If you couldn’t tell, I really love brownies from scratch. I love them because they satisfy my chocolate craving and are the perfect amalgamation of cake, cookie, and fudge.
Despite loving each and every brownie recipe I’ve shared, I felt as though I still hadn’t come across my version of the ULTIMATE brownie recipe. A lot have come really close, but I set out on the crazy challenge of creating brownie perfection.
My perfect brownie is thick, fudgy, chewy, and chocolaty with a slight hint of gooey goodness. It also has that tissue-thin crinkly crust on top and just melts in your mouth.
I think this brownie recipe satisfies all my strict criteria. It only took 6 batches to perfect. Yes, 6 batches. That’s how much I love brownies and love you guys!! I want to give you the ultimate version of my favorite goodies because I’m here to make your life more delicious.
How to Make the Ultimate Fudgy Brownies
Let me explain the madness behind this brownie recipe. You can skip this if you don’t care WHY these brownies are the way they are and you just want them in your mouth like, now.
What kind of chocolate is best in brownies?
There are two types of chocolate – semisweet chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate – that are melted with the butter to form the base of this recipe. This method comes from these Thick and Fudgy Toffee Brownies.
I find it gives the perfect balance of chocolate flavor without tasting too bitter or intense. While I like big chocolate flavor in my brownies, I don’t want them to taste as rich as a truffle or flourless chocolate cake.
I also experimented with adding cocoa powder to the batter because I love that distinct cocoa taste it imparts, and I especially love these cocoa brownies.
However, each time I tried to add cocoa it took away from the fudgy moistness of the brownies and made them more dry and crumbly. This is because cocoa powder does not contain cocoa butter, so cocoa powder brownie recipes require more butter to add moistness and richness.
The recipe already has a lot of butter, so I settled on using just melted chocolate. I think it imparts a perfect fudgy, chewy, moist texture without feeling like straight-up undercooked batter. These brownies aren’t remotely cakey but they have a nice soft chew. Be sure to let the melted chocolate cool slightly before adding it to the batter, you don’t want to scramble your eggs with molten hot chocolate.
Butter for Brownies
The recipe takes 1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter (6 ounces, 170 grams, or 12 tablespoons) and melts it down with the chocolate. This helps prevent the chocolate from seizing if melted by itself, and allows the ingredients to become homogenized.
To make these brownies ultra thick and tall, we’re basically baking a 9×13-inch pan worth of batter in an 8×8-inch pan. That’s why there seems to be so much butter.
The reason we melt butter in brownie recipes instead of beating room temperature butter with sugar is because that helps give a rich, chewy, fudgy texture. Beating butter incorporates air and gives a more light, airy, cakey texture which we don’t want in a brownie. Well, you might want that but I don’t!
Can I use salted butter instead?
Yes, just omit the salt called for in the recipe.
How much sugar in brownies?
1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar is called for in this recipe. Again, if this seems like a lot that’s because these are very tall brownies so there is a lot of batter. Also, we’re using a large amount of unsweetened chocolate so we need to sweeten the brownies up a little.
Important to note: the sugar doesn’t just provide sweetness, it also affects the texture. Some brownie recipes call for a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar. I love brown sugar, but find it imparts too much moisture into brownie recipes and prevents the crinkly crust on top from forming.
How to get brownies with that shiny crinkly crust on top?
Additionally, this brownie recipe is different than usual because instead of simply adding the sugar into the melted butter and chocolate mixture, we actually beat the sugar with the eggs.
That’s right, we use an electric mixer to beat the sugar with the eggs for three whole minutes until the mixture is light and ribbon-thick. Why? This ensures the sugar is completely dissolved as it enters the oven, enabling a soft yet fudgy texture and crinkly crust. I learned this technique from this brownie recipe. It’s amazing and will change your brownie baking.
Eggs in brownies
As you may know, eggs not only act as a binding agent in baked goods but they also add structure, richness, and enhance texture. This recipe calls for three whole eggs plus one egg yolk. Why the yolk?
The fat in the yolk creates a rich, moist, fudgy, chewy texture that just melts in your mouth. I love adding an egg yolk to my cookie recipes too to get them really chewy. Try it!! Also be sure to use large eggs. I was so pleased when I discovered I was able to add an egg yolk and STILL get that tissue-thin crust on top. Beating the eggs and sugar is pretty magical.
Which flour to use for brownies?
All-purpose flour is the way to go here. Cake flour makes these brownies way too tender and light. To make chewy fudgy brownies, we only need to use a little bit of flour. Any more flour will create tougher or cakier brownies.
If you want to be super accurate and weigh your flour, which I highly recommend, 3/4 cup equals 94 grams or 3.3 ounces. Otherwise be sure to use the spoon and level method to measure your flour to avoid dry brownies.
How to tell when brownies are done baking?
Bake these brownies in a 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Do NOT overbake. Seriously. There will absolutely be moist crumbs attached to a tester by the end of the baking time. That’s what we want. Even after 40 minutes if the middle still seems too moist, just remove the brownies from the oven. You’ll thank me for it after they’ve cooled.
For best results, I highly recommend using a metal baking pan in this recipe. Glass and ceramic pans take longer to bake and your brownies may not set properly in the center before the edges become overcooked and dry.
How to store brownies:
The brownies definitely taste best the day they are baked, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 4 days in the fridge. They are even more fudgy when they’re chilled. You can microwave them for a bit to serve them warm too. It’s up to you!
Substitutions
This brownie recipe is written exactly the way it is for very specific reasons, as noted in the explanations above. I have not tried to make this recipe gluten-free, but have had good luck with the Cup 4 Cup GF flour. If you try to reduce the sugar, use a sugar substitute, use a butter substitute, or make this recipe vegan the results will NOT be the same. Feel free to add in nuts, chocolate chips, toffee bits, or anything else to the batter.
This has to be the perfect brownie recipe! These look AMAZING!!
Thank you!!
Can you do the recipe in French ?!? But it’s very very very good ! My mother help me too understand !
oh my god, i’ m drooling…!! i’ ll definitely try these!
Haha!:)
These look ridiculously good! i’m also on the hunt for the perfect brownie recipe and these seem to meet all the requirements. Love the photos too. WOWZA.
Thanks Courtney!
Mmmm… with a tall glass of milk.
YES! Only way to eat them.
Holy smokes, that’s my kinda brownie!
Thanks Gerry!
Gorgeous brownies, I wish I had a couple right now!
Looks great Tessa! I will make today! Thanks for making the world more delicious! 🙂
Where were you this morning? I needed 48 of these for breakfast!
These look so good, I can’t stand it!!
Made these shortly after reading this. Sooooo good. Bye, bye boxed brownies!!
That was fast!! So glad you liked the recipe.
How do you cut them so perfect?! Mine always end up with crumbly bits falling off and stuck on the knife (even if I clean the knife in hot water between cuts)
I use a gigantic 10-inch Victorinox knife, they’re really affordable ultra sharp knives! And I just wipe the knife off between cuts to avoid crumbs/smearing. You might try popping the brownies in the fridge until chilled before cutting too.
I cooked these to 40 minutes and took them out and once they cooled, it was like raw batter inside. How do I know when brownies are done! I was so bummed, they looked so amazing on top
Hi Marci! Sorry they ended up undercooked. As the recipe mentions, use a cake tester to determine doneness. Once inserted into the center of the brownies it should come back out with moist crumbs still attached, but should not look like completely raw batter.
Also, if you don’t already have one, an oven thermometer can really help ensure consistency with baking! My oven is often up to 30°F colder even when it says it’s preheated.
maybe do you have the ingredients in grams for your European followers? 🙂
I just made these using Better Batter Gluten Free flour and they turned out great – thanks for the inspiration!
That’s good to know – thanks for sharing!
I tried them again today, and I’m so glad I did, they are by far my favorite brownie ever! Not sure why, but 40 min was perfect this go around. The only difference was I used a parchment lined foil the first time and the second time only used greased foil. So awesome! We had brownie ice cream sundaes and my 3 year old said, “I just want to eat these brownies everyday for the rest of eternity!”
Woohoo!! I’m so happy you had better success this time. That’s really interesting about the parchment lined foil vs. greased foil. Thanks so much for the update, your 3 year old is adorable!
