Better-Than-Box-Mix Brownies
These homemade brownies have all of the great texture and flavor of box-mix brownies, without any of the processed ingredients. They have become the base for some of my favorite brownie recipes, like peanut butter brownies, buckeye brownies, and marshmallow brownies!
Whenever I ask people what their favorite brownie is, there is always a resounding majority – most people only have eyes for box-mix brownies. And really, what’s not to love? The brownies always turn out gooey, chewy and with that amazing thin crackly crust on top. As a teenager, each Sunday night our church held youth group meetings and one of the mom volunteers always brought a pan of brownies. They were the BEST brownies. At one point a couple of us girls asked for the recipe and were sheepishly told that they were just from a box.
So many of those amazing brownie concoctions that you’ll see on Pinterest invariably start by calling for a box brownie mix, right? A number of years ago, I went on a mission to find a homemade brownie recipe that could mimic that elusive taste and texture of a box-mix brownie. Not surprisingly, it was Cook’s Illustrated that had formulated exactly what I was looking for – a homemade brownie recipe with all of the characteristics people love about a box-mix brownie.
Now, anytime I come across a recipe that calls for preparing a box of brownies, I turn to this recipe instead!
According to the headnotes for this recipe, 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 homemade 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.
Here are a couple of quick notes to make sure these brownies turn out absolutely superb:
- 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).
Once you try this simple recipe, you’ll never go back to those box mixes!
Four years ago: Strawberry Cream Cheese Crumble Tart
Better-Than-Box Brownies
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (28.67 g) Dutch-processed cocoa
- ½ cup (125 ml) + 2 tablespoons boiling water
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup (109 ml) plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2½ cups (500 g) granulated sugar
- 1¾ cups (218.75 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) salt
- 1 cup (180 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving about a one-inch overhang on all sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk cocoa powder and boiling water together in a large bowl until smooth. Add the unsweetened chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is melted. Whisk in the melted butter and oil (the mixture may look curdled at this point, that’s okay!). Add the eggs, yolks, and vanilla extract, and whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in the sugar until fully incorporated. Add the flour and salt and mix with a rubber spatula until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scrape batter into prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake until a toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 1½ hours.
- Using the foil overhang, lift the brownies from pan. Place the brownies on the wire rack and cool completely, about 1 additional hour. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This recipe was originally published on March 9, 2010.
I just wanted to say I’ve made this recipe a billion times. It’s my go to ❤️
Thanks for the awesome recipe. What could be better than homemade cakes? Probably just an evening with the family. But when my family is away I chat at https://flirtymania.com/en/p
Thanks for the post! Gorgeous dessert! And the recipe is very cool, I will definitely cook it. There is nothing better than home baking. When all stages of preparation are made with love, and all ingredients are natural, and you yourself can regulate the amount of sugar. I don’t really like trying desserts in cafes because I like very little sugar. videochat girls
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These are beyond unbelievably good. People for whom I have made them rave about how good they are. Many people tell me I should sell baked goods because they are so good. I’d rather remain retired. 😊
Hi! Excited to try these…could you share any high altitude adjustments that you would recommend? My homemade brownies always collapse. :(
Love that you are now giving weight measurements. Unfortunately when I press on the “print” link for this recipe it converts to measuring cups.
There is an option for metric measurements on the print page.
Oh my goodness! UNREAL!! These brownies are so incredible. I have always been frustrated that box brownies are better than homemade because I do not like to use box mixes. I took these to the baseball park where I work, and my colleagues ate four and five each. So awesome! Thank you. My search has ended.
Another winner from BEB! Recipe is super easy and the results are great. It’s a classic brownie and it’s a crowd pleaser. Made these for a party with kids from 2-16 and they all loved them. With a recipe like this you definitely don’t need a box mix!
Made a batch on Friday evening for a day at camp yesterday. Not one remains! SO many compliments on these brownies, that I’m going to make another batch now to have for tomorrow. I will say that I think the Dutch-process cocoa makes the biggest difference in this recipe. I did not have any so used my regular cocoa, and while everyone else thought they were fabulous, I thought they needed more chocolate flavor. That being said, it’s really a matter of taste preference and these really are the bomb brownie recipe! Thanks for reposting this old recipe.
