Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Ultra chocolaty. This recipe uses a combination of semisweet chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate to give you a knockout punch of chocolaty goodness.
Texture: The best part. These brownies are thick, fudgy, and chewy. They are ultra-moist without feeling heavy and underbaked.
Ease: These brownies take slightly more work than some recipes, but I promise that fudgy consistency and ultra-crinkly crust are totally worth it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe: Brownie perfection.
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These Ultimate Brownies are the definition of FUDGY. As dense, rich, and fudgy as a brownie could be without actually being candy.
I’ve shared a LOT of Brownie Recipes throughout the years. Each recipe meets different texture and flavor cravings.
This recipe only took 6 batches to perfect. I wanted to give you the ultimate version of this Fudgy Brownie Recipe, so I tweaked and adjusted until the texture was perfect.
Frustrated with blah brownies?
This cheatsheet has everything you need—from essential tools to foolproof tips plus two crave-worthy recipes—to help you master perfect brownies every time!
These Ultimate Brownies are ultra fudgy, packed with rich chocolate flavor, and have the most incredible brownie crust imaginable.
Read through all my tips and tricks below for the perfect Fudgy Brownies everyone will adore!
Sprinkle of Science
How to Make the Ultimate FUDGY Brownies
What Kind of Chocolate is Best in Fudgy Brownies?
With making Fudgy Brownies, melted chocolate is key. If we add cocoa powder to this recipe, the texture can become more cakey or chewy instead of fudgy, rich, and dense.
We are using two types of chocolate: semisweet chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate. They’re melted together with the butter to form the base of this recipe.
I find this gives the perfect balance of chocolate flavor without tasting too bitter or intense. Plus, the chocolate chips play a secret role: they help to form that brownie crust on top!
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.
Learn more about Chocolate in Baking here.
The Butter in Ultimate 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 Ultimate 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!
Why do we melt butter in brownie recipes instead of beating room temperature butter with sugar? 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!)
I actually recently experimented with Butter vs. Oil in Brownies to see how the type of fat used affects the final result. Check out my Butter vs. Oil in Baking article for a full breakdown on each of these fats and how they affect tenderness, flavor, and texture in baked goods (and not just brownies). You might just understand why I opted to only use butter in these Fudgy Brownies!
Can I Use Salted Butter Instead?
Yes, just omit the salt called for in the recipe.
How Much Sugar in Brownies?
We’re using 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar. Again, if this seems like a lot, that’s because these are very tall brownies, so there is a lot of brownie batter.
Also, we’re using a large amount of unsweetened chocolate, so we need to sweeten the brownies up a little. I promise it won’t make them too sweet!
Note: the sugar doesn’t just provide sweetness, it also affects the texture. Sugar is essential to creating ultra moist and rich brownies. If you reduce the sugar, the brownies become dry and cakey. Learn more about sugar’s many roles in baking brownies here.
How to Get Brownies With a Shiny, Crinkly Crust on Top
In these Ultimate Brownies, we use an electric mixer to beat the sugar with the eggs until the mixture is light and ribbon-thick.
Why? This ensures the sugar is dissolved into the batter, enabling a soft yet fudgy texture and stunning shiny, crackly crust. I learned this technique from this brownie recipe!
Note: The amount of time it takes for your mixer to beat the eggs and sugar will vary. The mixture should lighten in color and become really thick. This can take anywhere from 3 to 8 minutes, depending on your machine and kitchen environment.
More tips for achieving those perfectly crinkly crusts in my How to Make Brownies with Shiny, Thin Crust article. Lots of shocking side-by-side comparisons included, like this one below:
Want Fudgy, Chewy Brownies? Add an Extra Egg Yolk!
Eggs not only act as a binding agent in baked goods, but they also add structure, richness, and enhance texture – but too many eggs (and especially the egg whites!) can cause a cakey texture.
This recipe calls for three whole eggs plus one egg yolk. Be sure to use large eggs (about 56 grams in shell).
Why the extra yolk? The fat in the yolk creates a rich, moist, fudgy, chewy texture, without causing cakiness!
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.
The Flour
All-purpose flour is the way to go here. Cake flour makes these brownies way too tender and light.
To make perfectly Fudgy Brownies, we only need to use a little bit of flour. Any more flour will create tough, dry, or cakey brownies.
