The Best Brownie Recipe
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If you’ve been searching for the ultimate homemade brownie recipe, look no further. This is it!
The best brownie recipes 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. Made with melted bittersweet chocolate bars, the brownies are fudgy in the center, cakey on the surface, and just plain out of this world. 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!
Table of Contents
“The name does not lie!! These are hands-down the BEST brownies I have made!!! My entire family devoured them.”
What You’ll Need To Make The Best Brownie Recipe
- All-Purpose Flour: The base of your brownies, providing structure. Be sure to measure it 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: Essential for binding the ingredients together. Eggs also add moisture and help create a rich texture in the brownies.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and flavor. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Vanilla Extract: Complements the chocolate and adds depth of flavor.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavors of the brownies.
- Semi-Sweet or Bittersweet Chocolate: The star of the show. It’s crucial to use good quality chocolate, like Ghirardelli or Guittard, because the chocolate flavor is prominent in brownies. 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.
Add the sugars, salt and vanilla.
And whisk to combine.
Whisk in the chocolate-butter mixture.
Then add the flour.
Whisk until just combined.
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!
Frequently Asked Questions
To keep brownies fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They typically keep well for up to 4 days. Brownies can also 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.
Absolutely! You can customize your brownies by adding a variety of mix-ins. Popular choices include chopped nuts (like walnuts or pecans) or chocolate chips or chunks.
The main reason cocoa powder is often used in brownie recipes is due to its convenience and ease of use. Cocoa powder, being a dry ingredient, can be easily measured, and it eliminates the extra step of melting chocolate. However, in my opinion, brownies made with melted chocolate are far superior—fudgier, denser, and just much more delicious!
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Video Tutorial
The Best Brownie Recipe
If you’ve been searching for the ultimate homemade brownie recipe, look no further. This is it!
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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First homemade brownie recipe I ever made. My family and friends loved the brownies so much, I’ll never need to look for another brownie recipe. I agree, Ghirardelli chocolate all the way!
Hi! Love all your recipes. (Made chai-spiced banana bread last week.)
Can I halve this recipe and put it in an 8×8 pan? I only have one bar of
Ghirardelli on hand. Thank you!
Glad you like the recipes, Mara! Yes, you can halve this and use an 8 x 8-inch pan. Baking time should be about the same but keep a close eye on them. Enjoy!
I have been making this brownie recipe for years, out of Nick Malgieri’s chocolate book. I never make any other recipe because it’s the best.
Do you think this would be ok to make into cupcakes instead of using a pan to cook them in?
Hi Asmae, I’ve never made these in a muffin tin, but I think it would work. Please LMK how they turn out!
Can we substitute almond flour for white flour? Thank you!
Hi Roopa, I wouldn’t recommend it — sorry!
These were really perfect brownies, melt-in-your mouth, with nice crunchy edges and a soft center. I was craving a brownie so I didn’t reduce the sugar in the recipe like I always do— the sugar really makes the brownies brownies, otherwise, as others have said, you get more of a chocolate cakey bar. I added some espresso powder in an attempt to cut the sweetness, but it didn’t really. Also, I didn’t have the right size rectangular pan, so I fit the batter into two glass pie pans, one 8 inches and the other 9 inches, and I was happy with the thickness of the brownies.
Hi
I followed the recipe. I do not what went wrong but the are dry and not fudgey . All of the other Jenn Segal recipes are amazing. Will try again.
can I use unsweetened chocolate for this recipe
Hi, While you could use unsweetened chocolate here, you’d need to add some sugar (and I’m not certain how much). For the best results, I would recommend sticking with bittersweet or semisweet chocolate.
I want to know the % of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
Typically, “semisweet” contains 35 to 45% cacao and is sweeter than dark/bittersweet chocolate. But there are no legal regulations to distinguish between dark, bittersweet and semi-sweet. They all simply must contain at least 35% unsweetened chocolate and can only contain up to 12% milk solids.
