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:
Reader Love
Absolutely amazing. From the way the brownies cracked delicately along the top crusty layer, to the gooey chocolate chips throughout…perfect chew…just perfect.
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 and Baking Science photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
These brownies were amazing. I’ve tried countless of recipes in which I’ve never gotten the crinkle top. After trying countless of tips, powdered sugar, beating frothy eggs, dissolving the sugar, none worked for me. This recipe provided clear instructions in which got me the desired consistency along with the crinkle top everyone wishes for! Here’s this recipe made with cookie dough!
Hi, excuse me, I’d like to reduce the amount of chocolate chips by half. Would this significantly affect the final result?Or what would be the smallest reduction in quantity I can make without affecting the final result?
Hi Miel! You can reduce the chocolate chips if you’d like. It may slightly affect the texture and shiny, crinkly top since the melted chocolate helps contribute to that, but the brownies will still be delicious! There isn’t a specific amount that won’t change the final result, so feel free to adjust based on your preference.
Wonderful recipes and excellent, easy to find recipes
I’m struggling. I absolutely really can’t handle all the sweetness of chocolate chips in brownies but I want good, well made brownies😭
Hi Michelle! 😊 If you find chocolate chips too sweet in brownies, I’d try using Dutch-process cocoa powder along with dark chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet chocolate. That combination gives the brownies a richer, deeper chocolate flavor that’s less sweet, without reducing the sugar in the batter (which is important for the texture). Please note that not all brownie recipes can be substituted with Dutch-process (learn more about the differences between natural and Dutch-process cocoas here). Let us know what you think if you give this a try!
this is very good
I haven’t made brownies in decades.
Yet, here I was, with a real hankering for some rich, chewy, gooey brownies and ran to Google looking for a recipe, and there you were.
YAY! I’ve made several of your recipes in the past, they’ve always been successful and delicious.
I did not make any changes other than using salted butter, so I skimped a bit on the salt added.
After they cooled a bit, I sniped a tiny bite out of the corner…
Oh my gosh, they are amazerful!! Rich and chocolaty, moist, chewy and that beautiful crust on top… Chef’s kiss!
Thank you for the recipe
what would happen if you used 3 whole eggs instead of 2 eggs and 1 egg white
Hi Marcia! Just to clarify, the recipe calls for 2 whole eggs plus 1 additional egg yolk, which adds extra richness and helps contribute to the chewy texture. We haven’t tested using 3 whole eggs, so I can’t say for sure how they would turn out. In general, adding the extra egg white would add more structure, which can make brownies a bit firmer and less fudgy, but the exact texture would depend on bake time and a few other factors.
Don’t bother looking for any other brownie recipe guys, this is it! I’ve only been baking for a few months, my first brownie attempt was another recipe with cocoa powder and it was.. horrible. Then I discovered recipes using melted chocolate, and although those gave me the shiny crusty top, it wasn’t very kind to my wallet as it requires GOOD good quality chocolate (often those lindt bars, even cooking chocolate didn’t do it for me). Then by god’s will I found this recipe and I am NEVER going back! Its the best, provides the shiny top each time and tastes heavenly! I dont mind cakey or fudgy brownie but this one is definitely fudgy without needing you to underbake and eat raw batter! A slight change that I did though, was that I beat my sugar with my eggs first! Until super fluffy, then I add all the other ingredients in. I did try the recipe as written at first but i found that beating the eggs and sugar together earlier gives me my most desired result. Thank you for this recipe as well as all the tips you included!
These brownies are so good!! They are one of the first baking recipes my teenage grandson baked with me in my kitchen. And, they turned out perfectly fudgy and moist. A big hit with his family!
These brownies are incredible. Rich and decadent! I make them for all family gatherings or if my two kids are craving a sweet treat. They call them “Mama’s famous brownies!” If it’s a holiday I throw on some holiday sprinkles and it makes an easy festive dessert. Truly so delicious. Follow the recipe to a T and they’ll come out perfect every time. Thank you!!!!
The brownies were great but more of a dark chocolate flavor than I prefer. Next time I will use milk chocolate chips. The consistency was excellent.
I never comment, but wanted to say these are excellent! Recipe does not recommend glass but all I had was a 6.5 x 10” glass dish. Per Tessa’s advice I dropped temp to 300. It was about 10 min extra. Phenomenal! Used small chocolate chips as that’s what I had on hand, and they were great. This will be my brownie recipe for life!