I’ve seen this recipe quite a while back. I thought my brownie recipe couldn’t get any better. Not sure why I decided to give this a try and Wow! The only thing I did different was I used a 9” square pan cuz I like thick brownies and did not use foil. Just grease the pan. The 2nd thing is I didn’t have Dutch process cocoa. I used Hershey baking cocoa. I just deleted my favorite recipe that I have been using for YEARS and replace it with this recipe. This is definitely better than the box AND my recipe. Can’t wait to try that Peanut Butter Brownies. Next time, I will use the 8” pan for thicker brownies. Michelle. Thanks for sharing.
These turn out just as the recipe claims! Gooey but with a crackly too, so yummy!
My mom just made some brownies a few days ago! (Box) . Gotta have some chewy treats around! She put some cranberry raisins in the batter, cut up really small.
Have you ever put these i the brownie batter?
Hi Karen, I have never done dried cranberries in brownies, sounds good though!
These brownies are ridiculously amazing. I’ve become famous for my homemade brownies, and I follow this recipe EXACTLY! Rich and fudgey, chewy and dark… this recipe is perfection. It ended the search for a from-scratch brownie recipe for me!
I tried the recipe and the texture of brownies came out amazing specially after several days. The problem is that i couldn’t taste the chocolate at all, it had that dark chocolaty color but no flavor, what could i have done wrong?
These were amazing! Dense, chewy, crinkle top, just like the ones I remember my dad baking growing up- I’d think that no way could my dad ever bake anything worth eating with his endless cooking & baking experiments, but then would secretly cut them out of the baking pan when no one was in the kitchen, loving every single bite. Have been searching forever for a good traditional brownie recipe minus the new trendy ‘putting coffee in the ingredient mix’ for added flavor- tried it, didn’t like it. Did put a ton of walnuts on the top and this was absolutely delicious- my go to from now on! Thank you so much for sharing…❤️
Could you please provide the weight equivalents for this recipe? Thanks!
Wowee – these were super easy to make, and delicious! I used a little more cocoa and unsweetened chocolate than in the recipe, and I only had a 9×9 pan so I had to cook them longer, but super fudgy and totally yummy!
These are honestly the best brownies I have ever made from scratch. They achieve the perfect level of chewy that I wanted. My only critique would be the chocolate flavor could definitely be more pronounced. I may try adding a bit more cocoa powder and some espresso powder next time to amp up the flavor.
Hi, I need to make brownie cupcakes and I was wondering if this would be a good recipe to use or if you have another brownie recipe that would work better? Thank you so much.
Hi Angela, I’ve never made brownie cupcakes, so I couldn’t say for sure, but these are my favorite brownie recipe!
These brownies were incredible! I followed the recipe to a T, and I fell in love with their rich, fudgy denseness. They were a bit too soft even after cooling for the designated time… a bit like the texture of silt? However, they are absolutely unbeatable after a night of firming up in the fridge. I’ll be making them again soon! Also enjoyed finding a new way to melt chocolate when I don’t feel like whipping out the double boiler!
Oh. My. God. These were the most amazing brownies I’ve ever had. Couldn’t reccomend them more.
I’m not normally a follow to the letter recipe baker. But my deep desire for the perfect brownie aka Boxed Brownies made from scratch found me measuring your recipe exactly as written. All I can say is fan@#$&*#tastic. So so good.
I have tried so many recipes and found that I really like my brownies, for lack of a better description, old school. I don’t want groovy or hip just good old brownies with a shiny top and I finally found…thank you.
Congrats on your new baby girl. As a mom of 2 girls now mostly grown, your in for the ride of your life.
Hi Kristin, So happy to hear you enjoyed them; my favorite brownie recipe for sure! And thank you for the kind words on our new baby girl :)
I would like to add MnMs to make festive…how would you do it…add in place of the chips or in addition to? How much? Thank you!
Hi Carolyn, I think you could do either! If you want to add them in addition to the chocolate chips, I would do maybe 1/2 to 1 cup, depending on how chippy/chunky you’d want your brownies.
