I made what I swear are The Best Brownies, and if your chocolate standards are even remotely high you will want to keep scrolling.
I am obsessed with these brownies because they hit the chocolate spot hard. I love how the crackly top gives way to a stupidly fudgy center that sticks to the fork.
I crave them after dinner, on bad days, and when work calls for Desserts To Bring To Work. These are not cake masquerading as brownies.
I want The Best Brownies and this is it. The chocolate depth from unsweetened cocoa powder and the richness of large eggs make every bite pack a punch.
Messy, dark, and utterly selfish. I will not share.
Sorry not sorry, but I’m hoarding them.
Ingredients
- Butter gives rich fat, makes brownies ultra fudgy and silky, basically indulgent texture.
- Chopped chocolate adds real chocolate depth and glossy top, it’s pure chocolate magic.
- Sugar creates sweetness and that crackly top you’ll snap into happily.
- Eggs bind everything, give structure while keeping the center gooey and tender.
- Vanilla adds warm background notes that mellow and round out chocolate.
- Flour provides just enough structure so brownies hold together, still dense not cakey.
- Cocoa powder packs intense chocolate flavor and deep color, makes them taste serious.
- Salt balances sweetness and brightens chocolate, basically a tiny flavor superhero.
- Espresso powder is optional but boosts chocolate depth and makes flavors pop.
- Chocolate chips melt into pockets of gooey bliss, totally decadent and comforting.
- Walnuts add crunch and a slightly bitter contrast, great if you like texture.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter melted
- 8 oz (225g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (95g) all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder optional but brings out the chocolate
- 1 cup (170g) chocolate chips or chopped walnuts optional
How to Make this
1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment, leaving an overhang so you can lift the brownies out later.
2. Put the chopped chocolate and melted butter in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water or microwave in short bursts, stirring until smooth. Let it cool a minute so it’s warm not hot.
3. Whisk the sugar into the warm chocolate mixture until combined, then whisk in the eggs one at a time so each is fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and mix until glossy; this step helps make that crackly top.
4. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt into a bowl so no lumps remain. If using instant espresso powder add it with the dry ingredients.
5. Fold the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula just until no streaks remain. Don’t overmix or you’ll lose fudginess.
6. Stir in the chocolate chips or chopped walnuts if using. Save a handful to sprinkle on top for looks if you want.
7. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan once on the counter to release big air bubbles.
8. Bake 22 to 28 minutes at 350F; the edges should look set and the center will still be slightly underdone and giggle a little when you gently shake the pan. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs not clean.
9. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least 1 hour, before lifting out and slicing. Cooling fully is the secret to that dense, melt-in-your-mouth center.
10. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temp for 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week. Warm a slice for 8 to 10 seconds in the microwave for that just-baked gooeyness.
Equipment Needed
1. 9×13 inch baking pan, lined with parchment and with an overhang so you can lift the brownies out later
2. Heatproof bowl (for melting chocolate over simmering water) or a microwave safe bowl
3. Small saucepan (to make a double boiler setup) or just to hold simmering water
4. Whisk (for sugar and egg steps)
5. Rubber spatula (for folding batter and scraping the bowl)
6. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, cocoa, sugar, etc)
7. Mixing bowl for dry ingredients and another for wet if you like to keep things separate
8. Wire cooling rack plus a toothpick or cake tester to check doneness
FAQ
World’s Best Fudgiest Brownies Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Unsalted butter (1 cup / 226g) — swap with 1 cup (226g) coconut oil melted for a dairy free version; use neutral flavor oil not extra virgin or it will taste odd. If you want richer flavor, browned butter works too, just cool a bit before adding.
- Bittersweet/semisweet chocolate (8 oz / 225g) — use 1 cup (170g) good quality cocoa powder plus 1/2 cup (113g) extra melted butter or oil if you dont have bars; or use equal weight milk chocolate but cut sugar by 1/4 cup since milk chocolate is sweeter.
