Better than box-mix by a thousand miles, these easy brownies from scratch are made in just one bowl! They’re outrageously fudgy, chocolatey, and absolutely irresistible. Recipe includes a how-to video!
Never Buy a Box-Mix Again
Toss the box-mixes (and their artificial flavors and whatnot) and scrap any other brownie recipe you may have saved, today I’m introducing you to your new favorite. This is an easy recipe for one bowl, ridiculously fudgy, chocolate-chip-stuffed, brownies from scratch.
I shared this recipe years ago and it’s one of my personal favorites on the blog, a classic right up there with my “worst” chocolate chip cookies. It’s been used over and over again here as base of many of my other recipes (most deliciously, my cheesecake brownies) and is perfect for beginner and advanced bakers alike.
At its core, this is really a no-frills, easy brownie recipe that really needs little introduction, but if you’re like me and love nerding out about nitty gritty recipe details, please read on (otherwise, hit that big “Jump to Recipe” button overhead!
Why You’ll Love This Brownie Recipe:
- Easy! Comes together in just one bowl in 10 minutes. Minimal mess & no mixer needed!
- Intense chocolate flavor. True chocolate lovers will enjoy the rich, fudgy decadence of these brownies coupled with the added chocolate chips!
- Shiny, crackly tops. While this may merely be an aesthetic issue, everyone loves those shiny meringue-like tops and this recipe delivers!
- True brownie texture. They’re moist, dense and chewy, no cakey brownies here!
Ingredients
We won’t go over every ingredient in detail (who has the time when there are brownies to be made!), but I think you should know what it is that truly makes these the best brownies from scratch. The ingredients are common enough, but there are a few extras mixed in, along with a bit of technique… (more on that later). Let’s dig in.
- Sugar. A blend of granulated and brown sugar is the way to go in almost every recipe, honestly, but especially here. The subtle molasses-ness of the brown sugar rounds out the flavor of the chocolate and adds extra chew to our brownies!
- Eggs… plus an extra yolk! While egg whites are important here and help account for the meringue-like crackly top (coupled with the above sugar), adding a whole extra egg, yolk and call, would make these brownies cakey. Adding an extra egg yolk enriches the brownies and makes them more tender and fudgy!
- Chocolate. When I make brownies from scratch I don’t mess around. For a truly intense chocolate flavor, we build the brownies on a base of melted chocolate and butter and then toss in some cocoa powder while the mixture is still warm (to help bloom it, as we do in my chocolate cake). This gives us the richest, chocolatiest (I’m being told this isn’t a word, but you know what I mean!) results possible. Oh, and then we toss in some chocolate chips at the end, too!
- Instant coffee. If you prefer chocolate that’s a bit on the darker side, this is a must-add. Just half a teaspoon of instant coffee granules enhances the chocolate flavor, particularly the more bitter flavors that you’ll find in dark chocolate.
Sam’s Tip: Chocolate chips work just fine here, but when I have baking bars on hand I much prefer to use them instead (for melting with the butter). Use semisweet baking bars, or, if you like a darker chocolate, use 60% cacao instead!
How to Make Brownies from Scratch
- Melt together butter and chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate bar). I recently shared in my post on how to melt chocolate in the microwave that it’s critical you heat the mixture slowly and in short increments, stirring well in-between. That applies here as well!
- Stir in the cocoa and instant coffee right away, while the mixture is still warm.
- Stir in the sugars and then the eggs. Add the eggs one at a time and stir vigorously after each addition. Is it a bit of an arm workout, sure, but it’s worth it for those crackly tops!
- Add the vanilla and salt and, finally, flour. Stir very well, then stir in some chocolate chips, spread into a 9″ pan and bake until a toothpick comes out fudgy.
Just one bowl and 10 minutes and you’ll truly have the best brownies from scratch… or really just the best brownies, period.
Tips for Perfect Brownies
- Melt the butter and chocolate slowly. I touched on this above, but it’s worth reiterating. Heat the butter and chocolate in 15-20ish second increments and stir well in between. If your mixture becomes gritty or grainy, it’s been heated too quickly or for too long and will need to be tossed.
- Stir the eggs very well. This step helps to encourage those delicate meringue-like crackly tops. With many of my recipes (like my muffins) I encourage mixing gently and slowly, but there’s no need to worry about over-mixing here.
- Chill the dough… or don’t. This one’s optional, but it’s a step I used to use consistently when making brownies from scratch. Chilling the dough in the refrigerator for as little as 30 minutes or for as long as overnight can give you a fudgier brownie with a cracklier surface. This is a tip I learned long ago from Bon Appetit. I wanted to include this because I used to always chill my brownies before baking, but recently I’ve been skipping this step to save time, and honestly no one has noticed a difference.