Awesome…thank you!
This recipe failed for me. I would not recommend at all. All the water makes a very loose batter. The result was not brownie like at all. I kept on returning to the oven to complete cooking. This is a failure of a recipe. Clearly not tested,
Hi Will, I am sorry that this brownie recipe didn’t turn out well for you, but it has been tested, and I make it at least once a month, as written, and have never had an issue.
I didn’t like this recipe, the amount of oil was way to much and it ended up not cooking right I had to take off some of the oil with napkins and tried to continue cooking it but it still didn’t turn out right it just won’t cook now I’m very disappointed.
The amount of oil is 1+1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp (340g oil) from the video. Am I correct? Please clarify.
I’m not sure what video you’re referring to, but that is incorrect – the correct measurement in the recipe above is 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (140 grams).
Delicious and actually fudgy brownies! However, I was silly and I used olive oil (I had nothing else on hand) which ended up overpowering the brownies– but that, and not adding fully unsweetened chocolate (85%) was my fault.
One tip: if you separately whisk the eggs and sugar together instead, you will get a lovely crackly top on the brownies.
I made these brownies for the first time this past weekend and I am happy to say I think my search for the perfect brownie recipe has ended! These taste exactly (if not better than) box brownies! Question for you, I made mine in a tin/metal pan lined with foil which I sprayed with cooking spray. I let them cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting them, however the foil stuck to the brownies. Any suggestions on how I can avoid this next time? Should I bake them in a glass pan without foil? Thank you for an amazing recipe!
Hi Lauren, So glad you loved these! So weird that they stuck to the foil, I’ve never had that happen. Try using parchment paper – that should alleviate the problem!
Michelle, if someone asked me, I would say you’re Baked recipe is the ultimate, but I want to try these too! Thanks.
Hi, my name is Pily and I am mexican and I live in Mexico .
I love your site, I made 3 recipes of your blog, chicken chipotle copy cat, your white bread and these lovely brownies… Wow! thank you very much and later on today I´m gonna publish in my blog your brownies because I want many people to enjoy too ! :)
Pily
I halved the recipe and added some chopped oreos — they turned out amazing!! This will be my new go-to brownie recipe!
Brownies are my absolute favorite dessert. Now that it is warmer I am all about brownies sundaes. This recipe is just in time.
If you could make only one recipe, would you recommend this one or your post with Ina’s Brownie? Both look delicious!
Oh my gosh, such a tough question! They’re both amazing, but definitely different. Ina’s are way richer, these are definitely the better “everyday” brownie!
Just made these for a work event and they are wonderful! I am already planning on making them again for a BBQ this weekend. The texture, flavor, and chew is fantastic, I think this is my new favorite recipe!! Thank you!!!
I love a good brownie recipe. Brownies usually start an argument in my house. My dad likes them completely covered in a thick layer of fudgy chocolate frosting and I prefer mine with just powdered sugar. I’ve never seen the appeal of the frosting. I like to taste my food and to me frosting is overkill.
I’m always looking for a way to kick those box mixes to the curb, and this just might do the trick for good! These look perfectly rich and fudgy and oh gosh, now I’m drooling. Anyway, they look fantastic!
omg these look AMAZING!!! thank you for sharing – i look forward to trying!!!
Delicious brownies I am going to try these soon. Thanks for sharing the recipe :)
Hi Michelle,
I must start with, like a lot of us here, I loved the box brownies but my husband doesn’t, so hopefully I can fool him with this. My question is – did you change the recipe since the first comments? I see people talking about bittersweet chocolate and espresso powder and chocolate chunks. I’m going to leave out the chocolate chips at the end, but adding espresso powder would be nice, but I don’t know how much you used. Thanks.
Hi Ellen, The instant espresso powder was 1.5 teaspoons – optional, but I never add it, so I just removed it from the recipe when I updated. Everything else is the same. You can do chopped chocolate chunks instead of the chocolate chips if you’d prefer.