I love these brownies. I’ve made them several times now. I’m curious about something, though. The original creator of this recipe (Nick M) melts the sugar with the butter and chocolate. I see you modified that and I’m curious what the reason is. Thanks!!!
Hi Rachel, Nick Malgieri’s recipe is different than mine in that he melts the butter in a saucepan on the stove instead of the microwave, but based on the version I see, he doesn’t melt the sugar with the butter and chocolate. You can check it out here. (And so glad you like them!)
This recipe is amazing! Perfect brownies every time.
Hi there! Thank you so so so much for this recipe – my best friend makes it and they turn out to be DELICIOUS. Just wondering, is there a way to make these eggless?
Thank you so much!
Hi Sanya, So glad you like these@ I’ve never made an eggless version of these, but you may want to experiment with an egg substitute. Two of the best substitutes I’ve heard about (I haven’t personally tried either of them) are a combination of water, oil, and baking powder, and carbonated water. Scroll down to the bottom of this article for more information about both. I would assume many recipes would also work with some kind of store-bought egg substitute. Hope that helps!
I know it would be gilding the Lilly but I would like to add a chocolate frosting. Would you recommend one?🤡
As you said, it would be gilding the lily and don’t think it’s necessary, but if you’d like to frost them, I think using the frosting from this recipe would work. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Love love love these brownies!!! Perfect texture – exactly how brownies should be! I made these for my family in February for a birthday treat and will be making them again this weekend for my other nephew’s birthday since they were such a big hit. Thank You!!
When baking, can I use convection oven instead of the conventional oven? The latter always automatically adjust temperature and timing accordingly. Thank you.
Hi Susan, you can, just keep in mind that when using the convection setting, the rule of thumb is to reduce the temp by 25°F. Hope you enjoy the brownies!
Oh, Wow. These brownies are so delicious, rich and gooey, just like my family likes them. Recipe was so simple Hardest part was waiting till they cooked to cut them.
I’m a novice baker who’s baked a lot during the past year and I’ve found most recipes tedious and the outcome disappointing but this was the first recipe that was fun to make and absolutely delicious to eat! The recipe is easy and straight forward and created some of the best brownies I’ve ever had! I highly recommend it!
Chocolate lovers dream come true. So fudgy, so decadent, so chocolatey. At 30 minutes, the top was shiny with a few cracks, so I pulled it. It wasn’t gooey, but I think it may have needed an extra 5-10 minutes. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe.
I think I ate up quite a few brownies. I know I had it on the correct temperature but it only took 30 minutes. I always watch when I’m baking, it was they because I have a very hot oven. They were absolutely delicious. They looked just like yours, but it was time to cut them into squares, the top was cracking.Should I have waited until the they were cooler. Great recipe.
Hi Rubi, These do need to cool completely before cutting.
Hi, I made the brownies today and they are absolutely delicious thank you. I followed your exact directions; however, cutting them was not easy as the top seemed flakey and was falling apart when I was cutting the brownies. What do you think I should do next time so it does not happen again?
Best Regards,
Paris
Hi Paris, I would chill them in the fridge before slicing.
These brownies are fantastic. I followed directions exactly (used Guittard bittersweet chocolate) and added walnuts. Scrumptious!
I made these yesterday and they are AMAZING. I used a combination of bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao as I could not find 60% where I live) and semisweet bar chocolate. I am
not a baker at all and they turned out PERFECTLY. Thank you Jenn for ANOTHER great recipe.
These are unbelievably delicious!! I subbed cup4cup (gluten free flour) for a friend who’s gluten free and I loved them so much that I made another batch the following weekend! Will be my go to brownie recipe from now on!
Truly the best brownie recipe I have ever made‼️ So easy and crowd pleasing ….thank you for all of your attention to detail. I now rely on your website regularly due to my successes with several of your recipes.
Soooo delicious. Perfect brownie. Thank you!!!
I just made these and look forward to making them again, with the slightly less sugar option as I do like them on the “cakey” side. Overall I would say:
THESE BROWNIES ARE THE THERMONUCLEAR OPTION FOR CHOCOLATE LOVERS.
