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!).
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.
What Makes Cookies Chewy, Crisp, or Cakey?
My free guide reveals the ingredients and tweaks that matter.
As a trained chef, it surprises people to learn brownies are among my favorite things to bake at home. I don’t need something fancy, I need something satisfying and that chewy texture is where it’s at.
I have shared over 50 Brownie Recipes over the years. My Ultimate Brownies are rich, dense, and fudgy. My Brown Butter Brownies have the most stunning crackly crust. And my Toffee Brownies are have a unique crunch.
But these brownies are my everyday go-to reicpe. Check out just one of the 1,000+ 5-star reviews for these best homemade brownies:
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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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 this Brownie Recipe, 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.
Secret Ingredient: Cornstarch!
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. If you’re team cakey, don’t even bother with this recipe. It’ll be far too chewy and fudgy for you!
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:
- Malted Brownies – made with brown butter!
- Toffee Brownies
- Copycat Cosmic Brownies – ultimate nostalgia!
- Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies
Best Ever Chewy Brownies
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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.
Recipe Notes
The Ultimate Cookie Handbook
Learn the sweet SCIENCE of cookie baking in a fun, visual way to customize your own recipes frustration-free. Plus, my best 50+ homemade cookies!
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.
WOW! Made these yesterday for my husband’s birthday and he was blown away by these brownies! They are crispy on the edges and chewy in the middle. Never had a better brownie!! I also followed your advice to buy better chocolate powder. I used to use the regular Hershey powder but after reading your article on coco powder I bought Bensdorp online and it made a huge difference!! Thank you for the recipes and also the detailed information on ingredients and how to bake. I am working my way through your cookbook.
So amazing to hear that, Angela! Thanks for the rave review 🙂 Be sure to tag Tessa if you’re on Instagram with #handletheheat so she can see all your cookies! Also, if you haven’t already, click here to join the Handle the Heat baking community on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/handletheheatcommunity
These really were chewy and delicious. My husband was shocked they didn’t come from a box. The only thing is they started to get a little too crispy on the edges by the time the center was cooked through but that might just be my oven.
Hi Rose! So happy you both enjoyed this recipe! It’s definitely possible the crispy edges could be from your oven, but it could also be from the pan used. Check out the pink tip box above the recipe for more details on Tessa’s preferences 🙂 I hope that helps perfect your next batch!
I made these last night and were exactly like box brownies but better! But I’m trying to cut down on sugar so want to substitute half the sugar with honey next time. I know you say “no substitutions”, but what modifications would you recommend anyway? A couple more Tbs flour and bit more baking soda? Thanks!
Hi Wendy! I can’t help with modifications as we haven’t tested them, sorry! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, but any substitutions will have to be experimented. Please let us know how it goes if you give it a try.
Hi! I don’t have any chocolate chips. Do you think using a chocolate bar (cut up in small pieces) would also work? Thanks!
Hi Trisha! You’re welcome to use a chocolate bar instead, just keep in mind that chocolate chips specifically help develop that shiny crust on top of the brownies. Your brownies will still taste delicious though!
This was my first time making homemade brownies, and oh my WORD. They are delicious! I made them as a birthday treat for my husband’s grandpa, and my kids and I agreed that these are the best brownies we’ve ever eaten. I made it exactly as is, and made sure not to overcook it – even though they seemed not quite done, we let them cool for about thirty minutes before cutting and they were perfect. Thanks for the recipe!
Wonderful!! I’m so happy to hear this recipe worked perfectly for you, and congrats on making your first homemade brownies! I’ll bet you’ll never go back to boxed brownies 🙂
Hi, I love making this recipe. Wondering if I half it and bake into a 6 inch pan, how many eggs should I use?
Hi Mourin! So glad you love this recipe 🙂 You’ll want to divide all ingredients in half, including the eggs. To measure half of an egg yolk, use 1 Tablespoon or 1/2 ounce. I hope that helps!
Can I substitute avocado oil instead of vegetable oil?
Yep! I’ve done so successfully in the past 🙂
Hi, would these be able to be frozen?
You should be able to freeze and reheat these! Make sure the brownies are very well wrapped in plastic and we’d recommend freezing the entire slab rather than cut pieces.
How would the bake time differ if I made them in a cupcake pan? I love corners and edges so I like brownies in a cupcake pan.
We haven’t tried that so I can’t say for sure, though it sounds delicious! Please let us know how it goes if you give it a try 🙂
I just made this today and followed all the instructions, however while a great crust formed the taste of the brownie itself was kind of bitter…. The brownie wasnt dry at all which was great, but the bitterness made it feel kind of flour-y. Is there any counter to this? Should I reduce the cocoa powder next time and replace with some melted chocolate?
Also, I would like it to be chewier if possible, it was still more towards the fudgier side for my liking, though others may prefer that. Again, please let me know how to achieve that maximum chewiness, would appreciate any advice!
I’m sorry to hear that, Shruthi! Did you substitute any ingredients? What kind of cocoa powder did you use? And lastly, do you weigh your ingredients with a digital scale? I’d love to help figure out what went wrong so you can enjoy these chewy brownies the way they’re meant to be! Tessa includes a ton of tips in the pink tip box above the recipe, so be sure to read them-she explains what helps to make these brownies so chewy. I hope you give this recipe another try!
I am recently on a low salt diet. The substitute baking soda is very weak even using twice the amount. The substitute baking powder is stronger. May I use that?
Hi Karen, baking powder and baking soda are two very different leaveners. Please check out our article detailing more here: Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder. Hope that helps!
Amazing receipes