Just made these last Sunday, and of course amazing! I’m actually pretty sure I’ve made this recipe before from my own copy of Cools Illustrated (which would make sense). I think I must have tried at least 4-5 of your brownie recipe by now. I think the brownie pudding recipe is still my favorite:)
Hi! Michelle. Would you kindly clarify the amount of butter on this recipe. It says, 4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted, I thought 4 tbsp. of butter is only 1/4 stick, so w/c is the correct amount to use? Thanks.
Hi Ramela, I guess it would depend on the size of the stick of butter. In the U.S., butter is typically sold in sticks with 8 tablespoons. You want to use 4 tablespoons of butter, no matter how much of a stick it ends up being :)
can i reduce the sugar to 1 or 1.5 cups? 2.5 was a bit too sweet for my family as most of them are diabetic. would reducing the sugar have any impact on the final result?
It probably will affect the final result, depending on how much you take out. You may need to do some trial and error and find that sweet spot where you can reduce the sugar but still get the texture you want.
Can I make them and freeze them and take them out the day i am serving???
Please let me know..;
Thanks
Bernie
Hi Bernie, Yes, but I would take them out in the morning so they have plenty of time to thaw.
….I think I finally found my brownie recipe.
Hello,
I wanted to know if the time for these brownies is ok for a very high-altitude place. I live 2,250 m above sea level. That’s about 7380 feet above sea level. The problem is that a lot of things I bake turn out too dry, and the characteristic of chewy brownies is that they are very moist.
Thanks!
Hi Diana, I have a page about high altitude baking that might help: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/high-altitude-baking/
Is Hershey’s Cocoa 100% cacao natural unsweetened ok to use? I thought I read one time from Cook’s Illustrated actually that they tested and found this to be the best. Is it OK to use the Hershey’s Cocoa or do we need to get and use “Dutch processed” cocoa as you wrote. Thanks!
Hi Kathy, You could use Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder for this. Dutch-processed cocoa powder does impart a different and richer flavor (and does play an important role when baking powder or soda is used), but for these particular brownies, either one is fine.
My cousin made these and I went to heaven for a bit. I’m going to try and replicate them but I’ve been on hiatus from baking, so wish me luck cause my bread pudding last week was a bit brunt:(
So I just made a batch of these, a batch of The Baked Brownie, and a batch of Smitten Kitchen’s Favorite Brownie. They were all so delicious, but my office voted these as the best! Which means this is now my go-to crowd pleasing classic brownie recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for this recipe!
I just made these brownies and must admit that I could not wait an hour for them to cool down. I had to have a taste in advance.
Living in Germany I had to translate the measuring units to grams (thank you, internet!), but the batter turned out great.
Since my teeny-tiny oven wouldn’t fit a 13×9 pan, i split the batter and baked it one after the other in a smaller pan. (and reduced the cooking time by 10 to 15 minutes)
I am so thankful for this recipe, since it tastes just like the big brand brownie mixes I know from the US. Probably even better. They are the best I’ve made so far! :)
Do these brownies freeze well
Yes, absolutely!
Hello! I’m a big fan from Brazil! I love your blog! Thanks for sharing.. I made this brownie today and it was a hit!!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!
Would you recommend these or the baked brownie for ice cream sundaes? I want the brownies to be slightly warmed.
Hi Sara, You really can’t go wrong with either, but my personal favorite is the Baked brownie :)
Hi- I just made these and they turned out great they are really fudgy and chewy! However they are a little bit dry, not excessively or in a way that makes them bad at all but mostly the edges/sides are a little dry. Did I overbake? They are great but how could I prevent this next time?
Thanks for the recipe!!
Hi Jo, They may have been over baked just a tad. They are really super moist and not at all a cakey or dry brownie. Glad you enjoyed them!
Hey I was gonna try out this recipe but instead of getting unsweetened chocolate and bittersweet chocolate, I got dark chocolate and milk chocolate. Will that have any bad effects on the brownies?
Hi Gayle, Your brownies will be extraordinarily sweet with that combination.
Is that a bad thing or it’ll still be fine? Like the texture and everything else would still be okay right?
Hi Gayle, The texture should not be affected.
This recipe is delicious! I’d like to make bitesize brownies, using a mini cupcake pan. Any advice on cooking time?
