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.
Made eight batches of these last night and they turned out so well. Despite what the directions said, I did use a glass pan (lined with parchment paper). Moisture level was great, amount of sweetness was great, the incorporated chocolate chips added excellent taste and texture. Will definitely be making these again in the near future.
I’ve been making brownies for a lo-o-ong time. I use a different recipe each time, trying to find “the one”. Well, I better not lose this recipe, because THIS IS THE ONE!!! An intense chocolate flavor, a beautiful gloss on the top that adds a delightful texture, not too fudgy, with a real chewiness. ThankyouThankyouThankyou!
____I made two changes: I only had a 20″ square pan – just makes it a little thinner. Also the chips were 1/2 semi-sweet, and 1/2 dark chocolate. I toast walnuts, keeping them in big chunks. Oh my! What a great recipe!
Yay! So glad you love these brownies so much, Sharon!!
Hi! First of all, the flavor of the brownies is amazing! I never had any success with homemade brownies before this recipe. I did have one issue, and that issue was my oven is about 50 degrees too cool! It took nearly 3x as long to cook than it should have! I recently bought an oven thermometer after reading one of your articles because I have been having trouble with recipes not being done when they should. What can I do to ensure my baked goods are done? Is it as simple as bumping the oven temp up 50 degrees higher than the recipes says to? I really appreciate any feedback!
Hi Elizabeth! I’m so glad you enjoyed the flavor of these brownies! Wow, that’s a huge difference in temperature for your oven!! Owning an oven thermometer will be so amazing to help you combat this! You pretty much answered your own question; yes, just bump the temperature up by about 50 degrees, and also let the oven preheat at least 20 minutes after it dings and tells you it’s at the right temperature (it’s lying!!). My own oven runs about 10-15 degrees cold, and takes at least 30 minutes to reach the required temperature – but it’s also not always consistent, and sometimes I need to add another 5 degrees or lower it by 5 degrees. Just wait 10 minutes or so after each temperature adjustment, and check your thermometer again. When the thermometer says it’s at the temp you need, you can go ahead and bake 🙂 I hope that makes sense! Feel free to reach back out to us with any questions or for more information 🙂 Happy baking!!
Thank you so much! It may have been a silly question, so I appreciate your taking the time to answer! 🙂
Not at all! Anytime, Elizabeth! 🙂
Not sure where I went wrong but my batter was not fudgy and more dense and lumpy. Where did I go wrong?
Hi there! Oh no, that doesn’t sound right! These brownies are super delicious and chewy normally! Did you accidentally skip any ingredient, or make any substitutions? This recipe was carefully calibrated to produce a perfectly chewy, rich brownie, but altering the ingredients can change that outcome entirely. Also, do you use a digital scale to measure your ingredients? It’s so easy to add extra flour or other ingredients to a recipe and throw off the entire chemistry of a recipe if measuring by volume. Tessa talks about how to best measure ingredients to ensure accuracy every time, in this article here! Feel free to reach back out for assistance in troubleshooting!
I made these brownies since they were the Control Brownies for the August Baking School Experiment. I made one pan exactly like the recipe called for and I used Hershey’s cocoa. The second pan I was to experiment with I used Bensdorp Dutch Processed cocoa and used half and half chocolate chips and toasted pecans. I made them a few days ahead of time of giving them away so I froze them. I followed Tessa’s instructions for freezing brownies ( wrapped in plastic and put in a freezer Ziplock bag). When I thawed them out, the control batch became very crumbly. The experimental batch was perfect. After I baked both batches and they cooled, they were both firm but after I thawed them out, the control batch was the only one that got crumbly. Any idea why that might have happened? I didn’t get a chance in time to send in a question for our session today.
Sweet Regards, Linda Butler
Hi Linda! That’s so strange – these brownies definitely shouldn’t be crumbling like that after being frozen! I know Emily is trying to help you troubleshoot this issue, but I’m glad in the meantime that your experimental batch was delicious!!
I am very fussy, and have been unable to find the one. True. Brownie recipe. To rule. Them all!!!
THIS IS IT!!!
I’m happy. That is all!
Forwarding to friends who want to know!
Hooray!! So excited to hear that these brownies were THE brownies, Sharon!!
This recipe came out great… about 35min in my oven… I sprinkled the top with some extra chocolate chips and flaked sea salt. Thanks!
Sounds perfect, James – so glad you loved these!!
Hello dear, why some of the pics do not have the crackly top?
Hi Wafaa! I’m sorry, I’m not sure I understand your question? Each picture of these brownies has a perfect shiny, crinkly crust. The pictures that don’t are experiments Tessa did to show you why each ingredient plays a part in this recipe. If you read the text above each picture, it will explain the differences between each brownie, and why some of the alternatives didn’t achieve that crust! You can also learn more about this in Tessa’s article, linked here, all about shiny crusts on brownies! 🙂
Hi… instead of chocolate chip can I use mint Andes chocolate instead? And can I add espresso to enrich the chocolate flavor? If so how much to you recommend me adding
Hi Amberleigh! We haven’t tried using Andes mints instead of chocolate chips, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work! I would recommend just adding a teaspoon of espresso powder if you wish, and you can always experiment and add a little more or less next time, based on preferences! Happy baking 🙂
Can i make the batter beforehand? If yes how do i store and can i bake it straight from the fridge or i gotta let it come to room temp?
Hi Rachel! Yes, these can definitely be made ahead! I wouldn’t recommend making the batter much more than 24 hours ahead, just so you don’t run the risk of the batter drying out in the fridge. Simply make the batter as directly, pour the batter in the pan, wrap the top well with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to bake! No need to bring the batter up to room temp before baking – just be aware that they may need a few more minutes in the oven than the recipe states, to account for the cold batter. Alternatively, if you need to make these way ahead, I recommend baking, cooling completely, and then freezing the entire slab of brownies, wrapped well in plastic wrap and placing inside a large ziptop bag or airtight container. Bonus: frozen brownies slice so nicely!! Please let us know what you think once you have given these brownies a try! Happy baking 🙂
Hii Tessa
Can u mention how much is 1/3 cup of oil in grams or ml ?
Or can we replace it with melted butter ?
Hi Cady! This recipe uses both oil and butter, to get the best from both worlds, so we definitely don’t recommend substituting the oil for more butter. Check out the pink tip box (above the recipe) for Tessa’s scientific deep dive about these brownies, and the parts both these fats play in this recipe! We typically don’t write our liquid measurements in grams because standard liquid measuring cups are easier for measuring liquid accurately, and liquids don’t contain air, so there’s far less room for error, as compared to measuring dry ingredients. That being said, according to King Arthur (a source we trust and respect), 1/3 cup of vegetable oil should weigh approximately 66 grams. I hope that helps! Happy baking 🙂
If I don’t have cornstarch, what can I do in replacement or can I leave it out and still achieve the a chewy brownie?
Hi Vyvyan! You can absolutely experiment and try to find a workaround that works for you, but your brownies definitely won’t be as chewy (or have quite the same lovely crinkly crust on top) without the cornstarch! Nothing else will quite replace it in terms of substitutions, unfortunately!