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.
These are the epitome of the best brownies you will ever want to make. I typically use HTT Best Easy Brownies, but the Best Chewy brownies are more superior. I doubled the recipe, used a 9×13 pan, and ended up baking them for 40 mins, and they were still chewy and gooey! Yep, definitely found my new favorite. They were gone in minutes.
hey, just wandering if it would still be fine if i added more chocolate chips as i like it nice and chocolatey? would it change the texture? the recipe looks really good and i would love to give it a try.
Hi Summer! We haven’t tried that, so I can’t say for sure how that will work, but it will change the texture somewhat. These brownies are super chocolatey and delicious as-written, so I would recommend trying them once as-written, so you have a baseline for how they should taste and the texture, etc. That way, next time, if you want to try adding additional chocolate chips, you’ll know how it changes the texture and flavor overall, compared to the first time! The most important thing, though, if you’re looking for a deliciously decadent chocolate flavor, is the cocoa – learn more about why that matters here. Let us know how you like these brownies once you’ve given them a try!
Perfect! In the last five years or so, I have been unsuccessful in finding a homemade brownie recipe that gives me that perfect shiny top. Every recipe that promised shiny, crinkly perfection fell short. But not this one! My brownies are perfectly shiny and crinkly! Now I have my new go-to recipe for beautiful brownies!! Thank you!
Can this recipe support blooming the cocoa powder?
Hi Melissa! We haven’t tried that, so I can’t say for sure! Let us know how it goes if you give this a try! 🙂
halo, sorry to disturb your time. I want to ask which fire to bake this brownies with? top down or top first then bottom fire? I hope you read this soon because I wanted to make this cake for our special day after iftar. Thank you for your time.
Hi Aya! Most American ovens use regular oven settings, which uses heat only from the bottom. Learn more about ovens here! Let us know what you think of these brownies once you have given them a try 🙂
These are an absolute must try! Easy to follow recipe, one bowl and delicious brownies. Never buying brownies from the grocery store again!
Hi, if I were to use baking powder instead of soda in the Best Chewy Brownies recipe, how much would you recommend for ?
Hi Maz! Baking powder and baking soda are not interchangeable, so we don’t recommend swapping them. Learn more about both leavening agents here!
Hi, Tessa!
I’m hoping you can help me with a couple of changes:
— I don’t want to go out and buy natural cocoa powder as I already have an alkalized powder that I love (Cacao Barry 22-24% Extra Brute). Do you suggest that I change the volume used if I sub this chocolate?
— I don’t eat seed oils so the only oil I cook with is either EVOO or coconut oil (I used organic refined when I want a neutral flavor). Since coconut oil is mostly saturated, how will that effect your recipe? I’m thinking it will make it more dense at room temperature?
Thank you so much for any help you wish to give!
Love your blog!
Hi Jenny! Changing out the oil will change this recipe quite a bit, but Tessa has a recipe for Coconut Oil Brownies that might be better for you! EVOO will give a very different flavor, so I wouldn’t recommend using that. As for the cocoa powder, that should be fine, as brownie recipes typically have little to no leavening agent (these have just a tiny bit), so it shouldn’t make too much of a difference with a 1:1 swap. Happy baking!
This is now my go to brownie recipe! They are exactly what I have been looking for! The only change I made is I added a tablespoon of black cocoa instead of chocolate chips to the mix. Divine!
This was absolutely delicious. Made it and took it into work. Some of my coworkers said they were the best brownies they’ve ever tasted! I agree. A great blend of chewy, chocolatey and just the right amount of sweetness. Thanks for the recipe!
The overall flavor and texture is exactly what I was looking for, however, the baking soda added a very bitter taste. Can it be left out and/or replaced with baking powder?
Hi Debbie! With such a tiny amount (1/8 teaspoon), it would be very surprising if you can taste the baking soda! Did you accidentally add too much? This tiny amount of baking soda just gives the brownies a teeny bit of lift, but you can absolutely experiment with leaving it out – but this will alter the texture. Alternatively, perhaps it’s not the baking soda you’re tasting. Are you using a very bitter cocoa powder that’s mimicking that acidic/bitter flavor associated with too much baking soda? Some grocery store brands of cocoa powder do give off a slightly bitter taste (such as Hershey’s). I recommend checking out Tessa’s article here on cocoa powder, and also her article on Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda, as they are not interchangeable. I hope something here helps, Debbie, and I hope you’re able to pinpoint the issue, so you can continue to enjoy these incredible chewy brownies 🙂 Happy baking!
Hi! I definitely only used an 1/8th of a teaspoon of the baking soda. I made them with Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa (dutch processed). I decided to experiment, so I made a second batch, swapping out the 1/8th teaspoon of baking soda for 1/8th teaspoon of baking powder. I thought about using more, since baking powder is 3:1 with the baking soda, but I started with only the 1/8th teaspoon. They baked beautifully, they rose beautifully, they have a crinkle top, they didn’t have a bitter taste, and the texture couldn’t have been more perfect!! I will check out the cocoa powder you recommended!! Thank you!! This is definitely going to be my go-to brownie recipe with this ever-so-slight tweak!! I am a cheesecake baker but I have been on the hunt for a homemade brownie recipe to take the place of my favorite Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie box mix. This is my #1 so far!!
IG: say_cheesecake_clt
So glad your little tweak worked so well for you! Glad to hear these are a hit 🙂
I spontaneously made these because I saw them in my Instagram feed and saw that there was no chocolate in it (I didn’t have any chocolate at home), and they still turned out very chocolaty and chewy which is AMAZING. I love how it is all simply done in one bowl, and even tho I also didn’t have chocolate chips/chunks at home it still tastes amazing. <3