Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: The perfect balance of chocolate sweetness.
Texture: CHEWY, of course 🙂
Ease: Super easy. One bowl, no electric mixer needed.
Pros: Better than boxed brownies and almost as easy.
Cons: None.
I make this again? I make these ALL the time!
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These Chewy Brownies are my go-to recipe when I need a quick, easy, crowd-pleasing dessert.
I have shared a whole lot of brownie recipes over the years – over 50, in fact! I have brownie recipes to please everyone. My Ultimate Brownies are rich, dense, and fudgy. My Brown Butter Brownies have the most stunning crackly crust. And my Toffee Brownies are full of super fun mix-ins and flavors.
But these brownies are special. Check out just one of the 1,000+ 5-star reviews for these best homemade brownies:
Free Brownie Cheatsheet!
Frustrated with under-baked centers or brownies that turn out too dry and cakey? This cheatsheet has everything you need—from essential tools to foolproof tips plus two crave-worthy recipes—to help you master perfect brownies every time!
Reader Love
I have been using this recipe for about a year now! It is the easiest recipe I have ever used, I get so many compliments on these brownies!! Thank you thank you thank you!!! ❤️
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The Kitchn tested this Chewy Brownie recipe, with author Grace Elkus raving about how quick and easy this recipe is! Bon Appétit also recently used this Chewy Brownie recipe as part of their research in their quest to create a perfect chocolate brownie.
Tessa’s Tip
Struggling with gummy, collapsed, underbaked, or dry-edged brownies? Ditch the glass pan and use a light-colored metal baking pan instead. Learn more about the differences between Glass vs. Metal Baking Pans here.
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Chewy Brownies
The Cocoa Powder
I recommend using Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a deeper flavor and fudgier texture. Natural (aka unsweetened) cocoa will offer a milder chocolate flavor and a slightly drier but chewier texture. My favorite Dutch cocoa powder for brownies is Penzey’s or Guittard. Learn more about how Natural and Dutch-process cocoas affect your baking here.
The Chocolate Chips
I prefer semisweet chocolate chips, but you can use any kind you like–just keep in mind it will affect the sweetness of the brownies. You can also add 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans in addition to the chocolate chips. Just don’t skip the chocolate chips entirely, as they’re key to achieving that shiny, crinkly crust on top of brownies. Learn my top FOUR methods for achieving a shiny thin brownie crust here.
The Fat
- Melted butter plus vegetable oil provides the best taste and texture.
- You can use avocado oil or any other neutral-flavored oil instead of vegetable oil.
- Make sure your oil is fresh to avoid any off flavors.
- Check out my side-by-side baking experiments with Butter vs Oil here.
The Sugar
Don’t reduce the sugar in these brownies, as this will cause dry, crumbly brownies that will stale faster. Learn more about sugar’s functions in brownies here.
The Eggs
These Chewy Brownies use two whole eggs plus an additional egg yolk for extra chewiness and richness. Using cold eggs prevents doming and increases moisture.
The Flour
A small amount of all-purpose flour is essential for creating chewy brownies – but avoid adding too much, as this can cause dry, cakey brownies. Use a digital kitchen scale to prevent accidental overmeasuring. If you don’t have a digital scale, use the spoon-and-level method described here.
Cornstarch in Brownies?
Cornstarch mimics the texture of box mix brownies, creating thicker, chewier brownies with a nice shiny crust. Don’t skip it if possible!
Avoid Leavening for Fudgy & Chewy Brownies
I prefer no baking soda or baking powder for rich, dense brownies that are not even remotely cakey.
Can I Double this Chewy Brownies Recipe?
Yes! Double all ingredients and bake in a 9 by 13-inch light-colored metal baking pan (don’t use a glass pan!) and add a few minutes to the baking time.
Storing & Freezing Brownies
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. They are even more fudgy when they’re chilled!
To freeze, wrap the cooled whole slab or individual slices of brownies in plastic wrap inside an airtight container. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or for a couple hours at room temperature, before serving.
