
Can one double the Favprite Brownies recipe? 16 is never enough for our gatherings…..
I am a brownie addict and was sure I had the best recipe; however, the use of bakers squares instead of cocoa intrigued me. I am a convert! These are the best and I love how simple it was!
After reading the recipe I knew I had to try these brownies. I had everything I needed already in the house – Bonus!!! They tasted amazing. Even my husband who doesn’t love sweets said they were yummy. Problem: they’re gone already. Must make more tonight. Question: it took longer than the suggested baking time to get a toothpick with no batter on it. When I finally took them out the middle was gooey and yummy, but the bottom was really hard – like difficult to cut with a knife kind of hard. Is that normal? Did I cook them too long? I used a metal 8 x 8 baking dish and had my oven on convection setting. I love the taste of these, so I’m really inspired to get them right! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Help please! . .hi, followed favourite Brownies recipe but mine is just a ‘gooey’ mess
Hi Deb :) I am from Denmarn, and I have tries some of your recepies with graet succes! (for an example: your best cocoa brownies were out of this world amazing!!!) I really, really want to make these brownies but I cannot get my hands om unsweetend chocolate only 85 % cocoa. Can I make these brownies with a chocolate with 85 % cocoa, or would you sugges i make an diiferent brownie recepie?
Keep up your good work :)
Cecilie
I just read some of the comments and have two things to say. 1) These are delicious, and 2) Marilyn needs a life.
I know the rules say to check out other comments so as to avoid redundancy, but that’s a whole lot of comments on brownies. I did skim them, and don’t think this idea has been introduced. Discovering your bourbon affinity today led me to posting this tonight.
My grandmother’s brownie recipe is similar to this one, but more closely resembles Laurie Colwin’s “Katherine Hepburn” brownie recipe. This twist is also my grandmother’s.
Immediately after taking the brownies out of the oven, slowly drizzle bourbon over the hot brownies, stopping when the brownies no longer absorb the bourbon immediately. (Ok, I have poured a little bit more than that on occasion.) Could stop here, and refrigerate or freeze. These are especially good chilled or frozen.
After the brownies are cool, or at least at room temperature, make a vanilla butter cream frosting – soft butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and enough milk to make the desired consistency, which should be on the firm side.
After applying the butter cream frosting, make a simple chocolate glaze – melted semi-sweet or bitter chocolate, powdered sugar, and enough milk to make it a little runny – and spread on top. Eat chilled or at room temp, cut into small pieces, so as not to throw even perfectly healthy people into a diabetic coma.
If you do this rendition, use great unsweetened chocolate, of course. Pecans are a nice addition though I’m not normally a fan of nuts in my brownies. They absorb some of the bourbon flavor. You could probably cut the sugar a little in the brownie themselves too, to highlight the bitter/insanely sweet contrast. Using some coarse/flaky salt in the brownies, as seems to be the new thing (or, now, maybe an oldish new thing) these days just occurred to me as well. Hmmmm…
Have so enjoyed your blog, thank you!
Sooooo perfect. The….OK – the EVERYTHING! Thanks.
I looooove that you published this on my birthday. It’s a SIGN.
Does it matter if the chocolate is semisweet or unsweetend, will it change the way it comes out or just the flavor?
Alyssa — If sweetened, the brownies will be sweeter and I find the chocolate flavor much less intense.
I’m slightly embarrassed to say that I’ve never made brownies from scratch before. Until today. These are fabulous. Deeply chocolatey and fudgy, not cakey. Delicious right out of the oven (I checked). 30 minutes at 350 in a glass pan. They didn’t need frosting. But later I did give them a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, and drenched the whole thing with bourbon caramel sauce.
Thanks for a great recipe. No more box brownies, ever.
Hi Deb,
I just made these tonight, and when they were done, the flaky top layer was pretty thick. Do you know what i’m talking about? If you do, haha, is there any reason for this? Under neath the crunchy layer were some moist brownies, but that top layer was such an upset!
Can’t wait for your stop in Brookline on the book tour!
Hi Sophie — I’m not sure. I do think it’s got a noticeable crackly top (love it) but I wouldn’t consider it disconcertingly thick. Yours didn’t taste overbaked, did they?
Hi Deb,
So last night when they came out of the oven, there was a big crusty layers. However, when I looked at them today it moistened a little bit. Besides that minor set back, the brownies were delicious! I can’t decide if I like these or the cocoa ones better!
Hi Deb. I made these and they were delicious, but I don’t know why, but every time I make brownies, they come out waaaaaaaaaaayyyy to gooey. I don’t want them cakey, but chewy. My brownies always feel like I’m eating a chunk of fudge
Jina — You might want to add a few minutes baking time or try adding an additional tablespoon of flour or two.
Deb- Thank you so much for posting this! We made them over at http://www.sandwichfunk.com and they were delicious. We added a little cinnamon to ours and it turned out great. We also prepared a hand selected playlist to listen to while you cook, have a listen! http://www.sandwichfunk.com/da-bomb-brownies/
I just made these for the third time in 2 weeks. Each time was perfect. These are dangerously delicious!
Bite your tongue. Cakey brownies are delicious.
Please don’t try them with sweetened chocolate. I used Valrhona and half a cup sugar. So sugary that it’s really impossible to eat.
Hi Deb,
Thank you for the world’s best brownies recipe… I’m from India where most of the vegetarians do not eat egg… and I have quite a few friends who r vegetarian… could you pls help me with an eggless recipe? :(
best brownies ever!!!
I’ve made this recipe at least 20 times since it was posted. They were perfect for me but my husband thought they were too fudgy. I finally broke down and purchased the gold touch pan from William Sanoma. It was magical. The brownies had the perfect bottom and top crust with a chewy/fudgy center. I also used Schaffenberger chocolate but just learned that Whole Foods pulled the product due to child labor law violations. I’m on the search for new unsweetened chocolate. Smitten Kitchen, thank you. After years of searching fo my family’s favorite brownie, I’ve found it.
Hi there, I just started reading your blog a few months ago at my sister’s recommendation and really enjoy your recipes! I was drawn to the brownie recipe right away and made them perfectly the first time. However, that must have been beginner’s luck because I have made them 3 times since and everytime they come out seriously underdone! I put them in the oven for 40-45 minutes at 350 using both a glass and metal dish, and the center just never cooks through. I will have to try using more flour, because the flavor is so awesome I am determined to perfect my technique. I have always been a decent cook but baking is not my forte. Any tips would be appreciated.
P.S. to Melinda – I have to highly recommend Valrhona brand chocolate. I have used it for chocolate ganache frosting several times. Its flavor is comparable to Schaffenberger. Trader Joe’s recently started carrying it by the checkstands. Other good options are Green & Black’s organic, or Daghoba chocolate (I believe both of these are carried at Ralph’s which is convenient).
Thanks Erin for the suggestions! I’ll bead to trader joes today! As to your issue, try the Goldtouch pan (what smitten kitchen uses). It really made a huge difference. If you don’t like it, you can always return the pan to William Sanoma.
These are truly the BEST brownies I’ve ever made. I’m on my 3rd time baking them in the past few weeks – can’t get enough! (and I second the suggestion to use course salt instead of fine salt – really gives it an extra oomph of flavor)
I looked for a brownie recipe to mix with leftover halloween candy, and these worked great. I put york patties in the batter and my family loved it.
Okay, since you are the brownie mistress, tell me – Are these the ones I should make for Thanksgiving? I was considering the Baked recipe, but I want a small batch to pile on my dessert table. Do these fit the bill? Thanks so much and have a good holiday.
I’ve made these twice now, and I absolutely love them. I followed the recipe as-is and they’re basically perfect! I love the super chocolatey taste and that they’re not crazy sweet. Thank you!
I just made these. They are awesome! I love that they don’t have so many added ingredients like a lot of other brownie recipes.
Hi Deb! Thank you for sharing such an easy – yet yummy recipe. I don’t like brownies much, but this one I could not stop eating!
Can I add oatmeal to it? I know the theme of this recipe is to make it simple, and letting basic ingredients stand out. but a friend of mine wants to add more texture and fiber on hers.
Thank you very much! This gives me the chance to bake despite my very busy schedule. Thank you!
Hi missy — I’ve never tried it so I can’t say for sure. You might be more successful swapping half of the flour for oat flour.
Thanks Deb! :D You’re awesome!
Best. Brownies. Ever. I discovered your recipe just two weeks ago. First batch I made for my family and they loved them. Second and third batch I brought to a memorial gathering (and several guests raved about them despite the fact that there were about five other types brownies to choose from). Last night, I helped my daughter make a forth and fifth batch to bring to school to share with her high school friends. Tonight my son and I just put a sixth batch in the oven because he wanted to make them! Needless to say, your recipe is now committed to memory. Twice I found myself with only 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate on hand, so I added in roughly 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder to make up for the missing chocolate. They were still divine. Thank you!
brownie perfection!! simple and completely delicious!
These brownies are a godsend. Seriously.
Ever since I started baking (which was like 6 years ago), I’ve been ordering – yes, ordering – my mom to stop buying box mix brownies because, hey, I can bake you some brownies from scratch. But every time I take a look in our pantry, BAM! there it is, that insulting box of brownie mix. My mom just loves the stuff, and I suppose that was her way of telling me that all the recipes I’d tried so far just didn’t match up to her precious box mix brownies.
Until I tried this one out. They were perfect, even for my mother’s taste. SO easy and SO quick to make.
Thank you, Deb! Your recipes has never failed me before. :)
Once again: thanks! these are indeed perfect & easy brownies and turned out exquisite :-)
These look lovely but I’m wondering how to convert the recipe so that I can use 85% chocolate. Here in Australia that is the highest percentage chocolate I can find organically and I can’t find any 70%. I tried making the Mark Bittman brownies for Christmas yesterday and found that they were too sweet even though I reduced the amount of sugar to account for using 85% chocolate. Any tips as I’d love to make yours but am worried the same thing will happen. Thank you :)
Alex — See my response in Comment #195.
Deb, would you be able to formulate a caramel brownie recipe? All the ones I find online call for packaged caramels, which I hate to buy when homemade caramel is so much better. Caramel brownies are my fave – with the swirly, gooey, chewy, etc.
Thank you!
Megan — Great idea! And I agree that way too many recipes have a caramel cop-out, even ones from some of the most beloved cookbook authors.
Deb,
Are these the same as your ‘classic brownies’ only there are less of them or are these in someway different from the classic ones?
Wow, I had never lined them up and scaled them before but they’re closer than I thought. The main differences (and it can make a big one) is that the Classic Brownies have 2T less butter (if scaled to this pan size), more vanilla, slightly less sugar, and they have baking powder in them. And they’re not one-bowl. I prefer these. Those are slightly fudgier/richer, which seems illogical, but it’s definitely how I remember them. These remain my go-to.
I have made these twice in the past week! Super easy and absolutely delicious. Thanks Deb for another great recipe!
Made these a couple weeks ago and I must say these are the best brownies I have ever made!! Everyone LOVED them! This will be my go to recipe from now on. Only thing I added was a tablespoon of instant expresso powder.
these are the best brownies i’ve ever made!
consistently amazing recipes here on sk! :)
These are soooooo good! I am a huge fan. Had some flakey black Hawaiian salt. It was perfect! Thank you for posting.
Thanks for the recipe! Do the eggs and/or butter need to be room temp? Thanks!
These are unreal… YOU SO GET ME. I added a sprinkle of sea salt on top. x’s and o’s from St. John’s, Newfoundland!!
Love these!! Thank you so much for sharing!
Just made them, We were in the supermarket the other day and without planning the ingredient list prior I asked my boyfriend to find a recipe on his phone. He picked this one and I’m so glad he found it as I just made them and they were a complete success. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. Can’t wait to try out some more of your recipes!
You’ve converted me. I’m never using a brownie mix again. These are the best! Thanks so much for sharing! Someone was asking about slicing brownies – we use a plastic knife, which doesn’t stick quite as much to 10-minute-old brownies as silverware would.
I now have this recipe on the inside of my cupboard door – Easy and super chocolatey even with basic bakers or ghiradelli. Struggling to find a good storage method that keeps the fudgy-ness moist. I like to cut the whole pan at once (chilled, with a pizza wheel), but edges turn dry/grainy pretty fast. Good individually in plastic wrap in the freezer, but kind of putzy and generates plastic trash guilt. Sigh, guess I should share them more.
Question! If I wanted to make a spicy (hot) version of these brownies, would you recommend just adding the spices used for these brownies: http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/09/the-baked-brownie-spiced-up/? If so, can you tell me about how much of each I would use in this recipe? I’m terrible with math & measurements. Gracias!
I had these brownies (not sure how faithfully followed was recipe; they had walnuts). they were good. A disclaimer: I truly admire all that Deb has done for cooking and baking to inform a new generation. HOWEVER: new bakers, please be aware that it is pretty hard to make a bad brownie! Although I applaud your sincerity and enthusiasm, I am dismayed by your lack of understanding of baking basics. For instance, the size of the pan is not of great consequence; a smaller pan requires more time; a larger pan requires less time. Julia C talked about the marriage of the egg and butter. Maybe she talked about the delicate marriage of the two parties. Anyway. I refer you aspiring bakers to Paula Peck’s Art of Fine Baking. (suggest you add more chocolate–tastes change with time–if you try her brownie recipe.). I applaud all that Deb has done to advance the cause of homemade in a younger generation. But cannot say enough about learning basic techniques: learn what mirepoix is; buy a stand mixer and if you can learn to cream room temp butter and sugar you can make any basic cake or cookie. If you didn’t grow up next to a cooking matriarch, take a basic cooking class, a basic baking class, and venture out on your own. All of this discussion about brownies leaves me with two major takeaways: your generation has a deep interest–shall I say renewed interest?–in baking, but, sadly, little knowledge of basic technique. My advice: get yourself a basic repertoire for a dinner party and expand. Of course, source your ingredients optimally (even here in Boston, we have good winter markets). So you need a good salad dressing, a baked pasta, a cookie . . . Read cookbooks, the classics. Yes, Julia is a little fussy, but she is correct. Jacques pepin, la technique: read it! Craig Claiborne, the old NYT Cookbook, the new(er) Gourmet Cookbook. Bonne chance!
Nicah, tell your mom that the mixes are filled with artificial ingredients and tasteof artificiality, and that in 5 minutes extra time (OK, more money too is needed if we use quality ingredients) you can produce a much more satisfying product. Sadly, some women were in the past acculturated to equate time spent in the kitchen with enslavement, when in fact they have become enslaved to corporations/ agribusiness. Not her fault; but go on to find your own passion for cooking and joy of the table.
I went to make these at 11pm last night and discovered that I had none of/was short on a few key ingredients like sugar, vanilla, and unsweetened chocolate. A few adjustments later and I made my favourite version of these brownies so far.
*2 oz unsweetened Baker’s chocolate + 1 oz bittersweet Scharffenberger’s
*1 tsp of Cointreau substituted for the vanilla
*scant 1 cup of sugar
*approx 1 tsp of grated orange zest
Perfect if you like that orange/chocolate flavour combo.
These are straight delicious. I like to have a batch in the freezer at all times. I feel like a frozen brownie a day keeps the doctor away.
I made two batches of these tonight. I remembered halfway through the first batch in the oven that I had forgotten to add the butter. That botched batch is now in my freezer and will be used as an ice cream topper (or just a small bit of heavenly awesomeness). I had enough of everything to make another butterful batch, and I’m so glad that I did. Brownies can be done a thousand ways, but this way is so simple and so amazing.
I just made these….twice in a row. ‘Nuff said!
These are exceptionally good cut into 1″ cubes and frozen. I like to grab one straight out the freezer…it’s possible that on a really grey morning, I’ll even have one with my coffee.
I wanted to thank you for your great recipe and have a few questions, For some reason my batch of brownies when is baking in the oven it rises in the middle than comes back down causing a crack from the center. I wanted to know if I am doing anything wrong also even if I bake it for 30 min, I put a toothpick in the middle and it still has a tiny little bit of batter in it. Not much. Thank you and hope to try out other recipes posted here.
These were honest to God the best brownies I’ve tried – ever! I’ve been partial to your cocoa brownies for some time actually, but oh my lord these were good! Even my husband who normally isn’t that much into dark chocolate (weird, I know…) deemed them “the best fudgey cake he’s ever had” – and that’s a praise if anything.
They didn’t need any add-ons per se, but have to say that serving them with creme fraiche whipped with vanilla and powdered sugar, as well as a bit of thawed raspberries, really topped them of nicely. Traditional yes, but don’t mess with stuff that works. And in my world there is no such thing as too much of a good thing…
These are the most delicious brownies I’ve ever tasted, and they’re so easy. The centers are chocolatey and gooey (but not too gooey), and the edges are chewy and a little crisp. I’m an edge fan, so I think next time I may bake individual brownies in greased muffin tins for maximum edginess.
Every recipe I’ve ever tried from this site has been top notch. Deb, you’re awesome! :-)
Very rich chocolate flavor, but they turned out dry and cakey.I’m still looking for that perfect chewy brownie.
These. Are. To. Die. FOR!!!
I made these last week for valentines day school snack. The class devoured them and then offered to take up a collection to get my son to get his mom to bake more for them!
So, enter last night and the tween says he wants them again for his scout bday snack (11 OMG!!!). Okay, no problem, except I don’t have any bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate and I decide in my sleepy (even adults need to nap) stage that hershey’s kisses will be fine. Yeah. Not so much. They stayed wet and gooey in the center and that was after almost an hour in the oven. Lesson learned, always keep the good ingredients lying around. Somethings just aren’t a substitute.
Disclaimer: This is not to say that these gooey crumbled brownie like things aren’t AH-MAZING!!!!! Half the pan got devoured by our family (bought ‘SHOCK’ store-bought brownies for the scouts) last night and the rest will be going over ice cream tonight :-)
Hi Deb! Your Blog is basically my cooking Bible. Actually, your writing ‘voice’ is similar to mine & sometimes when I read your blog it makes me laugh because it’s almost like reading my own internal monologue. Funny/weird. I’ve never ever been disappointed with anything I’ve made from your recipes. I made these brownies today…your FAVORITE Brownies- they have to be amazing- to bribe a group of girlfriends for help with wedding crafts. And they came out (brace yourself…) …cakey. :( Definitely deliciously chocolatey but… definitely cakey. I nearly cried. I actually had to convince myself that I had not, in fact, been betrayed by an old friend. As I said, I’ve never been disappointed before – and I trust your taste in brownies implicitly. I’m guessing it’s not a recipe failure but maybe because of a difference between ‘all purpose’ flour in the UK and in the US (I lived in france for 3 years and don’t even get me started on the kitchen shenanigans that ensued until I learned which kind of ‘farine’ to use for which recipes!) But as this is the kind of flour I’m stuck with for the foreseeable future, do you have any advice to bring down the cakey-ness? (less flour? make sure not to over-stir? lower the oven temp? anything?)
Hi Ajna — Did you flour have leavener in it? That’s the only think I could imagine that could contribute to cakiness. These are definitely not supposed to be cakey. I don’t think (or, in 6 years of this site and one UK editorial process for TSKC edition coming out there next week) have otherwise heard that UK and US all-purpose flours are different but if you ended up with a baking or cake flour, some times do come with baking soda or powder in them, which would definitely turn a fudgy/rich brownie into something more cake-like.
I LOVE cold brownies! My mom froze EVERYTHING when I was young, so I got used to loving most foods slightly hard. Excited to make these tonight!
These are my favorite brownies ever. And easily customized.
I’ve already made them nearly half a dozen times.
And I need to make some tonight. Woman parts do demand!
RUH-DIC-YOU-LUS! These were so freaking good! I cheated and added dark chocolate chips because sometimes I just like them like that. The edges were chewey and I could taste the butter even through the chocolatey goodness. I really want to make the salted carame next. They look even more insane! YUM! Brownies<3
These were unbelievably amazing in both simplicity and goodness. I added chopped hazelnuts (1 Cup) and they were over the top delicious.
In a word – these are amazing. For real. I wanted to eat the entire pan. I’m a brownie snob – and these are a hit out of the park!
These are my favorite brownies now, too! My mom’s friend thought I was making boring old, brownies – but she was in for a BIG surprise! I think the real question is here, how do you actually control yourself from eating all these delicious things you are making so that you can take pictures?!
