Rich Fudgy Chocolate Brownies (Printable version)
Rich, fudgy chocolate squares with a crisp top and gooey center, perfect for indulgence.
# List of ingredients:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
06 - 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Add-ins
09 - 3/4 cup chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until evenly incorporated.
03 - In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with granulated sugar until combined and glossy. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition, then stir in vanilla extract.
04 - Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture gently with a spatula just until combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender texture.
05 - Gently fold in the chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate until evenly distributed.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
08 - Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan before lifting out using the parchment overhang and cutting into 12 squares.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The crisp, paper-thin top cracks when you bite into it, then gives way to that impossibly fudgy center—every texture in one square.
- They're foolproof enough for a first-timer but deep and sophisticated enough that people always ask for the recipe.
- One batch makes twelve generous squares, so you can share them or pretend you didn't eat four in one sitting.
02 -
- The toothpick test is everything—that fudgy center is achieved by stopping the bake when moisture still clings to it, not when it comes out clean.
- Overmixing after adding flour is the quickest way to turn a brownie dense and tough, so mix just until the flour disappears and walk away.
- Cooling completely in the pan allows the residual heat to finish cooking the inside gently, creating that ideal texture contrast.
03 -
- Sifting your cocoa powder before whisking prevents bitter lumps and creates a smoother, more refined crumb.
- If you're torn between chewy and cakey, room-temperature eggs and melted butter are what tip the scales toward that perfect fudgy center.
- Those parchment paper overhangs aren't just for show—they're how you lift the entire batch out as one slab and cut perfect squares without crumbs getting everywhere.