Hi Carrie, I haven’t tried making these in a mini cupcake pan, so unfortunately I couldn’t say how long they would take.
Just made these and they turned out great! I actually am not too fond of gooey brownies so I left them in for 45 minutes instead of the recommended 30-35, and I was really happy with the way they turned out! Also, at minute 32 the top of the brownie hadn’t even set, so I moved it up to a higher rack. Thanks for passing this recipe along.
I’m about to make these brownies, but don’t have Dutch-processed cocoa, only regular kind. DO i need to add baking soda to it, if so how much? THANK YOU!
Hi Annie, No, you do not need to add baking soda.
Made these this weekend. Amazing. Totally amazing.
I made these brownies, and I have to say that the flavor of them was amazing. But, my brownies turned out waaaay too fudgy, it was almost as if it was not cooked, but then the edges were almost burned. Do you have any idea of what went wrong? Also, can you please tell me what kind of pan you used?
Hi Angela, These are meant to be a dense, fudgy brownie, not at all cake. They should, however, be cooked (a toothpick inserted in the center should have moist crumbs). I use a light metal aluminum baking pan.
D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!
I just took it out of the oven (mother day tmr).
I was sure it would be a disaster since it felt like I did everything wrong, I´m not that good at coocking :) But it turned out to be PERFECT! I love it, my new favorite <33
Are these brownies too sweet to add a little bit of salted caramel sauce? :)
Hi Ana, I would actually recommend these sweet and salty brownies if you’d like a brownie infused with salted caramel sauce :)
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2011/06/07/sweet-and-salty-brownies/
These look heavenly! I’ve been in the hunt for from scratch bow mix brownies! My family doesn’t like their desserts overly rich, though. My question is in regards to the bittersweet chocolate mixed in at the end… Does the chocolate remain chunky once they are baked, or is that aimed at attaining the fudgy consistency?
Thanks a zillion!
Sarah Kate
Hi Sarah Kate, You will be able to detect the chocolate chunks. It will melt a bit but there is still the consistency of “chips” in the brownies.
hi! these brownies look amazing! i was just wondering if i could sub applesauce instead of sugar in this recipe?
Hi Anna, I would not recommend it. The texture and flavor will be dramatically different. Usually applesauce would be a replacement for liquid fat in a recipe.
I own a new food service and I’m always looking for great recipes. This is one I will make for my customers.
I followed this exact recipe only difference being I used a glass pan and parchment paper. My brownies came out as a block of weirdly textured thick chocolate more than a brownie. What gives?
Love this recipe! Absolutely delicious :) Thank you :)
Ohhhhh! The Ghirardelli box brownie mix is still the best brownie I have found! My parents and I both keep stashes in our kitchens just in case costco ever stops carrying it! I will have to try this recipe and see how it holds up!
This is my go-to recipe for brownies…it’s the best.
These are fab, seriously, they work a treat!!!!
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!!
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/
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 :D!
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!
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?
Yes, boil water and then measure 1/2 cup plus an additional two tablespoons.
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!
Aw, thanks so much for sharing! Happy Valentine’s Day to you two, and thank you to your husband for his service!
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.
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.
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..
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.
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
Made these tonight. I have finally found a brownie recipe I like that isn’t from a box! So so good.
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
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.
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.
They’re in the oven! Can’t wait! This has always been a mystery to me. So glad I found your post.
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.
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.
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!
…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!
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?
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!
I used grapeseed oil and this happened to me too. And I also thought it imparted a weird flavor to the brownies.
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!
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 . . .
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
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! :)
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! :)
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.
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!
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!
OMG x 3! These r AMAZING! Best recipie EVER!!!
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!
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?
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.
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!
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!
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
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.
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.
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).
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:)
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?
This recipe totally works. Thanks for the post!
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.
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!
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!
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!
I used these brownies in a brownie sundae and they were a big hit!!! :D Thanks, Brown Eyed Baker.
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.
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.
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.
I too am in the secret society of those-who-like-to-bake-from-scratch-but-absolutely-love-boxed-mix-brownies! No matter how many recipes I have tried, I still longed that for that deliciously chewy brownie with the elusive crackly top… and I most definitely agree that all awesome brownies have that crackly top!
