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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Hi Jen,
Love these brownie and have made them several times. Do think I could use Ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips versus the baking bars? It appears less expensive that way. Is there something unique about baking bars in general? Thanks!
Hi Liza, In general, chocolate chips and chocolate bars are not interchangeable in recipes. Chocolate chips are made with stabilizers so that they hold their shape when hot and harden when cooled — a plus for chocolate chip cookies, but not always for other desserts. That said, you might be able to get away with it for this recipe; I just can’t say for sure because I haven’t tried it.
i just found this wonderful recipe a few weeks ago, and have made them twice: once with Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips, as i had them on hand, and they were amazingly good. Today i made them a second time, for my grandson’s birthday and thought ahead, and got the chocolate squares. Same wonderful flavor and texture. Today i also added about a teaspoon or more of espresso powder–a perfect addition. Thank you for another fabulous recipe!
Could you substitute oil is so, how can I adjust the recipe.
Btw made these before. These are by far the best recipe ever. Thats why I Want to see if I can adjust it before I find a recipe with oil.
Hi Wanda, if anything, I’d replace the butter with margarine, but would suggest sticking with butter for the best results.
These were delicious! I undercooked them a tad, but they were still great…just extra fudgy : ) Very quick and easy to make too, which I appreciate. Many thanks for your work to develop these recipes.
Made the recipe for a Super Bowl earlier this year and they were amazing! Followed the recipe exactly and they turned out great for me. Thank you! Olga
5 stars–there are millions of brownie recipes and I’ve tried many of them in search of the perfect recipe. This is it. The brownie appeal not lovers of semi sweet and bittersweet chocolate. The texture combines a soft chewy center and a cagier edge. They’re easy to make. I usually have all the ingredients in the house so I can make them anytime with no special shopping or preparation. Delicious!
Best brownie recipe ever—so easy and exactly as Jenn described—-cakey and fudgy. Been looking for a “keeper” brownie recipe and this is it. Thanks Jenn!
Hi Jenn,
Following up on the brownies baked in a mini muffin pan; they turned out great! Filling them up about half way should yield about 48 brownies. I baked mine for 14 minutes, but probably could have gotten away with 13 min. My first batch I filled to the top and cooked longer, but they spill over the top and don’t look nearly as nice.
Thanks so much for the advice, and fabulous recipes! Your website has changed my life….seriously!
Debbie
So glad you enjoy the recipes Debbie! (And thanks for reporting back regarding the brownies 🙂
Hi Jen,
Do you think these could be baked in a mini muffin pan? If yes, what do you suggest for cooking time and temp?
Thank you!
Debbie
Hi Debbie, Yes, I think they could. I would keep the temp the same but significantly cut back the baking time– I’d start checking them at about 12 minutes. I’d love to hear how they turn out this way!
Hi, my family prefers cakey brownies. Should I adjust something in the recipe to make them cakey? Also I have only 14/10 inch dark pan and a 12.5 / 8.5 inch glass pan. Can I make it work out with those somehow? Can I make them maybe in muffin tin? What should I adjust? Sorry for the many questions, I’m new at baking. Thank you Jenn.
Hi Tanya, I haven’t tried them this way, but you could experiment with making them cakier by adding an extra 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour. Also, the 12.5 x 8.5 pan should work fine. You just may need to leave them in for a minute or so longer. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you so much for your help!
This is my new brownie recipe from now on. I was afraid they were overdone, because of the crispy edges (which I am now eating), but they are perfect. They did get done in just under 40 minutes in a dark pan. A winner! Thanks, Jen!