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.

Three brownies on a plate with a glass of milk.

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 TimesSaveur, 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.”

Liz

Video

What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Brownies

brownie recipe ingredients
  • 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.)

brownie recipe: adding chocolate to butter

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.

brownie recipe: melted chocolate and butter

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a large bowl, then add the sugars, salt and vanilla.

brownie recipe: adding sugars and vanilla to eggs

Whisk to combine, making sure no lumps of brown sugar remain.

brownie recipe: whisking eggs and sugars

Whisk in the chocolate-butter mixture, then add the flour.

brownie recipe: whisking flour into batter

Whisk the mixture until just combined and no lumps of flour remain.

Whisk in a bowl with brownie batter.

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.

brownie batter in pan

Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top has formed a shiny crust and the batter is moderately firm.

baked brownies out of the oven

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.

cutting edges off of brownies

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Ultimate Fudgy Brownies

These homemade brownies are perfectly balanced with a fudgy center and crackly top—irresistibly delicious!

Servings: 24 2-inch brownies
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour

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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.)
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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

Powered by Edamam

  • 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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Comments

  • Another great recipe that we loved of yours, Jen! We made this twice in one week because it was such a hit in my house. I’d like to make it for a party and am curious if it would work in muffin tins. If so, can you tell me how I would need to adjust baking time?

    • — Chrissy on December 7, 2024
    • Reply
    • Glad you like them! I’ve never tried these in a muffin tin but I think they would work. I’m really not certain how long they’d take — I’d start checking them at about 25 minutes but keep an eye on them! Please LMK how they come out!

      • — Jenn Segal on December 9, 2024
      • Reply
  • Best Homemade Brownies ever! Thanks Jenn!

    • — Debbie on December 4, 2024
    • Reply
  • I have tried many brownie recipes over the years, from top online and TV chefs to recipe books. This brownie recipe truly is THE best. The texture, and the flavor are perfect. I will never use another brownie recipe again. Thank you Jenn! This one is so good, I’m now checking out all of your recipes!

    • — Rhonda Kennedy on November 18, 2024
    • Reply
  • Outstanding! My kids said best brownies ever! I only had a Pyrex dish so I decreased the baking temp to 330 degrees and time to 35-40 minutes (as Jenn had advised another person in comments) and it turned out perfect!!! Thank you Chef!

    • — Tara on November 10, 2024
    • Reply
  • This is a weird brownie recipe since it requires 4 eggs and no other leveaning agent. The end result was very thick brownies with a consistency somewhere between cake and fudge brownies (more of a fluffy kind of brownie).

    Definitely tasted great, but just be ready for the brownies to be a different consistency than what you’re used to with fudgy brownies.

    Also, they will require about 45 min to bake at 325 F.

    • — Jojo on November 9, 2024
    • Reply
  • This is the BEST brownie recipe ever! Thank you, Jenn! I did add a bit of espresso powder and chocolate chips, but the recipe is so good that it really does not need any additions.

    • — Sue on October 26, 2024
    • Reply
  • I am not a chocolate lover—unless it’s high end Swiss chocolates, etc. I do enjoy brownies, however. And these really are THE best!

    • — Suzanne on October 20, 2024
    • Reply
  • Oh my goodness, these are the best, most decadent, delicious brownies I have ever had. They are so rich that I cut them into squares of about 1 1/2 inch. They have ruined my diet – but they are worth it.

    • — Susie on September 26, 2024
    • Reply
  • The work/reward ratio on these brownies is stunning. So easy and so utterly fabulous. I even liked them better the day after I made them. For anyone wondering if they are good on day 2. I cut them into small squares and refrigerated in an airtight container. Heaven!! Texture fantastic.

    • — Lexi on September 3, 2024
    • Reply
  • Great recipe! Nice and thick, perfect texture. Thanks!

    • — Haley on August 20, 2024
    • Reply

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