Dear Deb, I have your book and have been a big fan of you for quite some time. I’ve made this wonderful brownies before, even passed the recipe to many friends and now I have the same problem Ajna has: they’ve come out cakey the 3 last times I’ve make them. Now I got “afraid” of making them.
I don’t ovewarm up the chocolate/butter mixture because I know chocolate musn’t be used in that way for this kind of recipe.
Each time I’ve used different brands of all purpose flour and I don’t know what else to do. An the oven temperature is correct…
The eggs, maybe, should they be cold or not?
Advice, anyone? Thanks!
Hi Ruth — See my response to Anja in Comment #491 (as I would ask you the same).
I made these in a 12-cup muffin tin due to my 8×8 pan already being in use, and filled the cups half full. They turned out wonderfully well! Dusting them in powdered sugar made them look fancy and helped them to not resemble hockey pucks. :-) Start watching the brownies for done-ness at 12-14 minutes. I’ve made these twice and used Dagoba brand unsweetened chocolate as well as Ghiradelli unsweetened. Both were great. Thanks for this recipe Deb!
Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe. I made these with my two small children a few days ago and needless to say the brownies didn’t last long! Just delicious. I also made your Strawberry Summer Cake yesterday and I was so impressed with the end result. I love your recipes and think you’re doing an amazing job! Greetings from Australia.
Hi Deb – I love your blog! Let me tell you- these brownies are the best (and my favorite, too!). However, I was wondering if you have ever tried to replace some (or all) of the butter with either applesauce or yogurt or even Quark (german cheese similar to yogurt)? I just wanted to ask before I experimented, seeing as I recently had a failed idea involving blackberry dark chocolate brownies with a creamy basil lime swirl. Good on paper (I was trying for a play on brownies and ice cream), but ended up tasting like a bar of soap….oops. Anyway, thank you in advance for any insight!
alexis — I have no. I generally prefer brownies to be authentically brownie-ish and indulgent, and save the healthier stuff for… the rest of the time, when I’m not eating brownies. :)
Gave these brownies a try – ugh…did not work out. Would the fact that I am currently living in Sarajevo, and the only sugar available is large crystal, be the reason for the failure? While the taste was good, the texture was grainy and unappetizing. I didn’t have the heart to throw the brownies out so I put them in the freezer until I figure out how to “repurpose” them. Should I have put the sugar in a food processor to break down the sugar?
Sue — If the graininess reminded you of the granules from the sugar, that was the culprit. If that doesn’t sound right, then tell me more — if there were any other changes or things that worried you as you were cooking.
Deb these brownies were amazing. I personally subbed a little bit of the butter (like half a tbs) with olive oil and added a little extra salt, and salted the top before baking….as inspired by a really awesome olive oil grey salt chocolate bar by poco dolce. I just used bakers unsweetened chocolate but I’m curious if the taste would be even better if I used fancier stuff. Thanks for the great post.
Hello euro friends!
I am living in Germany and found “unsweetened chocolate” was also difficult to find. I thought baking/cooking chocolate, which Lindt does have here, would be the same but I used this chocolate and my brownie turned out too sweet. Should have known better but I thought I would give it a try! After reading all the comments about chocolate and realized which chocolate Deb used, (http://shop.scharffenberger.com/99-Cacao-Unsweetened-Chocolate-Baking-Bar/p/SFB-HBBUNSWEET&c=ScharffenBerger@Baking) I now know to use 99% cacao chocolate which Germany DOES have: (http://www.lindt.de/swf/ger/produkte/excellence/intensive-excellence-tafeln/excellence-99/) I will try this recipe again in hopes for that classic brownie which I have been missing since living here!! xx
Oh my heavens! I just made these brownies and they are everything you say they are and more. My four year old and I both have chocolate smiles after eating them. I made one pan exactly to the recipe, and a second pan to which I added walnuts and chocolate chips. So, so good. Not too sweet. Wonderfully chocolatey. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
These are by far my favourite brownies. I, too, have a child who fights sleep like it’s the devil so I’ve had to get creative around working/cleaning/being human. Last week, I struck gold (the chocolate kind) by making this recipe in mini cupcake tins. Baked for 14 minutes. So sinfully good, I need to slap my own hand to stop eating them.
Here’s the post: http://communicationsdistillery.com/mini-brownies-where-writing-and-chocolate-come-together/
Love what you do here. You make my love handles happy.
I just made these and used a half teaspoon of flaky sea salt, and the brownies turned out very salty. Is this how they are supposed to be?
sarah — You used Maldon or something else?
It’s called Cape Herb and Spice Atlantic Sea Salt.
Ahh. It sounds heavier. Flaky sea salt is something different and lighter — it packs loosely in spoons. 1/2 teaspoon is just a dozen flakes. Use half next time. Sorry for the trouble.
They don’t taste bad, it just sort of tastes like I was trying to create a salty/sweet flavour. Which is not really a negative thing! I was just wondering if they are supposed to taste salty.
sarah — No. Maybe a pinch more than usual, but not salty. The flaky salt just lends a fun crunch of a texture.
Wow! These are the absolute best brownies I have ever had, and they were probably the easiest to make too. I love that they only dirtied one bowl. I mixed in some chopped pecans and sprinkled sea salt on top, which resulted in absolute perfection :) Thank you for this recipe!
Hi,
I have made two double batches of these. The first batch was nearly perfect :) chewy, not cakey or fudgy, but not quite richly chocolatey enough for my taste (using 85% Lindt chocolate), also a little too sweet. So in the next batch I added 2 tbs of Green and Blacks cocoa, and reduced the sugar to about 350g. Unfortunately the second batch, although perfectly rich on the chocolate front, came out less chewy and also a bit drier (probably because I didn’t balance the addition of cocoa by adding more fat or taking out the equivalent flour) resulting in an altogether “cakier” brownie. Is it really the sugar that creates the chewiness? In a double batch that works out at 530g or well over a lb of sugar! Do I have to just accept that in order to get the lovely chewiness?
Sue — I think you didn’t get the chocolate oomph you’d hoped for because you hadn’t used an unsweetened (99% or essentially 100%) chocolate. Because it has no sugar at all, that higher level of sugar is needed in the recipe. It also gives the most chocolate impact. Cocoa usually replaces flour in recipes; if you want too add some, subtract the equivalent amount of flour. It cannot be a 100% replacement, of course, because it doesn’t have gluten, but in smaller amounts, it works. I have tested this recipe with 1/3 cup cocoa replacement but, shockingly, I didn’t feel like it added a necessary amount of chocolate. True unsweetened chocolate gives you all that you’ll needed.
Thanks Deb, I’m UK based though and as others have noted, it’s virtually impossible for us to source unsweetened choc, even from Europe. An unusual cultural difference that I can’t account for. Re. the chewiness though, I note in your dark heart brownies , you only use 350g of sugar because you are using 85% choc. Do those brownies come out more cakey in your opinion? I’m curious to know whether it is the quantity of sugar that gives the chewiness? I’m guessing it is, as the gluten can hardly be developed in the flour in the recipe and i’m not sure that the eggs would develop chewiness, although maybe they do?!
Hi Sue — Ah, what a bummer. I think the sugar helps with the chewiness but so does chilling them. I find when they’re cold, they’re especially lovely to eat. Do use the recommended sugar from the dark heart brownies instead. The eggs play a bigger part in chewiness because they’re the muscle/protein that binds the “cake” together.
OMG!!!! I’ve just made this and OMG!!! They are amazing!!! I’m from Brazil, so I had to adapt some of the ingredients but anyway, it is fantastic. Me and my husband almost ate the whole pan. Thank you very much for this little peace of heaven! Paula
Thank you! I’m terrified of baking, but desperately wanted to make some non-boxed-mixed brownies for a party. I got up the courage to try this recipe. I’m American in the UK, so having the cups/oz/grams measurements really helped me get my head around what was needed. They turned out beautifully! Here’s a photo of appreciation:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chelseapurvis/8990901372/in/set-72157634013908666/
I baked these in a muffin pan (the recipe makes exactly 12) and baked them for 14 mins, and they turned out perfect.
My go to brownie recie. made them tonight..I use coconut oil instead of butter. Add cayenne pepper. And refrigerate before I eat them. One word: AMAZING
These are so good! I’ve made them a few times before and they were fabulous! Craving a slightly healthier brownie, however, I used coconut oil this time as well as a 1/4 teaspoon of coffee granules to make the chocolate flavor shine. I also cut down the sugar to 1 cup. Out of this world!
Just made these tonight-probably the best brownies I have ever had. I added walnuts and some drops of homemade salted caramel sauce and they were soooo good! I have made a lot of recipes from your blog, and every single one has been amazing. Thanks for all the inspiration!
I just made a batch of these, which are now baking away, and if I didn’t have any sort of self control I would’ve eaten all the batter straight from the bowl. Your recipes never disappoint, Deb!
I’ve never been much of a brownie person (often too dry or too dense),but these are AMAZING. My br is lucky I already told him about hese brownies being made, or I might have to sneak themback to my place witjout saying anything. ;)
Love this recipe! It’s too my favourite now :)
It’s impossible for me to name my favorite brownie. Sometimes I want fudgy, sometimes cakier. Sometimes darker, sometimes sweeter. Sometimes plain, sometimes with chocolate chips, sometimes peanut butter swirl, sometimes with nuts.
At any rate, I’ve made these twice so that says something. They are currently a favorite. Very quick and easy to make and very delicious. :)
Love these brownies, have made them many times. I went to make them again today and saw your update about the mini muffin pan so made them that way… I looked at your photo on how much to fill the pan and saw that your batter looks much thicker than mine?? I double checked my recipe and followed it exactly. Any idea what the difference would be? No matter I suppose as they always turn out delish. Just curious though.
My batter is always a little on the thick side (you can see ribbons in it when it’s raw in the pan in the photo in this post) and probably looked more so after being swiped off a spoon. As long as they tasted fine, I wouldn’t worry about it.
Hey! I’m in in Italy. ..I can’t find the right pan so I need to make double! Should I just double the ingredients??
Hi deb these brownies are to die for! And i love your site. Could I substitute the flour in these brownies for say ground almond to make these gluten free for a friend without compromising on taste?Thanks
See Comments #319 and #330 for people who made it with almond flour and share their results. See also #107 and #332 for gluten-free suggestions.
Great thanks for quick response, I didn’t get a chance to read previous posts! ill give the almond flour a go.
Hi Deb, I just wanted to say that these brownies are wonderful. (And I was able to get them made during my son’s nap, even with my daughter (4 1/2) helping me!) We baked them in mini muffin tins–our yield was 30 brownies–for 15 minutes, and they turned out perfectly. My daughter especially likes the ones we topped with rainbow sprinkles before baking! We also used mini chocolate chips on some and a walnut half on others.
Happy new year to you and your family. May it be a sweet year.
Thanks,
Jennifer
Deb, I love you for so many reasons but I would marry you for these brownies alone (I’m sure my husband would understand, he loves these brownies too!) I was SO excited to see the mini muffin tin information I ran into the kitchen right away. These were my all time favorite brownies to begin with and I think I might love them even more now. I tell my girls EVERY Thursday I’m going to bake them something and this week they have you to thank!
No baking powder…I added 1/2 tsp.
These are wonderful. I just started baking, and I could not have asked for a better introductory recipe. They were simple to make and taste amazing. I love the chocolatyness without the overdone sweetness. I like walnuts and a touch of powdered sugar on top.
I made these last week – 5 pans! The 1st pan I made according to your directions and thought it was just a little too sweet. My 2nd and 3rd pans had 1/2 the sugar (only 2/3 cup) and the brownies were slightly drier but chewier and even more chocolatey. OMG I ate 1/2 the pan without thinking! For pans 4 and 5, I added pecans and extra bitter chocolate chunks – even better with the texture differences! I will never make box brownies again – ever!
I made these brownies and brought them into work today. Someone asked me if they were a boxed mix. I was offended that they’d suggest that, but I guess it’s the ultimate compliment, eh? :)
This is my go-to brownie recipe now! Even when I think I make a bad batch (when I adjust the sugar or chocolate, or slightly over/undercook by accident!) they are still the best brownies I’ve ever tasted!
I love these brownies! Any ideas on how to change the recipe slightly to make them a cookie?
You’d have to change a bit to make them a cookie. However, you might like my Brownie Roll-Out Cookies. They’re not as fudgy, but when made 1/4-inch thick have a definitely brownielike texture.
So last night my husband phones me to say his boss is in town and he is bringing him home for dinner. I was given an one hours notice – not happy! I had a stew on the go but no dessert and nothing in. What to do?? I went to my ever faithful smitten kitchen and found this brownie recipe. So quick and simple to make but YUM! He left thinking I was a domestic goddess (but only with a massive thanks to you).
Deb – made these tonight and the kids loved them. I made them in the mini cupcake pan, but only got 16 minis and needed 23 minutes for them to be done. Wondering how you got 29 out of the same batter? I filled them almost to the top like you said. In any event, they were a big hit, so thanks for the great recipe.
I made these as the mini cupcake bites today to donate to a local function and I can hardly stand to give them away! I am a chewy corner dibb-ster from a regular square pan of brownies so these are, like you said, like all corner pieces. I’m so glad you experimented with the mini pan and posted the results. You are the Deb.
Ha! I made them again tonight impulsively but I was really having trouble with them sticking. As in, if I remove them right away, they break. If I wait five minutes, they’re fine. If I wait longer (I was also making dinner, not a good multitasker!), they really really stick. How are you greasing the pans? I was using my Baker’s Joy spray, but they really might need to be individually buttered. And this is with a nonstick pan! But an older one…
I used the Pam baking spray (didn’t notice much flour in this spray which I was surprised by). I really, really sprayed them and then used my leftover butter wrapper to make sure it was spread evenly on the sides of the cups. I used what I believe is a professional 24 cup muffin pan; it was really heavy and shiny (I got it at a thrift store). The cups were smaller (narrower) than a regular size muffing pan, but not as small as my old mini muffin tins, and the cups were deeper than even my regular muffin tins. Really odd pan. Like you, the first one was still too hot and it crumbled, so I waited a couple of minutes and all but the last row came out okay with some gentle coaxing. The last row had cooled too much and they stuck a bit. Next time I’ll use my old Teflon (I mean really old Teflon which was pink!) I think it’ll be non-toxic with all the spray coating. So chewy and good, they sold out as soon as I set them down!
I made these last night in mini-muffin molds and they were a total breeze. I over-filled a bit and got 23 two-bite-size brownies. I should have read your most recent comment, though, Deb — I left them in the pans too long and they were tough to remove. I will be more careful next time. Luckily there were enough left in tact to fill a plate presentably. And the ones that broke on the way out just get eaten by the Chef (what else could I possibly do with them?)
These are the best brownies I’ve ever made. 25 min, with kosher salt (not table) = perfectly gooey and chocolatey and so simple. this is easily the best comfort dessert to grace the interwebs. thanks, Deb!
Hi Deb – if I needed a double batch of these would you recommend 2 8×8 pans or could I use a 9 x13 pan with equal results? Thanks!
Eli — You could do either. Results will be almost exactly the same. The 8×8 will provide more edges and corners (I’m team Edges and Corners on brownies, so that would be my pick) but the 9×13 would be less work. The 9×13 pan will yield brownies that are a tiny bit thicker.
Hey Deb,
You said that you sometimes substitute the flour for cocoa? How much cocoa and how little flour? Also, if you add chocolate chips, how much and should I coat them in flour and pour batter over them? Or should the chips just go into the batter?
I have fiddled around with replacing half the flour with cocoa powder. It tastes fine, possibly a little more fudgy (not that it’s needed, as these are plenty so without it), but I was surprised that it didn’t increase the chocolate intensity all that much. I’ve never added chocolate chips here, but if you’d like to, just do it as you would for another recipe. I wouldn’t expect them to sink, however; it’s a thick batter.
Oh my goodness brownies are my weakness, I’m definitely making these tonight :)
Clearly I’m not the first to say it, but hey — awesome recipe! I added dark rum and coffee syrup to this and it was fantastic!
I poured half the batter into the pan and then added Ghiradelli carmel chocolates and then poured the rest of the batter over the chocolates. Came out great!
Hi Deb, I tried the recipe today. The brownies did turn out chewy, but I had to do a lot of scrapping out from the bottom of the brownie as the sugar seemed to have just settling at the bottom of the pan and made a though layer of themselves. Should the sugar be of a fine granules. The sugar just did not combine and melt with rest of mixture. The brownies were quite sweet though. Please do advise. Thank you.
Monica — Regular sugar is fine (I’m speaking of granulated here, which is standard in the U.S. If you are elsewhere, the standard may be different.) and I’m surprised that the sugar seemed to settle. Did you taste it? Was it definitely sugar? I’m wondering if your chocolate burnt a little and deposited grit at the bottom?
I just made these and they are terrific! My batter didn’t look exactly like the picture (it was slightly thicker) but they turned out to be wonderful. Chewy, simple and just sweet enough. Another SK recipe to add to my routine….
I just made these last night for a Christmas potluck and changed the vanilla to peppermint essence. Oh my word, they were seriously to die for :-)
Deb
I’ve been making these brownies since I read your recipe a years ago. Then this year I volunteered in Israel for a couple of months and I made this for the 15 something volunteers…they were delighted and to be honest the available chocolate was not the best however we all enjoyed it very much. After that everybody was requesting at least a batch per week! Thanks so much for sharing all this recipes with us! I’m sad that I missed your book tour in DC (I was departing from the area when you went). All the best!
Deb,
I’m looking to make your brownie mosaic cheesecake, but I noticed that the brownie recipe for the cheesecake is different from this one. I have made this recipe multiple times and I love it. What is the difference in the two brownies? Also, would these (“my favorite brownies”) brownies work well in the cheesecake? Thank you so much, I love your blog!
Hi, I want to prep these tonight for a girls’ night tomorrow, but bake them tomorrow so we can eat them warm. Will the brownie mixture hold overnight? Thanks! I love these brownies, they’re always a huge hit.
Kate — I suspect it would hold pretty well, but I haven’t tried it. You can also re-warm them (cook them on the gooey side) when you’d like to eat them. Enjoy!
I scoured the net trying to find a simple recipe for brownies. These focus on the essence of what makes a brownie beautiful, delicious, and heart-warming. I greatly appreciate your post, recipe and stunning pictures. It took me but a few minutes to make these (first time making brownies from scratch) and I believe I will keep this recipe (and entire post) in the recesses of evernote forever!
I tried this yesterday and it turned out great! Loved the crust :)
Delicious, but the mini muffin pan did not work at all. I was making these for a dinner party tomorrow night, and they are all practically sealed to the pan. I sprayed them ahead of time, but they cannot be removed. I will have to come up with a Plan B. Just stick with the pan and parchment method- I wish I had.
I made these brownies yesterday and they are so delicious! Such a great texture. Next time I would omit 1/3 cup of the sugar though; they were just a bit too sweet for my liking.
I love these brownies, too. I first found this recipe in an old 70s Betty Crocker Cookbook for Kids. So easy and so delicious. When you get a chocolate craving, these are perfect. Did I mention how easy they are to make.
I made these for a superbowl party yesterday and everyone loved them! I added a small amount of brewed coffe to the batter and they were unreal! My new go-to brownie recipe :) Thanks Deb!
First and most importantly, Deb, you’re a genius. It would be hard to overstate my gratitude for how much I have learned from you. Hoping to benefit further from your brownie expertise. To me, these brownies are perfect, but to my boyfriend, they are bitter (he cannot be convinced that’s a good thing). So, I made him (the very next day!) the version you suggested for semi-sweet chocolate. He preferred the flavor of #2 but the intensity of #1. Does intense chocolate flavor automatically equal bittersweet-ness? I guess I’m asking, is there a way to dial up chocolate without dialing down sweetness? Thank you!
Suzy — Yes, unsweetened chocolate always yields (IMHO) a more intense chocolate flavor than semi- or bittersweet chocolate. You could try to meet the two recipes in the middle — half unsweetened, half semi-sweet, the average of the amounts of sugar.
I made these yesterday and they are fantastic! Can’t believe how easy they were to put together. I subbed some soft dark brown sugar in there too, which make them even richer, and I think fudgier too.
I just made these – perfect snow day treat for my family! – and they were easy and delicious, as advertised. The only thing is that they were very slim (maybe 1/2 inch at most). Should I use more flour next time or another egg or do something else? I’m a novice baker.
Hi! I’m new to baking. The measurements looks weird to me. 1 1/3cups is 265g?? Doesn’t 1cup=250g?? Which one should I follow? Please help me!