Hi,
I had to try out this recipe because I cannot resist the mouth-watering pictures.
And I only started baking recently (this was my 3rd attempt recipe) and it turned out to be the best results ever. Love the crinkly top and chewy texture…the only downside was I found it to be too sweet (had to cut down sugar for health reasons). Will I be able to minimize the sweetness (without compromising the taste/ flavour/ texture/ crinkly top) if I reduce sugar to just 1 cup? I had request to make anothee batch for a gathering this Fri. Please advise me.
And thanks for this wonderful recipe, I don’t think I’ll be able to try out another brownie recipe. This is too AWESOME!!
Yay!! I love hearing that. As for the sugar, you can try to reduce but I can’t promise the texture will be exactly the same. You can also swap out the semisweet chocolate chips for bittersweet chocolate chips to cut down the sweetness.
These were fantastic. One need- a weight for the one cup of chocolate chips. We noticed that there also is a difference between brands as to the total mass in a cup of chocolate chips. I know this will be my go to recipe for brownies.
Thanks!! 1 cup chocolate chips is typically 6 ounces. I actually just published a post about measuring and weighing ingredients and it has the weights of some of the common ingredients I use: https://handletheheat.com/2014/07/ultimate-guide-measuring.html
I’ve read about hard boiled yolks adding to texture in baked goods, but I don’t remember if that was about cookies or brownies. Could the last yolk in these brownies be hard boiled (so I don’t waste an egg white)?
And I love your videos! They make baking and cooking seem so much easier! Thanks!!
I’ve actually never heard of adding hard boiled yolks to baked goods. I would make this recipe as written – it took me quite a few trials to get it just right and I have no idea how a hard boiled egg would affect the brownies. Egg whites keep pretty well in the freezer! I’m glad you enjoy the videos 🙂
This is the best recipe ever…I have been making these brownies for over 2 years now and always recieve rave reviews
gracias Tessa por tus recetas, necesitaba una buena receta de brownies y esta se ve perfecta . saludos
I made these brownies and one batch turned out pretty good, but the other one was hard around the edges an then after I took it out it sank in the middle and was wondering what might have caused this. Also, does it matter what kind of pan you use? I used a Winton 8×8 pan.
I love these brownies and would love to perfect them.
Hi! Interesting dilemma. I use this pan and love it: http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-685339/Sur+La+Table+Platinum+Professional+Square+Cake+Pan
I’m assuming you’re using a metal pan? The pan can definitely affect the final outcome. I would check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer, make sure to use a thick high-quality aluminum pan for even baking, and be careful not to overmix the flour into the batter. It’s hard to say exactly what happened without being in your kitchen sadly. Feel free to ask more questions!
I made them again today and they fell apart when I cut them. I baked them for 38 minutes and let them cool completely. Is it because they might need to be left in the pan longer? Could this be in mixing the sugar and eggs at too high a speed or is it more in the mixing of the flour?
Did you let them cool in the pan or did you take them out? The whipped eggs and sugar should make the brownies rich, fudgy, and chewy without being dense. See more on that here: https://handletheheat.com/ultimate-brownie-guide/
Overmixing the batter can cause the brownies to develop too much gluten and dry out. Gently fold in the flour and stir until JUST combined. You may also want to refrigerate the brownies for a couple of hours before cutting to get nice clean cuts.
These look amazing and I appreciate your thorough directions. I see under “substitutions” you said “feel free to add nuts.. etc.”. For one batch, is there an amount of nuts that you would assume would be appropriate as a ratio to the brownie? Thanks. 🙂
1 cup of nuts should work perfectly!
Hi! These look absolutely amazing! I’m drooling over the pics I can’t wait to bake them!
I just baked these brownies and absolutely loved them, as did the rest of my family! Will definitely make these again and again!
Yay! So thrilled to hear it.
These brownies are truly THE.ULTIMATE.BROWNIE! They are delicious!!!! I can’t stop eating them – they are so decadet and choclatey! I will never make box brownies again now that I know what a real brownie tastes like, and I’ll be sure to start trying more of your recipes. Thank you much!
Thank you so much for your rave review! It made me smile 🙂 So happy you enjoyed the recipe.
Have you ever tried adding a little (like perhaps 1/2 tsp) of espresso powder to these brownies? Do you think that’d be add to the flavor or would they be better without?
Yeah! It works wonderfully to enhance the chocolate flavor.
Hi Tessa,
Thank you for this recipe! I am looking to find a brownie mix that would work when creating this dessert: http://www.cakeeventsblog.com/2009/08/peanut-butter-chocolate-perfection.html , but in a regular sized cupcake pan.
Would your recipe bake okay in a regular sized cupcake pan? Should I reduce the baking time? And by how much?
Lastly, if i decided to make your brownies in a regular brownie pan, would a 13″X9″ pan be okay? I don’t have a 8″x8″.
Thank you so much!
These brownies look so yummy. I want some 🙂
These were incredible and I’ll be making them a couple more times with the holidays coming
i made these for work (i work with mechanics) and instead of doubling the recipe, i made it twice and after the first batch i poured it into a 9×13 lined pan and let it sit while making the second. I then pouring the next write on top and shook it a little as to get some of the air out. I baked at 350 for about 55 mins. Let me tell you it was so good. The first layer set a little thicker then the second and made them not only more stable once cut but gave a melt in your mouth affect. This is defiantly my new brownie recipe! The guys couldn’t stop eating them. The only downside is there were non left for lunch break!
Again really a great easy brownie.
I made these tonight and confess that I didn’t whip the eggs. I’m a lazy cook! haha….I’ve gotta say they were still fabulous!! I simply added the flour, sugar, vanilla and salt to the warm melted chocolate which cooled it enough to then add the eggs which I at least whisked before adding. They came out with a crinkle top, firm edges, fudgy center. 40 minutes was perfect. This recipe is a keeper and perhaps next time I’ll put in the extra effort and whip the eggs and sugar together.
I have always been a boxed brownie girl because I sadly have never found a brownie that matched up to the gooey, chocolateyness that boxed brownies provide. In college, we used to make Herseys Ultimate Brownies almost once a week to watch One Tree Hill. I recently have gotten really into baking and decided to try this recipe. I WILL NEVER MAKE BOXED BROWNIES AGAIN!. Omg your recipe is amazing. Thank you so much for this!! Oh, and 40 minutes in the Williams Sonoma 8×8 is perfect. 35 was a bit underdone (even for me.) THANK YOU!!
What a wonderful comment, thanks so much and I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
I love the taste of these brownies! I felt like I wanted to lick the left over batter on my mixing bowl. One problem I have with it is that it came out very oily and didn’t flake much. The crust around is hard but in the middle it looked somewhat under baked. Any advice?
scusa Tessa, avevo commentato e non vedo il commento forse c’è la moderazione? in caso affermativo cancella pure questo
ciao
Cla
OMG, holy shit. Like seriously…. holy f-ing shit. I’m not a huge brownie fan, none-theless a chocolate fan either…. but seriously…. These brownies are amazing and to die for! I recently made them as a part of my Halloween staff treats for my oncology group and can I just say that people are still talking about these brownies? Not only did I make these brownies, but it was Buckyeye style brownies (calls for a peanut butter layer, topped off with a chocolate ganache). The brownie itself was so moist, and the top perfectly flaked off as should a wonderful perfect brownie!!!! Let me just tell you that despite the dirty dishes to follow, anyone will feel so extremely rewarded with this recipe!!! Thanks for sharing it!!!!! AMAZING!
Hi, these looks so good, but before making… Do these have a that bitter,overly rich, chocolate after taste that from scratch brownies have? I have tried so many recipes and they all end up with that taste that nixed brownies don’t have. Really hoping these are different..
Hi,
I tried these, but they turned out very dry and cake like. Didn’t have the gooey feel.
Is there something I am doing wrong?
Yes, definitely. This recipe is absolutely not dry or cakey. It’s really hard to say what could have gone wrong with so little info but I would say to double check all your measurements, especially the flour, to make sure the batter didn’t end up too “dry.” Also be sure not to overmix.
Hi Tessa….thank you for such a detailed explanation of the role play each ingredient plays. Very interesting! I got a question though. Can i not use all of semisweet chocolate. Unsweetened chocolate isn’t very easily available here in India. Thanks!
