The Best Brownie Recipe
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If you’ve been searching for the ultimate homemade brownie recipe, look no further. This is it!
The best brownie recipes start with real melted chocolate, which is why store-bought brownie mixes made from cocoa powder lack the rich, fudgy flavor of homemade brownies. My all-time favorite brownie recipe comes from pastry chef Nick Malgieri’s cookbook Chocolate: From Simple Cookies to Extravagant Showstoppers. Made with melted bittersweet chocolate bars, the brownies are fudgy in the center, cakey on the surface, and just plain out of this world. The recipe has been around for decades and praised by top cooking publications such as The New York Times, Saveur, and The Splendid Table, to name just a few, so you don’t have to take my word for it—try for yourself and see!
Table of Contents
“The name does not lie!! These are hands-down the BEST brownies I have made!!! My entire family devoured them.”
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Brownie Recipe
- All-Purpose Flour: The base of your brownies, providing structure. Be sure to measure it using the spoon and level method for accuracy.
- Sugar and Brown Sugar: White sugar adds sweetness and a light texture, while brown sugar contributes to moisture and a deeper flavor due to its molasses content.
- Eggs: Essential for binding the ingredients together. Eggs also add moisture and help create a rich texture in the brownies.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and flavor. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: Complements the chocolate and adds depth of flavor.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavors of the brownies.
- Semi-Sweet or Bittersweet Chocolate: The star of the show. It’s crucial to use good quality chocolate, like Ghirardelli or Guittard, because the chocolate flavor is prominent in brownies. Opt for real chocolate bars instead of chocolate chips. Chocolate chips contain stabilizers and are designed to retain their shape when baked, making them less suitable for recipes that require melted chocolate.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by melting the butter in a microwave-safe bowl.
Add the chopped chocolate. (You can just break it apart with your hands; no need to dirty a cutting board.)
Whisk until the chocolate is melted. The heat of the butter should be enough to melt the chocolate completely, but if not, heat the mixture in the microwave for 20 seconds or so and whisk again.
Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a large bowl.
Add the sugars, salt and vanilla.
And whisk to combine.
Whisk in the chocolate-butter mixture.
Then add the flour.
Whisk until just combined.
Line a 9×13-in baking pan with parchment paper, then either spray the paper with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter. Be sure to leave an overhang; this makes it easy to lift brownies out of the pan before cutting. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top has formed a shiny crust and the batter is moderately firm.
Cool completely on a rack, then use the parchment overhang to transfer the un-cut brownies to a cutting board.
Use a sharp knife to trim the hard edges (those are for the cook!).
Cut the brownies into squares and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
To keep brownies fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They typically keep well for up to 4 days. Brownies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. After they are completely cooled, cut them into squares, wrap tightly in foil, and then place them in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Absolutely! You can customize your brownies by adding a variety of mix-ins. Popular choices include chopped nuts (like walnuts or pecans) or chocolate chips or chunks.
The main reason cocoa powder is often used in brownie recipes is due to its convenience and ease of use. Cocoa powder, being a dry ingredient, can be easily measured, and it eliminates the extra step of melting chocolate. However, in my opinion, brownies made with melted chocolate are far superior—fudgier, denser, and just much more delicious!
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Video Tutorial
The Best Brownie Recipe
If you’ve been searching for the ultimate homemade brownie recipe, look no further. This is it!
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (½ pound) unsalted butter
- 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped (I use Ghirardelli bars)
- 4 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with knife
Instructions
- Set the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan with parchment paper (bring parchment up sides of pan so there is a slight overhang) and grease with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave until bubbling. Add the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted. The heat from the butter should be enough to melt the chocolate completely, but if not, place the chocolate-butter mixture in the microwave and heat for 20 seconds or so, then whisk again. (Alternatively, combine the butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted.)
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla; whisk until smooth (be sure no lumps of brown sugar remain). Whisk in the chocolate-butter mixture, then add the flour and whisk until the batter is uniform.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the top has formed a shiny crust and the batter is moderately firm. Cool completely in the pan on a rack. If not serving right away, store them at room temperature, for 3 to 4 days. To extend their shelf life for a day or two, you can refrigerate them.
- To cut brownies, first lift them out of the pan using the parchment overhang and transfer them to a cutting board. Separate the parchment from the edges. Using a sharp knife, trim away the edges and cut the brownies into 2-in squares.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The brownies can be frozen for up to 3 months. After they are completely cooled, cut them into squares, wrap tightly in foil, and then place them in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 brownie
- Calories: 212
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Sugar: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Sodium: 66mg
- Cholesterol: 51mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Can light brown sugar be used? What is the difference between dark and light?
