Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: The perfect balance of chocolate sweetness.
Texture: CHEWY, of course 🙂
Ease: Super easy. One bowl, no electric mixer needed.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: This Brownie Recipe is WAY better than a box mix and almost as easy. It’s my go-to recipe!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
These Chewy Brownies are my go-to recipe when I need a quick, easy, crowd-pleasing dessert. I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve made it over 200 times. It’s truly the best!
There’s even a secret ingredient that helps to mimic that box-mix texture (but with way better flavor!).
These brownies are my everyday go-to recipe. Check out just a couple of the 1,000+ 5-star reviews for these best homemade brownies:
Best chocolate brownies ever. Easy to make. I added pecans to mine and we just love them.
I made these and they were soooo chewy. Definitely the chewiest and crackliest homemade brownies I’ve ever made. Great recipe!
The Kitchn tested this recipe, raving about how quick and easy it is! Even Bon Appétit used the recipe as part of their research in their quest to create a perfect chocolate brownie.
Ingredient Notes for Success
Butter and Oil: Melted butter plus oil provides the best taste and texture. This is key!! You can use any neutral flavored oil that’s liquid at room temperature (such as vegetable, canola, avocado, etc.). Make sure your oil is fresh to avoid any off flavors.
Sugar: White/granulated sugar will dissolve more easily into the batter than brown sugar, helping to produce that shiny crust on top. More important notes on sugar below in the Sprinkle of Science section.
Cocoa Powder: I recommend using Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a deeper flavor and fudgier texture. Natural unsweetened cocoa will offer a more nostalgic chocolate flavor and a slightly drier but chewier texture. My favorite Dutch cocoa powder for brownies is Penzey’s or Guittard. Ghirardelli is also great in a pinch. Learn more about how Natural and Dutch-process cocoas affect your baking here.
Eggs: Two whole eggs plus an egg yolk for extra chewiness and richness. I never worry about bringing my eggs to room temp for this recipe, and it always turns out perfectly.
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 over measuring. If you don’t have a digital scale, use the spoon-and-level method described here.
Cornstarch (secret ingredient!): Cornstarch mimics the texture of box mix brownies, creating thicker, chewier brownies with a nice shiny crackly top. Don’t skip it if possible.
Stop Baking Brownies In Glass or Ceramic Pans!
Struggling with gummy, sunken, underbaked (even raw) or dry-edged brownies? Ditch the glass or ceramic pan and use a light-colored alumnized metal baking pan instead.
Metal conducts heat far more effectively. If all you have is glass or ceramic, add an extra 5-10 minutes baking time. Learn more about the differences between Glass vs. Metal Baking Pans here.
Sprinkle of Science (open me!)
If you want that crinkly, shiny thin crust on your brownies, don’t skip the chocolate chips! The key to that crust forming is getting enough dissolved sugar into your brownie batter. This can be tough to do consistently, so adding chocolate chips (which contain dissolved sugar already!) is a great shortcut. Learn more about that shiny brownie crust here.
I’ve done extensive experiments with the amount of sugar in this brownie recipe. The takeaway? Reducing sugar yields drier, crumblier brownies that stale quickly. It also prevents that shiny crust from developing on top.
Storing & Freezing Brownies
Serving: For best texture and taste, allow the brownies to cool to room temperature fully before slicing and serving. Easier said than done! But warm brownies will taste more sweet and won’t be as chewy in texture.
Room Temperature & Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. They are fudgier when they’re chilled!
Freezer: Wrap the cooled whole slab or individual slices of brownies in plastic wrap inside an airtight container. Store in freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or for a couple hours at room temperature, before serving.
FAQs
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.
I prefer no baking soda or baking powder for rich, dense brownies that are not even remotely cakey. If you’re team cakey, don’t even bother with this recipe. It’ll be far too chewy and fudgy for you!
You can, but note that the brownies will be thinner and may not develop that shiny crust on top.
Not only does this make the recipe quicker and easier, but it yields denser, chewier, and fudgier brownies.
I haven’t tested that, but readers have had success with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. You may need to add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum if your GF blend doesn’t have any binders.
Yes, replace the butter with an equal amount of a vegan butter block that’s firm at room temperature. Use dairy-free chocolate chips. Or, try my Coconut Oil Brownies with dairy free chocolate instead.
I have not found a suitable replacement for the eggs in brownies yet. Feel free to experiment!
A cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs attached. For me, 30 minutes yields my perfect brownie that’s just ever-so-slightly gooey in the center. If you prefer a drier consistency, bake for 33-35 minutes.