You can, but it’ll take some adjusting and I can’t guarantee you’ll get similar results. I found this helpful resource on the topic: http://chocolatecrafter.com/conversionsfordi.html
I’m dying to try this recipe. My son wants to us to make brownie bowls to put ice cream in for is birthday. Will this recipe work for this? Since I wont be using a pan but a cupcake tin instead. Regardless though I think I will be trying the recipe because it looks delicious!!
Hi Tessa,
Can I replace the 4 ounces of chopped chocolate with 4 more ounces of semi sweet chocolate chips?
Never mind just noticed the other comment asking the same thing. Seems like it would take way more chocolate to make the swap not worth it.
I was thinking about drizzling a caramel sauce over top of these. Would that be too much of a sweetness addition? Has anyone who has tried these recipes have any comment on whether that would be too sweet for their tastes, just so I can get some varying opinions? 🙂 Thanks!
I think that would be wonderful – esp if you used salted caramel!
Thank you for posting this recipe and taking the time to craft the well titled ultimate brownie. The explanation of each ingredient was not only well written, but also great exposure to the true chemistry of baking and the reason why ingredients are used. It was great to learn as well as try a new recipe.
Over the past few weeks, my guy has been working overtime everyday of the week. He has has the best attitude and cheerful outlook through the exhausting hours that he has been putting in. I was excited to surprise him and his chocolate tinted sweet tooth with this brownies when he got home tonight. He absolutely loved them, saying “I want to share these with the guys at work, but at the same time, I don’t want to share them at all.”
Thank you again for posting these, they have now become a staple in the dessert recipes.
All the best.
Thank you so much for you wonderful comment Elizabeth! Hope you and your guy get some relaxing time together for the holidays!
Hi, why does the top layer form a meringue and detach from the brownie after baking ?
And can i bake these in a cupcake tray or brownie pan ?
Hi, why does the top layer form a meringue and detach from the brownie after baking ?
And can i bake these in a cupcake tray or brownie pan ?
How do you think these would do baked in a mini muffin pan? I want to try them NOW but I need bite-size brownies for an event this weekend.
Hi Tessa….i tried your receipe for the “Ballistic Brownies”:) with the substitute link u attached to my previous query….n it came out exactly what ur pics show…thank u! My Family loooved it.
thank you for sharing this recipe!!! i would definitely try this!!!!!!!
These did not turn out well for me. Really doughy and I even tried to dry them out by cooking them longer. Gave the same sensation has having peanut butter stuck in the back of your throat.
I am an avid baker so I loved reading about how you ultimately came up with this recipe and why you chose the ingredients you chose. These are thick, fudgy and DELICIOUS brownies and I will most definitely be making them again! Thank you! 🙂
I have the chocolate chips but not the unsweetened….can i use hersheys baking cocoa? How much??
I was surfing the web before going to sleep, found this recipe… so now it’s 1 a.m. and I just finished baking the brownies!! (Because first I made a batch of the Chocolate Chip Thin & Hard Cookies… absolutely gorgeous!!)
Thanks so much Tessa!!!
I’ve made these three times in the last month. I’ve been baking for years, and this is the best brownie recipe I’ve ever used! Definitely my go-to from now on!
I cannot wait to make these!! Thanks for being so thorough. I feel like I learned a lot. 🙂
Do you have to use sea salt?
Do u have to use sea salt
These were really, really, REALLY good! I was surprised that they were not too sweet, but they were fudgy and just sweet enough and incredibly rich. I did make the mistake of overbaking them (I know….) because as I was testing them, the tester kept coming out wet, so the edges ended up a little crisp, but the interior was still fudgy and chewy and the top shiny and crackly. I’d definitely make these again, and bake them less next time. My husband loved them too 🙂
My brownies just finished their full forty minutes in the oven, but they are no where near done and I don’t want to take them out!! The pan still jiggles when I move it!! I’m afraid to over bake them but don’t want raw brownies either!!! 🙁
Best Brownie Recipe EVER!!!!!
I’ve tried so many other recipes and just failed. I swapped the flour to gluten free flour and they tasted incredible 🙂
Made them for a dinner party and all of my guests loved them!.
Will definitely be Making these again!
Thanks for the wonderful recipe, looking forward to trying out your other recipes 🙂
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These brownies were AMAZING. I used bittersweet chocolate instead of unsweetened, and since I didn’t have any chocolate chips I just put a couple spoonfuls of cocoa powder and added a little extra sugar. They came out GREAT. Super fudgy and moist! Definitely making these again.
I made these in the 8×8 pan. Baked 35 minutes…really gooey center using toothpick. Added another 10 minutes. Added another 5 minutes. Finally done. Let cool. Put in frig. Cutting them. The tops were way to crispy and crumbled apart. The rest is very soft and gooey. Do not cut well at all. Very tasty, but I believe I will make thinner ones next time in a 9×13 pan.
Well, I messed these up. They were so runny, like pudding. The top was crispy and really sugary. I don’t know what I did wrong :/
I made these brownies for a Christmas get together and they were a big hit! Some even claimed they were the best brownies they ever had. These truly are the Ultimate Brownies. I also made them for a V-Day party with pretzels as a topper instead of nuts. Delicious!
looked great, added 5 minutes for the glass pan. I felt like they were a little more bittersweet then my personal taste and I was missing some of the chewy texture of other brownies. I think I may tweak the chocolate. Any suggestions on how to get the texture chewy?
I made these brownies a couple days ago. They were delicious. I doubled the recipe and made them in a 13×9 inch pan. That resulted in the perfect thickness although I had to bake them much longer than the recipe suggested. I tested many times with a toothpick before removing from oven. I finally removed when the middle was still slightly gooey – so the toothpick kind of still had slight batter on it. I wish I would have removed about 3 or 4 minutes previous. The brownies were still excellent and not dry at all but I think 3 or 4 minutes less would have resulted in a fudgier brownie. I kind of like baked goods a bit underbaked. The only change to the recipe I made was to throw a big extra handful of chocolate chips into the batter before baking. I liked the texture that created. They didn’t melt all the way so it was nice to bite into the chips. I will definitely make these again. I might put a nice fudge icing and sprinkles on top next time.
Hi! i’d like to try this recipe! they look yummy!
I love this recipe! I had dark chocolate ghiradelli melting wafers on hand, and subbed those for the unsweetened chocolate (didn’t have any) – and i LOVED them! I did have to bake them a little extra time – I used a glass pyrex dish. This is my new go-to recipe, no more boxed mix!
Can’t wait to try all of these!
Yesterday I made these absolutely delicious brownies, they literally brought a tear to my eye, that’s how good they are. Thank you for posting this recipe. It will be my go to recipe for brownies from now on.
Haha!! Love this comment so much! Thanks for sharing, so happy you enjoyed them 🙂
made these today .. tasted good but were dry … i baked it for 32min then took them out as they smelled cooked … do you think they were overbaked?? I have a convection oven. Or were they lacking moisture?? (I followed the recipe above :))
thanks 🙂
Hi! I would avoid using a the convection setting in your oven for things like brownies and cookies. It tends to bake MUCH faster and dry out the more delicate treats.
I am in the UK. Can you take me if you back in a fan oven or not.
Thank you.
Hi, Tessa. I made these brownies ytd with 30g less sugar, the top was not crispy but the texture was chewy and the taste was very good. Is it because of less sugar made the top not crispy?
Hi! Yes absolutely. Please read the Sugar headline in the post where I go into depth in how the sugar works in this recipe 🙂
Can’t wait to try these!!!!! Thanku sooo much for the detailed recipie:))
Tessa, these brownies are heaven! Even without the extra egg yolk! My collegues, husband, friends were astonished. I also made your chocolade saus, it’s not necessary to have something aaide these already perfect brownies, but, well, Some more suger and chocolate taste….why not! I visited London and had tea at Bea’s of Bloomsbury (wich is by the way a great tip! Lovely scones, granula and tea, very friendly happy owners) There they have the motto: Live is short, eat more cake. That’s what I thought of why eating your brownies.
Before trying your recipe, I was a Betty Crocker box mix fan, but now, you have converted me. These brownies were nothing short of amazing! Thank you for sharing. I tagged you on Instagram with a photogrid of my brownie pictures.