I highly recommend weighing your flour with a digital kitchen scale, but if you don’t have one, be sure to use the spoon and level method to measure your flour to avoid dry brownies.
Important: How to Tell When Brownies are Done Baking?
Bake these Ultimate Brownies in a 350°F oven for 35 to 40 minutes. There should be moist crumbs attached to a tester by the end of the baking time.
The brownies will continue to set as they cool. This recipe must be served after the brownies have cooled to room temperature completely.
In fact, they’re even more fudgy and delicious when served chilled!
If you prefer less rich and gooey brownies, add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time.
Use a Metal Pan for Baking Brownies!
Glass and ceramic pans will not work for this recipe. They take longer to heat up and will prevent the center of the brownies from cooking before the outside edges are too hard. You’ll be left with gummy brownies instead of perfectly fudgy brownies. This is my favorite pan to use for brownies. Learn more in my Glass vs. Metal Baking Pans article.
How to Cut Brownies Perfectly
For perfectly clean, neat brownie slices, check out my How to Cut Brownies Cleanly in 5 Steps article.
How to Store Ultimate Fudgy Brownies
The Ultimate Fudgy Brownies can be stored inside an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or up to 4 days in the fridge. I actually prefer to serve them chilled – they’re even fudgier when cold!
Recipe Substitutions
This Fudgy Brownie Recipe is written to yield specific textures, as noted in the explanations above. If you try to reduce the sugar, use a sugar substitute, or alter ingredients, the results will NOT be the same. Feel free to add nuts, chocolate chips, toffee bits, or anything else to the batter.
More Brownie Recipes:
- Best Chewy Brownies – my most popular recipe!
- Best Easy Brownies
- Coconut Oil Brownies
- Copycat Cosmic Brownies
- Malted Brown Butter Brownies
Ultimate Fudgy Brownies
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Ingredients
- 1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
- 4 ounces (113 grams) high quality unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 3 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (94 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch metal baking pan with foil or parchment and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Do NOT use glass or ceramic baking pans for this recipe, they will not allow the brownies to cook through the center.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate, and butter. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir. Continue heating in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until the mixture is melted and smooth but not scorched. Remove from the microwave and let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the eggs, egg yolk, and sugar on medium-high speed until light and thick and ribbony, about 3 to 5 minutes or more depending on your mixer. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in the cooled chocolate-butter mixture. Gently fold in the flour and salt until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake until a tester comes out with moist crumbs still attached, about 35 to 40 minutes. Do not overbake the brownies as they will continue to bake once they’re out of the oven.
- Let cool completely to room temperature before slicing. Serve at room temperature or chilled for an even fudgier texture.
Recipe Notes
The Ultimate Cookie Handbook
Learn the sweet SCIENCE of cookie baking in a fun, visual way to customize your own recipes frustration-free. Plus, my best 50+ homemade cookies!
This recipe was originally published in 2014 and updated with additional recipe tips and baking science info. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
What kind/brand of unsweetened chocolate would you recommend? What are the requirements for the type of unsweetened chocolate? Thank you!
Hi Audrey! Any type of unsweetened chocolate will work! Basically, you’re just looking for a baking chocolate without added sugar. Common supermarket brands include Baker’s or Ghirardelli – and Tessa typically uses Ghirardelli in baking brownies. I hope that helps 🙂 Let us know what you think of these brownies once you have given them a try! Happy baking!
can this recipe be doubled for a 13 x 9 baking pan? brownies look super delicious. thanks.
Hi LuAnn! Yes, there’s a little note at the bottom of the recipe. That will work fine. Let us know what you think once you’ve given these brownies a try 🙂
Super lovely recipe. Truly the best brownies ever! A huge fan favourite at home :). Would we be able to freeze these? What are the make ahead instructions if possible?
Hi Carmela! I’m so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed these brownies so much! Yes, you can absolutely freeze these brownies! Wrap individual slices, or the entire uncut slab, very well in plastic wrap, and then inside a ziptop bag or airtight container. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving! Bonus tip: these are even better when cold, because they are extra extra fudgy when cold!! You can also make the batter for these brownies 24 hours ahead. Prep as the recipe states, pour the batter into the prepared tin, and cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. You can bake straight from the fridge (assuming you’re using a metal pan, so it won’t shatter!) and you may just have to bake a few minutes longer than the recipe states, to account for the batter being so cold. I hope that answers your questions! Happy baking 🙂
Is it ok if I use 70% chocolate in the recipe? If yes then how much sugar should i reduce?
