Chewy Brownies
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A few weeks ago when I asked you to look deep into your soul and tell me about your favorite brownies, there was an undeniable theme. The great majority of you admitted that you only have eyes for box-mix brownies. And really, what’s not to love? The brownies always turn out gooey, chewy and with that wonderful thin crackly crust on top. While I love baking from scratch and have tried countless brownie recipes, you always know what you’re getting with a box-mix brownie, and for most, it’s the best. Just last summer I was at a get together and after eating one of the brownies that was out on a platter, I was pretty darn sure it was the best brownie I had ever eaten. I asked the hostess for the recipe and she said that they were the Ghiradelli triple chocolate box mix from Costco, slightly underbaked. Perfection, indeed. I could have eaten the whole plate myself. And I was convinced that I would never need to bake a brownie from scratch ever again.
You’re probably wondering where I’m going with all of this box-mix brownie talk. Well it so happens that about a week after I asked for your favorite brownie in the giveaway, my new issue of Cook’s Illustrated
For those that aren’t familiar, Cook’s Illustrated
According to the article about the brownies, the key to the texture of the beloved box-mix brownie is the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fat. The box-mix brownies have a 28% to 72% ratio while a classic brownie recipe has a 64% to 36% ratio. Big difference! The major factors in creating this chewy brownie recipe to mimic the box-mix include: using a mix of butter and vegetable oil, a mix of cocoa powder and melted chocolate, and extra egg yolks. I guarantee that if you are in the box-mix brownie camp, this recipe will wow you. Another huge bonus is that this is still a one-bowl recipe with only a whisk and spatula needed.
If you have been torn between your love for box-mix brownies and your love of baking from scratch, you no longer have to choose!
Recipe notes:
♦ For the chewiest texture, it’s important to cool brownies completely before cutting.
♦ If your baking dish is glass, cool the brownies 10 minutes, then remove them from the pan to a wire rack (otherwise, the heat retention of glass can lead to overbaking).
One year ago: Baked Oatmeal
Two years ago: Royal Crown’s Tortano
Three years ago: Mexican Rice
Chewy Brownies
Yield: 24 brownies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 to 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
1½ teaspoons instant espresso (optional)
½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2½ cups (17½ ounces) sugar
1¾ cups (8¾ ounces) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into ½-inch piecesDirections:
1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving about a one-inch overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Whisk cocoa, espresso powder, and boiling water together in large bowl until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula until combined. Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces.
3. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool 1½ hours.
4. Using foil overhang, lift brownies from pan. Return brownies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
(From Cook's Illustrated
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Wow, I have been looking for the perfect brownie and just think it was right under my nose. I just finish cooking these about 20 minutes ago, I could only wait about 30 minutes before cutting them and wow! It was perfect. Its is pretty darn good for a homemade recipe. Keep up the good work, I really did enjoy this chocolate, chewy surprise.
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I had a friend’s birthday last week and was keen to give her something extra extra rich.
I used this brownie recipe, subbing the white sugar for brown, and melted about 6oz of chocolate into the batter (while reducing the oil a little) instead of folding in chopped chocolate. Then I folded in chopped local top quality white chocolate, like chocolate chips.
Then I topped the whole lot with home made muscavado caramel, and chocolate drizzle. They were possibly the best thing I have ever tasted. The brownies were the perfect texture, after baking for about 39 minutes. Thank you so much for the recipe! I’ve been ordered to make them again this week, and am happy to oblige.. although how the someone could possibly eat more than one piece in a week I do not know.
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not really a good recipe, it’s just okay but not the same texture as boxed brownie mix if that is what you are looking for, also i agree with some other commenters way underdone after 35 minutes. i will continue to look for other brownie recipes.
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I used these brownies in a brownie sundae and they were a big hit!!!
Thanks, Brown Eyed Baker.