I just pulled a pan of these from the oven not too long ago, and while normally I’m *fairly* good at waiting for things to cool (okay not really… ever), I just had to try them warm and they are amazing! I’m thinking of giving up my honey walnut shrimp for dinner and just eating the brownies! Thank you so much the recipe and the drool-worthy pictures!
the best brownies i have ever tasted
I made these tonight. I had to post a comment on my utter amazement at finding the perfect brownie recipe! When I was a young girl my mother had a recipe that I used that was foolproof at making the best brownies. You couldn’t go wrong with that recipe. Favorite. So much of a favorite that I didn’t discover the secret that brownies came from BOXES until I was a new mother!! Anyways, I misplaced that recipe and never seemed to be happy with any subsequent brownie recipe. Until tonight. Thanks for including this in your blog.
I’m impressed…*sigh* These look amazing-tastic!
Sadly, I don’t dare making them, as all my brownies are dough-ish and un-cuttable when they are out of the oven x)
I made these brownies last night. They turned out under baked. I cooked them 30 minutes then tested them with a wooden skewer. It came out very dirty but I knew from watching the show that it would be hard to tell whether they were done because of the added chunks of chocolate. But it seemed it really was underdone so I baked for another 5 minutes. Tested, still too dirty. Baked another 2 minutes, tested, not done. Ditto another 2 minutes for a total baking time of 39 minutes. They still seemed underdone but I was wary of overbaking and I know that often the time to take something out of the oven is when it is *almost* done.
Even after cooling for 2 hours they were impossible to cut and fell apart.
From what I salvaged the brownies are very chewy just the way I like them, but ultimately not any better than the good boxed brands (Ghirardelli!). I know they talked about the boxed kind having good texture but less than perfect chocolate flavor but to my unsophisticated palate I did not notice a difference.
I think I’ll try this one more time just to get it right but I doubt if I’ll make it a regular thing. They aren’t any cheaper than the boxed variety nor are they noticeably better. What’s the point?
Well, the point for me is baking something from scratch since I try not to eat anything that is processed. I know exactly what I’m eating and what the ingredients are, no chemicals and preservatives.
good brownies..make me hungry..may i try???
nice share info..continue please
I tried making this today. Turned out relatively cakey. I think it may be because I baked it a minute or two too long because it seemed to gooey when I checked, then two minutes later it was almost completely dry. Oh well, still not bad. But they did rise considerably more than I expected.
Also, all the chocolate chunks sank to the bottom and stuck to the dish. Possibly because I wrapped it a few times to get some of the air bubbles out.
If I had to redo this, I would probably be sure to watch it like a hawk and pull it out when it is still gooey. Maybe add a little more butter, and try to let it sit on the counter more before baking so bubbles escape.
Made these for a holiday party and they were a hit! Linked them back to you :D Thanks for the recipe
I’ve found these brownies are an even bigger hit if you omit the table salt in the recipe and substitute 1.25-1.5 Tbsp of coarse sea salt. (Don’t grind it; just mix the whole salt crystals into the batter.)
I made and took these brownies into work yesterday to celebrate a couple holiday babies (myself included) in addition to sending a few to my parents house. My mother called this morning to wish me a happy birthday and after telling me she ate her brownie for breakfast, she asked what did I do to them because they were so delicious. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe! Happy Holidays.
Yeah it’s crazy I specifically picked to makes thes brownies because they looked so not-cakey. I will assume I left them in for a minute too long or osmething and try again. I’ll just watch them every minute towards the end and make sure they come out like yours!
I love everything I’ve tried on this blog but for some reason my brownies came out cakey and a little dry, sill tasted good but…not what I was craving as far as texture. i didn’t sub anything, i don’t know what I did wrong except possibly leave them in too long but, I followed the recipe exactly. :/
Hmm, yeah these brownies are definitely not cakey and dry; definitely very fudgy and dense. I wonder if maybe your oven runs a little hot? It’s easy to overbake brownies, for sure.
