Delicious dense fudgy brownies (Printable Version)

Rich and dense chocolate squares with a crackly top and melt-in-the-mouth texture, ideal for any occasion.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chocolate & Fats

01 - 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter

→ Sugars

03 - 1 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
09 - 1/4 tsp salt

→ Optional Add-ins

10 - 2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
11 - 2/3 cup chocolate chips

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang to facilitate removal.
02 - In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter and chopped semi-sweet chocolate together, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
03 - Mix in granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar until fully combined.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Sift together flour, cocoa powder, and salt, then fold gently into the wet mixture until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing to maintain texture.
06 - Fold in chopped nuts or chocolate chips if desired.
07 - Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly to smooth the surface.
08 - Bake for 22 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
09 - Allow brownies to cool completely in the pan, then lift out using parchment paper overhang. Cut into 16 squares and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're ready in under an hour, which means you can satisfy a chocolate craving without the wait.
  • That perfect balance of cakey structure with fudgy center is honestly difficult to mess up once you know the trick.
  • One batch makes enough to share, or keep hidden in your freezer for the moments when you really need chocolate.
02 -
  • The toothpick test is everything—underbaking by even two minutes gives you that fudgy texture, while baking two minutes too long shifts you into drier territory.
  • Chilling the brownies in the fridge for a couple of hours before cutting them makes the squares cleaner and more stable, and honestly, cold brownies are even better than warm ones.
  • Don't overmix the batter once the flour goes in; you're not making a cake, and that light hand is what keeps these tender instead of tough.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs mix into the chocolate more smoothly and create a more cohesive batter than cold eggs straight from the fridge.
  • If you don't have a sifter, whisk your dry ingredients together in a separate bowl before folding them in—this prevents clumps of cocoa powder from hiding in your batter.
  • A 20 cm square pan is the exact right size; smaller pans make thicker, harder-to-bake-through brownies, while larger pans make them thin and cakey.
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