Tricia — 1 cup does not necessarily equal 250 grams as different ingredients have different weights. 1 cup granulated sugar weighs 200 grams, thus 1 2/3 cups, 265 grams.
I have a batch of these in the oven right now! I added some almonds. I agree completely about cold or frozen brownies. I’d much rather have cold or frozen cakes too. Especially frozen pound cake…yum!
Beyond amazing! This one’s getting printed and hidden away in hard copy, Deb! Tried a variation tonight, as I was craving some peanut butter, so I riffed on your cheesecake marbled brownies and peanut butter frosting recipes. Mixed 1/4 c softened cream cheese with 2/3 cup peanut butter and a few T powdered sugar. (The cream cheese + pb combo in the frosting really turned me on to the way that cream cheese enhances the depth of pb flavor without tasting much like cream cheese itself.) It was a bit too thick to really marble in that beautiful way the cheesecake topping does, but the swirling process created little pockets of peanut butter filling the flavor and consistency of a Reese’s cup studded throughout the brownies. I decreased the sugar in the brownies by 1/3 cup and it balances perfectly. Still hoping to get a smoother consistency to make a true marble, but it was a good start. Thank you as always for another out-of-the-park winner.
These are SO EVIL!! I have to make a double batch, because I always inevitably want to eat the batter… AND hide a few brownies away from my husband to cheat on the 50/50 system we have going on!! :) We both LOVE IT!
Just made these with gluten free flour and they’re ridiculously good. Best recipe for brownies, hands down.
I posted this to a previous brownie post of yours, but I am sharing it again, because brownies, love, and nostalgia.
Some time ago, when I Thought I Knew Better Than Everyone Else, I’d left my childhood home to live with A Very Bad Idea of A Boyfriend, and my parents and I didn’t speak for months that turned into years of very brief visits and clipped words and too many If You Don’t Approve, Get Away From Me’s.
When I ultimately decided that Yes, It Was A Bad Idea, and called them in the middle of the night and asked them if I could come home, they were there as though they’d had the car gassed up and running from the moment I ran away.
That night, in the silly hours of the morning, while Dad did Dad Things, which is to say he watched the Weather Channel and dozed off, Mom made the brownies she’s been making since as long ago as I can possibly remember. While I sat in my childhood room and cried my heart out because First Love is Stupid and Cruel, my mom made me brownies, and when she brought them to me, still warm from the pan, we curled up on my childhood bed, and she told me Everything Would Be All Right, and sang me the same lullabye she did when I was a baby, a toddler, a gangly middle-schooler, and even an angry and sullen teenager who hated everyone.
The brownies tasted like every celebration, every snow day, every late summer night, every sleep over, every relaxing end to a long day, and every warm and comforting hug I’ve ever known. They were since dubbed Nostalgia Brownies, and they are, without a doubt, the one thing I’ll always associate with the love of my mother.
Just made these for my daughter who is home from university tomorrow for the Easter holidays. They are cooling on the side as I type, and although I don’t usually like brownies warm from the oven, thought I should taste test before reporting the outcome ;).
They look great – the first brownies I’ve made that have that lovely cracked crusty top but remain chewy inside…result! This is the first recipe I’ve made with chocolate rather than cocoa powder so maybe that is the reason. Mine are paler than those pictured, but as I didn’t have any unsweetened chocolate (which I’m not sure you can get here in England), used Green & Black’s plain chocolate instead which I believe was 72% (no outside wrapper so not entirely sure). I added some chopped fudge, a present that had been in the cupboard a while and needed using up. This has spoilt them somewhat as the fudge pieces are way too sweet for me (even though I cut back on sugar to compensate) so I’ll just pick them out of mine and they’ll still taste delicious. I was dubious about adding it but know for next time as I’ll definitely be making these again because they are so quick and easy with excellent results!! Thanks for the great recipe!
PS – I wish they’d sell 4oz sticks of butter over here as it would make life much easier rather than having to weigh/measure it out from a block/tub! Just laziness on my part although anything that makes cooking/baking easier is fine with me!!
A friend directed me to this recipe last year, and it’s been my absolute go-to ever since. I usually add in some toasted walnuts (which adds to the cooking time by about ten minutes, I just begin checking at the appointed time and keep a close eye on the pan for the extra stretch) and without fail my family and friends devour them. It’s a home run, every time. Thank you, Deb!
I’ve baked these so many times, and they turn out incredible EVERY time. I made them in New Zealand last week for some friends, and had to make several substitutions and everyone still had several brownies until they were all gone. They make me look like a master baker!
I went to a BBQ this weekend and made them GF by subbing brown rice flour for the regular flour, and I left out the vanilla because I didn’t have any GF. They were STILL incredible. This recipe is a win all around.
Just thought you should know this is the third time I’ve made this recipe. Hands down one of the easiest, yet crowd-pleasing brownie recipes I’ve ever made. Thanks!!
I’ve never written a comment but wanted to let you know that this recipe with the substitution of matzo cake meal for the flour makes fantastic kosher for passover brownies. I think maybe a couple tablespoons less of sugar would actually make these taste even more chocolate rich. I sprinkled the top generously with chopped walnuts as I find that combination irresistible. Definitely a keeper for any and all occasions.
What brand of unsweetened chocolate would be the “best stuff?”
Lisa — Use whatever you can get. Ghiradelli, not the fanciest, is fairly available. For baking, I also buy Guittard, Callebaut and Valrhona, all pricier (Guittard less so) but since you’re only using 3 ounces here, it’s not as much of a splurge. Thank you for the matzo tip!
Dear Catastrophe Jones, (#584)
I think something got in my eye after I read your post, (blink, blink). :)
Just made this for the 10th time. My grandson Jack was at my side. The ease of this recipe allows me to easily allow their help with delicious results!
Just made these. Last brownie recipe I’ll ever need. Sheesh these were good. I would reduce the salt by a 1/4 teaspoon next time. I loved the salt level, but others thought it could use less. Unless I want to consume the whole pan alone (doesn’t sound that bad really), I guess I should try to fit their tastes. Thanks for another tried and true recipe!
Holy mackerel, Catastrophe Jones over here, taking comments to a new level. Talk about flash fiction.
Rats! I shouldn’t have tried the mini-muffin pan. The crunchy tops stuck horribly, and then wanted to separate from the rest of the brownie when I tried to prise them out of their little cups. I should have just made them in a regular pan and cut them small.
Hi Deb,
I’ve noticed that you have so many different brownie recipes. I’m planning on making two trays of brownies–one with salted caramel and one with mint. I know that you have recipes for each of these, but is there really a difference in the brownie batters? And also, how do the others differ from then? (These, best cocoa brownies, classic brownies, etc.)
Thanks!
Shifra — These are my favorite; I like a chewy brownie that’s bittersweet. If you have a deep affection for box brownies (good ones) the cocoa brownie is for you. The salted caramel brownie uses this as a base. The base for the mint brownies is good, maybe less fudgy than this. It works well there but I might not bake it solo. Hope that helps.
Thanks, Deb! And thanks for responding so quickly–I really appreciate it!
Hi Deb! This is my favorite brownie recipe- thanks to you! However, every single time I make these, they stick, to the parchment, to the pan, I’ve even tried baking them in a glass pan which seems to work a little better. Also, mine bake and get a very crackly film afterwards. Any guesses as to what’s happening? Thanks!
Ana — Crackly film: good! Or, I consider it a hallmark of an excellent brownie; it might not be your thing. Parchment: what brand? Just curious. I hear about sticky parchment from some readers and I suspect it’s a brand thing, that some just work better than others. (I still hold a grudge against the Whole Foods stuff I once bought that stuck to everything. Parchment should be silicone coated, or the ones that work reliably are.) Anyway, I try not to plug brands but I find that the brown stuff from If You Care brand is reliably excellent. Finally, if you’ve got a decent nonstick pan, you can skip the parchment, it’s more of an extra level of security.
These brownies are THE. BEST. EVER. Every time I make them, people tell me they’re the best brownies they’ve ever had. I have to immediately give away half the pan otherwise my husband and I would eat the whole thing in one sitting. We recently moved out of the country and I packed a few Ghirardelli unsweetened chocolate bars just to be able to make these when we need a taste of home or need to make friends quickly :) Thank you, once again, Deb!
Ohhhh man… add peanut butter swirl and pretzel crunch from the Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook… TOO GOOD. Please excuse me while eat the WHOLE pan.
Absolute favorite brownies, I’ve made them 4.3 million times now, approximately.
Sometimes, when you spend all morning cleaning, then food shopping, you just need to make brownies. These are in the oven now. And I licked the bowl. Perfect.
Hi Deb, these surely look delicious. Can I double the recipe? How long would it take in the oven?
You can double them in a 9×13-inch pan, see Comments #329, 517, 554 for more suggestions.
Hi Deb,
I made these today, to your recipe, but doubled the amount (as I had a different sized pan and wanted to make more). All was going well, except that just before I put them into the pan, the mixture split, meaning that the fat wasn’t incorporating anymore. I baked them, hoping it’d settle out, but all I got were very good tasting brownies that were more like chewy chocolate cookies in texture, but that were also swimming in their own butterfat. Whilst it’s not the biggest problem per se, it did mean that they’re less suited for casual eating than as a dessert. Do you have any ideas as to what went wrong? I didn’t use unsweetened chocolate as that’s not something that we get in the UK (I tell a lie, Willie’s Cacao makes a bar but they are phenomenally expensive, so I used very good quality organic 72% instead).
Any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated!
Tash
Tash — My best guess is that maybe the chocolate got too hot and split, rather than just melting, so the oils separated from the cocoa solids. It’s about the only thing that I can think of that would cause an extra oiliness. Was the texture not smooth? That would be another sign, a slight graininess.
Hi Deb,
Thanks for your reply! I don’t think it was overheating as the chocolate mix was well below body temp and taken off before it had completely melted, to avoid exactly that occurring. The chocolate mix was definitely smooth before I added things, too. I’m sure it was butterfat as it was the right colour and flavour – I will make them again and let you know how it goes, as this is one of those cooking mysteries that’ll bug me until it gets solved! ;-)
Best wishes,
Tash
Hi Deb! I used part semi-sweet chips and part cocoa and butter for the chocolate. I also added an 1/8 cup cocoa for the flour, while i was mixing the only strange thing was that after the eggs it sorta swelled into one cohesive mass which doesn’t always happen for brownies. They looked and tasted great when i put them in the oven but they never cooked through after 40 minutes!(My sister pulled them out when i had left the room) I used an 8 inch glass pan and they were only cooked to about one inch in!:(
Can you help?!
Sadie:)
Sadie — It’s best to bake with glass pans at 25 degrees less or things tend to overcook at the edges before they’re cooked in the center. The batter can definitely thicken as it stands, but it shouldn’t matter. Just spread it in the pan and, hopefully next time, it will bake through well.
These are AMAZING. I have found my brownie recipe for life. Thank you.
Just moved to the UK – decided to use this recipe to try the oven for the first time! Couldn’t find unsweetened chocolate (I saw in a previous comment that another person in the UK had the same issue).
They were delicious, despite the fact that I haven’t yet acquired measuring cups/spoons or scale so quantities were estimated, I used a glass pan (only pan we have so far, but they cooked just fine), and I LEFT OUT THE BUTTER, which I did not realize until I was cleaning up and found it sitting quietly on the counter where I’d left it.
I can only imagine how great they are WITH butter!
I went from never having made brownies from scratch before, to making these three times last week. And I’ll be making another double batch tomorrow, by request, for an iftar. Love. This. Recipe.
Despite it being 30 degrees (Celsius) I really felt like baking. These are so amazing it might even make me turn my oven on again tomorrow. I also have a 40 minute napped and made these while she was sleeping today.
Hi Deb! I absolutely love these brownies! They are the bomb. Period. Thank you so much for the recipe!! I like them so much that I want to make the brownies as a base for a cheesecake too! I was wondering if I bake the brownies as the base first. Then make the cheesecake layer on top (which requires baking as well) would it affect the brownies? ie. make them too dry (because of the “double” baking)? Hope you get what I mean! Would really appreciate some advice on this as I’m making this cake for a friend who loves cheesecake and brownies! Thank you so much!
I love to bake, and I’d been looking for a good from-scratch brownie recipe, since buying a mix seemed like such a cop out. Well, this recipe is now my go-to! I’ve baked them for 2 different in-law events, for my own family, and now I’m planning to make a quadruple batch for a company picnic. I just hope that’s enough for 30 adults and kids. I almost feel like I ought to have a few copies of the recipe on hand to give out, because everyone is going to want it!
OMG.
These are just perfection!!! I love eating them so much. And it’s so easy to put together. And it’s perfect.
I’ve made a lot of brownies before. And yet, my friends said theses were the best brownies i’ve ever given to them. I absolutely adore these.
Yum! Thanks for the recipe. <3
So, I am not a big chocolate fan. I know, I know, “who am I?” So that being said. These are the best brownies I have ever had. And the easiest to make. I made them for a work potluck and I pretty much ate the whole lot by myself. I’m 99% sure I’m going to be making these at least once a quarter.
I doubled the recipe last night and baked in a 9×13 pan for around 38 minutes…these came out perfect! They are so delicious, and I couldn’t believe how easy they were to make. I knew buying a double boiler would come in handy someday :)
They are perfectly fudgy and chewy, but without being overly so. And, I love that they aren’t insanely sweet!
Ive been looking for a recipe using non sweetened chocolate and this one turned out perfect! Best brownies ever!!!!!! Not too sweet, very chocolatey and chewy perfection! Thank U!!!!! This will be my go to brownie recipe from now on!
Okay, these are the best brownies on the planet. And they must be eaten from the freezer. I’ve tried them a couple ways, most recently I used brown sugar rather than white, and only 1 cup of it. All fantastic. Thank you, thank you.
I love these! I feel badly because everyone is talking about buying box mix is a cop out – but I love Trader Joe’s sea salt brownies, how much of a cop out is straight up store bought?!?!?
So I made these with your updated mini muffin notes and they are perfect! I filled the cups a little more since I did not want to use 2 pans and came out with 20, family tore into them after dinner and now I have 6 staring at me daring me to have them for breakfast with my coffee.
I can’t wait to now start to experiment with them – I’m thinking slightly less sugar and added chocolate chunks next time :D Thanks Deb, your recipes never let me down.
Marie — Nothing is a cop-out if you enjoy it! Glad you’re enjoying the recipe.
Hey, thanks for the recipe. I tried it and the brownies were chewy and yummy when chilled!
I have a question though – what could give the brownies a more crunchy exterior? Other commenters say that theirs have a crust that’s too thick, when mine only had a very thin crisp layer. I did reduce the sugar from 265 grams to 250 grams – could this be the reason?
Thanks again!
Oh, Deb. I love you for this. I recently made a brownie recipe (from a reputable source) and the whole thing burned before it could finish baking, and then became stupid dry and were inedible. I almost wept, but I’m going to do this one and I’m looking forward to better results. :)
I think I’ve made these on average once a week since I came across your recipe (about six months ago). Unfortunately I haven’t gotten to eat as many myself as you would think because every time I turn around they have been demolished by someone else (family, co-workers, boyfriend.. ESPECIALLY boyfriend, who claims he could eat a whole batch in one go). Anyway – thank you eternally for the recipe. Forever in your baking debt!
I wanted to also throw in for all the Europeans lusting after this recipe – like Erica above did- that you can make these brownies with Lindt Excellence 99% cocoa/cacao and they turn out just fabulous.
Really wanting to try these but didn’t have all of the ingredients, I halved the recipe because I had only one egg and then just barely 50 grams of salted butter. And then I added whole wheat flour because that’s all I had. Frankly, you can’t tell they were made with something other than white/all purpose flour. They came out fudgy and delicious!
Very, very forgiving recipe. Thank you!
This is my go-to brownie recipe now! I made it for my family and they all loved it! Thank you for such an amazing recipe!
Wow. I tried them warm from the oven, natch, and they were amazing.
I tried them room temp later that night, amazing.
I tried them the next day, amazing and still moist.
Two days later? Yes, still moist.
I’ll make a big pan of these for Thanksgiving-it won’t be enough.
I used Scharffen Berger Chocolate as it was inexpensive at Target this week and I have to say I may not be able to make them unless it’s with that bar now. I used salted butter, no issue. Didn’t parchment the pan, no issue. And I microwaved the chocolate and butter, again no worries. I did pull them out of the oven when it appeared they were still a tiny bit underdone and I believe that’s the ultimate key to success with these. Thank you!!
Deb – I know there’s very little chance in h&*l that you will read this in the next 12 hours, it being the night before Thanksgiving and all…but I have a question! I made these in the summer (yum) and froze them as part of the ice cream sandwich bars (amazing.) But today was my first time making these as regular brownies (and I have to admit I do not know much at all about brownies,) and I am not sure if they are done enough! I read through all the comments and I see they are supposed to be chewy and dense, but can I feel safe that the eggs in there are cooked enough?? They aren’t liquid-y, just fudgey in the center and a couple of the real middle ones glisten a little in the center….is this ok? I baked them 5 minutes longer than suggested, and the toothpick did come out clean, I’m just nervous! I made your sticky toffee pudding also and that did not work as well — I think it’s because I used a pyrex 9 x 13 and the edges were done and getting too dark before the center (alas, the middle was waaayyyyy undercooked, so sad.) Anyway, that is probably why I am doubting myself. Never had any concern about our oven temps before, but I wonder if I should check them. (How do I check that? A new kitchen toy I need to buy?) Thanks so much, illana
illana — Yes, the eggs will totally be cookied enough. Fudgy is good. They set more as they cool. I believe that eggs only need to be cooked to about 155 for the eggs to fully set and 160 to please the FDA; I cannot imagine they will not hit that by the 30 minute mark. I hope they’re a hit.
I made these for thanksgiving (because children sadly don’t eat pie) and they were a huge hit! I doubled the recipe in a 9×13 pan and they baked for about 35 minutes. Perfect! They also improved with age and were even better on Friday.
Deb, they were absolutely the unmatched hit of our Thanksgiving dessert table. Thanks again for your recipe and the quick reply. :-)
ooh thanks margaret! i just doubled my recipe for a 9x 13 (now in the oven ) and was contemplating how long to leave them in for… should be yum yum and glad they age well as for guests in two days time!
Thanks deb!
Thank you so much for your recipe, Deb! I’ve been using it over the years and have made many friends thanks to this… This weekend, I’m baking & selling 20 trays of the one-bowl brownies for charity, with some spin-offs such as salted caramel, Nutella and Baileys Irish Cream. Slightly nervous about baking in bulk – keeping my fingers crossed!
My cakes and tarts never go wrong when I follow your recipes. A million thanks to you for inspiring my love for cooking/baking!
No baking chocolate in the house today. Can I use cocoa powder and how much?
Elle — I’d make these brownies, then. People love them!
Hi Deb. I have made both the “best cocoa brownies” and “my favorite brownies” in the past and I loved them both. However, for me the ultimate brownie is a combination of the best qualities of the both of those. So yesterday I decided to give it a try and riff on the two recipes to make my ultimate brownie – and I have to say that they were the best brownies that I have ever baked. After consulting several sites on how to replace cocoa powder for chocolate and reading through each and every comment – I decided to replace 1 oz of chocolate with three tablespoons of dutch cocoa powder. I didn’t have any unsweetened chocolate so I used 2 oz of Valrhona 71% and cut the sugar down to a scant 1 cup. The resulting brownies were exactly what I was hoping for – a dark chewy chocolaty brownie with a crackly top. Thanks for the confidence to experiment in the kitchen!!!
I am not having too much luck with the mini muffin pan version. Using non stick pan, sprayed it well, baked for 16 minutes, cooled for five and it’s not coming out of the pan.
Just wanted to share, in case anyone else is in this situation, that I successfully made these brownies dairy- and soy-free using the red Earth Balance in place of the butter. This has been my go-to brownie recipe since it first went up, and missing out on all of the delicious buttery baked goods has been one of the toughest parts of going dairy-free (for an allergic nursing baby). On a whim, I decided to try these as written, just subbing in the Earth Balance sticks. It worked! Not quite as amazing as the original, no, but tasty and totally passable, especially when served warm with coconut milk ice cream on top.
Hi there, I made this just as written, and baked for 25mins exactly, but they came out a very light-coloured brown, and very dry and cakey, not chewy and gooey at all. I suspect I did something wrong, but not sure what. In any case, just wanted to report it, that’s all. Do enjoy your blog!