Beautiful photos! So happy you are converted 😉
I made these today for Canada day. I have another brownie recipe that I always use but wanted to try something that was more chewy. These were very good. I think I was expecting more chewy. These are fudgychewy combo. Not too sweet…perfect taste for sure. I would not ice these esp because they have the nice cracked top. I added chopped pecans. Btw. I was able to cut 16 very good sized brownies from this recipe instead of the 9 mentioned. They are very thick and I think the next time I might try doing them in a 9 by 13 pan just to see how that changed the texture. Overall. ..a very good brownie!
I made these brownies with Cricket Flour (sustainably raised from Bitty Foods)! I always like an out of the box project and need to eat Gluten Free. They were served by a friend I shared them with to her book group ( a very open-minded adventurous group) as a mystery and no one guessed the secret ingredient.
It is a fabulous recipe. They froze/thawed beautifully! I am anxious to try the recipe with other gluten-free flours.
Wow! That’s a first for me! Love your sense of adventure and glad you made the recipe work for you 🙂
I’ve already made these before and turned out delicious. This time I can only make them in a 13×9 pan. Do I have to double the recipe? Thank you!
Double the recipe if you want them as thick as they were when you made them before!
I just made these tonight and everything came out great – texture, appearance, except one thing – they came out slightly too bitter for my taste. Any suggestions to cut down on the bitterness?
Thanks so much!
Try using bittersweet chocolate in place of the unsweetened! 🙂
I love this site, so helpful with all your knowledge & baking tips!! I like how you give so many details~ Very helpful…Thanks 🙂
WOW!
I’ve been searching for a *good* fudgy brownie recipe for a while now, and I’m thrilled to have found a *GREAT* one from another denizen of the Valley of the Stunned. The only problem is that I might not ever bake another dessert.
Thanks!
Holy cow! Better than any brownie I have ever had (and I have sampled brownies in some swanky places in Europe.)
Thank you so much for a perfect recipe!
Strikes a balance of rich chocolate that is not too bitter and not too creamy. Retained its complexity. And the sugar was not the typical American “all I can taste is the sugar.”
I purchased the best butter my grocery offered and used Ghirardelli chocolates. I can see trying more exotic chocolate manufacturers in the future.
yummy!
I never submit a comment on any recipes I find and bake. I must say this recipe takes the cake! It is the perfect brownie I have ever made. My husband is not big on receiving Christmas gifts because he claims that there is nothing that he needs. This was a “Hail Mary” gift because the brownie that I made on Christmas Eve was a flop. Then on Christmas day, last minute I have to look for a recipe that is quick, to make it for the gift giving in the afternoon with my family. I did it in time!
Hands down, this is the ultimate recipe – easy to follow, easy to make with using the microwave to melt chocolate. The explanation of the chemical reaction of each ingredients makes one understand the rationale behind each usage. My husband was very pleased because it truly is a perfect brownie. Thanks for sharing, This is my go to recipe from now on.
Love this!! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment with your story, Elvy. I’m so thrilled this has become your go-to 🙂
Heya,
greetings from Germany. I’d love to bake your Brownies for my New Year’s Party, however, I am having trouble converting the meassurements into gramme/millilitre. Could you help me out a bit with that?
I am asking, cause you’ve mentioned that 3/4 cup is 94g, however, the internet tells me that it is actually 177g…I am really confused as to which amount is the right one (same with the other ingrdients.).
Thanks in advance.
Cheers,
Conny
Hi Conny! I always calculate a cup of flour as 128 grams, so 3/4 cup is 94g. Sometimes various brands of flours or various recipe publications calculate 1 cup of flour different, but it’s usually around 128 grams. I actually wrote a whole guide to measuring which you may find useful: https://handletheheat.com/ultimate-guide-measuring/
Does that help?
These were delicious. I added a teaspoon or so of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon or so of cayenne which took them over the top!
These were amazing. I didn’t follow the recipe very well because I did not have cocoa powder. So, I pomitted the cocoa powder and used extra semi sweet chocolate chips to melt down with the butter. After combining all the ingredients, baking it, and pulling it out,I noticed the center wasn’t cooked. I ate it anyway It was essentially a very large rectangular molten lava cake! It was super good.
Hi! I was wondering if I made this in a 9×9 pan instead, would I still bake it for the same amount of time? Thanks in advance!
Hi, I can’t wait to try these out. But first I do have two questions.
1. Should they be baked in the middle or top of the oven
2. I am from the UK so not used to working in cups, please can you either give me the conversion in grams or just tell me if ingredients like sugar and flour are packed in or loose.
Thanks
Hi, I was just wondering what brand of chocolate you use for your semi sweet and unsweetened? Thank you!
Usually I’ll use whatever is at the grocery store – Baker’s or Ghirardelli.
Do I need to sift the flour? Thanks for replying!
These are insanely delicious! I think once hubby gets home these won’t make it through tomorrow. Thanks for sharing!
Haha! Glad to hear it!
I made these and they look exactly like the picture!!! I even used part dark chocolate part milk chocolate which I was sure was going to need it up but the texture is just like you describe! To me these are foolproof and SO easy. At 35 min the brownie still had alot of jiggle to the middle so I upped the temp for a few minutes until the jiggle was gone and the tooth pick came out with a few moist crumbs and it was perfect. Had it with ice cream ! Thank you
So glad you made the recipe work for you!
I made these and they were amazing!! I loved the tip about beating the egg and sugar together. Definitely my new go-to brownie recipe. I was wondering though – if I felt like a brownie with more of “bite” and that isn’t as soft and fudgey, how would I achieve this? I’ve considered using a higher protein flour like bread flour but will simply increasing the amount of flour achieve the same result? I’m open to any other suggestions you might have! Thank you for the recipe 🙂
I made these tonight and although they are beautiful brownies I forgot the Unsweet chocolate chips and it was sweet for my taste had a caramel flavor not a deep chocolatety flavor like I hope next time I will Tate before putting in the oven!
Oh no!! You won’t make that mistake again though 😉
I tried this recipe and this is the second time i bake something in my entire life and i SUPER loved the brownies. I just want to know does the brownies really melt easily?! As much as i enjoy eating it, after a few minutes out the fridge it starts to melt.
Hello ma’am I have made this recipe and it came out so so so so so so good! Thankyou maam I just made one mistake I didn’t use the foil paper instead used parchment. It was just like the picture u pairs and I jisy came across you everIG and the day I followed u this was your post and seeing the pic I was like I must make this. I used to follow my auntie one old recipe and just now I sent her your link as. Told her about your brownies recipe how good It is.
This is a great recipe! However, I baked the first batch in an 8×8 pan and they were WAY too thick. Like over two and a half inches thick, and the top didn’t get all crinkly (very sad!). Additionally, I had to bake them for much longer than the recipe said – they took well over an hour. For the second batch, I used a 9×13 pan and the results were much better.
Still not the perfect brownie recipe for me, but I’ll be trying your chewy brownie recipe next and hopefully that one will be the holy grail. Thank you!
made these and they were very good….not Holy grail good but totally yummy. My question is can I double the recipie and use larger pan say 9×13?
These are scrumptious and the recipe is a keeper. They turned out perfect. Deadly brownies!
Wonderful!!
Hi! So I loved this recipe but when I tried making it the bottom got burnt even though I used the temperature listed and did not over bake
What kind of baking pan did you use and where was your oven rack placed?
Have you ever tried to double this recipe? Any suggestions?
Tessa, thank you so much for this recipe! I made these brownies yesterday for the first time and they came out really amazing! my family just fell in love with them! However, I’ve stored them in the fridge for a night and in the morning they seemed hardened and they’re not so moist now. What can be the reason of this? I followed the recipe above.
How did you store them?
I had been hoping for a nice fudgey, chewy brownie to make as a gift for my friend and stumbled upon this promising looking recipe. The brownies did turn out to be fairly chocolatey and fudgey to an extent. I followed the recipe exactly as stated, but the brownies were not chewy, except the edges, and a bit cakey, especially around the edges. It was decent, but not what I expected based on the description. I find myself not wanting to eat the rest of the brownies I have left in the pan. I will not be making these again.
