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.
This is the recipe for perfect brownies.
I’ve been searching for a good chewy brownie recipe for a long time and this did not disappoint. I made a few tweaks. I browned my butter instead of just melting it and I also added a half teaspoon of espresso powder. It was so rich and flavorful. Thank you so much for sharing this.
THANK YOU!!!
This recipe is SOSOSOSO good! Wonderful! Delisioso
absolutely delicious recipe.. my mom love the chewy texture
This is great! Always a hit. Only complaint is that it dirties a lot of dishes. Overall amazing! Would make again! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is the least amount of dishes I’ve ever used baking anything. One bowl to mix, one pan that doesn’t get that dirty, and a couple of measuring cups.
I’m looking forward to trying this recipe, but I’m living abroad and do not have access to a good, flavorless vegetable oil. Would it be possible to substitute butter instead, or would that make the brownie less chewy?
Hi Karen! That is not an easy swap, unfortunately. You can learn more about the differences between the two here! Any flavorless oil should work if you can’t find a vegetable oil. Let us know how it goes! 🙂
My husband loves those, they outdone the previous recipe, which I didn’t think was possible. Love your side by side comparisons and explanation of how different ingredients affect the outcome, hats off to you!
Hi Anna! So glad you and your husband love these brownies so much! So glad you also enjoyed Tessa’s terrific tips and science of baking information, too! 🙂
Gorgeous and tasty brownies! 🙂 Using generic ingredients, how many calories would you estimate is in one serving?
Hi Amy! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoy these brownies! We don’t have nutritional information for our recipes, as we believe that dessert should be an indulgence! You should be able to find a nutritional calculator online to assist with this, if you wish! 🙂
can this recipe be doubled for a 13×9 baking pan? thanks. looks super delicious.
Hi LuAnn! You sure can! You can bake for the same amount of time in the 9×13-inch pan. 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!
I made these brownies twice. The second time with 10% less sugar. The brownies had a nice smooth top from the corn starch. It was easy to make and easy clean up. The brownies were really rich and not as chewy as boxed brownies. And with10% less sugar, it was still too sweet. I used Ghiradelli Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips. If I make these again, I would use Ghiradelli’s 60% which is less sweet.
Hi Leilani! I was going to suggest a darker/bittersweet chocolate chip to counteract the sweetness, but you’re way ahead of me 😉 You can also try using a darker cocoa powder, and even adding a little espresso powder (if you like coffee) to play up the bitter tones, without messing with the chemistry of the recipe! Happy baking 🙂
Absolutely LOVE this recipe, I only make this recipe for special occasions. If not, I find myself devouring it all on my own. Thanks for posting!
Quick question, any recommendations on how to make it a touch sweeter? I was thinking of increasing sugar by a 1/4 cup, not sure if that’s a good idea.
Hi Michelle! I’m so glad you enjoy these brownies so much! We haven’t tried increasing the sugar of these brownies, but feel free to give it a try! It may take some experimenting, but it should be fun to figure out your preferred sweetness level! If you’re not up for experimentation right now, you can always swap in a sweeter chocolate chip (such as milk chocolate or even white chocolate chips) inside the brownies, and you can also add a frosting, icing or ganache to the top once they’ve cooled, if you’d like – that will definitely kick up the sweetness level, without having to experiment 🙂 Let us know how it goes! Happy baking 🙂
These are literally the best brownies I have ever eaten. Follow the recipe exactly and they will come out perfect!