Tina — Tell me more. Did you use unsweetened chocolate? Are you at a higher elevation?
This same thing just happened to me! I have had great success with this recipe several times, but I made them last night–exactly the same as I always do–and they came out lighter brown, cakey, and dry! The only difference is that it’s possible drier outside, since we’re in a bit of a heat wave where I live? I didn’t alter anything else, and was using all fresh ingredients, including a “fresh” bar of chocolate.
If I were to make these again, what would you suggest? One egg instead of two? Sub out some of the brown sugar for white? Add extra fat or sugar? I’ve never had a recipe that’s so consistently good change so drastically on me!
What kind of chocolate did you use? Are you at a higher elevation?
Ran out of butter and replaced it with 50/50 sunflower oil and banana puree. It works, in case anyone is in a pinch for a substitute and still wants to retain the “moist” -ness of the baked good ;) I was looking for a chocolate only recipe(no cocoa) and this one pulled through! Good Stuff!
These brownies are great because they’re actually GOOD! And they don’t have a bunch of ridiculous ingredients in them (Hershey’s syrup? Who has that on hand?) I make so many brownies that turn out like disasters and I never like to buy the box because I make them immediately when I get home and I already have all the ingredients at home anyway!
I did use cocoa powder instead of unsweet chocolate, because that’s what I had and had late night cravings. Don’t judge me.
These are the perfect homemade 2-bite brownies (my dad’s favourite). They’ll be a hit at his Superbowl party tonight!
I have a question Deb! I want to change this up and add in Almond Roca or try to create an Almond Roca type brownie.( my significant other loves brownies & Almond Roca so it seemed like a good idea) Would this recipe be ok for throwing in some crushed toffee bits? Or do you think better results would be had with your glorious caramel brownies http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/02/salted-caramel-brownies/ Just looking for some general advice because I love this recipe but want to switch it up!
Thank you!
I have never had almond roca before, and now that I’ve Googled images of it, I’m very sad. It sounds like its kind of like a buttercrunch with almonds. I don’t see at all why you couldn’t mix bits into here.
Yum! I have done them now both ways, and they come out a bit better i think from the pan. I had a hard time figuring out when they were done as brownie bites. But either way, delish.
Hi Deb,
Thanks for the reply! About how much toffee do you think is a good amount that wouldn’t upset the balance of the brownie, ¾ a cup chopped? Would you sprinkle it on top while it is in the pan, or put it into the mix before and pour it into the pan?
Thanks!
I think 1 cup should be fine, maybe mix half into the batter and sprinkle half on top? And then invite me over? Because it sounds amazing.
Just wanted to say thank you for a wonderful and delicious brownie recipe! After a failed attempt at making brownies many years ago (scorched chocolate = sad) I hadn’t given them another try until this week. Made these in the mini muffin tins with the flaky sea salt and they were absolutely perfect. Served them warm with ice cream and your dark, salted caramel sauce drizzled on top and they were the hit of the party.
I do not make these brownies, because even if I keep them to myself, they are gone within 24 hours. If I leave them out where my nephew (otherwise currently going through a strict paleo phase) can get to them, they’re gone before bedtime. We won’t talk about what happens when his musician friends come over to jam.
But I have to bring something to a church thing Tuesday evening, and this will be it. I will make the mini-cupcake version, because I am a brownie crust kinda guy.
I will also add two teaspoons of espresso powder, not only to pull back the sweetness just a tad bit, but because the ladies in the group (I am the only male) typically serve decaf only, which is a sin and an abomination and I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!
Oh, and by the way, I dump the batter into a slide-sealed baggie, snip the corner off, and pipe it into the muffin tin. Much neater and quicker than spooning it in. Except that time I didn’t the corner wide enough and the seam burst. Most delicious mess ever.
Dave — You’re completely hilarious.
I replaced the granuated white sugar with soft brown organic sugar and added half a cup of cream( just cuz i had some lying in the fridge and didnt want it to spoil lol) and i added chunks of white chocolate. Turned out absolutely deliciously perfect!
I just made these, and they are a very pale brown; not at all like the pictures you posted. Did I do something wrong?
Chloe — The color is from the chocolate. What kind did you use?
I just cut them, and the top was like a brownie-flavored cracker while the inside looked underdone (even though the toothpick came out clean when I tested them). So disappointed!!
I used bittersweet chocolate and just lessened the amount of sugar by a little bit. Once I peeled the hard shell off of the top, they tasted pretty good.
Unsweetened or bittersweet? If bittersweet (i.e. 70 or 72%) it could definitely affect the color. Not sure why they had a hard shell, but good brownies often have a glossy almost wrinkly top layer.
Thanks for your help. I will definitely try these again… it was most likely a baker error.
Would this be weird to add rosemary or some kind of savory element to these?
Hi Deb,
I made these brownies a few weeks ago, and they were fantastic! Two interesting things to note: I live in Paris, and I used Cassonade sugar – which is like Turbinado or Demerara sugar, and easier to find than pure white sugar – and a glass baking dish. I think the combination of those two ingredients gave a very interesting result: alittle bit crunchy, crème brulée bottom on the each brownie! My husband said they were the best brownies he’d ever had!
Merci!
Yesterday my boss did me a little favor so as a thank you I offered to bake him something in return. I was asked to make brownies. Deb, I can bake a 300 person wedding cake and have it turn fabulously but I had never had a brownie recipe come out the way it’s supposed to (including this one). Needless to say I was nervous, I have a baking reputation to uphold at work!
I’m so so happy I decided to give this recipe another try. This time it came out EXACTLY like what I’ve always wanted my brownies to come out like. I used 90% Lindt because I couldn’t bear to use Bakers when I know this recipe relies so heavily on the chocolate itself (oh and Sharffen Berger was $14 at my overpriced local market). I also used my 8″ Williams Sonoma gold touch cake round (I don’t have the square one yet!) and it came out looking just like yours. I made a double batch and 10 people ate them all in less than 30 mins. You seriously rule.
Thank you so much for all the research you do in your little kitchen for us!
Thank you for this easy and great recipe. My daughter is very finicky and only liked the brownies that I occasionnaly bought at the local cheese shop that were so expensive for a tiny square! I have baked many versions to try to replace them but they never passed the test. Tonight, I tried yours and she likes them!!! Thank you for helping me save money!
Hi Deb,
Thank you once again for the world’s best brownies recipe… I’m sorry to be bugging you with the same question after 2 and half years… but could you pls help me with an eggless recipe? :( my friends have been begging me to make eggless ones cos they have heard a lot about the brownies i make with your recipe…
You mentioned freezing these brownies. Would you say they freeze and thaw out to room temperature fairly well? I have a camping trip coming up and it would be super convenient if I was able to make and freeze the brownies ahead of time, then let them thaw out for serving cool or at room temp at the base camp.
…you know, provided I didn’t eat them all straight from the pan?
Merideth — Yes, they freeze and defrost very well.
If I use a 9 X13 pan, should I double the recipe? Thank you much
I love this recipe. And it is very yummy.
r these brownies chewy? coz i m looking for a chewy brownie recipe.
Whoa! I just made these brownies and they’re sooo good!
Just made these for my class on the last day of the summer session. I only had 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate on hand and wanted to double the recipe, so I used the 1 T. butter + 3 T. cocoa substitution for the other four ounces. Added 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips, cut the sugar by about 1/3 c. (not on purpose; was baking fast and belatedly realized I hadn’t flung my ingredients as accurately as usual), and baked in a 9×13 pan for 35 minutes. So good. My bf just wrote to ask, in adorably plaintive fashion, if I’d managed to save any for him (I assured him I had). Deb, I owe all my good student evals to you. :)
Made these last night and oh man. Perfectly dense and chewy with the coveted cracked flaky top. Boyfriend went back for seconds. My first SK recipe and it was perfect!
I don’t know why I bother googling recipes anymore as I always end up on your site of delicious, reliable, achievable recipes. May actually invest in time-lock tupperware…
just made these with TJ’s pound bar of dark chocolate, in the bakers edge brownie pan and they are heaven!!! perfect texture and crunch and amazing flavor with no cocoa needed. love it!
I was really excited to make these brownies and followed the recipe. Only thing I did was halve it and bake it in a 8×4 loaf pan. My brownies also turned out cakey. It was very chocolatey and tasty and will definitely not be wasted but since we were looking for brownies, we were disappointed. It was perfectly soft and dry on the inside. I was also thinking it might be the flour. I used whole foods 365 all purpose flour. It does not have any leavener. I also baked it only for 20 minutes since it was in a smaller pan. I checked at 15 and there was some batter stuck to the fork.
Yummy! I made these last night and they came out perfect! I used a glass pan so I lowered the temp to 325 and I think I baked them for 35 mins. I used a full 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt (Diamond brand) and they did not come out too salty. They had a nice thin crackly top layer and then lots of chewy, chocolaty goodness underneath.
I’m glad your recipe is so easy because people always want me to bring brownies once they’ve tasted some. I often swap mint extract for vanilla and people love it, even avowed mint-haters.
In case anyone only has semisweet chocolate in their pantry, and needs these in their mouth ASAP ….. It works just fine. :) just a little sweeter. I also use turbinado sugar.. I don’t know if that helps make them supremely chewy or if that’s just how they are with any sugar, but sweet baby Jesus these are DIVINE.
Another delicious recipe, very amenable to adaptations.
I doubled the recipe and baked it in a 9×13 pan. Other changes: I swapped half of the AP flour for buckwheat flour, and instead of granulated sugar used half dark brown sugar and half raw cane sugar (it’s what I had around). Baked at 350 for 30 minutes. Result: lots of chewy, intensely chocolate brownies. Thank you, Deb!
I’ve been searching for the perfect, chewy, brownie for the last 13 years. My husband insists they be chewy, not cake-like, and he’s been disappointed time and time again as I’ve experimented with new recipes. Not anymore. These are so chocolaty, rich, and CHEWY. Such a simple ingredient list, and they were so quick to make. I started them while dinner was on the stove and they were out of the oven before dinner was done. You can’t beat them for simplicity, quickness, and best of all…taste.
Deb – what happens when you use salted butter? Can the extra salt be omitted?
These might have to happen today..and then maybe try the other 10 recipes over the next few days ;)
I think these are almost the brownies I used to make for my brother, who was on the (Anti HA diet, many moons ago). But really you had me at the stick of butter, 3 oz UNSWEETENED chocolate and barely any flour. Filing for the next cold spell, or maybe not; I think these with a mini-scoop of vanilla gelato would be divine.
Just checking-these cool in the pan before cutting?
Cynthia — I let them cool in pan.
so I made these and look forward to tasting them but it seems I was a bit challenged by the parchment paper. I basically rolled out two sheets and laid them criss cross in the pan. It was very difficult to get the paper into the corners of the pan and now the brownies have weird edges. Also, the paper seemed to move about with the ins and outs of the oven (need to get it calibrated and had to extend cooking time more than once) and this produced cracks in the baked product. :-( Can this step be skipped if pan is greased and/or floured? Otherwise, please provide a tutorial on parchment paper placement (in general). I could use it!!
Just won a Brownie Bake Off at a friend’s party (by a landslide), with this recipe! It’s perfect. Thank you!
Hi, Deb! I stared using this as a handy 8×8 version of the “big pan fudgy brownies” I made so many times as a teenager that I can still remember much of the recipe– it was almost exactly this one, 2.5 times the quantities, for a jelly roll pan. I now make these, cut them into 1 inch squares, stack them on a small cake stand and serve them for dessert with homemade strawberry sorbet. It satisfies those who want a light dessert without stinting the hungry ones (and even the supposed light eaters seem to go back for thirds and fourths). Thank you!
I made this last night at 9pm when I realized I said I’d make some treats for my kids school for World Teacher day today…as promised they were quick and apparently super delicious! I’m going to have to make another batch this week for ourselves! Thanks Deb…you should know, Smitten recipes make up at least half my baking repertoire and meal planning…you are the best!
I haven’t made brownies in years. These were a delicious treat today.
These are the most amazing brownies ever. I made a double batch, cut into tiny squares and froze it before my daughter was born. I have to agree with you that they are especially delicious directly out of the freezer! Since then I ALWAYS need a stock of these in the freezer and have a double batch in the oven now. Thank you for the best brownie recipe ever.
These are absolutely amazing!!! i just substituted the chocolate for semisweet chocolate fondue, and used 4 tbsp butter + 1/4 cup of mashed ripe banana (1 small banana), and only 1/2 a cup of sugar. They turned out a little cakey b/c of the fondue, but still fudgy and very delicious!
If you want the healthier option, do what I did with the butter, reduce to 3/4 cups of sugar, substitute the all purpose flour with white whole wheat flour, and use 4 egg whites instead of 2 whole eggs! lower in calories and still yummy (-:
Simply awesome! I made this last evening and turned out great. I am always in search of a good brownie recipe. I have seen many recipes all of which calls for that large brownie pan, for which my oven is too small. Moreover, I live in India and I don,t get unsweetened chocolate which contributes so much to the colour and flaky on top texture, I end up we cocoa powder and lots of sugar. Sure I get a great brownie with my recipe, but noting just right as this one. I love your blog and I am going to try making your perfect corn muffins next. Planning to halve your measurements to get a smaller a smaller muffin than yours…..lets see:))
I love this recipe oh-so-much!
Just wanted to point out – when you print the printer-friendly version of recipes on the site, they have the footnote “© 2006-2013 SMITTEN KITCHEN LLC” instead of the “© 2006-2015 SMITTEN KITCHEN LLC” on other parts of the site.
Doubled the recipe, brought them to work – everyone swooned and raved. THanks for another perfect recipe.
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Deb, I just brought these to a bake-off at work yesterday, and won! Your recipe totally saved me. I had planned to make a chocolate torte that I love, which I’ve made 4-5 times in the past with zero problems. Well, I tried a different kind of chocolate for it, and my ganache split. I couldn’t fix it. I freaked out for a while because I had no other go-to dessert recipes for which I already had the ingredients. Then I realized that I had a little unsweetened chocolate, flour, sugar, butter, and eggs, so I should be able to make brownies. Without a go-to brownie recipe, your site was the first place I looked to see if I could find one, and I’m so glad! This was exactly what I want in a brownie: fudgey and intense, but not so dense as to seem paste-like. Just perfect. THANK YOU!
Tried these today in the mini muffin pan. Flavor and texture are fantastic but they stuck so badly (in a nonstick pan WITH Pam sprayed in each cup!) that the batch was ruined; they would not come out and I had to dig bits out with a spoon… might use the chunks as ice cream topping. I will totally try these again, but only with the one and only failsafe pan grease: Crisco.
The only thing I’ve changed in this recipe is to use 1/2 cup of cocoa instead of the melted chocolate. They are slightly chewier than the original but still just as fudgy.
It’s my go-to!
Flawless, easy recipe… Improved the less than stellar moods in my household immediately!
Hi, if i want to make a large batch of these, could I double or triple the batter to bake it in a parchment lined sheet pan? Is that even going to work…? Thank you!
Annie
Can you please enlighten me as to what a “brownie edge” is?” Further, I notice that you’re using a white pan. Could you please unconfuse me re: pan color choice? I don’t own many baking pans but will invest in some as soon as you tell me which color metal or other surface to get for baking. And, to complicate this even further, what about porcelain? glass? HELP! Thank you, Deb. Much appreciated!
I recently used this recipe to make my first homemade brownies ever! I usually research tons of recipes beforehand, but I impulsively decided to just DO IT, and I immediately came here because Smitten Kitchen has never steered me wrong before.
They were perfect! I followed the recipe exactly. I was ecstatic! And, curious about how cold and frozen brownies tasted, I wrapped them all up and froze them. All this week, I have been having hot coffee with a cold cold brownie, and I think I am in love.
Thank you so much!!
Well, I am clearly late to this brownie party…but I HAD to say how fabulous these brownies are. I am a brownie fan and have a variety of recipes all look delicious and promise to be the best ever. I want to go on record, here, and say …YUM. Ingredients mix up easily and came out great… crisp on the outside and slightly gooey in the middle… the good kind of gooey…thanks so much!
Perfect brownies, indeed! I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect intersection of not-too-sweet/chewy/meringue-topped brownies and here they are. I didn’t have unsweetened chocolate at home, so I did the cocoa powder+oil cheat and they still came out perfectly. Thanks for sharing!
Made these the other day. Taste great and easy to make. These are just what I was looking for. Thanks!
So amazing! I made them tonight in the mini-muffin tin and they were perfectly dark and chocolately without being overly sweet. I used my cookie scoop to portion them out and I think I got 22 total. I did add a half tsp. of instant espresso granules to the melting chocolate and butter and a scant 1/8th tsp. of cayenne to the finished batter (just personal preference with chocolate.) And I added a swirl of leftover cream cheese frosting to the top of each brownielet (carrot cake last week.) They were absolutely divine, and so easy!
Disappointing. I made these exactly as directed. The texture is quite good (moist, fudgy, not cakey), but they are overly sweet and not nearly chocolatey enough. They tasted like dark brown blondies to me. Needs way more chocolate.
Saw that there was an anniversary for these today while looking at another recipe. Happy 2.5 year anniversary to my favorite brownies too!
With over 700 comments ahead of me you hardly need my input…so I’ll just say thanks for sharing this great recipe. My second batch is in the oven; fingers crossed they are as good as the first. Cheers, Rob
Made these today for son to take to dinner at a friend’s house. I flicked in a tsp. of grated orange rind, and finished the cooling off period in the freezer. Cut them pretty small (don’t want these boys to gain weight!) and ate one, maybe two or three, while cold. Tasted great to me, but waiting until my leftovers (ones I selfishly kept for home) come to room temp and see how they taste. I guess the real test will be whatever reactions I get from the parents of the other boy!
I’ve made these brownies quite a few times with excellent results. I love that they’re one bowl brownies, and I don’t even have to worry about cleaning out my stand mixer. This morning, after a last minute desire to make a batch for a coworker, all I had on hand was semi-sweet chips. Although the recipe calls for unsweetened chocolate, I assumed I could cut back on the sugar with fairly equivalent results. After the brownies came out very light, with a thicker-than-usual crust on the top, I knew something went wrong. Even after completely cooled, the brownies were fudgier and gummier than usual. They did not have a very chocolatey taste, and almost reminded me of a blondie.
I scanned the recipe multiple times to see if I accidentally left something out. Nope — followed all other steps perfectly. Thus, I turned to the comments and realized that my bigmistake was the semi-sweet chocolate. Stick with the unsweetened chocolate. It really does make an enormous difference!
I made these this morning for my 99-yr-old mom’s welcome home (to CA) from a trip to NY. I used 1 mini-muffin pan and 1 silicone heart pan (cuz I only had one of the latter). They were absolutely delicious, but a bit on the dry side (i.e. cakey–ick), after just 15 minutes. However, I think the culprit is that I decreased the sugar to about 3/4 Cup. I love sweets, but don’t like them too sweet. Any tip on how to make them less sweet but retain the iconic chewiness great brownies must have?
clarification: 15 min. in the oven.
I know there’s 700+ comments about these brownies already, but I have to comment and say I’ve made these brownies SO many times and they’ve always been a hit. They’re the most addictive brownies I’ve ever had and it’s difficult to stop eating all the scraps (all those delicious edge pieces ;). I also love how not-so-sweet they are. They’re the perfect amount of chocolate and chewiness.
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! :)
Do you know about the brownie edge pan? http://www.amazon.com/Bakers-Edge-Nonstick-Brownie-Pan/dp/B000MMK448
These are THE BEST EVER!! They are so simple and I love that there’s no powdered cocoa. It’s my go to recipe when folks just pop over because it’s so simple and takes ten minutes to get into the oven. Love love love LOVE!!!
I can’t believe I never commented on this recipe since I have it stamped in my veins – and I make it at least 10 times a year. A note about technique: i’ve learned that melting the cubed butter, turning off the stove and adding the chocolate is fail proof. I’ve also followed your suggestion for mini muffin pans and have never looked back. They’re baking right now. I almost thought of dropping a chocolate chip in the middle, or a raspberry, but that would be sacrilege. Me, my family, and friends thank you for 4 years of amazing brownies.