Hi Megan! I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe. They’re definitely not cakey when I make them, so I’m not quite sure what happened. Either way, I hope you do find a brownie recipe that has you tempted to eat the whole pan 😉
Not sure why, but I followed the temperature and time stated, but mine also turned out to be very raw. I let it stay in the oven for over an hour before the batter started hardening. Not sure why, but I see a few other people with the same comments as well!
I however used a 7×7 baking pan but it took a much longer time than expected. The brownies tasted good though! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Oh no! Yeah, the smaller baking pan can make an unexpectedly big difference in baking time. What material pan was it?
Dear Tessa, I’m Tatiyana. I go thru all your testing experience and learnd the difference impact of each recipe. I would love to try this recipe and what I have is Bensdrop cocoa powder. Is there any possibility to us cocoa powder in your recipe? Thanks a lot
Can i add some baking powder in this recipe?
Dear Tessa,
First batch of Ultimate Brownies have been in for 24 minutes now and look awesome through the oven door. They have a nice sheen on top and my fingers are crossed. I’m not one for saying “I made your recipe but added, changed, substituted X.” I tried to make them as close as I could come. I didn’t have semi-sweet chips so I used Scharffen Berger (SB) semisweet based on your gram measurement. And I didn’t have unsweetened so I subtracted 1/4 cup of sugar and used SB Bittersweet chocolate. I’m using a portables countertop oven so I dialed the 350 degree temp in using my digital BBQ thermometer; turns out 350 indicated equals about 400 degrees cooking temp. So I realy tried to nail it, and they’re smelling very good right now with about 2 mins to go! More soon,
Rob
Wow, these brownies really turned out perfect. Thank you very much for sharing this recipe. I also enjoyed reading how each of the ingredients contribute to the the ultimate brownie. These are really something special. Sincerely, Rob
Awesome, Rob! Glad you made the recipe work for you 🙂
Hi. I make it according to your recipe. i finally got the shiny top that i never got before. the only problem is that after about 45 mins, i get it out because the top seems to be scorched already but the inside is still quite raw. i don’t know where do i get it wrong.
Hmmm. What kind of pan were you using, and were you using an oven thermometer to gauge the actual temperature inside the oven?
hi, is there a video for this recipe? if yes, please add the link.
Finally! Someone that has the good sense to include the weight of the ingredients with the recipe instead of the usual cups and sticks nonsense most people post. Thank you Tessa!
I rarely leave comments but just had to say as a brownie fanatic, these were HANDS DOWN my favorite yet. This recipe is AMAZING!!!
Could I replace all the chocolate with dark chocolate ?
I’d recommend making the recipe exactly as written, as it took me quite a lot of experimenting to get it just right 🙂
Hi Tessa!
I have tried baking these 3 times and failed each time 🙁 every time, i get thick, hard and burnt tops but runny/raw insides. I even used an oven thermometer and that made it worse. I also tried baking in the bottom rack but it still made no difference. could it be because my oven is small, it does not bake evenly? please help me! I really want to nail this.
Hmm how strange, especially that using an oven thermometer made it worse?! What kind of pan are you using? Are you using a standard convention oven?
I’m wondering is it ok to make them in a muffin pan – brownie muffins?
I’ve never tried!
Hello. Please help! The crispy top of my brownie’s has lifted off! Can I stop this from happening?
Thanks, Sophie
Unfortunately I made these brownies this afternoon and they just ended up being a waste of ingredients. Although the batter (and par-cooked) brownie mix tasted out of this world good, the brownies simply did not cook. My oven runs on temperature, if not hot, but I left them in for 45 minutes because I was concerned they seemed too gooey. I then left the brownies in the tin to cool completely (1.5 hours) but even after all this the center was literally batter (as I said, delicious, but only edible via a spoon) I then tried to savour it by putting hem back in the oven for a further half our – edges were black but center was just hot batter. So disappointed. Will stick to my old recipe for now (although again, the taste of your batter is perfect.
So sorry to hear that, Teigan! As you can see by the 100+ comments, most people love this recipe. However, there have been a handful that have experienced a similar problem as you did. I’ve made this recipe over 15 times since publishing it and have never been able to replicate that problem so it’s a bit of a mystery to me. However, I suspect it has something to do with the baking pan used and the oven itself. What kind of pan did you use?
I didn’t change a thing about the recipe and they are currently in the oven going on 1 hour now. When I insert a toothpick in the center it still comes out pretty gooey. I’m using an 8×8 baking pan also. Hopefully when they are finally done they will be worth it. I think next time I will use a larger pan.
Ok so they are finally finished one hour and 20 minutes later. They turned out OK but because they had to bake for so long the top is really hard. The inside is really nice and gooey almost perfect but the flavor is lacking. I have been baking for years and I should have known not to use unsweetened chocolate. Next time I will use semi sweet chocolate for the entire recipe instead of just half of it and I will omit the foil in the baking pan because I really think that is what hindered it from baking quicker. i’m going to use my leftover semi sweet chocolate chips and make a nice ganache and drizzle it on top so that they have more of a sweetness to them instead of being so bitter.
In answer to your question, I used a silicone, non-stick pan. Do you think this would have effected he result?
Yes, definitely. Silicone won’t conduct heat the same way as metal (which is what I always use). Next time try a quality metal baking pan and let me know how it goes 🙂
Tessa,
I want to make these for a bake sale but I don’t want to have to make all those 8×8 batches. Could I double this recipe in a 13×9 pan and add some cooking time?
I’ve always wanted to make brownies that taste like the ones you buy in the shops, and these did it. Baked them at 180 c for 30 mins (fan oven) and came out perfect .They taste absolutely amazing, especially when still warm. But maybe should of waited till they were 100% cool before stacking them in a tub as they stuck together a little, oh well. Thanks so much for the recipe
Hi Tessa! I made these brownies today and they are AMAZING! My family loves them! However, when i was cutting it, the surface kept crumbling because it was so crisp(? crackly?); how do i avoid that? Also, the brownies took about an hour to get done – that’s probably my crazy ovens faulty though…
Let the brownies cool completely before cutting then use a large sharp knife to slice squares. It’s pretty unavoidable that the top will crumble a little but I think they still look and taste great either way!
Should you let the bownies cool in the pan or transfer them to a cooling rack?
Definitely let them cool in the pan completely.
Hi Tessa! These look amazing!! I am in search of a moist and fudgey brownie recipe that translates well into a brownie bite/brownie cupcake. Any suggestions? So far the recipes I’ve tried have turned out too crisp on top or too dense/dry. Thanks in advance!
Hmmm you might have better luck with my Chewy Brownies: https://handletheheat.com/chewy-brownies/
I’ve never baked them as a bite / cupcake before, so I can’t say for certain. Good luck!
Hello. Photos look extremely delicious. My oven bakes a little too fast unfortunately. At 350 degrees a 55 minute recipe becpmes ready in 45 minutes. So I wonder how can i adjust time on this recipe.
It sounds like your best best would be to purchase an oven thermometer! If your oven is “fast,” it likely runs hot and having an accurate gauge will allow you to adjust the temperature appropriately. Most home ovens are off by 25° or more, even when they tell you they’re perfectly heated! I have an article here that might help you: https://handletheheat.com/oven-101-what-you-need-to-know/
Came across this recipe on Buzzfeed Tasty, and I had to try out this recipe! I didn’t have the unsweetened chocolate, but I was CRAVING brownies and it was midnight, I figured I’d try out your recipe as close as possibles anyway. And they are delicious! I can’t wait to follow the recipe exactly next time I’m in the mood for something chocolatey. I added cocoa powder to the batter to replace the unsweetened chocolate, and because of that I added a little oil to keep it from getting dry. They came out fudgy, and paired perfectly with a tall cold glass of milk. I’m so glad I came across your website, I can’t wait to try out more recipes.
Hi Tessa!
I have recently been going through all my recipes containing chocolate (cakes, cupcakes, cookies, fudge anything, and brownies) and started adding a few teaspoons of instant coffee mix to them. I’ve found that it takes already awesome recipes and elevates them to toe curling ones instead! Have you tried this with any of your recipes? I’m going to go ahead and bake this recipe as per your directions and then give it another go with the instant coffee. Can’the wait to report back!