- Large eggs (3) — for each egg, use 1/4 cup applesauce or 1/4 cup mashed banana to make them egg free; or mix 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water per egg for a firmer bind (let sit 5 min).
- All purpose flour (3/4 cup / 95g) — swap with equal weight (95g) almond flour for gluten free fudgy brownies but press batter into pan gently since almond flour makes them denser; or use 3/4 cup (95g) 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend if you want a closer texture to regular flour.
Pro Tips
1) Warm stuff, not hot stuff. When you melt the butter and chocolate, let it cool until just warm to the touch before adding the eggs. If it’s too hot the eggs will cook and you’ll get weird bits, and nobody wants scrambled brownie batter. Also whisking the eggs in one at a time helps get that shiny crackly top.
2) Measure the dry stuff like you mean it. Scoop the flour and level with a knife or weigh it if you can. Too much flour makes cakey brownies, too little and they collapse. Sifting the cocoa with the flour gets rid of lumps and keeps the texture even.
3) Don’t overmix. Fold the dry into the wet with a spatula and stop when you see no big streaks. A few tiny streaks are fine. Overworking the batter gives you tougher brownies, less fudgy center.
4) Watch the bake time and don’t rely only on minutes. Edges should be set and center still jiggles a little, a toothpick will come out with moist crumbs not clean. Cool fully in the pan before cutting so the center firms up, and if you want gooey again, warm a slice 8 to 10 seconds in the microwave.
World's Best Fudgiest Brownies Recipe
I made what I swear are The Best Brownies, and if your chocolate standards are even remotely high you will want to keep scrolling.
16
servings
377
kcal
Equipment: 1. 9×13 inch baking pan, lined with parchment and with an overhang so you can lift the brownies out later
2. Heatproof bowl (for melting chocolate over simmering water) or a microwave safe bowl
3. Small saucepan (to make a double boiler setup) or just to hold simmering water
4. Whisk (for sugar and egg steps)
5. Rubber spatula (for folding batter and scraping the bowl)
6. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, cocoa, sugar, etc)
7. Mixing bowl for dry ingredients and another for wet if you like to keep things separate
8. Wire cooling rack plus a toothpick or cake tester to check doneness
Ingredients
-
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter melted
-
8 oz (225g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chopped
-
2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
-
3 large eggs room temperature
-
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-
3/4 cup (95g) all purpose flour
-
3/4 cup (75g) unsweetened cocoa powder
-
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
-
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder optional but brings out the chocolate
-
1 cup (170g) chocolate chips or chopped walnuts optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment, leaving an overhang so you can lift the brownies out later.
- Put the chopped chocolate and melted butter in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water or microwave in short bursts, stirring until smooth. Let it cool a minute so it’s warm not hot.
- Whisk the sugar into the warm chocolate mixture until combined, then whisk in the eggs one at a time so each is fully incorporated. Add the vanilla and mix until glossy; this step helps make that crackly top.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt into a bowl so no lumps remain. If using instant espresso powder add it with the dry ingredients.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula just until no streaks remain. Don’t overmix or you’ll lose fudginess.
- Stir in the chocolate chips or chopped walnuts if using. Save a handful to sprinkle on top for looks if you want.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan once on the counter to release big air bubbles.
- Bake 22 to 28 minutes at 350F; the edges should look set and the center will still be slightly underdone and giggle a little when you gently shake the pan. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs not clean.
- Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least 1 hour, before lifting out and slicing. Cooling fully is the secret to that dense, melt-in-your-mouth center.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temp for 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week. Warm a slice for 8 to 10 seconds in the microwave for that just-baked gooeyness.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 84g
- Total number of serves: 16
- Calories: 377kcal
- Fat: 20.9g
- Saturated Fat: 12.5g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.2g
- Monounsaturated: 5g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
- Sodium: 94mg
- Potassium: 94mg
- Carbohydrates: 45.1g
- Fiber: 2.9g
- Sugar: 36.1g
- Protein: 4.3g
- Vitamin A: 388IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 31.3mg
- Iron: 0.8mg
