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 made these along with your Luscious Lemon Squares this afternoon and they are both amazing!! I want to freeze them for a tennis lunch I am having next week and wondered if there is any special way to do this, or will a tupperware container work? Also, would be okay to cut them and then freeze? Thanks.
Hi Mary, Glad you like them 🙂 I would cut them into squares, then wrap them tightly in foil, and then place them in a tupperware container or Ziplock bag.
I believe these are the best brownies I have ever made! My family loved them, and they were very easy to make. Thanks for the great recipe. I enjoy your site, and have several recipes that I am looking forward to trying.
Hi Jenn,
Thank you for sharing your wonderful, delicious recipes. These brownies arein a class all their own! Would you happen to have the nutritional information available? I’m following Weight Watchers, and sweets of any kind can be a real challenge. Thanks for your time.
Vicki P.
Hi Vickie, Just updated the recipe with the nutritional info — you’ll find it beneath the recipe 🙂
I positively love fudgy brownies. Everyone who has tried mine says they are the best. I have even won a blue ribbon at the fair for them. Your Supernatural Brownies are better. I hate you. 🙂 Thank you so much for the best cooking site ever.
This was my first time making brownies as they aren’t that common here so I really had no idea what to expect, but they turned out excellent! I do have 1 question though, mine looked a bit less densely packed on the inside than the ones shown in your pictures, any ideas as to why? Could it be due to excessive air bubbles?
Hi Jon, Were they fudgy in the centers or cakey?
Somewhere in between, though definitely more fudgy than cakey.
Hmmm, sounds like you may have overcooked them just a bit. Try taking them out 5 minutes earlier next time.
I made these with my niece and the results were perfect! The recipe is easy to follow. I think if you want a more cakey brownie recipe, then add less brown sugar. Either way, they were delicious and came out looking exactly like the picture.
Hi Jenn, I loved the texture of the brownies, but found them really sweet! I used semi-sweet chocolate (couldn’t find bittersweet) so not sure if that made a difference. Next time I’ll cut down on the sugar, but is there anything else I should use to replace it? I want to keep the same chewy texture!
Hi Emily, I think it’d be ok to cut it back just a bit — and definitely use bittersweet chocolate.
I made this recipe. It came out great but my brownie top isn’t as shiny or crisp as yours looks. The only difference I can think of is that I whisked the eggs and sugar of med high speed in my mixer for a while.
What do you think?
Thanks and great blog!
Hi Mo, Sounds like you just may not have cooked it as long. Were they really fudgy all throughout or did they get cakey on the edges?
They were fudgy throughout. The top wasn’t as shiny as yours. It did crisp a little.
Next time cook a little longer 🙂
Thanks Jenn! You are pretty!
Excellent. I made a test batch for my family yesterday and they loved them. Today I made another batch for my co-workers. I hope they enjoy them as well. I used bittersweet chocolate and was wondering which chocolate did you use in your recipe? I wasn’t sure what the difference in the taste were, maybe you could tell me. Next time I will throw in the nuts! Thank you, Susie
Hi Susie, I usually use bittersweet but have made them with both and there really is no difference in taste. Glad you and your family enjoyed them!
I prefer a cake-like brownie with a hint of fudgey. These met my criteria! I only had 6oz of chocolate in the house. I added a tablespoon of dry coffee to the dry ingredients. This made my brownies taste like dark chocolate brownies, which was a big hit. I didn’t cut the crusts off. Those were the most requested pieces. These brownies were gone in 15 minutes! I served with vanilla ice cream. Definitely a keeper.