Hi, hello! Been wanting to bake brownies and I got all my ingredients right here with me but I just found out our oven is broken and wont be fixed for some time. We do have a toaster oven though but I’m not entirely sure how to adjust the settings for it (considering the max temperature of our toaster is at 250C) or if its possible at all to do it in a toaster. I’ve read mix results about it online with the majority of people saying it’s possible but I haven’t exactly found any recipe that’s actually adjusted to the toaster settings. In this light, would like to ask if you have any idea how this certain recipe of yours might be adjusted? Thanks in advance
Mmmmm they look so good! I just posted a recipe for my brownies as well so feel free to check it out :) You can find it at http://sedakaraman.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/the-best-chocolate-brownies-in-world.html Thanks xx
These are my go-to brownies. They are so unbelievably good.
First attempt tonight as a dessert o bring to a friend’s house and tried the mini muffin tin approach. Waited five minutes as directed but the brownie broke (top broke off). I didn’t want to be late to dinner so I brought them still in the tins and had better luck removing them — with a spoon — after dinner when they’d cooled completely.
These are the best. I normally jump around from recipe to recipe for baked goods, but when it comes to brownies these are the ones I’ve been using for years. You are only 30-45 minutes away from fudgey, rich chocolatey deliciousness. I often stir in some walnuts. Definitely try them.
My go-to brownies! So delicious and so easy.
Perhaps you should have added that green ingredient and then the 2 of you would have had a good sleep. 😉
This is the perfect brownie recipe. Also, I just cleaned out my pantry and found miscellaneous slivers of bakers chocolate–not quite 3 oz. so I added a big dollop of homemade pecan/chocolate butter (Nutella-like) to make up the difference. Still perfect! Yummmmmmm. Thank you for so many great simple, yet inspiring recipes.
I just took these out of the oven and they look beautiful. I tripled the recipe… well, I trippled and added a third of the original measurements because I was making them in a half sheet pan and I didn’t want them too thin (OCD?). They probably would have been fine if I just tripled the measurements. I baked them for 26 minutes.
Before I made them, I skimmed some of the comments.. Chloe, Feb 2015, said that her brownies came out with a thick light brown crust and we’re underdone. I had a similar experience with brownies in the past. It turned out that it was time for a new oven. The oven wasn’t heating properly; it didn’t get anywhere near the proper temp of 350.
Have you ever had a craving that was almost physically painful? That’s why I decided to make these brownies. I added chocolate chips because it’s just that kind of night. These are amazing, sanity restoring brownie. Thanks :)
I have been meaning to make these but never did bc I don’t get too excited about brownies. I like them, I just never crave them. A coworker requested brownies so I made these and, MAN! The coworkers went crazy for these brownies. I’ve been on a baking streak this summer (thus the request from a coworker) and these were by far the favorite of all the things I’ve baked. One coworker’s birthday was today, so the others suggested I make these rather than pick up our usual birthday donuts. And once again, everyone is so excited over these brownies.
They are just as easy and delicious as everyone said. Even though I don’t crave brownies, I’ve found that with these around, I am just as excited to eat them as everyone else.
I do find I have to bake them a little longer than suggested, and I’m still not sure they’ve gotten completely done. But no one seems to mind an under-done brownie :)
Normally I’m a Dutch-cocoa-only-thank-you-very-much kind of brownie girl, but these have converted me. I’ve made them twice in two weeks. They’re fudgy, yummy, textural perfection on their own, but also seem like they are basic enough to withstand any sort of mix-in/accoutrements you want to throw at them.
My go-to brownie recipe is similar, starting with melted unsweetened chocolate. It is beloved everywhere I take it. A couple of years ago, I saw an episode of Good Eats with Alton Brown, and he used cocoa powder instead of flour in something. I have since replaced 1-2 T. of the flour in my recipe with cocoa powder, and people seem to love them even more.
My friend Erica loves her brownies frozen, too. I thought it was weird at first, but I love a frozen brownie.
I’ve made these approximately infinite times. They’re flawless just as described, though I often add some chopped brazil nuts or walnuts. A few further suggestions:
– I melt the butter and chocolate together in a saucepan directly over a low flame (not in a bowl over simmering water). As long as you keep an eye on it and stir, it won’t burn. I let it cool a minute then proceed with adding the other ingredients right into the pan.
– If you bake them in a regular muffin pan (greased and floured) the recipe will yield 9 dense, round brownies with a perfect crust-to-squidge ratio, which we love.
– When we need a late-night brownie fix but I’m stuck with only regular 40%-ish cocoa chocolate in the house, I reduce the sugar to 3/4 cup and double the salt.
How long did you cook them in the muffin pan? Thanks.
I know this recipe is quite old, but I just made it last night and wow! Sooo good. And then I froze the leftovers to try out your cold brownie tip. A++++++!
Wowwww!!!! Loving them! That’s it! not looking anymore, I found them! Seriously, AMAzing!!!! And also the rest – best blog, always return!
xoxoxoooo
Yael
I tried these brownies for the first time and somehow they turned out a bit pale and less chocolatey than i hoped for. the texture was absolutely delicious though, sort of like a cookie-dough. i will make these again for sure but with a bit more chocolate and cocoa powder. my other favorite is the “best cocoa brownies” recipe but the texture of this recipe is so much better.
I have occasionally swapped 1/3 of the flour here with cocoa. You might find that gives it a fudgier oomph.
Could you swap the butter for coconut oil and use dark chocolate? I’ve had to give up dairy for nursing, but I NEED these in my life. And coconut and chocolate is my favorite..’
Very like Hepburn’s Brownies, my standby.
Thanks Deb for the wonderful Smitten Kitchen. I love reading it and sharing your wonderful food ideas – it’s like having somebody who knows exactly what I like eating and is talented about writing and creating it. Yesterday seemed like a big batch of brownies was going to be helpful – I didn’t have enough cocoa for 2 batches of cocoa brownies, so I mixed together one batch of cocoa brownies and one of ‘my favorite brownies’ and they are awesome. Yum.
I made these brownies in a mini muffin pan and they were a crowd pleaser. I got 24 mini muffins and they baked for approximately 19-20 minutes. The outside was a little crusty and the interior was rich and chewy. I didn’t have any issues with sticking. I used Pam baking cooking spray and removed the brownies after 5 minutes of cooling. This is an excellent recipe that I would make again.
Second time making these, they’re amazing but for me they take over an hour to cook :( any ideas on why this might be the case?
It’s never ever happened to me. Do you have an oven thermometer? Did all the flour go in?
I also made these today and cooked them for 30 minutes. I made the mistake of not testing them before they came out, and when I cut into them, discovered they were still quite raw, not just fudgy. I would guess another 10-15 minutes would’ve been needed.
My brownies get stuck to the butter paper afterwards. How do I remove without breaking the brownies??
When they’re cool, should come off easily.
Love these quick brownies! I have a batch in the oven right now which will be sent off to my son as a little exam week treat. Finals week is tough, he’ll be greatful for something so tasty — thanks!
I have been searching for this exact brownie!!! I have tried so many recipes, including ATK, but they fell short of what I wanted. I freeze these after I cut them up and I think that adds to their texture when thawed (my husband loves them frozen). These brownies have everything I wanted – fudginess, chewiness, bold chocolate flavor, and perfect sweetness balance. Thank you! I have made them 3 times now, and have added 1-1/2 t. instant espresso powder and 1/2 c. chopped pecans. Perfection!
Any one try adding coffee liquor to these? I’m afraid of adding too much liquid… But I need alcohol in my brownies. Lol.
I thought I had an 8 inch pan but I don’t. Do you think I will be ok with a nine inch?
A very particular friend commented, on eating these, “These are the best brownies I’ve ever eaten!” High praise, for sure. I agree. These are terrific! Thanks, Deb.
These are my very favorite brownies, I make them way more than is good for me. I do usually make two small changes — I find one cup of sugar to be plenty, and I generally use 2-ish ounces of unsweetened chocolate and 1-ish ounce of cocoa powder. The result is still deliciously fudgy but not quite as dense. Thanks so much for the recipe, Deb!!
Thanks for sharing this recipe, it’s now my “go to”brownie! If I want to double the recipe and use a 9×13 pan, what would you recommend for heat and time?
Hi- also wondering how to make this recipe work in a 9×9 :)
You can, they’ll just be thinner and bake faster.
I have a 9-inch silicone pan (kind of like a 3-dimensional Silpat, no parchment required!) and I’ve made these successfully either increasing the ingredients by 50% or doubling. The math (64 sq inches for an 8″ pan, 91 sq inches for a 9″) would suggest going up by 50%, but I like them a bit thicker.
Perfect quarantine brownies. Per a previous commenter’s suggestion, I used a standard muffin tin which yielded 9 brownies. Cooked for 29 minutes.
Can Splenda (or another artificial sweetener) be substituted for sugar?
Wow- these are great! I made them both in an 8×8 pan & mini muffin tin. I prefer them in a mini muffin tin since it’s a nice 2 bite treat and not as gooey as a piece cut from an 8×8 pan. Both are amazing- maybe my pan needed a minute or 2more… but overall a huge YUM!
Great recipe! Am trying it tonight. Just wondering, I have extra batter left, is it fine I store it for later?
It should keep, but I’m not sure I’d keep it over a couple days.
OMG – these are the brownies of my dreams! Fudgy, chewy…. I had a few dark chocolate chips that might have made their way into the batter too. The scary part is how easy they are to make. I don’t know why people make brownies from a box when recipes like this are so easy and so much better. This one is a keeper for sure.
Can I make these with milk chocolate chips instead? I assume Id use less sugar? Thanks!
I recently made the Baked Alaska form SK, and I am now officially famous for my baking in my ever “Expanding” circle of friends. The brownie base stole the show. I have made just the brownie, three times in one week…all for small gatherings. These brownies are so easy. I encourage everyone to make them. I made mine in an eight inch round cake pan, and cut them into wedges. I sprinkled the powdered sugar over the top. It took 27 minutes to cook in my oven. I use a fifty dollar kitchen scale with all my cooking, and weigh all my ingredients….and SK recipes always come out perfect.
i just made these on a whim after dinner, and i have two things to say:
1. deb is wise
2. trust in deb
seriously…A+. dangerous.
DIDN’T WORK AT ALL! I had to bake for an hour and they still didn’t come out right! Very disappointed.
I’ve made this multiple times with a few changes: swapping out 1/3 cup of flour for unsweetened cocoa powder and adding 1 heaping tsp of instant coffee powder and 2-3 tablespoons of wine to wet mixture before the addition of flour/cocoa powder. I typically use semi-sweet chocolate chunks from Trader Joe’s and reduce the sugar to 1/2 cup and find the result to be sufficiently sweet. I’ve also made these in standard muffin tins, resulting in 9-10 brownies baked for 13 min.
You haven’t really made these brownies, though…
Just made these and your cocoa brownies together for a taste-off with my 5-year old. Since the cocoa brownies were in the 8×8 pan, these got made in the mini-muffin pan. Your favorite brownies are now our favorite brownies! And we’ll never not make them in the mini muffin pan again. So good!
Hard to believe such simple brownies can turn out so delicious! I added a big handful of chocolate chips to the finished batter, because I couldn’t help myself. They turned out so fudgy and good. Definitely a new go-to!
There is no other recipe that has such great reward for so little effort. They’re also delicious sliced horizontally and spread with salted caramel. <3
I love this recipe. I recently got a mini-muffin tray from Demarle (non-stick silicone/fiberglass) and this recipe makes the perfect amount for filling it. You have to let them cool completely, but then they just pop out! So delicious and easy. Thanks!
The only brownie recipe I’ve made that’s better than the box! I haven’t made another brownie since. Divine with a little espresso powder and of course plenty of Maldon!
I’ve made these twice and now they are my favorite brownie, too. My husband does not like overly sweet desserts and my mom has a ridiculous sweet tooth, and they both loved these. Perfect.
These were the best homemade brownies I’ve ever made. I followed the recipe, but they took about 40-45 minutes to bake.
Deb, I made these three times and each was a total disaster. I made two batches today and both were equally horrible. I really wanted them to work! But there was way too much sugar and not enough flour, I followed the metric instructions exactly. It was a collossal flop. Sticky gooey and never set up.
Do you think there’s a problem with your oven? I’ll try this recipe soon using metric measurements (UK). It could be a good idea to convert everything yourself to see if it’s been done correctly. I might as well do it now…
Just checked the metric data and no, everything is correct. Maybe one stick of butter is more than 115 grams but I’m not sure: one stick is one stick everywhere.
Someone in the comments said their oven was acting up. I’ll write a third one if they’re a success or a fail. You should try again if I manage to make it well !
hi mine came out somewhat like you the first time. After that I added half teaspoon baking powder to look more like Deb’s brownies. And it worked!
I made these three times — twice just today, and each time was a collossal failure. It was incredibly disappointing. I followed the metric instructions exactly and it was just far too much sugar and not enough flour. They were sticky and gooey and baking the second batch longer just solidified the sugar into a crunchy mass on top with a gooey bottom. Total disaster. Love your recipes. It this one was a dud. Maybe check the metric again.
I’m sorry they didn’t work out. Just rechecked the metrics and they’re all correct. Did you use unsweetened chocolate? Are you perhaps at a higher altitude? I know that can throw things. Just troubleshooting…
This came together easily, as promised. I melted the butter & chocolate in the microwave, in a large bowl, and used that to mix everything else together. Two things I did change: I added 1/2 tsp. of instant espresso powder when I added the eggs, and I omitted the salt, because I used salted butter (only thing I had in the house). My oven didn’t get quite to 350, and I left these in for about 32 minutes.
I needed to make these quickly so I appreciated the assurances that absolutely no extras, enhancements or swaps are needed. :)
I’ve had this marked for years and finally just making them! Is it intentional that there is no leavening besides egg? Batter is delish but taking a long time to cook!
No leavning in brownies. It’s what separates them from cake. :)
Deb! These brownies are AMAZING! I’ve made them twice now – once for my partner’s mother with a decadent chocolate ganache and toasted pecans, and a second time with chocolate frosting and fleur de sel sprinkled on top. Both times the brownies were delicious. Thanks for sharing your awesome brownie recipe – this has become my new go to!
Add a teaspoon of espresso powder and use brown sugar or part brown sugar. Makes them even better!
hello there, do you think I can sub oil for the butter? Dairy allergies are the absolute pits. These looks incredible!
I definitely think so.
Hi! I loved the flavor of these brownies (and that I was able to make them while my twins napped). Mine came out crumbly and I wasn’t able to cut them into proper squares. Have you any tips for me?
Cut them cold from the fridge. They’ll cut very cleanly. Many readers swear by a plastic knife (like the disposable kind) too, but for me, it’s all about the cold.
I’m curious on how to get the perfectly cut brownie (bakery cuts). Do you let them cool in the pan first? Refrigerate after completely cooled then cut? This is the last million dollar brownie question.
Cold. I keep them in the fridge, usually. I prefer brownies cold and fudgy. I do not cool them before putting them in the fridge.
Thanks Deb! I definitely ran into some trouble cutting these while they were warm. They crumble a little then, but still taste really good.
So, I thought I was extra smart. I made them. They smelled delicious. In fact they filled the entire house with the scent of heaven.
I exercised self control and went off into the shed to burn some calories on my exercise bike. I cut them into 36 cubes thinking PORTION CONTROL, congratulating myself on my genius level idea. Well that was 2 hours ago, and I have eaten 12 out of 36 :(.
I had 3 oz. of unsweetened chocolate leftover from another recipe so I used my impressive math skills (jk, a calculator) to measure the other ingredients and it made exactly 24 mini muffins, greatly pleasing my weird little heart. And I used both eggs, because I didn’t want to use 75% of two eggs. Just in case anyone wants to enjoy the goodness of brownies in mini form without halving to do two batches.
The recipe calls for 3 oz so I’m not sure how math was involved.
I made these today, following the recipe exactly. I also made them last week. And last month too. And probably once a month for awhile now! It’s an easy recipe that requires no strange ingredients, and always results in perfect fudgy brownies. Thanks Deb for making such solid recipes!
Theyy look great and I love the idea pf the brownie bites. Thank you, Amy, for sending. Just when I had it on the screen, my caregiver. She has a 3 year old and she asked if she could take a picture of the recipe, why not. She is wonderful to me and I was happy to share with her.
Nearly five years down the road and I’m still relying on this for killer brownies.
The oven we inherited in this house is all-convection all-the-time. I’ve had issues with baking brownies because of this – they always end up cake-like, which I DESPISE in a brownie. My go-to recipe, no matter how much fiddling, just won’t work for me anymore. So I’m giving this recipe a try. Any adjustments that you would recommend to compensate for my convection perplexion?
I’m sorry, I’ve never baked in a convection oven before. I hope someone else can pipe up.
We have a convection oven at the summer camp I volunteer at and cakes/brownies do best on low fan, if that’s an option. I might recommend going down 25 degrees or so as well. And a much shorter cooking time – our usual chocolate chip cookie recipe just takes 7 minutes in the convection oven. If you can rotate it more often, that might help as well.
Hi Deb! These are so yum! Just wondering, when you make them do you use cold eggs or room temp eggs? And do you take them out when there are few moist crumbs or when pick is fully clean? Thanks!!!!
I use cold. I never take the time to warm up my eggs. A few moist crumbs is fine, but often the toothpick might come out clean too.
Thanks Deb! Made them with cold eggs and we absolutely love them! I think the cold vs room temp eggs adds to the chewiness. I used ghirardelli unsweetened chocolate, but what brand of chocolate do you prefer for these?
Hi there,
I just made these last night, first time ever actually baking anything, and they’re already gone. Oh and I’m making them again today as a birthday present for my friend. As well as another batch for our house. They are truly life changing brownies.
Cheers!
I made this recipe three times. Today, I added some peanut butter, mixing half a cup of peanut butter with a beaten egg, the swirling it through the brownies before putting it in the oven.
Rather than an 8 x 8 pan, I used the slightly larger 7 x 11. They were wonderful.
Yum! Tried these out today, and they were great. Quick and easy! The perfect median between fudgey and cakey. I used 70% baking chocolate and subtracted the weight of the sugar that was in the chocolate (in this case, 24 grams). Will definitely make these again!
I don’t bake brownies often, but I will start now. This recipe is now my go-to. I did make one change, however. I have more of a salt tooth than a sweet tooth, so I used salted butter instead of unsalted. Delish!
Made these for the 1st time today. Followed your suggestion of making them in mini-muffin tins, which worked beautifully. I had two 16 muffin tins that I coated with cooking spray and then wiped with the butter wrapper to make sure they were coated evenly. Baked them for the recommended 16 minutes and they were perfect. I twisted them each in the pan after cooling for a bit and they each came out in tact with relative ease. I followed another commenter’s advice and melted the butter and chocolate directly in the pan, which I’ve done with other recipes as well. I have a new go-to brownie recipe! Thanks, Deb!
I just made these and they are perfect. Took 30 minutes in the oven.
Hi Deb
Just wondering if I have a bigger brownies tray, can I just double the recipe? Thanking you in advance.
Jade
I am doing this right now, in 9×13 pyrex, and I have had them in the oven for just over an hour to compensate for the additional batter/reduced surface area.
I just made these are they are perfect! Another winning recipe Deb, and a total crowd pleaser as always. Thanks for sharing. LOVE your website. Jade (Australia)
Made these in mni-bundt pans…so good! Cooked for about 21 minutes. Perfect size for a bake sale 2-pack item.
Made these for the second time as mini muffins and again had trouble with sticking. I waited the suggested 5 minutes before removing, too! Still delicious…but in crumb form. I baked for 16 minutes. Maybe a little longer baking time? I sprayed the pan, but maybe butter is necessary, here….
I used butter instead of spray (a mistake?) and mine stuck as well, even in ‘non-stick’ pan…super bummed…..but they do taste awesome! Even as crumbs ;-(
Made these tonight with my chocolate-brownie-aficionado son and he gives a thumbs up. I give 2 for how easy they are and I slipped in a packet of fruit purée and they are still mmm—-mmm good. Thanks!
Hi Deb. I met you in Denver last month and was too shy to tell you how much I love this recipe. It’s my go-to, and I make it almost every week, to my kids’ and co-workers’ delight. I always weigh the sugar and flour and the brownies come out perfect every time (even at altitude). I wanted to share a couple of tweaks I’ve incorporated recently: Mexican chocolate brownies (mix in 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and 1/2 tsp cinnamon with the flour) and peppermint brownies (sub 1 tsp peppermint extract for the vanilla; crush 15 mini candy canes or peppermint candies and mix all but 2 TBL into brownie mix before pouring into baking pan; 10 minutes into baking time pull brownies out of oven and sprinkle remaining crushed candy canes on top). Heaven! Also, I always sprinkle a pinch of sea salt flakes on top, and have been known to sub sea salt with chocolate salt. Thank you!