Surprisingly, the best tool is a plastic knife! Yes, like the ones you buy for a picnic or BBQ. If you don’t have one, use a large sharp knife and run under hot water and wipe off after each slice.
Email This Recipe
Enter your email, and we’ll send it to your inbox.
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 (74 grams) neutral oil (like vegetable or avocado)
- 3/4 cup (75 grams) cocoa powder*
- 1/2 cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour, measured correctly
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea 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 and egg yolk, whisking vigorously for 1 minute. Whisk in the vanilla, then 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.
Notes
More Brownies Recipes You’ll Love:
- Malted Brownies – made with brown butter!
- Toffee Brownies – use store-bought or homemade toffee bits!
- Brookies – cookies + brownies combined!
- Copycat Cosmic Brownies – ultimate nostalgia!
- Oreo Brownies – tastes like an Oreo, but better!
This recipe was originally published in 2017 and has been updated with additional baking tips and new photos. Recipe photos by Joanie Simon.
How much does 1/3 vegetable oil weigh in grams??
About 74 grams 🙂
Overall a delicious brownie recipe, though not quite the best and chewiest. I used 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup light brown sugar, which could have negatively affected the outcome (though I assumed that brown sugar made for chewier brownies). The crinkly crust on top wasn’t as prominent as I usually like on my brownies, but overall that’s nothing to complain about.
Again, this is a wonderfully chocolatey recipe and I recommend trying it, even though it’s not exactly what I was looking for 🙂
Happy baking!
Em (he/him)
I made these brownies using a 1:1 sugar substitute, and it was awesome! It was perfectly sweet from the sugar in the chocolate and cocoa powder. I’ve made it with sugar before and it was just as good, no huge differences in texture. Awesome recipe!
Of course the result isn’t guaranteed with any sugar substitute, don’t blame the recipe if it doesn’t turn out well 😉
Happy to hear your substitution worked well, Thomas! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Yo did the brownies with a friend and they was delicious. I carried them to a hockey match and they were incredible.
THE BEST BROWNIES I’VE EVER MADE. I’ve tried a lot of recipes, these are the most perfect brownies I’ve ever made. They have the crackly top, super fudgey inside, and such a rich chocolate flavor. Super easy recipe. Will be using this recipe next time for sure!
How long do you cool the brownies for?
Until they’re completely cooled (pan is no longer warm to the touch). We can’t give an exact timing as it completely depends on your kitchen climate!
Omg! This recipe sounds amazing@ ‘m planning to make this recipe soon and was wondering about using coconut sugar and avocado oil as substitutions? Also, I know I am a weirdo, but I don’t like a skin of any kind on brownies. I’m a texture freak and I typically get a knife and thinly cut off the tops of most brownies, lol! Is there a way to perhaps put Saran Wrap on top of the brownies after baking to prevent any skin from forming? And if so, at what point after baking? Immediately? Or after cooling? Thank you so much!
Avocado oil (or any other neutral-flavored oil) will work just fine instead of vegetable oil 🙂 We haven’t tried coconut sugar, so I can’t say for sure how that would work, but the texture and sweetness would change. We’re all personally huge fans of thin, crinkly crusts on our brownies, so we haven’t tried preventing it from forming. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
I would like to try to make cupcakes from this recipe. I have made it in a regular baking pan and they turned out wonderful! Can you use cupcake liners for cupcakes or should I put them directly into the cupcake pan.Thank you any advice you have and for this yummy recipe!
Do you have any recommendations for high altitude??
Hi Rosanna! Unfortunately, no one at Team Handle the Heat has experience baking at high altitudes, but this King Arthur Baking resource has some great tips. I hope that helps! Happy baking 🙂
Hello! The recipe looks great, but could you tell me the weight of that 1/3 cup of oil? I only have a scale right now plus I don’t like washing an oily cup 😂
Sara– I always Google to get the metric/US Standard substitution
This recipe was soooo good 😋 Brownies came out perfect and chewy. I used 1/3 of the dutch cocoa powder just because they are a much more expensive ingredient and then the other 2/3 with regular cocoa powder. Sifted both together with the flour, salt, cornstarch for a smoother batch.
My only question is if I wanted to add caramel as a topping, what’s the best route? Caramel chips on top as it bakes or just use caramel syrup after it cools completely?
So happy you loved them, Nancy! I don’t think you could go wrong with either caramel topping, both sound delicious! I’d happily try both with a scoop of ice cream 🙂
First chewy brownie recipe that worked out for me. Amazing!
Thank you for posting a picture! When I’m trying to decide which new recipe to make, having pictures from other people who tried it is SO helpful. ♥