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I made these this past weekend for a game night party and they were a huge hit — thank you so much. I substituted half brown sugar and half white, an additional ounce of unsweetened chocolate, vanilla paste instead of extract, and half the boiling water with coffee because I didn’t have any espresso powder. These just might be my new favorite brownie recipe — they were amazingly easy to put together and were great at both room temp and cold…though I have to admit I prefer the cold. A warning to anyone trying these — you might think you screwed them up or something when they first come out of the oven (I know I snuck a piece and thought so) — you really need to let them fully cool to experience how amazing they are!
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I live in Prague Czech republic so boxed brownies are just impossible to find here. I use the German brand boxed which I tweaked to taste just right, as yes I had the same experience no matter what receipe I tried the boxed was just chewier. However after reading all of the comments and your excellent blog I am getting up and baking myself a batch right now! Thanks so much and I will let you know the verdict!
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Katja on November 19th, 2011 at 3:39 pm
Excellent, after tweaking it for the right type of chocolate I feel like I got it, thank you and best wishes from Europe. Will never make different brownies!
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These were SERIOUSLY AMAZING. I was first a bit weary about leaving big chocolate chunks in the batter, but they gave them the illusion of being slightly undercooked and super fudgey- amazing.
Not sure why they turned out cakey for some people, but Im guessing they were baked for too long- mine were in for 30-35 minutes.
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This recipe totally works. Thanks for the post!
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Hey I was wondering if I can substitute anything for unsweetened chocolate in the recipe? I don’t usually see this in the groceries here in the Philippines. I badly want to try this recipe. I’ve been searching for that perfect brownie for quite some time now and this is definitely worth a try. Thanks:)
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Michelle on January 21st, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Hi Cameron, Do you have access to any chocolate without sweetening? You really need 100% cacao chocolate. I have seen both unsweetened and 100% bittersweet in the stores; maybe you could find something like that or order online?
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35 mins and i still had raw batter in my 9×13. ATK and/or CI can’t be this far off…usually they are pretty reliable.
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Michelle on February 6th, 2012 at 2:13 pm
You may want to check your oven. I always recommend using an oven thermometer (that’s calibrated) so that you know your exact oven temperature (it can sometimes vary by up to 50 degrees from what it is set at to what the temperature actually is).
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Hello:) I was wondering if I were to cut the recipe in half, would I also cut the time it takes to cook in half?? Also, to save them to give to a friend the next morning, would I refrigerate them overnight?
Thanks,
ariana
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Michelle on February 19th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
Hi Ariana, If you cut them in half I would make them in an 8×8-inch pan, and start checking them for doneness just about 5 minutes sooner to be sure you don’t overbake them. I’m not sure if you’re asking to refrigerate the batter or the baked brownies, but I would do neither. Once you mix the batter you should bake them right away; however, you could allow them to cool then cover them and let them sit overnight at room temperature before cutting them.
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I love this recipe! I make it frequently. I use 1 3/4 c sugar and 1 c of whole wheat pastry flour with 3/4 c ap flour. We use a
Mixture of dark chocolate chips and chocolate chunks. They are delicious and freeze very well! Sometimes I also make a peanut butter swirl which makes them mind blowing. Thank you!
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I made these, and the flavor was fantastic but they were only slightly chewy the first evening, and had lost their chewiness the next day. They were fudgy instead. I halved the recipe and used regular unsweetened cocoa, not dutch processed. Perhaps that’s the problem?
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Michelle on March 4th, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Hi Berry, Usually chewy and fudgy can be used to describe the same type of brownie, which is a stark contrast to cake-like brownies. Are you able to better explain the texture differences by any chance? Sometimes halving or doubling a recipe can have an effect on texture; I would guess that could be the issue, and not the cocoa substitution.
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Berry on March 5th, 2012 at 7:01 pm
Thanks for the response. I made these again this weekend. I baked them 10 minutes longer and they were perfectly chewy. The next day, again, they were not. I would describe the texture on the first day as having slight resistance so there’s a slight stickiness when you chew them, like 1/10 the chewiness of caramel candy. Day two, there was no resistance when biting into them; they were very moist and nearly melted in your mouth. It was like they’d absorbed the moisture from the chocolate overnight. I have an all-butter brownie recipe from the Gourmet cookbook that does the same thing. They’re still delicious, just not the texture I was looking for. I’m not sure if I did something wrong, or if it’s normal “brownie behavior.” I suppose I could just eat the whole pan of brownies in one day!
