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!
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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.
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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.
Hello, I am hoping to make these brownies soon and was wondering if I am able to replace the granulated sugar with brown sugar and also if a dark coloured metal pan would make any difference to the results?
Thanks!
Hi I want to try this recipe to send to my son’s class party.
Will it work the same if I put the batter on individual brownie cases?
Thanks
I tried so many brownie recipes in my life, but this one beats them all. I was so proud of myself for making such perfect brownies (which everyone loved) that it lowkey drove me crazy. I looked up other recipes from handle the heat and began cooking like a maniac for 12 hours. I reckon I baked 4 different types of cookies and EVERY SINGLE TIME they came out perfectly. This had never ever happened to me before. I even tried to purchase the book online. I have never written a review before, maybe one, but I just felt the urge to write one about these brownies and handle the heat recipes.
Wow, thank you so much for sharing this, Ali! I’m beyond thrilled to hear these brownies were a game-changer for you and that you had such success with our other recipes, too! Baking marathons are SO much fun, and we’re so glad to hear everything turned out perfectly.
Thanks for taking the time to write a review—they truly help us more than you know and encourage other readers to try our recipes. Oh, and if there are any leftover brownies or cookies, feel free to send them our way… if you can spare them! We’d be more than happy to take them off your hands! 😉
This was delicious but i followed the recipe EXACTLY and it came out almost raw, i even put it back in the oven for 15 minutes, nothing. I properly preheated, and let it set but it was so gooey i could even hold it without it falling apart.
Thanks for your feedback, Cassey! If you used a glass or ceramic pan, that was likely the issue. Tessa mentions this in the Tessa’s Tips box above the recipe and also specifies a metal pan in the recipe card, since glass doesn’t conduct heat as well and often leaves the center underbaked when the edges are done. We actually did a side-by-side comparison of glass vs. metal pans with photos showing exactly how they affect brownies—and what adjustments you can make if glass is all you have.
Switching to a light-colored metal pan will make a big difference! If that’s not an option, try lowering the baking temp by 25°F and extending the bake time by 5 to 15 minutes. An oven thermometer is also really helpful to make sure your oven’s running at the correct temp. Hope that helps, and that you’ll give it another go!
Make these regularly, they’re so easy and phenomenally delicious!
I loved this recipe as it’s the first recipe where it delivers on the promise of chewy, fudgines goodnesss. I made this recipe twice this week it was so good! Only difference from the first batch to the second batch was I reduced the second batch by 100 grams of sugar as I did feel the first was too sweet for my taste and the recipe with less sugar brought out the chocolatey-ness even more.
This is THE BEST Brownie I’ve ever baked and eaten, It’s foolproof and fantastic. The batter alone is gourmet. It can be made on any crappy oven, and may seem raw at first but let it cool and it’ll turn into a masterpiece.
Best review!
You convinced me to try it, it’s amazing
Thanks Bill, I’ll try it and let you know
My new brownie recipe for life!
Change from my usual recipe to this one for my partner’s birthday, who’s a big brownie lover, won’t be doing any other brownie recipe ever!
Great taste, amazing texture!
I added 3/4 cups of walnuts and it’s just perfection!
Thank you, Tessa! ❤️
I don’t know what every one is talking about I think my brownies turned out perfect and I am 10 and got no help from my parents or siblings and they are delicious
So happy to hear that, Lily! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Failure. This recipe is too persnickety. And I never saw where to add the sugar. Flat and rubbery. What a waste of good ingredients.
Number 2. First line.
This recipe was good, but it’s not a chewy recipe. I followed the recipe to a T, even used my scale and baked for 30 minutes. It was really really fudgey, like borderline raw in the middle. This recipe should be called a fudge brownie recipe, because it’s not chewy at all
Hi, Victoria! It sounds like your batch could’ve used some more time in the oven. Every oven is different, and if you’re using glass or ceramic baking pans it will take longer to cook through the center. Also, these brownies get chewier the longer they sit after baking. Hope that helps!
They were cakey. I did not over mix either. I made these for someone and almost didn’t want to give them to them. I was disappointed. On to the next recipe
I did use a glass pan, and apparently at the bottom of the recipe card it says not to use a glass pan (kinda odd) but we basically could only eat the perimeter of the pan
That was likely the cause of the problem, and why I mention avoiding using a glass or ceramic pan in my Tessa’s Tip box in the text above the recipe card, as well as specifying a metal pan in the recipe card itself. In baking, these little things can make a surprisingly difference. Glass simply does not conduct heat as effectively as metal. Switching to a metal pan will greatly improve your brownies, promise! If you can’t invest in a metal pan, you’ll need to extend the baking time anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.
These were delicious! I did have a question though. Mine leaned more fudgey than chewy. Does that mean I needed to bake longer? I had to Google images of cake testers for brownies and it was still hard to tell… will definitely make again! Thank you
If you’re using a glass baking pan then it won’t conduct heat as well, so I suggest switching to a metal baking pan if available. If you’re already using a metal baking pan, try to bake your brownies for 5-15 minutes more. Check every five minutes with a toothpick & once it comes out with sparce crumbs your brownies should be done. Allow them to cool before cutting for best results. Best of luck baking!