Brownie Substitutions
This Chewy Brownie recipe is written to yield a perfect chewy brownie. Altering any ingredients will change the outcome. If you can’t use one of the ingredients listed, check out my extensive brownie recipe index for tons of other brownie options (including coconut oil brownies).
More Brownies Recipes You’ll Love:
Best Ever Chewy Brownies
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons (71 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups (249 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup (75 grams) cocoa powder*
- 1/2 cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (128 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8 by 8-inch light-colored metal pan** with foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and sugar. Microwave for about 1 minute, or until the butter is melted. Whisk in the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Stir in the oil and cocoa powder.
- With a rubber spatula, stir in the flour, cornstarch, and salt until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the brownies are set and a cake tester inserted into the center has moist crumbs attached. Do not overcook. Let cool completely to solidify before cutting and serving.
- Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Brownies will be gooey when served warm, chewy when served at room temperature, and fudgy when served chilled.
Recipe Notes
This recipe was originally published in 2017 and has been updated with additional baking tips and new photos. Recipe photos by Joanie Simon and Baking Science photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
I baked these brownies for 32 minutes because it specifically mentioned to over bake. They are very undercooked. They are bit too rich, definitely not like a traditional brownie. Have a glass of milk nearby!
The absolute BEST BROWNIE I have ever had! This has the similar taste and texture of box mix brownies but a thousand times better because it’s made with wholesome ingredients and the taste is far superior. They’re fudgy with a nice chew and super decadent. Plus the recipe is SO easy!!!! There are no fancy steps/ingredients like melting baking chocolate. I make it all in one pot- melt the butter, add the ingredients and scoop it into my pan. I also substitute extra virgin olive oil for the vegetable oil and you cannot taste it at all. This is the only recipe you will ever need to get your brownie fix. Thank you Emily for sharing it with us!
Could I add a cream cheese swirl?
We haven’t tried that, but it sure sounds like a delicious experiment. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
I love making this for my family and for my family dinner
absolutely AMAZING!! i use this recipe every time i feel like making brownies! i’m a teenager who loves baking and has a huge sweet tooth, along with my family who loves my baking, so this recipe is an old gold. the brownies are super rich and chewy and just divine.
So happy to hear that, Ani! Thrilled our recipe is such a huge hit with your family. Thanks for sharing!
Ciao! Per quanto riguarda la ricetta, 1/3 di tazza di olio di semi mi puoi dire a quanti gr corrisponde?
Grazie
I am not getting the flaky crust, what am I doing wrong?
Hi Svetlana! I’m sorry you’re not getting the crust you’re looking for. It can be tricky to pinpoint the issue without having baked alongside you, as it might depend on several factors. I recommend checking out Tessa’s tips above the recipe here, where she explains techniques for getting that perfect texture! I’d love for you to give this recipe another try. Let us know how it goes!
Very easy recipe to follow, all in one bowl with gram measurements so no measuring cups to clean and accurate measurements for accurate results:) Worked really well with dairy free butter, and the flavor was rich and texture was perfect, 10/10!
I absolutely love this recipe! I was just wondering if margarine could be used as a substitute for butter?
I’m Not sure but I think it might work
Great recipe! My Italian friend really, really wanted me to make these. The only problem is that some of the conversions to metric are off.
Hi there, thank you for your feedback! I’m so glad your friend encouraged you to try our recipe—it’s such a fun and delicious one to make 🙂 Have you had a chance to bake it yet? I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Our measurements have been carefully tested and used successfully by bakers worldwide, but if there’s a specific conversion that seemed off, feel free to share, and I’d be happy to double-check for you.
Hi, how can I tweak the recipe for 9 by 9 inch cake tin?
Good question! I would like to know that too.
Hi Suzie! We haven’t tested this recipe in a 9×9-inch pan; however, you’ll need to reduce the bake time slightly as the brownies will be much thinner. Please let us know how it goes if you give it a try!