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I swap out the white flour for whole wheat pastry flour and you can’t even tell. This is my go-to brownie recipe. THE best chewiest brownie recipe I’ve ever tried!
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OMG x 3! These r AMAZING! Best recipie EVER!!!
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I am a scratch baker, and the daughter of a scratch baker who considered all baked goods from a mix intrinsically inferior. I have a couple of go-to brownie recipes that I have baked for years that most people rave about, but my sons always prefer those made from a boxed mix. I just tried this recipe and it is very much like the box kind, but somehow better. I think my sons and I finally have a brownie recipe we agree on! Thanks!
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Hello
The first time I made this recipe in a 9×13 inch pan, it came out 1/2 cm thick. The second time, I thought using a smaller pan would solve the problem. I again tried to make this recipe in an 8×8 inch pan, but it only came out 1 cm thick! I am not sure what I did wrong; I followed the recipe exactly. I also have this problem when making other brownie recipes; the final result just comes out too thin. Is this because of my oven, baking pan or some other mistake I must have done?
Even if I didn’t get the desired texture, the taste of the brownie was great! Served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream= heaven!
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Hello
The first time I made this recipe in a 9×13 inch pan, it came out 1/2 cm thick. The second time, I thought using a smaller pan would solve the problem. I again tried to make this recipe in an 8×8 inch pan, but it only came out 1 cm thick! I am not sure what I did wrong; I followed the recipe exactly. I also have this problem when making other brownie recipes; the final result just comes out too thin. Is this because of my oven, baking pan or some other mistake I must have done?
Even if I didn’t get the desired texture, the taste of the brownie was great! Served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream= heaven!
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Michelle on May 25th, 2012 at 10:41 am
Hi Ananya, These brownies aren’t meant to raise very high, as they are much more fudgy than cakey, and there are no leavening agents used (baking powder or baking soda). The only thing I can think of, if you have this problem with all brownies, is that you might be having trouble with your oven, or you could be overmixing the batter.
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Hi
Today I want to bake your brownies and there are a few language things which I do not understand because I come from Austria ( not Australia 
) so it would be great if you could help me!
First, is a foil made out of metal? and which side I have to put up the shiny or the non shiny one?
Second, how many cocoa does an unsweetened chocolate has, 100%?
Third, I am totally confused about the “toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center” does that mean I have to put the toothpick in one third?
Fourth, should I put the pan in the lowest position? and when I cool it down, I should not put it in the fridge just on my table, right?
I am looking forward to hearing from you !
Love Anna
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Michelle on June 1st, 2012 at 9:33 am
Hi Anna, I hope these clarifications help!
1. Yes, the foil is an aluminum foil. It doesn’t matter which side you put down.
2. You are correct – unsweetened cocoa is 100%
3. This just means not to use the toothpick to test doneness in the very center of the pan, or near the edges of the pan. Instead, just a spot in between and insert the toothpick to check for doneness.
4. Yes, put the brownies on the lowest oven rack position. When you cool them, do so at room temperature (on a table), not in the refrigerator.
Happy Baking!
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Made this last night, and think that they are undercooked. They are pretty messy and gross in the middle. All of them totally fell apart. I added 1 cup of chocolate (bittersweet) chunks instead of 3/4 cup, and substituted Bob’s Redmill All Purpose gluten free flour for regular flour. The bag suggested adding small amounts of xanathan gum, but I didn’t. I am heating the oven again, and will try baking an extra 10-15 mins to get them to solidify. The corners that had the firm crust on the bottom were perfect, but everything else is too disgusting and undercooked to stomach. We used a glass pan lined with foil, and painted the foil with traces of vegetable oil. I like using foil for cleanup, but I don’t recommend the vegetable oil. Any recommendations of changes that I should make are welcomed! I want to try to give this a go again next weekend, so I will be checking back . . .
