Best Homemade Brownies (Thick & Fudgy)

There's no secret that I LOVE brownies. They are just so approachable and my BEST Homemade Brownies recipe is simple and straightforward. You can easily make a batch of the fudgiest, thick, moist, melt-in-your-mouth brownies from scratch without any special equipment. They are easy enough to make any day of the week, so I hope you ditch the box mix. My Best Fudge Brownie Recipe with Shiny Crust is one of the most popular recipes on this site, and many readers requested a thicker version, so here it is! Thick, fudgy delicious homemade brownies await...

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• Easy to make brownie recipe - this is a simple homemade brownie recipe that can be made entirely by hand without a mixer.
• Homemade quality - nothing beats a homemade treat, and you can trust that after you follow this recipe, you will never buy brownies again! They aren't too sweet either.
• Thick and fudgy chocolate brownies - these brownies have a nice thickness with a fudgy texture all the way through.
• Shiny crust brownies - as per usual, my brownie recipes always have a shiny crust! You can learn all about the science behind how that works in my Shiny Crust Brownie Recipe post here.

• Rich dark chocolate flavor - you will certainly get your chocolate fix with the intense rich chocolate taste thanks to bittersweet chocolate and not a lot of flour to drown it out. This recipe is made with 8oz of pure bittersweet dark chocolate for rich chocolate taste.
• No too sweet - to make thicker brownies, I didn't just double the recipe to make more batter because that would double the amount of sugar in the same amount of servings, and I felt that it would make these too sweet. These brownies are formulated to be moist and fudgy without being cloyingly sweet.
• Simple recipe - this recipe requires few simple ingredients and is very easy to make.

INGREDIENTS FOR BEST HOMEMADE BROWNIES

Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

• Dark chocolate - anything between 60 and 70% cocoa solids will work. I prefer Bittersweet Chocolate and these bittersweet chocolate callets are very convenient. Semi sweet chocolate will also work, but you can expect sweeter brownies.
• Unsalted butter - the best brownies that have a chewy fudgy texture are made with butter. You can also use salted butter. If you use salted butter, reduce the added salt in the recipe by half.
• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla plays a big role in enhancing the flavor of chocolate. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• All purpose flour - regular all purpose flour is perfect to make fudgy brownies. Use unbleached flour which will give you that nice dense texture.

• Cocoa powder - cocoa will bump up the chocolate taste in the brownies and also replace some of the structural function of flour for a super fudgy texture. You can use natural cocoa or Dutch Process cocoa powder in this recipe. Natural cocoa will have a more fruity taste while Dutch cocoa will have more roasted earthy undertones.
• Eggs - 3 whole eggs will provide majority of the structure in these brownies since there isn't much flour. 3 whole eggs will provide majority of the structure in these brownies and they are nice and thick.
• Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar keeps these brownies moist. I do not recommend reducing the sugar in this recipe or they will not have the same moist and fudgy texture and it will compromise the shiny crust.
• Brown sugar - you can use light or dark brown sugar here. It will add extra depth of flavor from the molasses, and it will also make them extra fudgy.
• Salt - salt is important in any baking dessert recipe, but especially here in these brownies! It totally enhances the chocolate and coffee taste.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1.) Melt chocolate. Combine chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir frequently until melted, or you can do this in the microwave gently with frequent stirring so it doesn't burn.
• STEP 2.) Beat eggs with sugar. Combine eggs with both types of sugar in a large bowl and whisk vigorously by hand until pale, thick and fluffy. You can also use a hand mixer and beat for 2 minutes. Mix in vanilla and salt.
• STEP 3.) Add chocolate to eggs. Add warm chocolate mixture to the beaten eggs and whisk it in until evenly incorporated. The mixture should tighten up and become thick and glossy.
• STEP 4.) Add dry ingredients. Sprinkle flour and cocoa powder over the chocolate batter. Stir it in until evenly blended.
• STEP 5.) Bake! Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 27-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached and the top is shiny crinkly and puffed. It will sink as it cools. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan before slicing. For even fudgier brownies, let them set overnight in the fridge before slicing.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR BEST HOMEMADE BROWNIES:

• Never use raising agents like baking soda or baking powder. Brownies are meant to be dense and using leavening will create gases that can make the brownie seem dry.
• Mix the eggs with the sugar first instead of stirring the sugar into the melted chocolate. Sugar cannot dissolve in fat, but it can dissolve in the water within egg whites. That's the key to getting the shiny crust on these brownies.
• Keep the chocolate warm. Adding warm melted chocolate to the egg mixture will not scramble the eggs! First of all, it is not hot enough, and second of all, the eggs are already protected by the sugar. Adding warm chocolate will keep the batter warm to encourage more sugar to dissolve for that shiny top.
• Measure dry ingredients accurately. Too much flour will make brownies dry. Brownies rely on a low proportion of dry ingredients in the batter to have a moist texture (along with the right amount of sugar).
• Mix gently. When you add the dry ingredients, just mix or fold them in gently until it is evenly incorporated but avoid mixing vigorously. Too much mixing will create gluten which will create large pockets in the baked brownies and will cause them to have a less tender melt-in-your-mouth texture.

• Always use room temperature eggs so that they incorporate more evenly and the warmer temperature helps sugar dissolve. TIP: to bring eggs to room temperature quickly, submerge them in warm water for 10 minutes.
• Measure flour accurately. Too much flour leads to a dry brownie.
• Mix the eggs with the sugar first instead of stirring the sugar into the melted chocolate. Sugar cannot dissolve in fat, but it can dissolve in the water within egg whites
• Watch the baking time. One of the main reasons for dry brownies is over-baking. These brownies should take between 25 and 30 minutes when baked in a metal pan. Start checking after 25 minutes. A skewer should not come out clean -- it should come out with a few moist sticky bits attached. If it comes out clean it may be over baked, and if it comes out with wet batter then it is still a bit raw.
• Cool completely. For the best texture, it is important that the brownies cool completely.

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BEST Homemade Brownies

Christina Marsigliese

These fudgy moist chocolate brownies are extra thick with a melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich with dark chocolate flavor. They are easy to make any day of the week!

4.92 from 23 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 16 brownies

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup 113g unsalted butter
• 7 oz 200g dark chocolate (minimum 60% cocoa), coarsely chopped
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• ½ cup plus 2 tbsp 125g granulated sugar
• ½ cup 110g packed light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup 72g all-purpose flour sifted
• 3 tablespoon 18g cocoa powder (I prefer this one) sifted

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 8x8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang at each side.
• Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan with just about ½ inch of simmering water. The bowl should fit nicely into the saucepan without touching the water. Stir frequently until melted and smooth. You can also melt it in the microwave at 50% power with frequent stirring to make sure it doesn't burn.
• In a separate bowl, beat eggs with both sugars, salt and vanilla until pale, thick and fluffy using a whisk or an electric mixer. It will take a minute or two. Once it is lighter in colour (pale yellow), mix in the chocolate mixture until evenly incorporated. The batter should look thick and glossy at this point.
• Sprinkle the flour over the batter and fold it through the chocolate batter (make sure you sift it if your flour and cocoa are lumpy). Fold it into the batter until evenly combined.
• Scrape the mixture into your prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Bake for 27-30 minutes until puffed and shiny and a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan before slicing.

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