- Don’t over-bake. This will yield dry, tough brownies. Always better to slightly under-bake rather than over-bake. Your toothpick should yield fudgy crumbs (not wet batter, and make sure you didn’t accidentally spear a chocolate chip with your toothpick!). A completely clean toothpick indicates brownies that may be over-done.
FAQ
An extra egg yolk, a bit of brown sugar, real melted chocolate, a bit less flour than you might expect, and no baking powder or baking soda all contribute to the rich fudginess of these brownies. If your brownies turn out cakey after following my recipe, it may be that your flour was accidentally over-measured.
After lots and lots of testing, I can definitively say that butter yields the best flavor, the best crackly tops, and the best texture. While there’s a case to be made for substituting a small bit of the butter with some oil and most box-mixes do best with oil, I recommend using all butter when making brownies from scratch (and even recommend this in my homemade brownie mix).
Unfortunately, a straight substitution of the chocolate called for with white chocolate yields results that are too sweet and a bit oily. This is due to the ingredients that make up white chocolate. However, I do have a white chocolate brownie recipe that I recommend you try instead, or for a chocolate-less version try my blondies!
This is truly the easiest, ultimate, best brownie recipe. And I really think you are going to love it.
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Brownies from Scratch
Ingredients
- 12 Tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter cut into Tablespoon-sized pieces
- ½ cup (100 g) semisweet chocolate chips or you may use a 4 oz semisweet baking bar, chopped
- ½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- ½ teaspoon instant coffee grounds optional
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9×9 baking pan¹ with parchment paper²
- Combine butter and ½ cup (100g) semisweet chocolate chips in a large, microwave-safe bowl.12 Tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well, microwave for another 15 seconds and then stir well again. Repeat for 15 seconds until chocolate and butter are completely melted and well-combined.
- Add cocoa powder and instant coffee (if using), stir well.½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder (unsweetened), ½ teaspoon instant coffee grounds
- Add sugars, stir until completely combined.¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
- Add eggs, one at a time. After each addition, stir well, and then stir another 30 seconds (the better you stir your batter, the cracklier your brownie tops will be).2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
- Stir in vanilla extract and salt.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add flour, stir until completely combined. You cannot overmix this batter, make sure it is mixed very well.1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- Stir in chocolate chips.¾ cup (150 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- Spread into prepared 9×9 pan.
- Optional: for crackle-topped brownies: Place pan with batter in refrigerator for 15-30 minutes to chill (you can skip this step if you don't have the patience to wait!).
- Remove from refrigerator and bake on 350F (177C) for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out slightly fudgy, but not wet with batter.
- Allow to cool before cutting and serving.
Notes
¹Using different pans
This recipe can also be made in a 13×9 pan, it will need to bake for about 16-18 minutes in a 13×9. I used a metal baking pan for this recipe, if you opt to use a glass dish keep in mind that the brownies may need to bake for longer.²Greasing the pan
Alternatively you may lightly grease the pan with butter — the parchment paper is a little wiggly when you’re trying to spread your batter into it, but I prefer it for ease of cleanup.Adding nuts
You may add chopped nuts to this recipe if you would like. Stir up to ¾ cup of nuts in at the end with the chocolate chips (you may leave out the chocolate chips if you prefer). Pecans and/or walnuts make great additions!Storing
Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
I originally shared these brownies from scratch on 02/01/2017. Recipe remains the same, but I’ve updated some of the photos and added a video and tried to make the post itself more informative.
Lola Rabern
Mine turned out yummy! I like the brown sugar. I added 2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans. I bake all my Brownies or dense bars on 325 and no parchment paper.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Lola! Thank you so much for commenting!
Miriam Rose Blanar
Best brownies ever!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Miriam! 🙂
Amelia Lloyd
Hi Sam,
This recipe is amazing, always gooey and fudgey! I’m looking to make it for my friend who needs gluten free, would it work if I swap the ingredients for gluten free options?
Sam
Hi Amelia! Unfortunately I have not tried making it gluten free so I am not sure how it would turn out. If you try it I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
Thet Munoz
This was a hit with the whole family. With every bite they take, they couldn’t help but say it’s so delicious. Although I did some modifications like less sugar and used pure brown sugar plus less choco chips and added walnuts instead. This is super nom nom nom. You were right Sam! It is indeed the BEST brownie we have ever tasted!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Thet! 🙂
Thet Munoz
Thanks for sharing this with us! 😊💕
Mark
Super luscious and delicious! Amazingly rich and chocolatey!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Mark! 🙂
Sharon
Hi, Sam. How can I make these brownies more cake-like and less fudge?
Sam
Honestly this recipe was designed to be dense and fudgy. You could try adding more flour to it, but it may just end up drying them out a little too much.