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For the most part I agree, the first time I made these brownies they came out perfect, the second time a bit dry and the third they are mush. I don’t know if it’s my oven or what but these things never are consistent like boxed!
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i was really looking forward to trying out this recipe….they just came out of the oven – and let’s just say it’s not what i expected at all! the batter mixed well, and i followed the recipe completely – but the butter/oil seemed to separate and rise, then bubble on top of the rest of the batter. is that normal? the brownies seem to be floating in grease! i’d appreciate any tips or comments – i haven’t given up on these yet, because they sound really yummy. feedback is welcome!
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anah on August 4th, 2012 at 5:16 pm
…so now that they’ve cooled, it seems as though the grease has soaked in – but the brownies have a really dry crumbly texture. looking forward to hearing suggestions for next time!
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Michelle on August 9th, 2012 at 3:59 pm
Hi Anah, No the butter and oil should not separate from the batter, it should be homogeneous when mixed. Did you use any substitutions or do anything different when preparing the recipe?
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anah on August 9th, 2012 at 5:50 pm
Thanks for letting me know, Michelle…the batter was definitely smooth and homogeneous after mixing the ingredients. It looked like normal brownie batter going in the oven – but the oil/butter separation happened while they were baking (bubbling on top while in the oven). I did not use any substitutes, other than using grape-seed oil instead of veggie oil (I haven’t had issues with other baking this way)….but that may make a difference. I’ll give it another go and post my results for sure!
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Well butter my biscuit and call me dogie…these brownies are ah-maze-ing!!! The texture is what I could best describe as baked fudge. Intense chocolate flavor packed into each tiny square. Pure genius, combining cocoa and unsweetened chocolate, oil and melted butter. Who’da thunk?? Because I’m diabetic, I used only half sugar, replacing the other half with Splenda. I’ve found that in order to avoid any of the textural changes that come with using all Splenda, the most sugar that can be safely replaced is half. I cut the recipe in half and baked for 24 minutes in an 8″X8″ pan. I intend to freeze most of the pan, and believe that because of the incomparably moist texture they will freeze like champs. Perfect, in every way! Hands-down the best brownies this former pastry chef has ever made.
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Cat on August 24th, 2012 at 9:21 pm
Just a post-script: They never made it to the freezer (she said, sheepishly.) It only took me 3 days to put away a whole 8″X8″ pan. Good thing I only used half the sugar! Good thing I have that to feel virtuous about!
Every bite made me realize how perfectly, crave-satisfyingly intense their chocolate flavor is, and how they just melt away on the tongue. Yes, they ARE that good!
I was a major piggie. I’m so ashamed…But very, very happy.
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They’re in the oven! Can’t wait! This has always been a mystery to me. So glad I found your post.
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These are delicious brownies but watch the sugar–I used 90g of brown sugar only and they were perfect. Also, I used a mixture of vegetable oil and walnut oil–gave a nice nutty touch.
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1 3/4 cups of all purpose flour is 7.88 ounce in weight. I baked my 2nd batch according to your instruction of 8 3/4 ounce and it turns out cakey and not chewy at all
My first batch was fine though.
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This is amazing!!!!! My husband has the biggest sweet tooth and his #1 favorite sweet dessert is brownies..especially box brownies! I have tried variations of brownie recipes from scratch and done of them are ever as good as box brownies! I am going to save this recipe and make it in 3 weeks for thanksgiving, when I will give thanks for the recipe lol
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Made these tonight. I have finally found a brownie recipe I like that isn’t from a box! So so good.