Sure — dark brown sugar just has more molasses in it. These will still be delicious with light brown sugar. Enjoy!
so yummy!
followed the recipe exactly, i think i baked them a few mins less which made it a bit more fudgy, will aim to bake them 5 more mins 🙂
thank you !
Hi there, Jenn!
Dumb question please
When thawing out the frozen brownies on the countertop overnight, do you remove the foil wrapping first?
Thank you,
Elise
Hi Elise, I’d leave the foil on. 🙂
Hi there!
We are avid fans of brownies here ; the Nigella and Laura Vitale kind. But, it seems we need an update and would love to try your recipe.The problem being our pan sizes. We have 10x6x1.5(ish) in pan and a 6×9.5(ish)x1.5…How to work out the math to fit these pans?Please Help!!
Hi Naira, I’d suggest going with the 10 x 6-inch pan and cutting the recipe in half. Bake time may be slightly different, so keep a close eye on them. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn. When I was in middle school more than 40 years ago, my mom’s friend used to sell us a brownie with a crust I beleive had oats in the and the brownie part had raisins, I tried using your recipe to mimick that from my childhood favorite brownie but it didn’t turn out how I remembered it. Can you be able to re create it? Thank you. ~~Annie
That sounds unusual but tasty! I will add it to my list of recipes to potentially develop. 🙂
Thank you! I am looking forward to it. I’ve been one of your baking fans and I love your recipes.
~~Annie
Love these Jen. 10/10! Love Damien, formerly Knocklebede now Killarney xx
Hi! Can the chocolate used in this be chips instead of bars? All I have on hand. Also, to add walnuts or toffee bits, how much would you add? A cup? A half cup? Thank you!
Hi Jane, Chocolate chips have stabilizers in them to help retain their shape when heated, but if you can’t find any chocolate bars right now, you might be able to get away with morsels for this recipe; I just can’t say for sure because I haven’t tried it. And for the additional toffee bits or nuts you could add up to a cup. Please LMK how they turn out!
Hi – I acquired some of the Ghirardelli bars, so now I will make it as written. Will add the toffee bits up to a cup, though since I have too many of those on hand! Thanks!
Hi, Jenn:
Further feedback: Just wanted you to know that the brownies came out well. I did use the bars and not the chips – I was finally able to get my hands on them. However, my addition of toffee bits was not a good idea. They melted! Makes sense with the chocolate butter mixture. So the brownies tasted a bit caramel-y, which is not a bad thing, but not what I was looking for. Next time, I will make the recipe, as is or with a cup of walnuts. Thought you (and other readers) might want to know this. Otherwise, a great recipe!
Thanks for the follow-up and sorry that the toffee was not quite right. I appreciate you reporting back — I’m sure other readers will find it helpful! 🙂
WOW! These brownies are out of this world! Thank you for making me look good! Question: you gave long-term freezing instructions, and Saran Wrap of the pan in the refrigerator for serving next day, but how do you store the brownies for just serving 2 days later? Thanks again!
Hi Elise, Glad you enjoyed them! Once cut, they keep well in a covered container at room temperature for several days.
Hi! We are halving your recipe as it’s so delicious, but we are trying to manage the “diet”. What size baking pan do you suggest and amount of time to bake? Thank you!>.
Hi Kara, I get it! To halve the recipe, I’d use an 8 x 8-inch square pan. Baking time should be about the same but keep a close eye on them. Enjoy!
I have the same problem as another person mentioned. There is a layer of sugar crystals at the bottom and its crunchy. Should I be whisking thoroughly like you asked or lightly? Also could it be because in India its hard to get very fine sugar so the sugar crystals are quite big. In that case, can i use powdered white sugar?
Hi Shilpa, Sorry you also had a problem with this! You should definitely be whisking it thoroughly. I wouldn’t use powdered sugar but you could put your granulated sugar in a blender briefly to make the crystals a bit smaller. I’d love to hear if that helps!
Hi Jenn, love your recipes, especially this brownie. I’m just curious as to why you don’t recommend the powdered sugar? Is it because it would incorporate too well in the mix or because of the small amount of cornstarch usually found in it? Thank you.
It’s a combination of the two; I don’t like the idea of the finer texture here and the addition of cornstarch may make the results less predictable. Hope that clarifies!
Thank you for your reply! Super clear 🙂
Hi Jenn – love your recipes – every single one i’ve tried has been amazing! Hey – if i have half milk chocolate, can I use half that and half 70% for this recipe? If i do, would i decrease some of the sugar?
Hi Lulu, I’ve never tried these using milk chocolate, but I’d probably decrease each sugar by 1 to 2 tablespoons. I’d love to know how it turns out.
These are the best brownies, perfect amount of chocolate and perfect texture. I tested a few recipes for brownies but these were the best :). They were a little thick because I used a small tin but next time I would use a bigger one. 🙂