Hands down the best brownies I’ve ever had. And such an easy recipe.
Definitely recommend trying & sharing with your family and friends!
This is the great brownie recipe. I make them every week-end. Love all your recipes. Thankyou Jenn
Another family favorite recipe. The first recipe I tried that made me look into more of your recipes. Thank you!
Dear Jenn,
I am a transplant from Alexandria, Va to Columbus Oh. I’ve been frying my brain while stuck at home by listening to cozy mysteries based on baking in my home town. Whatever works!
Your brownie recipe is perfect. I tried to copy a turtle brownie just making caramel sauce and adding a layer of sauce and chopped pecans in the center. Well, the sauce disappeared. Do you have a suggestion about what I can do with caramel to complete this mission? Thanks so much for all you do.
Hi Sarah, glad to hear you like the brownies! For turtle-style brownies, I’d try adding the nuts on top of the brownies halfway through baking time and then after removing them from the oven, drizzle the caramel on top. Please keep in mind that I’ve never tried this! Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
These treats are divine and the best brownies I’ve had! I’m usually not a brownie fan, but these had a deep chocolate flavor with a perfect balance of sweetness. So moist and delicious! Thank you again for another amazing recipe!
These really are the best brownies. I have been looking for a recipe to use that is quick and delicious and not out of a box. These have a deep chocolatey flavor and aren’t too sweet. I love the crispy edges and soft middles. Yum!
This is the perfect brownie! Don’t change a thing. Sooooo easy to make and I don’t have to drag out the big mixer. Better than anything store-bought or from the deli. Different textures of fudgy and crispy makes these brownies delightful. Thanks to Jenn, my family thinks I am a great baker!
These were the BEST brownies I have ever had! So easy and delicious! I used the Ghiradelli semi sweet bars. I will never use boxed brownie mix again. This will be my go-to from now on!
Thanks, Jenn, for another winner!
These truly are fabulous brownies do not alter the recipe unless you choose to put nuts in it. Fabulous!
This is the best brownie recipe. Can’t wait to make them again this week-end. Love all her recipes.
I want to lower the amount of sugar in this recipe. I’m thinking 1/2 a cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 a cup of brown sugar, making for a total of 1 cup of sugar. Will this drastically change the flavor of these brownies?
Hi Victoria, I think you could cut the overall sugar by 1/2 cup total, but not more than that. Hope that helps!
Oops. Well I had already put them into the oven when I read this comment. They have been cooled and cut and enjoyed by my family. Here is my review: I’m not very experienced when it comes to brownies. I’ve made them a few times and they never turn out good. This recipe has changed that. The flavor is amazing. I’ll never go back to cocoa powder brownies ever again. The melted chocolate and butter combo is what makes it. And, while I only put 1 cup of sugar, they were plenty sweet enough for my family to enjoy. Less sugar means you can really taste the chocolate flavor. I also used one bittersweet bar and one semi sweet bar and that really made for a deep chocolate flavor. My only issue was that my brownies turned out more cakey than fudgy, but that’s not the recipe’s fault. I must’ve made a mistake mixing. I’ll work on it. But this recipe is definitely a keeper!
Glad you enjoyed them, Victoria! The sugar adds a lot of moisture, which is likely why yours turned out cakey.
I see. Is there a way to add moisture without adding the extra sugar?
Not that I know of — sorry!
These brownies are supernatural! Addicting.
One change I would make would be to use a 9″ x 9″ pan instead of
a 9″ x 13″ pan. That way they are a little thicker.
Hey!
Can I use an 8×8 pan?
Or do I have to halve the recipe and put it in an 8×8 pan?
As I don’t have a 9×13/9×9 pan.
Yes, you will need to halve the recipe for an 8 x 8-inch pan. Bake time may be slightly different so keep a close eye on them.
