Tessa's Recipe Rundown
Taste: Bold, rich dark chocolate flavor.
Texture: Fudgy and chewy without being overwhelmingly dense.
Ease: Nothing difficult here!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: A simple, delicious brownie recipe, perfect for dark chocolate lovers.
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Calling all dark chocolate lovers! These Dark Chocolate Brownies are about to become your new obsession.
Brownies are deceptively complex. Small tweaks in the ingredients or process can cause big differences in the final result. That’s why I love experimenting with brownies to come up with new variations on the classic dessert!
For this recipe, I wanted to achieve a bold chocolate flavor that was perfectly rich and fudgy, without being overly dense or even slightly cakey.
I tested batch after batch to finally nail my Goldilocks recipe: the perfect balance of rich cocoa flavor, deep bittersweet chocolate, and that ultra-fudgy texture you dream about.
Pure dark chocolate heaven!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make Dark Chocolate Brownies
Do I Have to Use Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder?
The reason I call for Dutch-process cocoa powder in these Dark Chocolate Brownies for its smoother flavor and higher fat content, compared to unsweetened cocoa powder. This creates richer, fudgier brownies!
Since there’s no baking soda or baking powder in this recipe, you can use unsweetened (aka natural) cocoa powder instead if you need to – your brownies will just be a little lighter in color, milder in flavor, and have a slightly drier texture.
Learn more about the differences between cocoa powders here.
How to Get Moist Brownies
The most important factor here is measuring your flour and cocoa powder correctly. Weigh your ingredients with a digital scale, or if you don’t have one, use the spoon and level method to avoid dry brownies. See my full article on how to measure correctly here.
Also, do not reduce the sugar. Learn more about sugar’s many roles in baking brownies here.
Butter + Oil in Brownies?
In addition to the butter, there’s a small amount of vegetable oil in this recipe. This ensures the Dark Chocolate Brownies retain a moist texture. Cocoa powder can zap moisture, and the oil helps to give that sensation of moisture on the palate. It can also extend the shelf life of the baked brownies, helping them stay softer for longer.
Do I Have to Use Bread Flour?
Bread flour contains a higher protein content compared to all-purpose flour, creating a chewier texture. However, if you don’t have bread flour you can just use all-purpose instead – just note that your Dark Chocolate Brownies won’t be quite as chewy.
Can I Omit the Espresso Powder?
Espresso powder simply enhances the chocolate flavor without adding a coffee taste, but if you don’t prefer it or don’t have any, feel free to simply skip it – no other modifications needed.
The Best Pan for Dark Chocolate Brownies
I highly recommend using a light-colored metal baking pan for Dark Chocolate Brownies. This is my favorite pan for brownies. Dark metals can overbake the edges and dry the brownies out.
I don’t like to bake brownies in glass or ceramic because those materials don’t conduct heat efficiently. These types of pans cause brownies that are undercooked in the center but dried out at the edges. Learn more about Glass vs. Ceramic Pans here.
How to Make Brownies with Shiny Thin Crust
You know that shiny, glossy, crinkly, tissue thin crust on top of brownies? The key to achieving that crust requires dissolving your sugar properly! I share my secret methods for perfectly crinkly brownie tops in this article, and some surprising mistakes you may be making which prevent the brownie crust!
How to Tell When Dark Chocolate Brownies are Done Baking
Bake Dark Chocolate Brownies until a tester comes out with moist crumbs still attached. If you have a digital kitchen thermometer, the internal temperature should be about 195°F.
Err on the side of underbaking brownies. The residual heat will continue to cook them even after they’re pulled from the oven. Refrigerating the cooled brownies will also help them set up further if you’re worried they’re a little too gooey.
How to Store Dark Chocolate Brownies
Store completely cooled Dark Chocolate Brownies inside an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. They’re even fudgier when served chilled!
To freeze, wrap the whole slab or individual slices in plastic wrap and place inside an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.
More Brownie Recipes You’ll Love:
- Best Chewy Brownies – my most popular brownies!
- Toffee Brownies
- Nutella Brownies
- Cosmic Brownies
- Mexican Hot Chocolate Brownies
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons (27 grams) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (170 grams) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (225 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk, cold
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (57 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder, measured correctly
- 1/2 cup (64 grams) bread flour, measured correctly
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Line a light-colored metal 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate, butter, and oil. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Add the sugar to the hot butter mixture and whisk vigorously until combined. Allow to cool until just barely warm.
- Add in eggs, yolk, and vanilla extract and whisk vigorously for 1 minute. This helps create that shiny crust on top.
- Use a rubber spatula to stir in the cocoa, flour, espresso powder, and salt until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure it’s all well combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake until a tester comes out with moist crumbs still attached, about 30 minutes. The internal temperature should be 195° F. Do not overbake.
