Ultimate Fudgy Brownie Recipe
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If you’ve been searching for the ultimate homemade brownie recipe, look no further—this is it! Made with melted chocolate, the brownies are fudgy in the center, crackly and cakey on the surface, and just plain out of this world.
The best brownies 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.
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!
“The name does not lie!! These are hands-down the BEST brownies I have made!!! My entire family devoured them.”
Video
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Brownies
- All-Purpose Flour: The base of the brownies; measure 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: Bind the ingredients together, add moisture, and help create a rich texture in the brownies.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Complements the chocolate and adds depth of flavor.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor of the chocolate.
- Semi-Sweet or Bittersweet Chocolate: Use good quality chocolate, like Ghirardelli or Guittard, and 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, then add the sugars, salt and vanilla.
Whisk to combine, making sure no lumps of brown sugar remain.
Whisk in the chocolate-butter mixture, then add the flour.
Whisk the mixture until just combined and no lumps of flour remain.
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! The brownies will keep well in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze for longer storage.
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Ultimate Fudgy Brownies
These homemade brownies are perfectly balanced with a fudgy center and crackly top—irresistibly delicious!
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 Jenn. I want to bake these tomorrow but I’m not entirely sure as to what ‘firmly packed brown sugar’ means. Is that like treacle sugar? Thank you 🙂 all your recipes look incredible. I’m so glad I stumbled across your site.
Jade.
Hi Jade, Here’s a link to the brown sugar I use:
http://www.dominosugar.com/sugar/dark-brown-sugar
It’s important to pack it into the measuring cup to get the correct amount.
These were seriously delicious! Mine almost had the consistency of a blondie. Make sure to have a glass of milk handy!
well, these are better than mine!! i made these today for my kids (who are used to our old family recipe which is similar) and they said, “way better!” i did use the ghiradelli semi-sweet (not bittersweet) chips and the light brown sugar, though…i am curious…in my recipe there is a little baking powder…none in yours…so is it not necessary? i love what the brown sugar adds…can’t wait to make these exactly as recipe reads…although i did bake only 35 minutes for the fudge-like consistency, and i did sprinkle some chips on top like another reader had suggested…i love all these recipes, and your site is so user friendly!
IF I don’t have bittersweet chocolate or dark brown sugar (only light), can I substitute semi-sweet and light? Also, just curious–If i send you a family brownie recipe, can you make it ultra-yummy like you do with other recipes???
Hi Kim, Yes you can definitely substitute light brown sugar and semi-sweet chocolate. And, yes, send me your family recipe and I will have a look 🙂
Here it is 🙂 : HEAVENLY BROWNIES (AKA ONE POT BROWNIES): 1 SQUARE SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE; 4 SQUARES UNSWEETENED CHOCOLATE; 1 CUP BUTTER (2 STICKS, I THINK); 2 CUPS SUGAR; 4 EGGS; 1 CUP PLAIN FLOUR; 1 TSP BAKING POWDER; 2 TSP VANILLA; OPTIONAL ONE CUP PECANS (I NEVER ADD)….MELT CHOCOLATE AND BUTTER IN LARGE, HEAVY-BOTTOM SAUCE PAN. REMOVE FROM HEAT. BLEND IN SUGAR. ADD EGGS, ONE AT A TIME, BEATING WELL WITH FORK AFTER EACH ONE. STIR IN FLOUR, BAKING POWDER, AND VANILLA, AND NUTS IF USING. SPREAD IN SPRAYED OR GREASED 9X13 PAN. BAKE AT 350 FOR 16 MINUTES (OVENS VARY). IF YOU OVERCOOK, IT WILL BE CAKE LIKE. GOAL IS A LITTLE JIGGLY BUT NOT TOO JIGGLY. KNIFE IN CENTER ISN’T ENTIRELY CLEAN. AS IT SITS AND COOLS IT TURNS INTO FUDGE-LIKE BROWNIES. (THERE ARE TIMES WHEN IT COMES OUT GRAINY FOR ME…)
AND I WANT TO SHARE THIS RECIPE BECAUSE I THINK YOU WOULD APPRECIATE IT…IT COMES FROM MY HUSBAND’S GRANDMOTHER, DUBBED “GRANNY BEANIE WEANIE” SINCE HER LAST NAME WAS BEAN (SWEETEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD)…IT’S HER VERSION OF PEACH (OR OTHER FRUIT) COBBLER…HERE GOES..