Jeanne
I tried these brownies because my regular recipe hasn’t been turning out well recently. Not sure why. This recipe was easy and delicious. I had all the ingredients on hand. I didn’t use nuts but I usually chop them and sprinkle the on top and they toast deliciously. I would highly recommend this recipe, especially if you like soft, gooey chocolate brownies. Perfect with a good quality vanilla ice cream.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Jeanne! 🙂
Blair
Hi if i use a 9×13 pan, how thick will the brownies look like?
Sam
Hi Blair! In a 9 x 13 they would be pretty thin. You could always increase the recipe to keep a thicker brownie. If you do 1.5 times the batter they should keep roughly the same thickness. 🙂
Sarah
Hiya, I tried these brownies last week and they were amazing.
However when doing two batches yesterday they came out fine and then around 5 -10 minutes later I went to check and both batches had sunk quite bad in the middle, i read that i could be over mixing, however i noticed you said that you couldn’t over mix the batter.
Would you have any ideas what I had done wrong please, thanks sarah
Sam
Hi Sarah! You really can’t over-mix this batter. But it also doesn’t rise more than a very little bit, so I’m not sure why it might’ve sunk… did you substitute any ingredients? Or use self-rising flour by chance?
Debbie Cooper
I’ve been looking for a good brownie recipe for years. I’ve finally found it pure chocolate perfection, thanks for sharing. We I’ll be making this again soon!!
Sam
I am so happy to hear this! Thank you for commenting, Debbie! 🙂
Shakila
I had a hard time finding a good recipe for a chewy brownies all over the internet. And I am so glad I found this. Just did my first try, and it was really chewy and chocolatey!! I LOVE IT! I baked it for 35 mins. Turn out, I think I over baked it because the corner of the brownies was hard. Still edible though. Perhaps I should stick to 30 mins, right?
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you found my site and that you enjoyed the recipe, Shakila! I am sorry that your edges were burnt. Two things- you possibly over baked them or your oven is running too hot. If you have not tested your oven temperature for accuracy I reccomend doing so. I recently purchased a new oven and found that it was running 15 degrees hotter than what was indicated. I hope that helps. Regardless, I am glad that they tasted delicious. 🙂
Zaheera
Hi Sam. How do you test your oven temperature?? I think I need to do mine as I feel it runs below what it’s meant to.
Sam
Hi Zaheera! I have 2 pretty cheap oven thermometers I bought off of Amazon. I use 2 that way I know if one isn’t functioning properly and I can spread them out in the oven a little bit to see if I have hot/cold zones. 🙂
Anita
Hi Sam! I just tried this recipe and the chocolate-y smell and taste is divine. I wasn’t able to create a crinkly top, should I have baked them longer? I took them out at 30mins when the stick came out with a little fudge. I wanna try these again in a slimmer rectangular pan, such will need longer baking timing yes?Thank you!
Sam
Hi Anita! I would mix the batter (especially when you add the eggs) realllllly well and pop them in the fridge for a little more time and that should help with the crackly tops. I’m not sure what the dimensions are of the pan but if it is smaller then yes it will need to bake longer.
Victoria
Hello and thank you for your recipes! Your worst cookies are the best ever! I tried this recipe last night and followed it to the letter. I weighted my ingredients so I am not sure if that made any difference. I did add chopped walnuts and the added chocolate chips ( I used Guittard semisweet chocolate chunks) and added a few minutes to the bake time as the first check was wet and we found the brownies chewy but a bit oily. I used ordinary unsalted butter, I usually buy the Kirkland brand from Costco since we use a lot in our house. Could I bake them longer or add a bit more flour? We would like to use this recipe again but not have that oilieness. I did use a 9″ x 9″ drop bottom metal pan to bake as well.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you loved the cookies, Victoria, and I am happy that you came back to my site to try another recipe! I am sorry that your experiencing issues with your brownies. It could be that a little more flour may need to be added. I have created a post on how to measure flour properly that can be used as a reference for next time. Another thing that comes to mind is that your butter and chocolate could have gotten too hot and sizzled? Either way, I am sorry that this happened. I hope that your next attempt comes out perfectly. Keep me posted.
Janet Norman
I would like to add carmel to these, do you mind telling me how would I do that?
Thank you so much for your recipes!
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Janet! You will drop dollops of caramel over the batter. Then you will use a butter knife to swirl over the surface. I hope that helps. 🙂
Gwendolyn
My past attempts with brownie bakes were always unsuccessful. Just tried this recipe and I’m so happy with how the brownies turns out! But I used 7×7 square pan and the top is slightly dry as I increased the baking time. May I know how long should I bake for 7×7 pan?
I also attempted your cookies recipes and they are all well received by my family and friends! Thank you for sharing your recipes 🙂
Sam
Hi Gwendolyn! I’m not sure what the bake time would be for a 7×7. I haven’t tried it but if yours was dry it may have needed a little less time.