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 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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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.
Sprinkle of Science
Ingredient Notes for Success
The 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.
The Chocolate Chips
I prefer semisweet chocolate chips, but you can use any kind you like. They strengthen the chocolate flavor, thicken the texture, and help develop that shiny, crinkly crust on top.
You can also add 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans in addition to the chocolate chips.
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 over measuring. 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 crackly top. Don’t skip it if possible.
The Best Pan for Brownies:
Struggling with gummy, sunken, underbaked (even raw) or dry-edged brownies? Ditch the glass square pan and use a light-colored 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.
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 fudgier when they’re chilled!
To freeze, 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
Can I double this brownie 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.
Why is there no baking soda or baking powder?
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 leave out the chocolate chips?
You can, but note that the brownies will be thinner and may not develop that shiny crust on top.
Why use melted butter instead of creamed butter?
Not only does this make the recipe quicker and easier, but it yields denser, chewier, and fudgier brownies.
Can I use gluten-free flour?
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.
Can I make this recipe dairy free?
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.
Can I make this recipe egg free?
I have not found a suitable replacement for the eggs in brownies yet. Feel free to experiment!
How to tell when brownies are done baking?
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.
What’s the best way to cut clean brownie slices?
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.
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
More Brownies Recipes You’ll Love:
- Malted Brownies – made with brown butter!
- Toffee Brownies
- Copycat Cosmic Brownies – ultimate nostalgia!
- Peanut Butter Stuffed Brownies
- How to Make the Perfect Caramel Sauce
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.
A while back I went on a quest for a brownie recipe that was better than box mix but similar in texture..crisp exterior but chewy and not cakey.. I found this winner. I make it a lot but always double or even sometimes quadruple it. I’m just not too crazy about the amount of eggs used because that’s a whole breakfast meal amount.
These are so delicious!! I made them
Twice in the last few days and didn’t get the shiny top though. I cooked them in a round cake pan but definitely used the right amount of corn starch so I’m not sure where I went wrong. These are definitely my go to brownies though!
Hi Brian! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed these brownies! That shiny beautiful crust can be a difficult thing to achieve. Tessa has a whole article about this, filled with tips and tricks to achieve that perfect shiny crust – check it out here! Happy baking 🙂
I have my brownies in the oven (as I type this), but it is probably the 50th time I have made these wonderful brownies! This recipe is THE BEST I have ever made. In fact, I always check this site before baking as I am ALWAYS steered in the right direction! 22 more minutes …
The chewiness of these were perfect upon cooling but they were WAAAAAYYYYY too sweet. I had to toss the initial batch away and make a new batch with less sugar. Could hardly taste the slight bitterness of the chocolate from this recipe. Was really hoping for the natural bitter sweet flavors of the chocolate to come through. Not sure if it was the organic sugar I used or if these brownies are supposed to be this sweet.
Hi Han! Hmm, it sounds like something may have gone wrong in the process of your first batch, as these brownies should be a little sweet, but not extremely sweet. How do you measure your ingredients? By volume (using cups), or by weight (using a digital kitchen scale)? When measuring by volume, it’s so easy to mis-measure sugar and other ingredients, and throw off the entire chemistry of a recipe – or end up with something too sweet. Tessa talks about how to best measure ingredients to ensure accuracy every time, in this article here! I’m glad you enjoyed the chewiness of the brownies, and hope you’ll try them again sometime! 🙂
These were delicious. I had to bake them 40 minutes to get them done but it was worth it!
I tried the recipe unfortunately it was an epic fail for me. I did something wrong. The brownie became hard. But the taste is good though.
Hi Cherry! I’m sorry to hear these brownies didn’t go as planned! I’d love to help you figure out what went wrong, so you can try again and enjoy these delicious, thick, chewy, decadent brownies!! Firstly, how do you measure your ingredients? By volume (using cups), or by weight (using a digital kitchen scale)? When measuring by volume, it’s so easy to mis-measure flour/sugar/etc and throw off the entire chemistry of a recipe. Tessa talks about how to best measure ingredients to ensure accuracy every time, in this article here! I also wonder what type of pan you’re baking the brownies in? Glass vs metal pans can make a big difference on the baked result, as Tessa shows in this article here. Your oven also might be running a little hot. Do you have an oven thermometer to check that? Check out Tessa’s article here about ovens, full of tips!! I hope something here helped, and I hope you give these brownies another try sometime – they really are incredible!! Check out the pink tip box, above the recipe, for ever more tips and so much terrific information! Happy baking!
You did something wrong and rate the recipe a “3”? How does that make any sense at all?
I love chewy brownies and can’t wait to try making this. By chance I was wondering if at the end I can mix in a couple of raspberry couli swirls to the brownie batter?
Thank you!
Hi Ren! We haven’t tried that, but it should work just fine! Alternatively, Tessa also has a delicious recipe for Raspberry Brownies you could try!! Happy baking 🙂
Hey there!
Thank you for the recipe!
How much is 1/3 cup of vegetable oil?
Hi Julie! 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, 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! 🙂
These were incredible! I made them yesterday and the whole batch is already gone. Do you happen to know how many calories there are per serving?
Hi Gina! So happy to hear that you enjoyed these brownies!! Here at Handle the Heat, we believe that desserts should be an indulgence, and should never be punished, so we therefore don’t count calories! You should be able to find a nutrition calculator online to assist with this, though, if you wish 🙂
If you lined a glass pan with foil, would that act in a similar way to a metal pan? I don’t have metal pans.
hi Lindsey! No, unfortunately, that won’t work the same way. Here is a link to Tessa’s favorite 8×8-inch metal pan, which she uses for this recipe. Happy baking 🙂
The brownies are chewy and have a great almost crust on the top. But I needed to bake it twice as long as stated on the receipt. I was still quite liquid until about 45 minutes. I wonder if anyone had that issue and did you just move to a 9 x 13 pan? Overall a great brownie receipt though.
Hi Brenda! I’m glad that you enjoyed these brownies, but it definitely sounds like something went wrong in the process here! These brownies should definitely only take 30 minutes or so to bake in an 8×8-inch light-colored metal pan. How do you measure your ingredients? By volume (using cups), or by weight (using a digital kitchen scale)? When measuring by volume, it’s so easy to mis-measure flour/sugar/etc and throw off the entire chemistry of a recipe. Tessa talks about how to best measure ingredients to ensure accuracy every time, in this article here! Also, your oven might be running a little cold. Do you have an oven thermometer to check that? Check out Tessa’s article here about ovens, full of tips!! Lastly, I just want to check that you did bake these in a light-colored metal pan? Using a glass pan, as Tessa mentions in the pink tip box above the recipe, will take much longer to bake, as glass doesn’t conduct heat well. I hope something here helped! Feel free to reach back out to us if you would like to troubleshoot any further – we’re always happy to help! 🙂
How long would you recommend keeping these in the oven if you double up on the recipe? I think my pan is rather large for the ingredient list – so they come out a little thin (but taste amazing)
Hi JayJay! To double this recipe, use a 9×13 pan and bake for the same amount of time. You may need to add a few minutes to the bake time if your oven runs a little cold, or depending on the pan you’re using. Happy baking!