That’s a great idea! Coffee is such a great way to enhance and intensify the taste of chocolate. I often add about 1 tsp of espresso powder to cake and brownie recipes 🙂
Hi Tessa,
Tried these today. While I got a beautiful crinkly top followed by a chewy layer and a fudgier bottom they had burnt at the bottom and sides. Am guessing that it had to do something with the size of my pan as the centre had peaked up quite a bit. Kept checking after 25minutes and the centre was still batter and that’s why kept it for a longer time. Still the taste was awesome and with icecream was heavenly. Thank you for the recipe!
Pls can you suggest a substitute for eggs . Thank you.
i made these brownies and they were easier than expected and came out looking exactly like the photos. they were so moist and soft and fudgy.. however they were not sweet enough for me. i followed the recipe to the t, weighing all my ingredients. is there anything i could do to make these sweeter without ruining the texture?
I know that this is an old recipe posting but I’m so glad i stumbled across it. These are amazing!!
Hi Tessa, warm greetings from Indonesia.
After strolling around some brownie recipees and try it one by one finnaly i found yours. My brownies has crackly crust on the top and its amazingly beautiful. Yet still not perfect as yours :). When you said ‘mix eggs and sugar until light and thick’ i still can not figure it out what’s that supposed to mean. Is this batter could effect the result of the crust? Because my brownie has thick not light and shinny like yours, could you share how i can get those shines and light crispy crust? Thank you Tessa 😉
I just recently made these brownies and they are pretty delicious. I had one problem, though. The top layer is separated from the bottom, making cutting into them difficult and messy. Any ideas why this might have happened?
Over-mixing may have caused that. Once the flour is added fold gently juuuust until incorporated. Also, for clean cuts I usually like to pop brownies into the fridge or freezer until they’re a little more firm.
hi tessa
this is the best brownies recipe i’ve ever try
Hello Tessa! Thank you for your recipe. My brownies are in the oven right now but for the next time I wanted to know if the baking time remains the same if i make half recipe.
Thank you and greetings from Colombia
A tip someone taught me a while back is to cut brownies while hot/warm with a plastic knife. I have even used the handle of a plastic fork or spoon. Just wait until they are cool enough not to melt the utensil. The plastic just slides through like butter, and the individual brownies stay separated until cooled further and lifted out of the pan.
Hi Tessa,
By far the best recipe I have tried! Perfect comfort food! Thank you so much for your efforts. Really love it.
Yay!! 🙂
I made these brownies tonight and they were amazing! I do have one question though. Is there a reason you used white sugar instead of brown sugar or a combination of both? These brownies are very fudgy anyway, but wouldn’t brown sugar make them even more moist?
Oops I just read your rationale for using granulated instead of brown sugar. That’s interesting that using brown would prevent the crinkly brownie tops. We definitely can’t have that!!
Hi there, Tessa.
Thank you for the great recipe. I have to admit that I didn’t follow it strictly, but my brownies were from scratch – everything chocolate in the house up to 200 grams and some cocoa. So I also cut the other ingredients. It turned out sooo good. Like you describe it. I’ll take a picture tomorrow.
Here’s a picture: https://s16.postimg.org/4lwxu5iit/brownie_1.jpg
Hey, Tessa! I really love your recipes.
I have a question regarding your Ultimate Brownie recipe. What would happen if I replace part of the flour with cocoa powder? (a spoonful for instance)
I feel this would enhance the flavor while keeping the moistness and texture unaffected. Is this so?
Thank you in advance!!
I have made these brownies four or five times at this point and they always turn out perfectly. I usually cook them for less time (like 35 minutes) before they’re done. I also think this might be because my oven is broken and is telling my the incorrect temperature. Great recipe! Fool proof!
So happy to hear that! An oven thermometer would likely inform you your oven is lying about its temperature 😉 I always have my thermometer in my oven so I can be sure it’s accurate.
These brownies are so delicious and fudge-y! I made these today and they were well loved and SO filling 🙂 I highly recommend his recipe. Thanks Tessa for the best brownie recipe!!
So happy to hear that, Tricia!
So I made these twice. First time kept it in for exactly 40 min and the top was great the inside came out right with the toothpic test but when it came to completely cooling then cutting they tasted pretty raw on the inside. Very confusing. Baked them again and left them for an extra 10 min and they were MUCH better. Still a little overly moist and not crumbly at all in the middle but they were devoured by all the guests that came over that night. I think my oven might run a little hotter than it should since the outside was super chewy (MY FAV) but overall this is still the best recipe I’ve come across basing it on my 2nd attempt.
Hi Tina, I’d definitely suggest purchasing an oven thermometer to check the accuracy of your oven! Most home ovens are off a little. Also, what kind of baking pan did you use? Lastly, it’s important to be super careful not to overmix the batter. The moment the flour is incorporated stop mixing 🙂
Hi Tessa,
I’ve been commissioned for my family’s event to make “cake-y” brownies with frosting. What frosting recipe goes well with these?
Also, how can I tweak these to make them less fudgy to meet the request? I’m assuming less eggs or perhaps less egg yolks?
Second, I will also be making a batch of fudgy, because, well, I like my brownies fudgy. Also making your Ultimate Chocolate Chip cookies.
Thanks for the great recipes and technical information.
Hi! I made this a few times before this and they all turned out well and tasted great!
But lately, eveytime i bake this, the top would be thick and hard and the inside would still be gooey. I’m not sure what has gone wrong, I made sure I used the exact same ingredients but for some reason my brownie has not turned out well :/
Thanks for recipe. I will try today. Happy weekend!
I have baked the ultimate brownie a few times and i wanted to try the chewy brownie (link on this page) to compare. i baked one batch of each yesterday to taste compare and my preference is the ultimate brownie. Both are very good. the ultimate brownie is chewy enough and is a bit sweeter (not too sweet) and the chewy brownie is has a bitter’er’ chocolate flavour. also, personally for me, i didn’t really like that the chocolate chips in the chewy brownie dont really melt and i didn’t really like bitting into them. the ultimate brownie is dense and chewy and fudgy all at once. the top comes out shiny and crinkly and beatiful. regardless..both are excellent recipes and great tasting and fool proof. as an aside, i don’t line my tins. i used Teflon coated pans if you let them cool a bit, gently score the side of the pan, you can flip it over and the whole thing just pops out in your hand. i also add a package of chopped walnuts and it does not affect the outcome. i cut them into 12 pretty nice sized brownies.they come out high enough that you can cut them smaller to get more brownies. thanks for these great brownie recipes. its hard to find good ones!
sorry, to correct, i get 16 brownies out of a pan, not 12.
I like the flavor of chocolate in the newly baked pie. Thanks for the ideas
This is one of the most incredible recipes! I tried this today and the brownies taste amazing.. airy, chocolatey wit her a crispy crust. I followed the recipe to the T, just that my brownies crumbled when I took them out of the baking pan.. where did i go wrong?
hi tessa, im still having trouble finding unsweetened chocolate, i know unsweetened choc is 100% cocoa solids so can i use dark chocolate with a high percent of cocoa solids instead? like this one: https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/266160990
or if not can you recommend a different substitute?
thanks
I love this recipe! I’m wanting to make them more “Christmas-y” by putting peppermint baking chips in them. Do you think that would change the end result of how the brownies bake? Are there any adjustments you would make? Thank you!
I made these today and they were perfect. I just used the usual unsweetened chocolate brand that’s widely available. I baked in a 9×9 Williams Sonoma gold pan, lined with foil and sprayed. They are so rich and decadent! Just delicious!!
These looked so amazing I HAD to try making them. I”m not sure why others had an issue with baking because these turned out perfectly. Crunchy on top and moist and chewy inside. The tester looked a bit moist when I tested for doneness, but I knew they would bake a little while cooling, which they did. I used the foil to lift them out of the pan after a couple of minutes so stop the cooking process. I took the idea from Carmel Blondie Pecan Brownies and put melted caramel on top and pecans on top of the caramel. They were a huge hit. Thanks Tessa.
I’m so thrilled to hear that, Pamela! xo
These look so delicious! Thanks for sharing the details of how to get the right texture in a brownie. I am trying to recreate brownies I had a while ago, which were very fudgy with a smooth bottom and a very lightly crispy top (though there are pecans on the top, so it’s hard to say). They aren’t as tall as these, but not flat either. I wonder whether you have any tips? Looking forward to making these as well!