.PEACH PIE (OR STRAWBERRY PIE OR BLACKBERRY PIE OR A MIXTURE PIE)
4-8 FRESH PEACHES (HERE YOU NEED TO DECIDE WHAT SIZE PAN YOU WANT TO USE AND THAT WILL DICTATE HOW MUCH FRUIT YOU WILL NEED TO PEEL AND SLICE TO COVER THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN…I ALWAYS USE A 9 BY 13″ PAN, BUT YOU CAN GO SMALLER), PEELED AND SLICED
5-12 SLICES DAY OLD BREAD, DEPENDING ON SIZE OF DISH YOU USE (OK, HERE YOU CAN GET REAL CREATIVE AND USE A BAKERY BREAD OR JUST PLAIN WHITE BREAD–THICK IS BEST, OR ANYTHING YOU HAVE ON HAND…I’VE EVEN USED OLD HAMBURGER BUNS…I THINK THE BEST IS A THICK, WHITE BREAD, THOUGH)
BUTTER YOUR DISH (I PREFER A 9″ X 13″ PYREX DISH BUT YOU CAN CERTAINLY GO SMALLER FOR A SMALLER COBBLER)…YOU CAN ALSO SPRAY YOUR DISH (EASIER)
IN A SAUCE PAN MELT 1 STICK OF BUTTER AND TURN OFF HEAT
WHISK IN 1 TABLESPOON PLAIN FLOUR
ADD ONE CUP OF SUGAR AND STIR
ADD ONE BEATEN EGG
MIX WELL
SPREAD A THICK LAYER OF PEACHES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN. CUBE OR BREAK INTO CHUNKS THE DAY OLD BREAD AND SPREAD A THICK LAYER ON TOP OF FRUIT (REALLY CRAM THE BREAD IN THERE) DRIZZLE BREAD WITH THE BUTTER MIXTURE UNTIL ALL PIECES ARE COATED. BAKE IN A 350 DEGREE OVEN UNTIL THE BREAD IS BROWNED AND IT IS ALL BUBBLY…SERVE W/ ICE CREAM OR WHIPPED CEAM…OR PLAIN!
** I ALWAYS DOUBLE THE BUTTER MIXTURE BECAUSE I USE A 9X13 PAN AND IT REQUIRES MORE BREAD TO TOP IT…IT’S THE BEST PART AND DESERVES TO BE DOUBLED!
** I DON’T LIKE THIS W/ BLACKBERRIES BECAUSE OF THE SEEDS…MY MOTHER IN LAW DOES, THOUGH, AND OFTEN MIXES IN BLACKBERRIES WITH PEACHES….
**THIS IS SO GOOD MADE W/ FRESH STRAWBERRIES!!
**REMOVING THE CRUST FROM BREAD TOPPING IS OPTIONAL (I DON’T REMOVE ALL OF THEM),AND TO MAKE DAY OLD BREAD, JUST LEAVE THE BREAD OUT ON THE COUNTER FOR SEVERAL HOURS OR OVERNIGHT…OR ON A PAN IN THE OVEN OVERNIGHT…I SOMETIMES JUST TAKE IT STRAIGHT OUT OF PACKAGE AND USE IT… (THIS IS COPIED AND PASTED FROM EMAIL TO SOMEONE WHO REQUESTED RECIPE–SORRY IF IT SEEMS TOO AMATEURISH!!)
Thank you for sharing these recipes, Kim! Your brownie recipe isn’t all that different from this one (which I think you will love). The peach recipe from your husband’s grandma looks amazing — almost like a cross between a cobbler and bread pudding. I will definitely try it!
Stumbled upon this on yummly! By far the BEST brownies I’ve whipped up! Thanks!
These are my absolute, go-to brownies — I like them fudgy and dense. Stirring in a cup of chocolate chips before baking put them over the top!
These are my absolute, go-to brownies — I like them fudgy and dense. Stirring in a cup of chocolate chips before baking put them over the top!
These are perfect! They take brownies to a whole new level of deliciousness. This was a huge hit with my husband (who is picky with his sweets). They are so easy to make, I don’t think I will ever make brownies out of a box again.
My Pam 13x9x2 inches looks much bigger than the one in your photo? I’ll let you know how it works out
I agree with Sharyn that the pan pictured does not look like a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan, more like a 9″ square pan. The recipe batter also doesn’t seem like enough to fill a 13 x 9 inch pan.
Jenn, your recipe says 13 x 9. Which size pan did you use? I want to try this recipe but don’t want to fail.
Ronna, It is definitely a 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. It’s just the angle of the camera that makes the pan look square. It’s a wonderful recipe…you will love it!
Amazing, fabulous quick and easy to cook. The best brownies ever! Thank you very much.