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Thank you so much for posting this! By far the best brownie recipe I have ever tried. Who knew oil would make such a difference? I tweaked this recipe just a touch so I could use whole wheat instead, and it was still yummy. My changed-up recipe is here: http://bakeordare.blogspot.com/2012/11/box-mix-brownies-from-scratch.html
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Hi Michelle,
I tried this recipe and it was awesome.. Can I remove the eggs from the recipe and still get the same richness. Can you give me an eggless recipe for brownies..
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Michelle on December 18th, 2012 at 6:17 pm
Hi Shruthi, If you omit the eggs, the texture will be greatly altered. I do not have any recipes for eggless brownies at this time.
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Michelle–I’m working my way through your top ten brownies. I think I agree with your number one recipe. Your number 2 recipe (these chewy ones) are great. I love how thick they come out and cooked through; however, I was skeptical of the vegetable oil/butter combo. I think it’s all butter in your number one recipe and my mouth can tell the difference. Mmmmm, butter.
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I don’t normally post comments, but this recipe deserves praise. I used it other night and it is hands down the best brownie recipe I’ve ever tried. I wasn’t very convinced after trying a brownie after the hour and a half they needed to cool down. I found them to be too sweet and a little too much on the vanilla flavored side. However, the next day…good God the next day…they were PHENOMENAL. I took one bite and literally moaned, “Oh. My. God”, and ended up eating two – one right after the other. I suppose the flavors just needed more time to develop and mature, but whatever the case, these brownies are f*cking LEGIT. THANK YOU, BROWN EYED BAKER. I’ve just hit the jackpot.
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On a funny note i have to tell you i read this post and Immediately started looking around my house for spy cameras
hubby’s favorite dessert of all time is brownies but after trying 8..no really, 8 different recipes I once again gave in to box brownies 
we both agreed there was just no comparison. So with Valentines day approaching I thought I would take another crack at finding a recipe that seemed worthy of our special day.. ( valentines day is also our anniversary). I stumbled upon your website and decided to make these brownies last night so that he could have them today and i cant believe the results. He was so happy he woke me up before leaving for work at 5:45 am ( he is in the Army) with milk in hand and we shared the most delicious brownie we have ever had right there in our bed .It was a special moment for us not only because of our anniversary and the sinfully delicious brownie, but also because we have 3 small children and if you have kids you know those moments are few and far between. Thank you for sharing this recipe and helping make our day even more special! Happy Valentines Day!
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Michelle on February 15th, 2013 at 12:59 am
Aw, thanks so much for sharing! Happy Valentine’s Day to you two, and thank you to your husband for his service!
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sorry but does it mean by this “½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons boiling water”.
1/2 cup of water plus two tablespoon of boiling water?
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Michelle on February 19th, 2013 at 5:33 pm
Yes, boil water and then measure 1/2 cup plus an additional two tablespoons.
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I tried this recipe and it is delicious! After seeing the pic you posted of the brownies I knew I had to try this recipe. I just blogged about them, I had to change a couple things because I was missing a couple of the ingredients but still came out amazing! Thank you!
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this recipe is AMAZING!!!!, thank you sooo much for sharing it!
!
I baked them yesterday, I didn’t have espresso powder, so I used regular instant coffee, they still were amazing!!!
Before baking them, I was a little unsure about mixing water with chocolate, but it turned out great!
I will be making the peanut butter brownies on saturday
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I made these and they are the spot-on! I will never ever go back to using boxed mixes again! Here’s my blog post on it:
http://myninjanaan.wordpress.com/2013/03/12/brownies/
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I have to say – this is the BEST recipe for brownies I have ever had, and possibly the best brownies I have ever eaten anywhere at all. I’ve made them several times very successfully. Sometimes I take liberties with the recipes now – like the time I added some white chocolate chips and sprinkled the top with powdered sugar before baking, or added some other chocolate chips inside. No matter what you do, if you use the base recipe they’re irresistible! The only problem I have ever had is that mine always take way longer than the time stated here – more like 45 minutes 50 minutes. But they’re well worth the wait. At about 40 minutes I toothpicking til they’re good to go. SO scrumptious!!
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These are fab, seriously, they work a treat!!!!
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