One thing I’ve learned in life about brownies (and yes it’s essential to learn this, haha) is how to read a recipe. The best recipes will have at least a 2:1 chocolate to flour ratio. This recipe does that. Trust the process, seems like not enough flour but it’s perfect. One thing I add to all of my chocolate confections or bakes is good quality espresso powder. Just a half a teaspoon enhances the chocolate flavor.
I have tried so many brownie recipes, and this has been the best and most successful brownies of mine!
These brownies as the best of the best. The recipe is spot on, the cook time is perfect and the instructions are great. I made these many times for family get togethers and they always disappear real fast.
A downpour quelled my enthusiasm for ingredient shopping for another dessert I had planned to make (not from this website). I decided to bake something using ingredients I already had at home. I am exceedingly grateful for the reversal of fortune!! These brownies truly are “Supernatural”. The guests raved about them and I have to say, these are definitely the best brownies I have ever made.
I have made at least 2/3 of Jenn’s recipes and have given her cookbook to three cooks. These brownies are so easy and so delicious every time. When I bake these, I look like a star. My wolf like friends and family always gobble them up. 5 stars for sure! Thx Jenn
This is by far the best brownie recipe ever. It has become my go-to recipe and is particularly impressive when I need to pull something together quickly. I recently served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some home made salted caramel. Needless to say, the compliments were plentiful.
These are the best brownies and I’ve tried many different recipes, so good. I usually frost brownies but these don’t need it! Highly recommend them.
I love your recipes, Jen and I look forward to seeing your email pop up with a new recipe idea especially now during Covid (lockdown in our county)! This brownie recipe is my “go to” and I follow it with no changes bc it is perfect just the way it was written by you. The concept of using the parchment paper was a relatively new idea (why didn’t I think of it all those years I struggled to get the brownies out of the pan??). Thank you for this dessert standby that is easy, basically one pan and delicious!
No joke, these are the best brownies I have ever made. I have made these for parties several times and they always get compliments. The texture and flavor are amazing.
Wow! Super tasty! Brownies are a go-to dessert for my whole family. I’ve only ever made brownies from a box and I’m recently venturing into making things from scratch.
Let me tell you, I will never make boxed brownies again! This recipe was so delicious and surprisingly easy to make! Even the fragrance coming from these brownies is different and yummy! I will be making these often! Thank you!
This is by far my favorite brownie recipe to use. Always comes out perfectly whether you eat it by itself or with a scoop of ice cream. Highly recommend!
These brownies are to die for! Made these exactly as written and they were perfect. I will never bake brownies from a mix again!
I’ve tried several brownie recipes and these are my favorite. Just the right texture and amount of chocolate. I don’t use any other recipes anymore.
The texture was perfect – soft/gooey on the inside with that crisp paper thin layer over the top. I used chocolate chips instead of a bar (a mix of ghirardelli and nestle semi-sweet to use up what I had around the house). Sadly they weren’t as flavorful with the chocolate chips 🙁 I’m sure they would be with a good quality chocolate bar. I added dark chocolate chips to the finished batter which was a good addition.
These are amazing! I keep having to have just one more….
Even my husband likes them and he doesn’t even like brownies.
I made these brownies and they simply did not turn out. While still warm, they tasted okay. As soon as they cooled (and I covered them), they became hard as rocks. I did use SWERVE because my husband is a Type 2 Diabetic. I have no idea what I did wrong.
P.S. I’m only giving the recipe 1 star because it didn’t turn out. I’m sure it didn’t turn out because of something I did.
Not using sugar was the mistake. It’s not really fair to give poor review when you didn’t follow the recipe. You should consider looking for recipes where you can use sugar alternatives.
The same thing happened to me, and I followed the recipe exactly!
Smelled wonderful, very tasty when the first came out of the oven.
Then later that evening, they were hard as rocks!
Very disappointing, considered the amount (cost) of chocolate the recipe required. 🙁
I decided that if I ever bake these again, I’ll start checking them 10 minutes before done.
Made these yesterday after substituting dark brown sugar with light, and chocolate bars with chocolate chips. Just amazing !