- Let cool completely to room temperature. If they’re still warm from the oven they will be more cakey. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. They're even fudgier when served chilled!
Notes
This post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated with additional baking tips. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
My friends loved it! We liked the crusty top contrasting with the fudge interior, and the fact that it wasn’t too sweet and really dark. Only adjustment I needed- was to remove it from the oven around the 22-23min mark
Thanks!!
I made these brownies and cut the sugar by 1/2 cup, they didn’t come out as good as last time. They weren’t moist and chewy. I also used semi sweet chocolate chips instead. When I put in the eggs my butter and chocolate mixture might not have been cooled enough. Perhaps that’s why my brownies weren’t good. This is a good recipe I just made some mistakes.
Hi Frances! Sugar does more than just sweeten, which is why we never recommend reducing sugar in a recipe. I think you’ll find our article about sugar in baking very helpful! 🙂
Texture is great, too bitter for my taste.
Hi Mergs! Glad to hear that you enjoyed the texture of these brownies, even if the flavor was a little bitter for your preference. I would recommend trying a different brand of cocoa powder, to see if that helps (some are less bitter than others), and feel free to experiment with adding some milk or semisweet chocolate chips to the recipe. Alternatively, give our super popular Best Ever Chewy Brownies a try instead! I hope that helps! Happy baking 🙂
Can we use coconut sugar instead?
Hi Tara! Feel free to experiment here, but we don’t use sugar substitutes in our baking. Learn more about the crucial role sugar plays in baking here. Happy baking 🙂
why bread flour ?
can I substitute it for all purpose flour ? as I don’t get it here
Hi Arwa! As Tessa mentioned in the pink tip box, above the recipe, the bread flour has a higher protein content which contributes to a more chewy texture. However, if you don’t have bread flour you can just use all-purpose instead. Let us know what you think once you have given these brownies a try 🙂
Could this recipe work in a silver 8 inch round pan ( that’s what I have) or will there be too much batter?
Hi Lorna! We haven’t tried that, but it should work! Let us know how it goes 🙂
I like that the weight measurements are provided as that is how I prefer to bake. I don’t use a microwave so I melted the butter and Scharfen Berger chocolate in the oven. A good brownie, but I’ll try another recipe next time.
Hi Jen! I’m glad you enjoyed this brownie. Tessa has several incredible brownie recipes, all of which can be found here. I hope you find “the one” 🙂 Happy baking!
do you have a recipe for a quart jar brownie. I would like to make for gifts
Hi Regina! I’m sorry, but Tessa does not currently have a brownie designed for a quart jar. Good luck in your quest 🙂
These are the best brownies I’ve made in ages! They came out thick, fudgy and chewy as promised!
Absolutely FABULOUS recipe! I did a tester batch to make for a party on the 21st, but The Boyfriend says this is one of his favorites so far, so it might become a staple at our house!
One query, is there anything special I need to do (or not do) when doubling this recipe? I have both the USA Bakeware 8″x8″ square pan and the 13″x9″ rectangular pan, so if it’s as easy as doubling the ingredients and using the bigger pan, I’ll do that. Another query: if I DO double the recipe, do you all think using 1 cup of the bittersweet baking chocolate and 1 cup of the semi-sweet baking chocolate would be a success? Nothing else would change (I do have Dutch Process cocoa), but I’m wondering if the semi-sweet chocolate would change the chemistry of the recipe too much.
Getting back to my review, this recipe is super easy. The hardest thing you have to do is chop the bar of chocolate! Definitely recommend with either a bitter cup of coffee or espresso, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Hi Carmen! I’m so happy you and your boyfriend loved this recipe! Yes, all you need to do is double the recipe for a 9×13 pan, but watch the baking time closely, as this will vary greatly from the usual 8×8 baking time. Check out the tips in the pink box above the recipe, for help deciding when the brownies are done! As for altering the chocolate varieties, we have not tried that, so I couldn’t say for certain. You would definitely lose the powerful punch of using entirely bittersweet chocolate, and it would alter the sweetness. I recommend trying some of our other brownie recipes, such as our Best Ever Chewy Brownies, which utilizes semi-sweet chocolate! I hope this helps 🙂
I would love to try out one of your many brownie recipes, but I can’t always buy chocolate chips or bars. Is there a way to make the recipe by using cocoa powder, butter, and sugar ? I mean to make my own bittersweet chocolate? If not, then I’ll just wait till I can get the chocolate called for in the recipe.
Thank you.
Hi Nova, we haven’t tried making our own chocolate, so I can’t say for sure how that would turn out!