Thanks for the tips on variations- I’ll have to try these!
can this recipe be doubled? I like making brownies in a 9×13″ pan….thanks!
I did it last week, came out fine! Baked maybe 35-40 min instead of 25-30
My daughter has made these and we had a small container of one inch squares in our fridge that barely lasted a day over the holidays. I made them today and added one tweak – the grated zest of one small navel orange. I have been craving dark chocolate and orange for some time – reminiscent of a dark chocolate orange ice cream that I had 30+ years ago at a Swensen in California. The batter was super tasty with the hint of orange. Love your new book!
Made these today and they turned out greasy in texture. Also, a few hours later here i sit on the throne typing a review while the brownies make a hasty exit. Next time i will dial back the sugar (taste) and maybe go easy on the butter. First SK recipe fail in ten years for me… But I won’t give up!
I am definitely making these for my February book club! And I am going to use the Sharfenberger chocolate because it is so good! Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
Deb, I am positive that you don’t need any more comments on this recipe to assure you of its greatness, but I had to let you know that you timed your most recent Facebook post about them perfectly. Last week I made your black bread, which left me with exactly 3 ounces of unsweetened chocolate. I’ve been reading your blog for years and years (I distinctly remember that the first post I read was the one in which you announced you were pregnant with Jacob!) but somehow have never made these brownies. So naturally, upon seeing your post I decided it was fate, which is how I ended up eating a frozen brownie with my coffee this morning — highly recommended, by the way.
I’ve made these several times and they are always delicious. However, today I made them with earth balance dairy-free butter for my daughter and they were just as delicious and turned out perfectly. Glad to know we have an easy DF brownie option now.
I was craving an easy to make but delicious brownie and here it is! Thanks as always Smitten! They are flying off the plate!
I put the butter and finely chopped chocolate in a pyrex mixing bowl and stick it in the oven while it’s pre-heating. Once those two ingredients are melty, I remove the bowl from the oven, set it on a silicone pot holder on my kitchen scale and add the rest of the ingredients by weight. That eliminates the need for the stovetop/double-boiler!
Made these for a Valentines Day potluck at work. Two coworkers asked for the recipe and one said it was the best brownie she ever had. I only used 3/4 cup sugar because I like my desserts less sweet, used granulated and Muscovado light brown sugar, added 1/2 cup walnuts and 1.5 teaspoon instant espresso and sprinkled some Maldon salt on top before baking and used Kerrygold butter. My coworkers also said they appreciated that the brownies were not too sweet.
I also cut back on sugar. Since I have *finally* started using a scale (really imperative for a serious baker), I used 250 grams of sugar, but next time might try 235, as it was still too sweet for me.
I also somehow missed the note to “spread until even” and so I didn’t do it, thinking they’d spread as they baked. But they didn’t, and one side was definitely done before the other side! It might give folks more choices, but it looks so sloppy.
Finally, this is the FIRST time I’ve made a SK recipe without poring over all the “I made this” comments beforehand. Big mistake: had I read them, I’d have known to use mini muffin tins, which would have made the “spreading” issue disappear!
I wasn’t going to eat any, but then had to trim the corners to fit into a round tin for transport to my 101-year-old mom. Gosh, it was hard to stop!!!
Love the Favorite Brownie recipe. I gave made it many times and it is easy, fast and just delicious. I Would like it if you would include the nutrition info on this and your other recipes. It is helpful when counting calories, or carbs, etc. Thank you.
These were fantastic! I was looking for something rich where you could really taste the chocolate, and this absolutely fit the bill.
I didn’t have the right kind of chocolate on hand, so I used semi-sweet chocolate chips instead and reduced the sugar to just 1 cup and it seemed to work out okay. Can’t wait to try it as the recipe reads; I’m sure they’ll be even richer and deeper in chocolate flavor.
Hi Deb
I want to try your “my favorite brownie “ recipe and serve it for Passover. Could I substitute the flour for the exact amount of Matzoh Cake Meal? Would there need to be any other adjustments?
That you !
michèle
I haven’t made it with it, but it’s worth testing. Here’s a vote of confidence. Btw, my approach would probably be to swap some of it with cocoa powder and the other part with matzo meal.
Got a craving so big for brownies last night, so today I made these and used what I had: lots of unsweetened cocoa powder instead of the solid chocolate bars and I used 1/4 teaspoon smoked sea salt and a 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. They are still cooling (tortuuuure!) but they look and smell delicious already. Thank you for a good solid basic recipe!
This is a standard go-to recipe for sweet baked goods. I make them all of the time. I’ve improvised though and add almond instead of vanilla extract (almonds are my jam), and sometimes add sliced almonds and flaky coconut. Mmmmmm so good.
If I use a non-stick pan, do I need to use parchment? Could I butter and flour the pan instead?
Made these last night while searching for a “quick but fabulous” brownie recipe to satisfy the family’s urgent request for dessert. These were amazing! We added a dash of cinnamon but they certainly don’t need it.
Have you tried doubling the recipe and using a 9×13″ pan. Love your recipes.
Can I double this recipe? I assume I’d use a 9 X 13 pan?
I LOVE, LOVE these brownies. These are definitely my family’s favorite brownies as well. This may be blasphemy but wondering if I could do a substitution to remove dairy and potentially reduce the fat – such as half oil and half applesauce, avocado or black beans? Curious if anyone has tried this and still maintained the deliciousness?
Deb, I have yet to find a single one of your recipes that isn’t something I want to eat every day. Your Favorite Brownies are now MY Favorite Brownies, surpassing even my own mother’s, may she rest in peace. I think she would love yours, if she were still with us, and I would gladly share a pan with her if I could, cut into tiny blocks so we could still feel lady-like while snarfing them. Thanks especially for the tip about putting them in the fridge; it raises the brownie-ness quotient to perfection.
My favorite recipe, and per your suggestion, use mini muffin tins. So easy: I spray the tins with coconut oil and use one bowl to mix everything with a wire whisk. I have found they make 24 perfect brownies. Fifteen minutes later they are in the oven and fifteen minutes later they disembark the muffin tin. I made a whole bunch for an event last year and needed to freeze some. I used a vacuum sealing bag and the defrosted brownies came out fresh tasting, without freezer burn.
I check the Smitten Kitchen website before I go to any other source for my recipes. Thanks for always being there!
I should add that I cut the sugar back to 1 cup. They were plenty sweet to my taste everyone loves them. Perhaps that is why I was able to get 24 perfect brownies in the tins without running over.
Fucking awesome!
Hi Deb, many thanks for this. My question is about unsweetened chocolate. I’m not aware that I’ve ever encountered the beast in the UK.
We have lots of 72 percent chocolate plus 85 percent and even 100 percent. Should I go for one of these?
P.S. When are you coming to England? I’ve nearly worn out my copy of SKED?
100% is the way to go. And thank you. It was decided that a UK tour wouldn’t be in the works after all this time; perhaps for the next book? (Wait, am I writing another book?)
Thanks Deb. I made these with 100 per cent chocolate with great success. The next time I made them gluten free using 60/40 ground almonds and gf flour (for a coelic friend, not to punish myself). Again, great result so they are now my go-to brownies.
What a marvel you are!
I make your two-bite brownies ALL THE TIME and have NEVER had them stick. I use a non-stick mini muffin pan and coat them with softened butter on a paper towel rather than spraying them. I find this recipe to be so successful that I have occasionally given a mini muffin pan and your recipe as a present. I love this recipe. Don’t retire it.
I am horrible at making brownies. The butter often separates and I’m left with a grainy, greasy mess. I am happy to say with this recipe, I had better results. The batter was smooth and stayed together. However, the batter was very thin and I had a hard time spreading it out into the pan. I followed the recipe exactly and weighed all the ingredients and the pan measured 8×8 so not sure why I had such a small volume. The batter also didn’t rise at all. Any ideas where I went wrong? Nonetheless, the brownies did taste great.
Surprised that the batter was thin; I find it very, very thick. Brownies like this rise only barely. I’m glad you’re enjoying the results.
This is so good. Next time I will try it w less sugar just to see. I love the deep chocolate flavor in it. Used glass pan at 325 and it took about 40 min. Putting in frige before cutting was a great tip. Probably my go to brownie recipe from now on.
Not sure why but it really takes me a lot longer than the 30 minutes to get the toothpick to come out batter-free. I have to stop while it’s still a bit uncooked in the middle or it will get overdone at the edges. Other than that, easy and delicious. My friend said they were so good she almost said something “inappropriate” haha.
These brownies are so soft and moist on the inside! If you want a more chewy brownie, leave it in the fridge for a while. I also recommend using less sugar, it is SOOOOOOO sweet.
These did not work at all for me… went by the recipe using weight. It’s like all the butter seeped out of the mixture as it baked. We were so excited. Hoping that after pouring off all the extra fat and leaving it to cool, we might have something edible.
I had this same problem. Followed the recipe exactly and within 15 minutes had weird bubbles around the edges of the pan and brownies were not cooking at all—more like boiling. Left them in 45 minutes in total when I finally took them out because the entire pan was full of bubbly butter. I tipped the pan in the sink and poured nearly a 1/4 cup butter off of the top. It was the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen and I’ve been baking over 30 years. The brownies were still liquid but we tasted the batter and it was excellent. Let them cool in the pan to see if they might firm up but that was a mistake. The pan is now filled with water and soaking in the sink because the brownies completely cemented themselves to the bottom and I would’ve needed a hammer and chisel to get them out. I’m still beyond confused at what happened. I want to try them again because the batter was delicious but considering I followed the recipe as written I don’t have very high hopes. Such a bummer!
The only thing I can guess is that the chocolate might have split when it melted or maybe it curdled the egg if it was too hot when the batter was whisked. Something needs to cause the butter to kind of wick out.
Incredible. Just the right amount of chocolatiness and perfect the second day – cold from the fridge! I’m giving some of them to my friend and his six-year-old as penance for keeping her board game for too long. I expect to achieve full forgiveness and rave reviews. Also – Aldi has fantastic chocolate, including unsweetened baking bars. The money you save can go towards more baking supplies :-)
Too sweet, even with unsweetened chocolate, IMO. I’m sticking with my all-time favorite brownie recipe, Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownies (with unsweetened, bittersweet and semi-sweet chocolate chips) from the late, lamented Gourmet magazine, Dec 1996 issue. Not any harder to make than this recipe, just a different mix of chocolates resulting in a deeper chocolate result.
I made these brownies, and they came out very “caramely” . I did double the recipe , as we had guests coming over . But , somehow they had a caramel taste and color . Even the batter was caramel colored ! The brownies were delicious , nevertheless. Any Reason as to why my brownies came out caramel -flavored?
I made a double batch of these last week for a party and they were a huge hit! I went home with a clean plate. I asked my husband what I should bake this weekend and he requested them again :) I love how simple the ingredients are and how quickly they come together. They’re the perfect fudgey consistency. I sprinkle coarse sea salt on top before baking as well. Superb! Thanks Deb!
Can i sun an almond flour or gluten free flour and is the exchange the same measurement
Here are a few comments from people who have made this recipe gluten-free, some with almond flour, others with other mixes:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/08/my-favorite-brownies/#comment-766044
https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/08/my-favorite-brownies/#comment-766054
https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/08/my-favorite-brownies/#comment-766083
https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/08/my-favorite-brownies/#comment-766267
https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/08/my-favorite-brownies/#comment-766280
Perfect recipe! I made it several times and fiddled with the chocolate quantity without it changing the texture too much. The texture is just how i like, with a crispy lid and a fudgy (but not too fudgy!) inside. I made it on thursday, it is now tuesday, I just ate my second-to-last square and it is still good.
Hi Deb,
My daughter Elizabeth (the one you talked to at OBC) made these brownies for me and they are delicious! I would have eaten the whole pan but she wouldn’t let me. I have been making my mother’s recipe for years and the ingredients are almost identical except that I cream the butter and sugar and melt the chocolate separately, which is the old fashioned way.
Hope all is well with you amidst all this rain and humidity. Only nine months until the beach club opens!
Best,
Marian
I have made the brownie bite version several times, with great success. I spray the tins with baking spray and after baked, I let them sit for a couple of minutes then tilt the pan up (sort of upside down) and thwack it on the countertop or the heel of my hand. Only a couple get ruined and then have to be eaten IMMEDIATELY.
I made this just now! I used 1 oz of unsweetened chocolate + 2 oz of semi-sweet (it’s what I have). I reduced the sugar to 3/4 + 2 Tbsp, and I think I should have done it to 3/4 c + 1 Tbsp, because I added an additional tablespoon of cocoa. Don’t forget the salt, folks! I tasted the butter+sugar+chocolate, and it didn’t taste like much until the salt was added, and that made all the difference and helped me understand how to adjust to my needs. This recipe is easy, even if you don’t have what you need exactly, and I will make it as-is next time!
I am making these in a silicone mini muffin pan for a work party and wanted to add peanut butter to a batch. Any suggestions of how much to mix into the batter?
These are my new quick go-to brownie. They were so simple to throw together, and were perfect in individual ramekins. I baked them till they were gooey and set, and topped them with a scoop of vanilla. Everyone LOVED them!
Looking at making these and am interested in adding semi sweet chocolate chips to make them a little more fudge like. In this case, how would you suggest I alter the cooking time?
Thank you so much for these brownies!
I made them two days ago and impressed the entire office. I just made another batch tonight for my fiance and his buddies and a second batch about to go into the oven because three people requested I make them for a meeting tomorrow at work. It’s an amazingly simple recipe that tastes so awesome!
Thank you, thank you!
Recipe was a huge hit. I used 85% dark chocolate, and it was plenty chocolatey. My 8×8 plan was occupied, so I used my round cake pan, and it worked fine.
Also, as always, Deb, I’m grateful that you include weights in your recipes. It makes things go faster and ensures perfect results every time!
mine came out cakey! what did i do wrong? the only adjustment i made was using trader joes dark chocolate, which is sweetened, but i cut the sugar. the sweetness of them is ok, but where does the cakey-ness come from? can it be the pan i used? it was not a square…
Wow! We made these on Saturday, and they were delicious. So perfect! It was my first time baking brownies from scratch (no box, no vegetable oil), and I don’t think I”ll ever go back.
Excellent–these were so quick and easy and really deliver!
In case anyone finds themselves in a similar situation: I whipped these up on a Sunday night and did not have any baking chocolate, but had good success using a 70% dark bar that was hanging around. To make up for the sweeter chocolate, I reduced the sugar to 175g and found it to be plenty. Baked in a small, parchment lined pyrex dish, they were fully cooked at 25 minutes and I may even pull them out a few minutes earlier for a slightly fudgier center next time.
Best thing to sub for butter if I’m dairy free?
Has anyone tried these as mini cake type things in ramekins? They look like the perfect galentine’s day dessert!! <3
Very fudgy and yummy as written. I have also added a teaspoon of ground cinnamon for a warm, slightly spicy version.
I can’t remember if I already commented here… if so.. just need to reiterate how life changing these brownies are. So few ingredients, all you probably need to buy is chocolate, so spend a little extra for the good stuff! I just told my partner that I was going to make these for a party tomorrow, and he told me we should double it so we can have some to ourselves tonight.
Make these amazingly simple tasty treats!
I’ve been making these brownies for years, frequently in the two-bite size (and never any issues with sticking in my non-stick mini muffin pan sprayed with baking spray!)
Twice in the past two weeks, I’ve made them as mini brownie cheesecake bites, using the recipe for the cheesecake filling in the black bottom cupcakes here. They are so so good! Used a #60 cookie scoop for the brownie batter, then used a piping bag with a 1/4″ or so cut off the bottom to pipe a squirt of cream cheese batter in the middle.
I’ve tried many brownie recipes over the years but still come back to these again and again. They are quick, easy, and always well-received. I, like Deb, prefer my brownies cold, but I cut mine into small squares and keep them in the freezer. Great go-to recipe that needs no tweaking to get right! Thanks Deb!
I’ve made these twice now, and they are as advertised! Super-easy, very quick, and absolutely delish! I made them in an 8 x 8 glass pyrex pan (all that i had), lined with parchment. No issues removing from pan, just lift out the parchment. I baked at 325 for 29 minutes. Perfect-o!
I made these brownies for the first time today. They are everything that you described them to be. So simple, but oh so good.
Good morning! Could you, would you, have you doubled this for a 9×13? I have some brownie fanatics ‘round here..
I have a question, my batter was thick not like what yours looked like, why would that happen?
I would like to make these for a large crowd this weekend. Would you recommend tripling or quadrupling the recipe to make them in a baker’s half sheet?
Go to brownie recipe. LOVE these, as do everyone who’s ever had them. Thanks!!
My favorite fudgey brownie! I always set the timer for 20 min and check it. Add an extra 2-3 minutes and they are perfect. The sprinkle of salt on top before baking puts these over the top!! Thank you for an amazing recipe.
I used Hershey special dark chocolate chips and these turned out divine! Best brownies I’ve ever made!
how would you compare your three classic brownies recipes (favorite brownies, best cocoa brownies, and classic brownies?
Excellent question. Classic brownies are great, quite fudgy, a bit more fussy. Both these brownies and the best cocoa have been one-bowled and are very simple. I personally prefer these (hence the favorite status) because I find them a little more chewy with good edges. But readers are equally into the cocoa brownies; I always wish they had a more complex texture. But both these and the cocoa brownies have legions of fans.
I would like to see reviews listed as newest to oldest.
I made these last night to surprise my aunt for her birthday. Unfortunately, when I tried them before packaging them up I got an unpleasant surprise. The brownies were DRY, chalky, and bitter! I only had 63% bittersweet chocolate so I added 3/4C + 2T sugar like the alternate directions said, otherwise the recipe was followed exactly. I set the timer for 25 minutes and when I checked them I knew they had been over baked. They were so bad I threw the whole pan out. So disappointing to try a new recipe and have it fail! This is the first recipe from SK that hasn’t turned out. I was really looking forward to a chewy severely chocolatey brownie but unfortunately these didn’t turn out for me.
I made these and may I say this is the first brownie recipe I have seen that says, “or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out batter-free”. That’s amazing and I think it was the thing I needed to read. I cannot make brownies to save my life. They either come dry and cakey or under-baked and gooey. These brownies were a revelation and they were amazing the second day because I love brownie edges the second day. Thank you, Deb.
You could also bake them in cupcake liners.
I have been meaning to make this recipe for ages. So glad I did. They are brilliant. Just had a taste. Slightly warm but they are in fridge now. i used a 7 by 10in brownie pan. Increased quantities by about 10% but dialled down sugar to 225g. I had 100% chocolate. Followed the instructions pretty much. Added chopped walnuts and rum soaked raisins as they are for an adult picnic. 😉
Brilliant recipe. Lined the tin with foil. No problems. Will try your blondies next. I love your website and books and have made a number of successful dishes. Thanks for a great recipe. A keeper. And quite easy.
Hi Deb, do you have any insight on why my batter ALWAYS comes out more like a paste? I swear I haven’t been messing with any quantities, but mine has none of the vaguely liquidy qualities I see in that photo of the batter running down from the bowl to the pan. I’m not disappointed enough not to eat the end product, obviously, but I’m definitely confused.
If it’s thick but shiny, that’s fine. This cools quickly and can thicken. If it’s thick but dull, maybe the chocolate burnt or split.
Hello,
Theses look amazing! Your brown butter Rice Krispies are my go to dessert, but need to make 100 brownies. Can I scale these up to a half sheet pan, and if so, what would this do to the cooking time?
Not sure of the cooking time (but it’s never as much longer than I expect, so check at the regular time and then every 5 minutes after). For scaling up, you’ll want to quadruple this. Your friends are lucky!
So, i love these brownies!! I just moved to a high altitude (8200′) and will be attempting. Does anyone have any advice on adjustments? Thanks!
