Ultimate Fudgy Brownies (Printable Version)
Rich fudgy brownies with crackly tops and intense chocolate flavor for true chocoholics.
# What You Need:
→ Chocolate & Fats
01 - 7 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped or as chips
02 - 1/2 cup (4.2 oz) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
→ Sugars
03 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
04 - 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
→ Eggs
05 - 3 large eggs, at room temperature
→ Dry Ingredients
06 - 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
07 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Optional Mix-ins
10 - 3.5 oz chopped walnuts or pecans
11 - 3.5 oz semisweet chocolate chips
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposing sides for easy removal.
02 - Set a heatproof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Add the chopped chocolate and butter, stirring gently until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
03 - Pour the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the melted chocolate mixture. Whisk thoroughly until both sugars are fully blended and no gritty pockets remain.
04 - Crack in the eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition. Continue whisking until the batter turns glossy, thick, and slightly elastic, about 1 to 2 minutes.
05 - Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt directly into the batter. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients in gently until just incorporated. Stop mixing as soon as no dry streaks remain to keep the brownies tender.
06 - If using, fold the chopped nuts and chocolate chips into the batter with a few light strokes to distribute evenly without deflating the mixture.
07 - Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan. Use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer, pushing it into the corners.
08 - Place the pan on the center rack and bake for 28 to 32 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center—it should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, not wet batter.
09 - Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the brownies cool completely. Once fully set, use the parchment overhang to lift the slab out and cut into 12 even squares.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- That shatteringly thin crackly crust on top is not luck, it is science, and this recipe delivers it every single time.
- The center stays impossibly fudgy without crossing into underbaked territory, which means you can serve them warm without embarrassment.
- They use both melted chocolate and cocoa powder for a one two punch of flavor that boxed mixes can never touch.
02 -
- Opening the oven door before the 25 minute mark to check on them will cause the top to collapse and you will lose that beautiful crackly crust entirely.
- The toothpick test is misleading if you expect it to come out completely clean because these are fudgy brownies and a few moist crumbs mean perfection, not underbaking.
03 -
- Let the melted chocolate cool to lukewarm before adding the eggs because hot chocolate will cook them into scrambled threads that ruin the silky texture of the batter.
- Rap the filled pan firmly on the counter twice before baking to knock out trapped air bubbles, which gives you a denser more uniform crumb throughout.