Hi,
This may seem a dumb question but seeing as I live in Italy our chocolate has different names….when you say semisweet do you mean milk chocolate?
Thanks very much.
Emma
Hi Emma! Here in the U.S. it would go:
-Milk chocolate (most sweet)
-Semisweet chocolate (in the middle)
-Bittersweet chocolate (still sweetened but the least amount)
Very very good, came out just right. Did a side by side with the Fatwitch brownie mix and now I don’t have to buy the mix anymore. Thanks
Oh my goodness! I can’t revert to any other brownie. These are so decadent, rich, and tasty. I salivate just thing about these. My family devoured these within minutes. Thus receipe is definitely a keeper.
Hi…I would like to make these for a memorial party. Can I double the recipe and bake in a 9×13 with the same results? Would these be good iced or too rich?just curious ☺️
Super brownies. These are right up there with the best I’ve made, or had. They have that nice, thin, shiny, slightly crispy top, but the centers are where the angels sing. Even a week later, they were still soft, moist, and chewy. They are actually a combination of light and airy, and also somehow dense and chewy. Follow the directions exactly and you’ll like these. Regarding brownies in general, I had terrible luck with brownies until I changed a few things – total game changers. I used to use a glass Pyrex container to bake them. Bad idea. If you do that, stop doing it. 😉 I ponied up for a USA Pan (awesome but there are other similar brands that are equivalent) and never looked back. Don’t be cheap – a few batches of brownie ingredients costs more than one of these pans! Another thing I did was buy and use an oven thermometer. My oven is often 75 degrees off – yes, you read that right! And it’s never the same amount off each time. It takes a lot longer than expected to “pre-heat the oven” because I have to play around with the dial and fine-tune it until the thermometer inside the oven is exactly correct. But once it is, it stays there. Finally, when you get to adding the flour stage, DON’T use a mixer. Just use a spatula and barely fold the flour in by hand. If you’re adding chocolate chips, start incorporating them way before all the flour is incorporated. Fold it in very gently and stop AS SOON as you stop seeing dry flour streaks. This goes for cookies and cakes, too, BTW. This prevents gluten development which would make your brownies or cakes tough. These three things – and using a scale instead of volume – pretty much ensures that just about any brownie recipe will turn out pretty well. And not doing them pretty much ensures that it won’t! The voice of experience… 😉
hi tessa. thank you for demystifying the brownie and explaining how to get the fudgyness we all crave. ive made this recipe 2 times with success but the last 2 times – the brownie came out having little yellow/white lumps all throughout when i cut them into pieces( ?uncooked flour) – is this because of undermixing the batter? i just folded in the flour and left the little lumps i could see everywhere in the batter because i didnt want the brownie to become cakey.. but these little lumps dont look nice and make the brownie unsuitable to serve 🙁
hope you can advise!
Hi! Those brownies look so good. the pictures are excellent. they make my mouth water!! very good description of the recipie too..
Hi Tessa! How long should I leave the brownies to cool in the pan before unmoulding them? Also, when you mean that the cake tester should have moist crumbs attached when the brownie is done, should it also be gooey? Loving the chocolate-yness goodness in this recipe!
Hello, I’ve just come across your site; I find your detailing and explanations of why you use different ingredients and methods to be absolutely brilliant…. I feel like I’m being ‘tutored’, I can’t take your information and incorporate it in to different recepies; knowledge is power !
Best wishes from Caerphilly, South Wales, UK
Love these! My girls and I made them for Snow Day Brownies! And they came out great even with the 2 year old and 4 year old helpers 🙂
Okay-who thought these were a good idea in an 8×8 pan! Specify the correct size pan-Would have been fine in a 9×13. Too baked around the edges & absolutely raw in the middle. These go right into the bin! Taste , meh! Was a huge waste of walnuts & chocolate.
These brownies changed my life and led me to a higher plane of being. They also aligned my chakras
What type of high quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped – is it supposed to be hersheys (that’s the best version (not of tase) to me)
WOW IT TOOK ME TWO HOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT BETTER BE WORTH THE EFFORT
I just made these and they are as good or better than advertised. So ridiculously delicious!
Hey Tessa,
Thank you so much for this beautiful site!! Does the oven need to be on Fan option?
Thanks
oh my god, i’ m drooling…!! i’ ll definitely try these!
May i know where I went wrong.. mine turned into a flufy chocolate cake
Oh god,
I tried this recipe and it is so good.. Thank you!
So Yumm
They look less brownie and more of a cake. Perfect texture!
I made these brownies for my 3 year old and he loved it.
I made these for my husband and he said they are other world but they they bring out the “pig” in you.
I meant to say other worldly. For those of you who remember the Charleston Garden brownies at B. Altman these are the closest. I put Maida Heatter choc frosting on mine. Can’t extol these enough!
I make Tessa’s chewy brownies all the time and they’re fabulous. I decided to try this recipe to change it up and my husband and I didn’t care for them. They weren’t sweet enough. The texture was good, but the flavor just didn’t do it for us. We’ll stick with the chewy brownies.
I’m so devastated! I was so excited to find this recipe because literally the best brownie ever is a thick and chewy one. I followed the recipe exactly. I have an oven thermometer and it was correct. I also used an 8×8 pan. However, I baked for 45 minutes because every time I would check it after 35 minutes, the stick would be completely wet. At 45 minutes, it looked moist but wasn’t runny. There was no crackle on top and I let it cool in the pan. Afterwards, there was a huge random crack and it almost looked hollow underneath. I cut it and it completely fell apart. The top was super crispy and the bottom was still somewhat raw. I’m so sad that this recipe didn’t work out for me because I tasted the batter and it was delicious.
Rất cảm ơn bạn về phần công thức brownie hoàn hảo này. Tôi sẽ làm để phục vụ cho khách hàng đến khách sạn của tôi thưởng thức 🙂
Cảm ơn bạn về công thức brownie hoàn hảo! Tôi sẽ làm để phục vụ khách hàng đến khách sạn của tôi thưởng thức 😉
Hi can I use almond flour or coconut flour to make the low carb
Please help me! I’ve been following you on IG recently and decided to try this first. I bake regularly and I followed your directions carefully even timing the amount of time I beat the butter/egg/sugar mixture. But my brownies didn’t come out right. They fall apart. I’m wondering if I over beat the butter/egg/ sugar. I noticed that sometimes my yummy chocolate chip cookies come out “airy” as well. Please help me! How do I know if I’m over mixing? I have a kitchen aid, which level would you mix at? Thank you so much
Don’t put butter in the egg/sugar mixture. The recipe specifies the butter should be heated together with the chocolate and mixed in after you’ve beaten the sugar/egg mixture. I usually only beat the sugar/egg mixture for 30 seconds, when it becomes fluffy it’s fine.
Any time I make these brownies people think I’m some kind of baking genius. These are the best! Was challenging to make at first due to the American measuring systems being used and types of product that were specified. After some improvisation I now use 300 grams of cane sugar and 200 grams of 70% cacao chocolate, works like a charm.
I love this recipe. It’s my go to for everytime I make brownies. Before this I tried manu other recipes but some how they weren’t what I was looking for. Thank you so much for this mindblowing recipe I would give it 10 stars if I could
Why the foil or parchment paper
Hi. I can’t seem to find unsweetened chocolate in any of my bakery supply stores. May I know which chocolate did you use exactly and if I am able to substitute it with anything else.
Thank you.
My first attempt was really great! However the scond time I wasnt able to achieve the thij film that i wanted, soI repeat it again for the third time, same day, didnt get neither. What went wrong?
This is the best brownie recipe ever! Thank you 🙂
A perfect recipe..! I wonder can you serve this one in your hotel?
Hi! May I know how much cocoa powder you added to the brownie batter as I can’t find it in the ingredient list but in the video you add cocoa in the end. Thanks
Hi Tessa,
I’d like to adjust the recipe to attempt a 9×13 pan. Here’s what I think might work.
8×8=64
9×13=117
64/117= ~0.55
So can I take all measurements and divide by 0.55 to get the correct amount? Sugar for example, 300/0.55=545g sugar.
Is this the proper math/technique for my upsizing experiment?
if it is not made with cocoa it is not real homemade. it is just cheating
Like Katy, I am disappointed!
