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.
Abby
The brownies were amazing! I just wanted to tell you that you wrote 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips but you also wrote 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips. The brownies turned out really good and they were absolutely delicious.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Abby! That is actually correct. You start by melting the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and then you stir in the others at the end so you have nice chocolate chip pieces to bite into in your brownie. 🙂
Sara
Hi!
I was wondering if chilling is required for crackle-topped brownies and if I didn’t chill it would it still have a crackle?
Sam
Hi Sara! They’ll still crackle without chilling, just be sure to mix REALLY well 🙂
Nancy
Hi! I need to make more servings. Can I double the recipe and use a 9×13 pan?
Sam
That will work just fine! The brownies will be a little bit thicker in the 9 x 13 so your bake time may vary a little bit. 🙂
Edyta
Hi Sam! I do not have a microwave. Can I melt the butter with chocolate chips on a stove instead?
Thanks
Edyta
Sam
That will work just fine. Just be careful not to heat it too quickly. 🙂
Tri Hua
Absolutely the best recipe I’ve ever followed! It was so fantastic! I highly recommend chilling it for 30 minutes as indicated in the recipe.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Anishka Kanjilal
Ok!! I cannot express my joy for these brownies!! I have struggled to find the perfect brownies, all of my past recipes turned out like chocolate cake and it was dry 🙁
These brownies however, were perfect!! I totally recommend, they are fudgy and delicious!
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy to hear it, Anishka! I am so glad that you enjoyed them! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Rebekah
Hi!! These brownies are SOOO Good!! I’ve made them a few times now! Question tho- the video shows you putting in 3 eggs and the recipe says 2 + 1 yolk? If I missed this question somewhere else, I apologize 🙂
Sam
Hi Rebekah! I only add 2 eggs and 1 yolk in the video they are just all in the same bowl. Sorry for the confusion. 🙂
M.J
Honestly this was awesome but they were just too sugary my children love brownies but they didn’t want to eat these sorry
Jennifer Winders
Can I just say that I love every recipe of yours that I’ve tried! You are an amazing chef. I haven’t actually baked the brownies but they are waiting, chilling, for that crackly top. I was out of milk chocolate chips so I added sea salted caramel chips to the brownie mix and I had to make brown sugar with molasses and white sugar. I cannot wait to try them!
Sam
Thank you so much, Jennifer! I really appreciate it. The sea salt caramel chips sound like an excellent addition. 🙂
Mary
Amazingly delicious brownies 😋 and so easy to make!
Mary
Sam I made the brownies this morning and they are amazingly delicious 😋
You are right… so easy to make; thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Mary!! Thank you for trying my recipe and for letting me know how they turned out! 🙂
Mary
This is a keeper!! Moist and delicious 😋
FYI: I added walnuts instead of chocolate chips.
Sam
That’s awesome! I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂
Risha Shetty
Can I use a 9×9 pan? If so, how long should I bake them?
Risha Shetty
Sorry I meant a 8×8 pan…how long should I bake for?
Sam
Hi Risha! I haven’t baked it in an 8 x8. The brownies will be a little bit thicker so they will probably take a little bit longer to bake. 🙂
Bimanya
Hi,if i add coffee liquor to this recipe will it loose it texture? Or wt instructions should i follow when adding coffee liquor.
Sam
Hmm I think you could probably add about a tablespoon without changing the texture here, but that probably won’t add too much flavor. I think a better bet would be to add espresso powder here.
Bimanya Ratnayake
I’ll follow that☺️thank you so much ❤️
Ali
Made theee maybe 6 times already. Super delicious and fudgy and the chocolaties dessert ever. Brilliant recipe essily the best brownies recipe in the world!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoy them so much, Ali! 🙂
Jessica
I know this recipe is specifically for fudgy brownies, but is there any way to make them less fudgy without changing the whole recipe? I’ve made it before and it’s delicious, but chewy/cakey brownies are what I grew up with. My guess would be add more eggs??
Either way, thank you so much for sharing!
Sam
Hi Jessica. There would be a few alterations needed to achieve a cakey brownie. These were specifically designed to be dense and fudgy. 🙁
Sally
The only recipe I use, amazing brownies 🙂 highly recommend
Darct
I added cherries in the mix . So yummy. I have to stop eating all of the batter or make a separate batter for snacking!! Too good and addicting!
Ali
These are hands down the best brownies ever! Super delicious and rich and they have the perfect sweetness level…it’s arguably the chocolatiest (if that’s a word) dessert ever and it’s a chocoholic dream…better than any other brownie recipe in the Internet and there are thousands maybe… I make these all the time. Just a question how long do they stay outside in an air tight container?
Sam
Hi Ali! They should be good for about a week at room temperature in an air tight container. 🙂