This is the only brownies-from-scratch recipe I’ve ever made. I’ve been making this recipe since 2014, and they’ve never failed me (I always double the vanilla, but I do that for all my cookies because I’m a vanilla Monster). The parchment paper is brilliant, but everyone’s favorite is the brownie bite from the mini muffin tin. They always turned out…until they didn’t. All of the sudden, no matter what I did or how I greased the pan, they crumbled and stuck! I couldn’t stop making them, though. I even added mini muffin papers to the tin for about a year or so. Pain to pull off the brownie, but still worth it. I figured it was probably an issue with the pan itself. So I finally treated myself to a silicon mini muffin pan JUST SO I COULD GO ON MAKING THIS RECIPE (Trudeau, light colored silicon, with a reinforced edge, which keeps the pan from collapsing in the heat). It seems to have completely solved the problem! I’ve made 5 batches so far this way. I sprayed lightly with pam once, and then I literally just tip them out onto a cooling rack straight out of the oven!! No prying. To tapping, even. No crumbles. It’s so magical. Just like these brownies. Thanks Deb!!
I made this again tonight – this time with the ‘help’ of my 3 year old. Even with our variable toddler measuring, they still turned out amazing. I don’t think I will ever seek our another brownie recipe because these are simple and perfect. Thanks Deb!
The best. Sometimes I use bittersweet since that’s my staple. And since the chocolate comes in 6 oz bags I have to make a double recipe. I like to sprinkle wild cranberries or lingonberries over them before baking.
These are, without a doubt, the fudgiest brownies I’ve ever tasted. Wow. My personal taste is that these are a little bit too much on the sweeter side of the spectrum. 7381 To my initial surprise, they turned out perfectly moist and tender which is almost never the case when adapting recipes in my home, Mexico City, located at a whopping 7381 above sea level. I always need to add liquid (about 8 tbsp) to compensate for the difference in the boiling temperature of water up here. That leaving aside that, generally, adding liquid to chocolate tends to be troublesome But then I realized why this recipe worked at the first try without modifications: it practically has no water!
Thanks for all your recipes Deb. You’ve basically taught me how to cook (the lemon pasta, the pulled pork, these brownies among many other great recipes I’ve made).
Much love from Mexico City
Just made these as two-bite brownies. They came out beautifully, none of them stuck, but that might be because I used a brand new muffin tin. They taste delicious, much better than store bought and so easy to make – literally one bowl!
This is my go to brownie recipe but do you think you could replace the flour to make them gluten free?
These were great! Used flakey sea salt and even though I crushed it in the measuring spoon and was careful not to overfill, there are some brownies that are a bit saltier than others so I will use regular diamond kosher salt next time. I kind of like the salty bite but I can see how some wouldn’t. I baked to 25 minutes and they were perfect.
I am an avid baker but have never been a brownie lover, until now. These are pure heaven, and could not be any easier to whip up! Perfectly crunchy top with a chewy center. Equally suitable for a special occasion or to satisfy a random weekday craving. Thank you for this recipe that will surely become my go-to from here on out!
In my part of the world, it’s difficult to find unsweetened chocolate, so I’d wistfully ignored this recipe for years. But I finally lucked into some 100% dark chocolate melts, and now I see I’m going to have to keep them re-stocked because these brownies are now In Demand. They are perfect, genuinely as quick and easy as brownie-making gets, and what really takes them over the top is using the flaky sea salt option. I also added toasted pecans and that was also, frankly, a delicious decision, but I would make them in a boat, with a goat, in a house, with a mouse… I have made and eaten some very good brownies in my life, but I think these are now *my* favourite, too.
Oh! I forgot to say–the internal temperature was about 85 degrees Centigrade when I took them out of the oven, and they were perfectly fudgy without being underbaked…just in case anyone else likes using their cooking thermometer for things like this.
How do I print the receipe?
There is a print icon that leads to a print template at the bottom of each recipe, where it says “DO MORE:” You can also click CTRL + P from any recipe post and it will take you to a streamlined print template.
I topped these with some salted caramel I had in the fridge and then had to keep baking and baking them- finally pulled them at 35 minutes but they were still liquid in the middle.
Turns out when you forget to add the flour, they don’t bake up well. Hahaha. How did I do that? Oh well, I scooped some into a bowl and added a scoop of ice cream and it was delicious.
Thanks Deb, it’s all amazing, even when I mess it up. 😁
Dear Deb,
2 years ago I asked my FB friends to tell me the perfect brownie recipe. I was in search for a brownie as good as the boxed version, but not from the box. For the past couple years I have tried over 15 recipes from people.’s family recipes to Mark Bittman and epicurious’ recommendations. One of my friends had sent me your “favorite” brownie recipe at this time. But it took me this long to get to it (I have three kids, so though I cook their meals everyday, baking is a luxury I greatly enjoy and do to unwind. I used to make a lot of chocolate chip cookies.) I tried your cocoa brownie first and it was good. But when I made this I had that “AH HA!” moment. This was IT!!! It finally had that “chew” i was looking for. And I have repeated it time and time again and it’s the same awe and excitement that I found my perfect brownie recipe!!! Best part is it’s easy to put together! I used Baker’s chocolate because Cook’s Illustrated rated it their favorite and bonus that it’s inexpensive! It’s perfect !
Then I tried your funfetti birthday cake! The last one I made was Milk Bar’s Bday cake and it took me 3 days (and I think shortening is gross). But your birthday cake will be our family’s bday cake from now on!!! Thank you so much for being a culinary genius!! I am really looking forward to trying other things! And it’s a small world: my sister, Jen, went to high school with your husband :). I graduated 8 years later.
I know i don’t violate your comment rules, but I hope this is acceptable. You can delete it but I just wanted to let you know that you CHANGED MY LIFE!! And have saved me a lot of time trying. THANK YOU!!!
Okay, BUT, (and I’ve made these a buncha times), if you do replace 1/3 c flour with baking cocoa as you mention in the beginning of the recipe, the result is *phenomenal*. And I agree that they are fab with plain ol’ flour, but that sub is top notch. My husband and I ate damn near half the pan and I truly don’t believe I’ve ever made a more perfect batch of brownies.
I’m not a huge brownie fan (give me a cupcake any day) but my husband is a huge fan so I decided to make him a batch. This was the perfect recipe as I had most of the ingredients in my pantry and because it’s called my favorite brownies so duh no brainer. If you’re on the fence about making this – Make It!!! You will not regret it at all. These brownies are so good it’s turned me into a huge brownie fan. My husband is a huge fan. In fact I have a pan of these cooking up right now.
how do I adjust the sugar if I don’t have unsweetened chocolate? the baking chocolate I have is 62% and 70%.
It’s tricky, you can (see here) but it ends up less chocolaty and chewy.
The brownie bite size method is my go to brownie! Everything you said about crispy edges and moist centers and perfectly delicious fudginess is true! I’ve never had a problem w sticking I just spray wit Pam baking first! Glad you reposted bc I have friends ask me all the time for the recipe!
For anyone (like me) who *really* wants to make these brownies, but can’t find unsweetened chocolate due to the pandemic/apocalypse/hoarding going on: I found a conversion online attributed to Rose Levy Bernbaum. 2 ounces of bittersweet for every 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate and decrease the amount of sugar by 2 teaspoons for every 2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate.
I made these with 6 ounces of 66-72% bittersweet chocolate, and decreased the amount of sugar by 6 teaspoons (2 tablespoons) – they turned out perfect! Just as deeply rich and chocolate-y as the originals.
Thank you for this comment! It had exactly the info I needed and my batch also came out perfect <3
Thanks! Didn’t see this before commenting with this exact question, oops..
These were exactly as advertised. Fast, easy delicious — particularly so with a glass of red wine. But that could just be me. Thanks for another keeper!
Can I sub in oil for butter? Or use margarine? I can’t do dairy.
I haven’t tested it but I know others have. Coconut oil is a popular swap.
We don’t do meat and dairy together in our house. I find that they taste equally good with butter or margarine (I use Fleischmann’s unsalted for baking).
The only brownies you will ever need. Love the little bite of salt- heavenly.
Hi, any recommendations on how to adjust the delish recipe for high altitude baking? Recently moved from sea level to the mile high city and baking anything just isn’t the same. Thanks!
I found some of these to be helpful when I lived at 4,000’! Good luck with your baking endeavors! https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
Here are comments from people who say they’re at a higher altitude:
https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/08/my-favorite-brownies/#comment-766309
https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/08/my-favorite-brownies/#comment-766321
https://smittenkitchen.com/2012/08/my-favorite-brownies/#comment-1005691
I’ve made these just as written (amazing) and as a gluten free version (also amazing) for my celiac mom. For the gluten free one, I substituted the 2/3 cup all purpose flour with a barely heaping 1/3 cup Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour and 1/3 cup almond flour. I also tried a version with 1/3 cup hazelnut flour instead of almond flour and while the consistency was great, they were a bit too hazelnutty.
I plan on continuing to make these at least once a week until the shelter in place orders are lifted. The only downside is that with five people quarantining together, the brownies are always gone by the next morning!
I made them gluten free using 2/3 cups of almond flour instead of the regular flour, and they were perfect. (I eat gluten, and I have a family member that doesn’t…and I couldn’t even really tell the difference between the wheat flour and almond flour versions).
I was just lamenting the other day that I don’t have a good stand-by brownie recipe. I should have known you’d have my back, Deb. These were so easy that I managed them while also letting my 4.5yo and 2yo “help,” and so perfect that I nearly cried with happiness when I tasted them. Thank you for the perfect quarantine brownie. Though now I fear for my small stash of unsweetened chocolate… it’s not going to last long now that I know these are a thing.
Hello! Tried this recipe yesterday for the first time! I normally use cocoa powder while making brownies, but wanted to try something different (anddd I love all your recipes!). However, when I made it yesterday, the batter was very thick and was a lighter color (than your picture and how my batter normally turns out). I followed your exact measurements for all the ingredients. I did use cane sugar (if that makes any difference). So, I’m not sure what I did wrong! Help please :) The brownies still tasted amazing though!! Just not the right texture.
Thanks!
The best brownies I’ve ever made, and I’ve tried quite a few different recipes. The BEST!
Delicious! I couldn’t find unsweetened chocolate but used some semisweet and extra dark, and lowered sugar amount. I topped with maldon salt after I took them out of the oven and added toasted walnuts to mine. They were exactly the fix I needed for this pandemic Wednesday slump.
I love all things Smitten Kitchen! I’ve been attempting to find the perfect brownie recipe during this COVID shelter in place times. And thought I’d leave my experience of this recipe. I reduced the amount of sugar to just 1 cup because I am not a fan of very sweet desserts. That was still too much for my taste. Also, I’ve been trying to figure out if I prefer fudgy or more cakey brownies. And these were the fudgiest of the recipes I’ve tried. I would even define them as gooey. I baked them for an additional 25 minutes, checking with a toothpick every five minutes, and they did not firm up significantly. I also added chopped walnuts. Hope this is helpful to someone else!
SFOAK, I’ve had a similar experience with them coming out too fudgy, even after baking for much longer than the recipe calls for. I make them anyway because the flavor is great, but I will need to find a chewier recipe.
These brownies are so delicious! We can’t stop eating them. However, I do find that they are somewhat greasy. Has anyone tried using a bit less butter? I think our next version I will try reducing the butter slightly, but I’m afraid of ruining the magic. I doubled the recipe and my family of 3 at them all in 24 hours, so we may need to wait for awhile before baking again!
Excellent Recipe! I added some homemade caramel in between 2 layers of brownie prior to baking! Oh my God, Delicious!
Hi! I have a 8×6 pan. I baked it for longer, but had to stick It a few times and the top kind of broke because of it. It’s currently sitting on the baking rake. Hoping it was enough time. At this point I don’t even remember how long I baked it for though…
Would love your input on how long you think it would take to bake them in the glass pan that I have?
Thank you in advance!
These are my favorite brownies to make and eat. I have a gluten-free family member, and for her birthday I decided to just try substituting almond flour for the flour (since the gluten in the flour didn’t seem like an integral part of the structure of the brownie). It worked PERFECTLY, and the brownies came out almost exactly the same (maybe a little softer) and totally gluten free! So, it’s a double winner!
These are the best brownies – SO SPECIAL! Everyone I make these for loves them and they are so easy to make on weeknights too!
Deb, I just want you to know that these have now become my favorite brownie too. I have made them at least six times so far in quarantine. I like to underbake them, cut them small, freeze them, and (attempt to) have one a day. Usually it’s more like three or four :) Anyway, thank you so much. Hope you can enjoy these brownies again sometime soon!
I thought your cocoa brownies were great and these are even better. Love the chewy texture.
We are currently obsessed with these brownies! Tried the recipe when I had an impromptu invite to a friend’s house, as I had the ingredients on hand. Made them two more times in the following week or so because they are THAT good and so easy! Both kids and adults will gobble these brownies up!
Hi, can i check if 265g granulated sugar will yield a very sweet brownie? Will reducing the sugar amount affect the brownie texture and appearance?
Thanks!
Combining scraps of butter and noticed there’s an error in this recipe, I think. 4 ounces or 115 grams doesn’t seem right — should be 4 ounces or 115/2 grams!
Never mind, ignore me! Isolation and wildfire smoke going to my head.
Isn’t that a lot of sugar? I felt so when I made them the first time. Next time, I reduced to 200 gas even then I thought they were overly sweet. Love the texture and ease though.
You can drop it by a few tablespoons, but there’s no sugar in the chocolate, so it might look like more sugar than in other brownie recipes, which begin with sweetened chocolate.
It’s Election Day and I only have bittersweet chocolate, can this or any of the other brownie recipes be made with it and less sugar instead of unsweetened?
I personally am never happy with the swap; even when the sugar is adjusted, they don’t have enough oomph. Do you have cocoa powder? Make these instead.
I made these yesterday and my husband who never really cared for brownies, can’t stop eating them. Thank you very much for this recipe and I’m looking forward to trying many more!
Hello Mrs Perelman,
I have 2 pans of these in my oven right now (one for a pal having a really hard time, and one for me, cause obviously), and it got me thinking about what an impact you’ve had on my life, and consequently on many others. Every single one of my friends has received a stash of your savoury galettes and breakfast bars as gifts after giving birth. My 75 year old papa taught himself to bake with your Small but Intense chocolate cake, and has been gifting them to the care and support workers at his mother’s retirement home (She’s alive at 95 and doesn’t care for chocolate, but will eat anything we bring her that’s full of caramel or maple syrup). (Also to ladies he is trying to, um, woo).
I have been making your Austrian shortbread every Christmas since you first published the recipe, and people always ask me to please bring them, and my mom always requests a box for herself for the holidays.
I have turned your pastas into galettes, and vice versa (mushroom bourguignon in a flaky pastry is a favorite!)
The simplicity and approachable way you present recipes, and the obvious care and joy and love you put in your cooking and baking makes it easy to pour my own heart into my cooking, and I sincerely believe people can taste that.
I once shared your Quick Chickpea pasta with a rave review around its deliciousness and affordability, and so many of my acquaintances begged to keep them coming, next week I am hosting my first online cooking class meetup/group chat, where people can learn how to make the most of drastically reduced budgets, and spend time doing something warm and friendly with others amidst in order to battles all the loneliness and depression during yhis difficult isolation. I’m teaching that recipe. (It’s a not for profit activity, and I always always credit your work , I hope it’s ok!) .
I just wanted to tell you that you are inspiring and you are making a very real difference for the better in the world, so thank you thank you thank you!!!!!
Ugh apologies for the 2 confusing typos. Sheesh.
Thank you. 💕
I decided to make these today instead of my usual recipe. I was super lazy and used the microwave to melt the chocolate and butter in 30 second increments as recommended. So easy! I used Guittard unsweetened baking bars, but after that was melted added a handful of chopped Valrhona 36% milk chocolate caramelia discs (made these for my teens). Baked for 27 mins. Let cool mostly in pan. These were perfection! Creamy, fudge center, but not under baked. Seriously, this was the easiest and best brownie recipe ever. If you are looking for a brownie recipe, you need not look further!
Smitten Kitchen to the rescue again! These brownies are perfect! And they are delicious with a bit of vanilla ice cream on top. I have been trying to make brownies from scratch for YEARS and never really found a recipe I like bc they always seem too cakey or eggy, but these have a nice crusty top and super fudgey interior, with that oh so yummy chewy edge. My husband thought they were slightly undercooked (which is a possibility), although I liked the fudgey-ness. If I were to try to make them less fudgey to appease him, would it be a matter of adding a bit more flour or a small amount of leavener? Thanks for sharing a brownie recipe I’ll probably use from now on!
These are my go-to brownies! Is this recipe in one of your cookbooks and if so which one?
I just made these with 90% bittersweet chocolate and reduced the sugar by about 50 grams. They’re so so tasty! But mine remained completely flat – no rise AT ALL – even though I used the recommended 8×8 pan. Anyone here have a clue why that might be? Deb, would you know why? Do I just need to whisk harder?
I made these today and they are so so tasty! But, But, my brownies didn’t rise at all. I got a really dense, flat 8×8 brownie square.
I used 90% bitter chocolate and reduced the sugar to about 105 grams. And I only had brown sugar at home, so that’s what I used.
So at this point, I attribute this minor baking fail to one of the following factors, potentially: reduced sugar? didn’t whisk enough? brown sugar instead of white?
Deb, your help would be much appreciated! I’d love to make these again but would like to problem-solve before I do.
Thank you!
I just baked these in the min-muffin pan, which make 24. I had to bake them for an extra 5 minutes because I did fill them a little more than I had to just because I didn’t want to have to use an extra pan. They are delicious, but next time will only use 1 cup of sugar because it is a tad sweeter than I like. I will be making these for Christmas treat boxes. By the way, I had no problems with sticking. I greased my pan with margarine, then used the toothpick to lift the brownie from the edge and pick it up out of the pan.
I love these brownies! Easy to make etc. QUESTION: The ‘large eggs’ in the Uk are definitely NOT the equivalent of large eggs in the US. Should I add three eggs to get roughly the same amount of egg? hmmm… 1st world quandary! :-)
Are they bigger or smaller?
I tried these. and again. And again. And i was happy every time.
This recipe is so damn good. No subs should be made. Mine turned out just to have just a light caramel/browned butter flavor and I’m not sure why as I followed recipe exactly. I love that if you microwave the chocolate and butter (as I did), it dirties ONE BOWL. There is no excuse for a boxed mix, ever.
Chef John at Foodwishes just posted this recipe as his own. It could be coincidence but the *only* difference is that he calls for 1 1/4 c sugar instead of 1 1/3. Everything else is exactly the same. Not sure if you care but I thought you might want to know.
I have just noticed this also…
I bake when I’m frustrated and between the pandemic and your website I’ve been plenty busy. I have these baking now, made in a standard muffin tin (made 9) with paper liners, subbed peppermint extract for the vanilla and added a handful of Mint Twists (crushed peppermint candy) to the batter and sprinkled some on top as well. Smell and look wonderful, can’t wait to try 1 (or 3). Thanks for what promises to be another winner!
Hi Deb! Just made these delicious brownies, but mine came out suuuper flat. I weighed all ingredients but used room temp eggs, could the eggs be the issue? When I added my melted chocolate to the sugar, it turned into a very thick mixture (almost like there was too much sugar to chocolate ratio). I ended up with a thick batter that had to be spread…definitely NOT pourable like the batter in your photo. Nonetheless, they were delish…maybe I’ll have to make them again to know for sure.
It thickens because the eggs are cold; I just try to work fast. No harm if it cools down though, just harder to work with. These aren’t thick brownies; mine up top might look more thick but I believe I’d cut the pan into 20 that day.
These are delicious brownies. My parents both said they are the best brownies they’ve ever had and my dad is requesting I bring them Monday when we will celebrate his 82nd Birthday!
Funny story, I don’t really bake, so the amount of sugar I regularly deal with is like a tsp in my coffee. 1 1/3 cups had me reading the directions three times, it seemed like an insane quantity; but of course it isn’t, and the brownies were perfection.
– now an indoctrinated baker
These are amazing! I only had 2 oz of chocolate so added an ounce of dark dutched cocoa powder, added 1/2 cup walnuts, made in a 9in round pan since it was what I had and did put down parchment paper and buttered the pan but not sure I needed both. The perfect brownie recipe and my new go-to.
Absolutely delectable. I reduced the sugar to 1 cup (1/2 white and 1/2 brown sugar) and it turned out to be perfect!!
For anyone who like me finds themself wondering if this recipe can be veganized by using Earth Balance sticks and egg replacer, it didn’t work for me. The flavor was fine, but the texture wasn’t good. They came out oily and became sort of gummy and crystallized as they set. No complaints – I realize this wasn’t written as a vegan recipe – just thought it was worth a try after reading so many glowing reviews!