After my success with your ultimate cookie recipe, I tried this. This is my third attempt and I’ve followed your recipe to the T.
I baked for almost an hour this time, but the brownie was still wet and raw. I let it cool and chilled it for a couple of hours in the fridge. The brownie was hollow beneath the surface and fell apart when I cut it.
I ended up making brownie pops and truffles with the mixture each time. The batter and the pops tasted delicious though.
Hi there – I’m sorry to hear that! What kind of baking pan did you use?
Tessa,
I am so impressed with you, your blog, and this fabulous recipe. You are the only person I have ever sent a review to. You’re one smart cookie! I love how you bring out the science of it all. I made this recipe and it was fabulous! Thank you.
Susan
Tessa,
I am so impressed with you, your blog, and this fabulous recipe. You are the only person I have ever sent a review to. You’re one smart cookie! I love how you bring out the science of it all. I made this recipe and it was fabulous! Thank you.
Susan
Can I add things to this recipe? I know its perfect, but I love nuts in my brownies!
Amazing recipe!!!! These were so delicious, truly the perfect brownie. Tessa’s instructions to not over beat the mixture and not over bake are very helpful. I used 70% cocoa chocolate and they took a little longer to bake, about 45 mins on convection setting. Make sure to beat the eggs and sugar for full three minutes. Will only use this brownie recipe going forward (plus pecans for this nut lover!)
Hi, the brownies look amazing ! Can I substitute the unsweetened chocolate with semi-chocolate chips to melt with butter ? As right now I have only semi-choco chips on hand only. Will it be still fudgy ?
Hi, the brownies look amazing ! Can I substitute the unsweetened chocolate with semi-chocolate chips to melt with butter ? As right now I have only semi-choco chips on hand. Will it be still fudgy ?
This is literally the prefect brownie and I’m telling this after a 100 trials of making perfect brownies, so I would know
The only problem I have is that I can’t cut the brownie because of the crust as it breaks all over 🙁 Any suggestions?
Other than that, I LOVE IT ♥️
Can I use waxed paper instead of foil or parchment to line the baking pan?
Thanks for this recipe! I made it with peppermint extract and it turned out really good. The only problem I’ve had with this as well as your Nutella brownies is that they turn out very delicate, so much so that they tend to fall apart when slicing and serving even after having come to room temp. I love your technique of beating the eggs and sugar separately, but is there a way to have these come out firmer?
I am looking to make these brownies next week. Can you recommend or tell us which brand of semisweet chocolate chips AND which brand of high quality unsweetened chocolate you use? Thank you!
Please read. We read ALL of the comments and most are fails. Not good. The common problem is hard empty crust with raw batter. That’s an ratio to ingredient problem not the poor folks wasting their money to try this over and over. My group are avid home bakers and we all tried twice. Some with foil, some with parchment, some 8″ some 9″ all have epic fails. Never ever have we tried such a no win recipe. I seriously think it should be taken down. I feel for those who have tried and failed as we did. I know you don’t want to hear anything but good comments and we all agreed that we should post our experience here. Oven temps were verified by all and still fail. Waste of time and money. It’s a good thing we like baking so we can scrap this ridiculous recipe and find real recipes that work. To those of you reading this it’s the honest truth. You will not have success with this recipe and the name “ultimate” and it popping up first on a google search mean nothing to achieving the successful result we all hope for. Disappointed.
Please read. We read ALL of the comments and most are fails. Not good. The common problem is hard empty crust with raw batter. That’s an ratio to ingredient problem not the poor folks wasting their money to try this over and over. My group are avid home bakers and we all tried twice. Some with foil, some with parchment, some 8″ some 9″ all have epic fails. Never ever have we tried such a no win recipe. I seriously think it should be taken down. I feel for those who have tried and failed as we did. I know you don’t want to hear anything but good comments and we all agreed that we should post our experience here. Oven temps were verified by all and still fail. Waste of time and money. It’s a good thing we like baking so we can scrap this ridiculous recipe and find real recipes that work. To those of you reading this it’s the honest truth. You will not have success with this recipe and the name “ultimate” and it popping up first on a google search mean nothing to achieving the successful result we all hope for. Disappointed.
This was absolutely amazing! It was so choco-heaven! thank you
would eat again!
Yours truly,
Christopher Jacob ApleBoat 3rd x
looking for a cake brownie
This is the best recipe ever…I have been making these brownies for over 2 years now and always recieve rave reviews
Hi Tessa! I made these brownies yesterday and they were delicious. I got a perfect crinkly texture on top, the super fudgy part in the middle , however at the bottom of my brownies I got a crust of the granulated sugar. I bake a lot so I’m abit confused as to why this happened. Would you be able to guide me?
I have made this recipe so many times and everybody says these are the best brownies they have ever had. The texture cannot be beat. I have tried so many brownie recipes and this one beats them all. Just make sure (even though it is so tempting not to) to wait for the brownies to cool completely before cutting into them. I made this mistake the first time and they ended up falling apart a little bit, still sooo delicious though.
Made these brownies tonight and OMG. I’ve tried multiple brownie recipes with little success in the past. Never thought the result was worth making homemade over a box recipe. These brownies are INCREDIBLE. Followed the recipe exactly and they came out perfect!
I am in the UK and cannot get unsweetened chocolate. Could I use all 70% chocolate in place of the semi-sweet and unsweetened?
Many thanks.
Looking at a website, 1 ounce of milk chocolate has approximately 15 grams of sugar. So, reduce the sugar by 60 grams from the recipe to get the same or similar results. Dark chocolate has 13 – 14 grams per ounce.
Hi! How are you?
I have been following your Instagram profile since January, and loving all your posts and recipes! I have been trying your ultimate brownies and I have an only trouble with it, almost every time my brownies cracks on top! What can I do to avoid It and make it completely perfects?
Thank you so much!
Can I use a 9×9 inch pan and how long to bake?
Can I use a 9×9 inch pan and how long shall they bake for?
Why do you use unsweetened chocolate instead of semi sweet? Could you use semi sweet instead?
When I made these thr Brownies rose nicely in the oven but as soon I took them out they fell flat. Could u help me ?
If I don’t have unsweetened chocolate can I use cocoa powder?
What if there are air bubles on top of the batter when you pour into the metal pan. Should we drop it 2-3 times so air bubbles are removed?
Amazing information you have shared in this article. This article helps me a lot and also I found some unknown information in this article. Thank you for the information.
Hi,
I tried the recipe out today, and for some reason the brownies have completely collapsed in the centre… why do u think that is?
Hi,
Tried this recipe out yesterday… but for some reason the centre collapsed… any advise on where I might have gone wrong?
hello Tessa
I made these and they were simply heavenly.
However, I used the brownie pan divider and had some trouble trying to remove them from the pan. Is this batter not suitable for divider pan? I did grease the pan and the divider. Am hoping to achieve perfection with both the taste and appearance (equally cut brownies) so that I can share with families and friends. Thanks.
I currently dont have a brownie pan but I want to make these no matter what!
What if I use a oven tray?
Do you think if I doubled this recipe and made it in a 9×13 pan, they’d still be thick? Any ideas on adjustments to make on baking time, etc?
My friends loved this! Tastes better when chilled and served with ice cream 🙂 But I was wondering how can I make this a bit more dense so that it will be chewy?
So glad this recipe was enjoyed! You can check out my recipe for Chewy Brownies if you prefer chewier brownies!
thanks! can I use brown sugar for the Ultimate Brownies recipe? I’ve read somewhere that brown sugar makes the brownies fudgier.
I find brown sugar imparts too much moisture into brownie recipes and prevents the crinkly crust on top from forming. More info on this in the pink box above!
These are the best brownies ever. No joke. Everyone needs a moist, rich brownie like this in their life!!!
Hi,
These brownies were so rich and delicious. However, I found it a little too sweet for my liking.
Is it possible to reduce the amount of sugar used? Or is there another alternative I could try to not mess up the recipe?
Thanks!
These are amazing! I have been looking for a brownie recipe with a crinkly crust for a long time. These are perfect with ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream! Thanks for the great recipe!
Hooray! So glad you enjoyed!
The BEST Brownies I have ever had!! I was so pleased by how they turned out, and dry at all. So delicious