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. This helps produce a shiny crust on top. 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.
Wonderfully yummy. Huge hit in our home. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
Hi I have one question, how dark do these brownies come out, in the vid they looked almost black!
pls respond i want to make these tomorow
Hi Yassi! These brownies shouldn’t be super dark unless you’re using a very dark cocoa powder. I recommend reading through all of Tessa’s great tips and information in the pink tip box, above the recipe, before starting – and also check out this article Tessa wrote about cocoa powder! Let us know what you think of these brownies once you’ve given them a try 🙂
Can we reduce the amount of sugar to maybe 3/4 cups or a whole cup and take out a few tablespoons of cocoa powder to make it less sugary but not too bitter? Thanks!
Hi Jazzy! We really recommend sticking with the recommended quantities of everything exactly as written here. Tessa perfected the flavor and consistency of this recipe to be an easy, chewy and delicious brownie – but altering quantities of ingredients will impact your outcome significantly. Sugar does so much more than just sweeten baked goods – learn more here! Be sure to read through all Tessa’s great tips and info in the pink tip box, above the recipe, before beginning 🙂 Happy baking!
Absolutely delicious and easy to make.
These were AMAZING!! I baked EXACTLY as recommended. The cocoa powder from my pantry was Hershey extra dark and it still worked. I was so impressed by how fudgy, yet light these came out. Great balance between the edges and middle, which is SO hard to pull off with brownies. They were tender, yet rich, which I have been looking for because I often hesitate to make brownies for fear they will be dry or undercooked in the middle. Oh, and because of the texture, they were also SO simple to cut.:) THANK YOU!
I have made brownies for years. These are by far the best tasting and chewiest ever! can’t wait to make more when my family arrive next week.
I’d love to try these – how much is 1/3 rd cup in millimetres (mls), please for us UK readers?
Hi Suzie. One US liquid cup = about 240mL, so 1/3 cup = about 80mL. I hope that helps 🙂 Let us know what you think of these brownies once you’ve given them a try!
hi, ive made this recipe and follow the step by step but mine didn’t turn out well as the brownie didn’t have paper thin crust on top, why was that?
Hi Fen! Check out this article Tessa wrote, dedicated entirely to this topic! I hope that helps 🙂
Made them for a lunch with friends. Everyone loved them!! My Aunt even said they were the best brownie she ever had!
Has anybody tried making this recipe in a pre heated cast iron pan?
Should I adjust the bake time due to cast iron’s ability to retain heat?
Hi Adam! No, we have not tried this ourselves. We really prefer to use a light-colored metal pan for best results. Check out all Tessa’s tips for this recipe, in the pink tip box above the recipe. Let us know what you think of these brownies once you have given them a try 🙂
can I use olive oil instead of vegetable oil?
Hi Misty. We haven’t tried that and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it, and olive oil will give these brownies a more savory flavor and may change the texture. Any flavorless oil, such as vegetable or canola, is best. Let us know what you think once you’ve given these brownies a try! 🙂
Hi, this recipe looks like a good one! Can I leave out the chocolate chips cause I don’t have any currently
Hi Hanna! Yes, you can leave out the chocolate chips, but your brownies won’t be quite as thick and the shiny crust may not develop – check out the pink tip box above the recipe for more information on this. Let us know what you think once you’ve given these brownies a try 🙂