This is my “go to” brownie recipe. Not that I need to improve a perfect recipe, but I love to push the envelope. Last night I added 1 tablespoon of malted milk powder and 1 teaspoon of Maldon sea salt. They were even more delicious than usual!
Wow! I’ve been baking brownies from scratch since I was a teenager. I’m in my 40’s now and I just stumbled upon this recipe and made them fur Easter. These brownies are so rich and delicious! My other go to recipe is more dense and Camry. This recipe is fabulous!!
Curious – have you never heard if, or used, silicone baking pans? Silicone mini muffin pans eliminate the sticking problem with your brownie bites. An 8×8 silicone pan eliminates the need for parchment. Isn’t simpler, better?
Being married with 4 sons, I can honestly say that I have never baked anything in an 8” square pan. These look like my kinda brownie. Can you suggest alterations for a 9×13” pan?
I didn’t realize this was a “half” recipe of brownies. I accidentally doubled the chocolate and the butter, and left all the other measurements the same. My brownies were floating in a pool of butter (still delicious but a little gross at the same time). Do not recommend, haha.
This is my go to brownie recipe! My roommates all love it, it’s our scary movie night treat (because we’re all wimps but love Stephen King). 5 stars! Go make these brownies!!
Thanks for the recipe. The brownie tasted very delicious but my brown was very very thin (like less than 2cm). The batter is thick but when I poured into the 8×8 pan, it only covered a thin layer. I wonder what i did wrong? any tips would be helpful thank you!
Because I will never get the mini-bites unstuck from the greased muffin pan, I have given up and invested in mini cupcake liners. Also, as I live alone, the mini-bites can be frozen, then briefly thawed in the microwave before a scoop of ice-cream is plopped on a pair of them
These are very good and yes, easy to make, brownies similar to the old Baker’s Chocolate recipe. However, I will return to my all time favorite brownie recipe, Gourmet’s “Triple Chocolate Brownies” circa 1990-something, which have even greater depth of flavor using bittersweet, unsweetened and semisweet chocolate chips, with not any greater effort. Had to try your version, Deb, as the billing and photo were enticing!
Just an aside: I recently baked three brownie-ish recipes for a 4th of July party. E recipe similar to yours (Kate Hepburns brownies), blondies, and Cakey Brownies from the King Arthur Flour website. The big surprise was the cakey brownie recipe. It is intensely chocolatey and many of the avowed fudge, chewy brownie afficianados were impressed. Try it. Its a great recipe and I think would make a fine cake.
Best most delicious easy fudgy brownies. Total win.
how would you adjust to make in a 9×13/
I’d double it.
What wil be the substitute of egg
These brownies are delicious. I made them for a brownie sundae bar at a baby shower and they worked out great. I doubled the recipe and used 9×13 pans.
I also made a gluten free version using King Arthur GF flour and they were realllly good. I could barely taste the difference.
Made these for the first time today. Flavor is very good. How does one make 2” thick brownies? Our local bakery makes the most amazing 2” thick chocolatey, not too sweet, brownies, but at $8 a bar (2”x 4” x 2”) they are not something I can splurge on too often. The flavor of this recipe is about right, but they came out between 3/4”-1” thick.
What is the trick that fancy bakeries/restaurants use to get thick visually gorgeous brownies?
I tried sweet talking the baker to have any tips at all, but her lips were sealed with a smile.
cece- THIS is my lifelong quest! how do I make these yummy brownies but thicker without being goopy in the center?
Maybe try a smaller pan, with higher edges? Like perhaps a 6 inch or 5 inch deep cake tin they use for some wedding cake tiers (usually these are 3-4 inches deep)? To note, I haven’t tried this, but maybe it’s worth a shot?
I use the mini muffin method with paper liners and it works very well! The ridges of the liners add to the “edginess” quality of the tiny brownies. I love the speed of this recipe. We tend to melt the butter and chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave and then add everything into that same bowl. The other day I had a Zoom call starting in 14 minutes and I had promised my four-year-old we could make brownies while his little sister napped. We went for it! And we did it! I threw the batter in the fridge to bake later and made it to the call just in time. We just needed to add another minute or two to the bake time with the super cold batter. :)
Any handy multiplier for enough to fill a 9×13 pan? I got the Edge pan for Christmas and am DYING to make a batch of these big enough to do it justice. Thanks!
I’ve made these twice in a 8×8 pan and each time they’ve come out very thin. Any ideas?
Your recipe matches mine in essential ingredients–just the amounts differ slightly. I up the chocolate to 4 oz and reduce the sugar and flour: 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of flour. Intensely rich and yummy.
Oh, wow, it’s my favorite brownie recipe from 100 years ago from the the messiest and most disgusting page in my once-new Fanny Farmer cookbook. When it finally shredded, I lost it. But not forever! Thank you! The only basic diff, I think, is that you just threw everything in a pot on the stove. In a hurry to make it now.
Why doesn’t the recipe have the usual printing place? That way when I print it leaves off your name.
I think this was just an issue on Firefox (let me know if you use something else) and they put a fix in this morning. Hopefully it’s working now — you might need to clear your cache.
These are so wonderful! I added pecans and sprinkled some of the flaked salt atop, and…Oh Boy.
Gill
My dad is 82 years old and the first time I made these he said that they were the best brownies he’s ever had. 82 is a lot of brownie eating years. He requested I make them for Thanksgiving, so they’re in the oven now and they have become my general go to item to bring when I’m bringing food somewhere. Thankful for these yummy brownies and you and your recipes!
Love these brownies, these brownies are so delicious . Thanks for sharing this one with us . Will love to try this and just hope my members gonna love this .
These brownies are the best! I’ve doubled them and they turn out fantastic.
FYI- I think the first paragraph needs to be edited though.
In my house, these are our favorites. We’ve made three batches this week!
Best brownies ever. Not much more work than a mix, and infinitely better.
When I made these, the batter was super thick, NOT pourable as the picture. I was using GF spread (Earth Balance) and GF flour (Cup 4 Cup).
Why so thick?
Melted chocolate as it cools, and gets thicker. It’s not a bad thing!
Do you have a good substitute for the eggs? I tried buttermilk – not successful. Thank you!!
Made this for my sister’s birthday and they were DELICIOUS!!!! super fudgey and amazing chocolate flavor. Will definitely make these again. I left out like 30 g of sugar and they were great.
I made these last night and as noted in comments…it did take a little longer, but my oven hates me sometimes (~15 minutes more baking time before the toothpick came out cleanish) and after some cooling time on the counter I lifted the whole rectangle (I don’t own an 8×8 pan) onto a plate and put them in the fridge….then fell asleep and forgot about them.
BUT I can confirm that they slice super cleanly from the fridge and are soooo good the next day! (My husband discovered them last night though and though the cut was more crumbly, still delicious.
thanks for sharing these brownies recipe , Will love to try this one .
I made these (though, admittedly used 85% cocoa chocolate and just under half the sugar) and they came out rubbery and totally flat and almost overcooked in 20 minutes. Any ideas what I could possibly have done wrong???
It’s the sugar. It’s needed in the recipe for moisture.
Ah nuts! Baking is a science and I am not very good at science, lol. So I’ll switch to unsweetened chocolate and put back the sugar. If I wanted to cut it back, could I go down to 1 cup?
(And, just out of curiosity, would there be a difference between “plain flour” and “strong flour” being used? I used the latter in this case. I live in the UK and I’m still so confused about flour! :)).
I think plain flour is closest to all-purpose, which is our main flour here in the U.S. Re, 1 cup of sugar: I’ve done it many times but the brownie does come out a little more cakey and dry.
I made these and absolutely loved them! I cut the sugar down by 1/3 cup and still thought they were wonderful. Will make abain.
This is the best recipe for delicious brownies!
When you’re mindlessly scrolling wondering how you should spend the rest of your evening and then inspiration pops up in the form of a FB post from SK, 10 minutes later there are brownies in the oven…
Could you add rolled oats into this to make it “healthier”? If so, how much and do I need to make any other adjustments to the existing ingredients?
I was so excited about this recipe! The batter was delicious and I was confident the final product would be perfection.
I was wrong.
I used a Pyrex square pan and even though I cooked the brownies for 45 minutes, they were still pretty raw in the middle. I tried the “take it out for 15 min then put it back in” trick and got them to set a little more, but they never fully set.
The top never got glossy – it stayed matte and cracked deep.
Variables:
– I live in Denver (high altitude)
– I was short on granulated sugar by just a smidge, so I used about 2 tbsp powdered sugar to make up the difference
– I forgot the recipe said to add eggs one at a time and added them both at the same time
Does anyone know what will make this turn out correctly for me next time? I’m still eating what I made (it’s still delicious and I always prefer the corners anyway!). I’d like to try this again and maybe get the correct result.
Hi Erika,
I read through the comments before making these yesterday, and mentally noted you’d had difficulty since I live at 7,500 in Colorado (hello!). The brownies turned out great for me, no adjustments needed for altitude. I made a triple batch, baked it in an aluminum 1/2-sheet pan (<–might be what made the difference vs. your pyrex, as I saw Trisha 5/31/22, below, had trouble with pyrex), and they were perfectly set/done in 25 minutes. Might be worth a second try in your kitchen, as my kids all described these as the best brownies they've ever had…and I bake a lot.
cheers,
Kate
I think I’ve made these 10 times already! They’re my new go to brownie recipe! Love all the recipes I’ve tried from you.
I’ve made these brownies a couple of times and they are very delicious. Yesterday I was making them in the new house and could only find a vintage Pyrex 8×8. It took longer than half an hour for the brownies to bake, and my guess is the pan. I’ll try again with a metal pan after I unpack that box.
Yes! This is what I want in a brownie. Thank you for bringing the recipe search to an end.
These are my ideal brownies and I keep coming back to make them again and again. I double the recipe and bake in a 9×13 for 30 min. For my batch tonight, I added a cup of milk chocolate chips to the batter and sprinkled peanuts on top. It’s so simple my two year old helped with the stirring. When I served them to my family they actually all hugged me and said “my favorite brownies!”
If you are looking for a gluten-free option, I have had great success with oat flour for these (same amount, 2/3 cup lightly spooned into the measuring cup.) I also usually lower the sugar by a 1/3 cup. So good that I’ve made them 3 weeks in a row. Lol, can you tell work has been stressful? Thanks as always for the delicious recipe!
I baked these while stressing and waiting for Hurricane Ian – the path shifted, and Tampa dodged it. I ate these while feeling incredibly fortunate and also worrying about everyone south of here.
I followed the recipe exactly but baked them for 35 minutes – I checked twice and they were still raw in the middle. They are great. Exactly the right level of sweetness and chocolate. Crunchy on the outside, chewy in the middle. Thank you.
I make these often for my family. I double the recipe and bake in a 9 x 13 pan. They are friendly to little tweaks (subbing part brown sugar, adding nuts or chocolate chips, etc).
I love so many of your recipes,but with this one, am I the only one whose batter barely covered the bottom of an 8″ square baking pan? And, baking such a tin layer for 25 to 30 minutes? No way, closer to 15 for me, or they would have been bricks. Otherwise, thank you so much for all of your fantastic recipes
I have made these many times and my husband devours them! But I am about to make the brownie mosaic cheesecake recipe from 2007, which utilizes the one bowl brownie recipe. Is the consistency of the one bowl brownie significantly different and thus more successful in a cheesecake, or should this one work just as well? Thank you for an amazing recipe!
For Gluten and Dairy free, I make these brownies with Earth Balance and Cup4Cup (gf flour). They are delicious tasting but end up not completely baked at the bottom. I’ve baked them for longer than 30 minutes but they are still mushy at the bottom. Do you think it’s the dairy and gluten-free ingredients that make them “not behave”?
Gill
Hi. Would baking these in a Pyrex pan make a difference in texture or baking time?
re. that sticking situation in those mini muffin tins, I learned this trick, never fails from Nick Malgieri a long time ago: butter and flour pan, refrigerate it for a bit, then before filling with batter, spray with non-stick spray. Definitely no more sticking!!
These are so simple and yummy! Delicately crispy on top, a little bit fudgy inside. Perfect!
I made these with 85% Lindt Chocolate, and they were unfortunately much too sweet. I don’t think I can get purely unsweetened chocolate where I live, so I thought this would be ok?
The texture was fantastic though! I’ll definitely make these again and just cut down the sugar.
Unsurprisingly, this was a complete success! One bowl, simple ingredients, and absolutely delicious, I followed the advice of a comment and melted the chocolate and butter over low heat while constantly stirring. I still pulled it from heat with some visible pieces of butter and stirred to finish melting. I used the same saucepan to mix everything. Amazing on their own, but I could see these being easily jazzed up as mentioned. Another keeper!
Fan! As a New York City foodie (hate that word), I thought unsweetened chocolate would be as easy to find as this brownie recipe. Nope. Ten stores. No luck. Also, should it say a percentage? P.S. Thanks for sharing brands. Might have to go online.
It will be 99-100%. I’ve bought Sharfen Berger online.
Beth,
Thanks so much for writing. I finally did the same. Cheers, Lonni P.S. How’d they turn out? Yummy, I bet.
Hi Lonnie, I actually haven’t made them yet. They do sound yummy though so they will be made. I’ve just used that chocolate for other baked goodies.
Delicious, amazing, crowd pleaser- and so easy to make! “From scratch” is an always impressive and sometimes intimidating phrase to have in front of a food or recipe- this recipe was not hard and the great taste is totally worth the little bit of extra effort over boxed mix
I used 86% cacao bars because that is what I had in the house. I reduced the sugar to one cup.
Do these brownies cut well when cooled?
Of course. Plastic knife always does the trick!
These are my go-to brownie. Made them last night with a mix of dark brown, light brown, and turbinado sugar (because I had run out of granulated) and they turned out fantastic. Not appreciably different from the last time I made them as-written, that I can recall. Also put them in an 8″ round cake pan because my square pan was in use, and it worked just fine–just cut into wedges instead of squares. Also buttered the pan pretty heavily and floured a teensy bit so I wouldn’t have to cut a parchment circle and they lifted out beautifully. Delish.
I first found this recipe in 2013 or 2014, living in my first apartment and having company over.
This recipe is bulletproof. Cocoa powder instead of baking chocolate? Margarine instead of butter? Fine. Not having an 8×8 pan? Fine (I’ve baked these in a tiny casserole dish with the lid off, even).
~10 or so years later, I wanted to make them again, but had lost the bookmark and hadn’t printed the recipe. But I remembered the story about these being made during naptime, and Googled “naptime brownies” and found them. They still are bulletproof. Nothing elaborate, but they’re great.
The new pictures look great, Deb!
I don’t like chocolate, but my family and friends devour these when I make them.
I have made these hundreds of times. Today I started in on the recipe and realized I had no eggs. After a bit of selective googling, I decided upon the egg sub of 1/4 c full fat sour cream for each egg. The result was out of the park delicious. Again, I’ve made these many times with eggs and not sure I will ever again. BTW the flaky sea salt really adds a lot. Don’t sub that out
These are what most people think of when they think of a Brownie…they are the quintessential Brownie. I also made the Cocoa Brownies and I loved them and not sure which I like better. I will probably continue to make both. The only thing I have to say about these is that for me they are much too sweet. I always cut down on sugar. I wanted to only use 1 cup + 2 Tbsp, but by mistake, I used 1-1/4 cup instead of the 1-1/3 that the recipe calls for. Even 1-1/4 cups of sugar was way too sweet. Next time I will use 1 cup of sugar. If I want them sweeter I will add 1 or 2 Tbsp more in the next batch after those. They were great w/o nuts, and they don’t need them, but I love nuts in my brownies and will try them with nuts.
Just wanted to let folks know I tried this with bobs 1:1 gluten free ap flour and they come out Great. No weird textures or anything that I am picky about with gf. I will say in general I find that weighing is a better method for gf swap out if that helps anyone.
I have been making these brownies since 2012, and these are by far the BEST brownies in the world. I know that’s a big claim, but I mean it.
This is my go-to brownie recipe. I made a fun discovery recently (not very groundbreaking, admittedly)- if you halve this recipe and pop it in a 6 inch cake tin you get a lovely, wee amount of brownies that is perfect for those of us who live by ourselves and don’t want to have a million brownies laying around (not that it would be a bad thing). I bake this amount for 18-20 minutes in my oven, and it’s lovely as always!
I made these today and made the mistake of trying the “muffin pan” version – despite the warnings. I greased the pans thoroughly but ended up having to carve the brownies out – be warned! It was a complete failure.
I did a taste test with my family – these brownies which are 100% cacao and your other brownie recipe where I used 60% cacao. These won! Love them. But my family said if I made the other ones again of course they would eat them, if they had to!
Other recipe: https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/02/white-and-dark-hearted-brownies/
I agree that the cocoa ones are the very best. I made both recipes as well. But I have a question. The other recipe called “My Favorite Brownies” don’t have cocoa at all. they are made with unsweetened chocolate and no cocoa, so where are you getting 60% cocoa? did you substitute? there’s another recipe called “the baked brownie”, (crazy name since brownies are usually always baked), and that recipe has cocoa and chocolate. Which is the recipe that you compared cocoa brownies to?
5 stars!! BEST brownies ever! Everyone I serve these to absolutely LOVES them! They are my ‘go to’ for dessert for company, (sometimes with ice cream) or something to bring along to a friend’s house. They are so easy. I make them almost every week in the summer as we live by the beach and get lots of company. This summer I realized they come out great gluten free- I made them with King Arthur measure for measure flour. Now I have a dessert I can serve my gluten sensitive guests….although I have to admit, I do prefer the original version.
Despite all advice to the contrary, I frosted these, and twice, too: a cloud of buttercream of mostly butter, a touch of coconut oil, and lashings of peppermint extract AND oil – and then a silky layer of bittersweet ganache. These additions are the only things that do these flavorful, righteous brownies justice, in my opinion, and they are also the best thing I ended up making for our little new year’s eve celebration. Almost everything I cooked and baked this holiday season was full of flavors and textures loved by others more than I loved them, and so this dessert was my gift to myself and my partner. On a quiet, cold, December night, I sit under a blanket with a book and my fancy brownie, and I’m happy. Thank you, Deb and family, for helping to make it possible.
Is the temp correct? Or bake time? I have made these twice, with two different ovens and using the above instructions, they are hardly cooked at all when checked at 30 min.
I’m in the process of making them for the second time, I can’t remember what I did the first…I think a lot of guess and check. Thanks in advance!
I don’t have granulated sugar but these are my favourite brownies. Would caster sugar work? or brown sugar?
Caster sugar will be just fine.
Do these come out extremely squishy? I baked them for the recommended time, let them sit, thought they were done and then they clearly were not! So I kept baking them in 10 minute increments for probably an additional 30-40 min and they still seem under cooked! I was attempting to create s’mores brownies so there is a graham cracker crust and I topped them with marshmallow fluff when I thought they were done the first time but they were like liquid when I cut into them and now they have like a mousse like texture.
Perhaps something was off with an ingredient or your oven temp? They’re soft in the middle but they do set. No goo or excess squish. We got a new oven last month that’s running cool and my husband made these last night and they were a little soft at 30, which never happens for us. But I know the oven is running cool and needs an adjustment.
Amazing!!!! I used 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, added 1TBS coffee, and used King Arthur 1-1 gluten free flour. Sooo good!! Turned out perfect at 25 minutes! Have made it twice in two weeks for my mom who is GF.
I’m a bit confused with the flour isn’t 2/3 of a cup 80g? It says 85g but 1 cup of flour is 120g so wouldn’t 2/3 cup be 80?
@Tara you are correct. 2/3 cup is 80 gms, so it must be a typo.
Thanks for confirming:)
No, it is not a typo. Unfortunately, as it leads to lot of confusion for home cooks, few agree on what a cup of flour weighs but mine clock in at 130 to 135 grams. [I have never measured one that was only 120 grams, even with the most careful fluffing-and-scooping.]
do you think that would that be because 1 cup of pastry flour would weigh differently than 1 cup of all-purpose?
You can use pastry flour in a 1:1 ratio here.
Thanks for confirming Deb, I will measure by the cup to be safe then weigh to see what I get, cheers:)
We finally came around to making these to the precise letter of the recipe, and…
They were perfect. Absolutely perfect. Another great recipe from you Deb! Thanks!!!!