Hi Shital! That should be just fine! I wouldn’t recommend reducing the sugar, even with the slightly sweeter chocolate addition, as it will mess with the chemistry of the recipe too much and you might not get the incredible fudgy texture or the paper-thin crust! Let us know what you think once you have tried these! Happy baking! 🙂
I have an 11 by 11 inch pan, would you have any idea the baking time or how much I should add to the recipe?
Hi Haleema! Unfortunately, we have not tested this recipe in an 11×11 pan. If you make the recipe as written, the brownies will be much thinner than the photos show. I would start baking for at least 10 minutes less than the recipe states, and check for doneness with a skewer as Tessa says in the recipe. Let us know how you like the brownies! Good luck 🙂
Hii, Love the recipe. I have a question concerning the batter. I would like to bake fresh brownies however don’t have time to make the batter and bake in the same day since I need 2 batches. Do you think it would be okay if I refrigerate the batter overnight? Would that affect it in any way? Thanks!
Hi Haleema! Yes, you can absolutely refrigerate your brownie batter overnight! Tessa talks about refrigerating brownie batter overnight, as well as several other things, in this article about achieving that beautifully crinkly crust on top of brownies! Just make sure to wrap the top of your pan with plastic wrap, so the brownie batter doesn’t pick up any unwanted tastes/smells from your fridge! Happy baking! 🙂
ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! Made these for my track team and they vanished Best brownie recipe I’ve tried!! 5/5
YAY!! So happy to hear you and your track team loved these brownies, Gwen!! 🙂
2 question: We want to make these but instead of putting them in a regular pan, we want to make them bites using a silicone mini muffin pan. The cups in this pan are square and are 1.5 x 1.5″ and .5″ deep. 1) How full should each cup be and 2) how long should it bake for? The pan sits on a a cookie sheet for stability.
We haven’t tried using a silicone pan before with this recipe, so I can’t say for sure! Please let us know how it goes if you give it a try. Good luck!
If I could give this a 10 star rating, I would. Honestly, the best brownies I’ve ever made or had. Easy to make and follow. It has a wonderful layer on top and a gooey chewy middle and a rich chocolate taste. I’ve made these several times bc I get requests for them all the time. If you have not made these brownies yet, you should. Like right now.
So happy you love this recipe so much, Michelle! Thanks for taking the time to comment, we appreciate it! 🙂
The brownies tasted AMAZING! However I found them really hard to cut neatly so they didn’t look beautiful (that didn’t stop my family from gobbling them up!).
Any tips on how to cut neatly?
Hi Julia! Try running your knife under hot water before slicing. Then wipe off the knife in between slices 🙂
A plastic knife – the brownie won’t stick to it! Cuts through any brownie without tearing them.
Hello Tessa,
I hope all is well and wonderful. This brownie recipe is absolutely phenomenal, and I cannot thank you enough for sharing it. 3 days after the first time I made them, my husband proposed. I always joke with him that these brownies were the reason why.
From co-workers to my in-laws, these brownies are the most frequently requested recipe from my repertoire. Your soft batch chocolate chip cookies are the 2nd, and your oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are the 3rd. Also, your pie crust recipe has never let me down.
Many thanks for your time, your recipes, and for making mu kitchen my family’s favorite room.
Elizabeth
Oh wow, love this!! Another reader’s husband proposed after she made our Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies! I’ll be sure to pass this along to Tessa, it’ll make her day! Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, I’m so thrilled you’re loving our recipes 🙂
My most requested brownie! thank you for an awesome recipe.
Hi Tessa
I’ve been following ur recipes for a long time now and they are my favourite go to recipes
Thank you for sharing your recipes and helping us home bakers grow our business
I would like to ask if we can substitute chocochips with chopped up dark coverture chocolate ?
Thanks so much for sharing, I’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to Tessa. You can try coverture chocolate, but keep in mind that chocolate chips actually help to form the brownie crust on top, so your results may be a bit different. Please let us know how it goes 🙂