Wow! Based on the photos these brownies look amazing!! My favorite brownies are from a box mix ( ghiradelli triple chocolate..yum!!) and even though I know it would be hard to find a scratch recipe that comes close, this recipe looks like it just might! =) I was wondering if you think they would still taste good with semi sweet chocolate chips instead of the bittersweet chocolate? I also wondering if regular cocoa powder could be used instead of dutch, I wanted to use ghiradelli cocoa but have only seen unsweetened or sweetened..no dutch =(… If just dutch cocoa will work, any brand suggestions? Thanks! =)
Hi Michelle, Yes you could use semisweet in place of the bittersweet. Also, the Dutch cocoa powder provides a richer taste, but if you don’t have any you could substitute the unsweetened cocoa. Enjoy!
THESE BROWNIES ARE AMAZING! I made them for my family and they ADORED THEM! thanks for the great recipe :) this will be my “go-to” brownie as of now!
You are welcome! So happy you and your family enjoyed these!
yes yes they do!!!
I made these for my first blog post EVER yesterday, thought you should know. Mine may not look as pretty as yours, but I bet they tasted just as delicious! Uh-mazing served warm with a scoop of ice cream on top…
I also wanted to let you know that you’ve been a major source of inspiration for me in experimenting and exploring all things baking over the past year or so. I’m still in college, which poses its own special obstacles, but I absolutely adore perusing beautiful blogs like yours. Keep up the good work, and check out my brownies if you like!
http://bakingwithbuttermilk.wordpress.com/2010/10/20/chewy-brownies/
Caroline, You are so sweet! Welcome to the world of food blogging, I think you will love it! So honored that you chose one of my recipes as your first post!
hello from Venezuela! !!!
just tried your brownies they are hit, but a bigger hit was your monkey bread ,my dad I still liking his fingers .
thanks for the recepies I look forward every week to reading your blog and maybe finding a recip to try.
Thanks Isabella, great to hear the brownies and the monkey bread were hits! I hope you continue to love the recipes you find!
Just made these, they are very good. I am not much of a baker, so the detailed instructions were really helpful. I did cut down the sugar by half a cup though and they still turned out very sweet.
Hi Marina, Thanks for stopping back to share your feedback, so happy to hear you liked these and the instructions were helpful! Great to know that reducing the sugar doesn’t have a huge impact.
I just found your site through Annie’s Eats and am enamored with your photos and recipes! I love to bake and have recently been searching for the perfect homemade brownie recipe that yields a texture like the box mix and have been disappointed thus far. Homemade never seem to have the signature crackly top or the perfect crumb/chew of the box mix. I can’t wait to try this recipe, though there is part of me that hesitates to do one that has so many more steps than the easy box mix. However, my desire to cut back on processed foods wins this fight. Thank you for your work in tracking these down!
Do you think this recipe will do well with WWF as I ran out of AP?
i actually did a whole series on this last year on my blog…i was sick of my favorite brownies being from a box so i tried out a whole bunch of everyone’s favorite recipes.
if you do a search on http://serialbaker.com for brownies you will see the feedback ont he contestants. unfortunately i did not have a clear recipe winner, but fortunately we all got to eat a bunch of delicious brownies, so we were all winners!
These turned out really good! I like the coffee taste. It was definitely chewy and had a nice sheeny top. :)
Yes – I agree..I have been a HUGE fan of Barefoot Contessa brownies for years and after making the CI ones I will never go back. These are PERFECT.
But it’s impossible to wait to cut into the brownies knowing what is awaiting! I’ll have to try really, really hard.
@Deanna: Thanks! I’ll post again about it when I make these in a few weeks!
One of my favorite brownie recipes requires a convection oven , but is the very best . It is from Sarah Leah Chase’s Nantucket Open House Cookbook .
Do try it…
I still love the box brownies too and will give this recipe a try !!
These brownies are absolutely fabulous. I made some a couple of days ago with Easter-colored M&M’s for the first day of spring, and they were adorable and SO so delish. Fantastic!
@S
Yes, I did reduce the sugar by almost half a cup! They were still sweet and delicious, especially after sitting for a day. Also, my baking time was closer to 40 minutes, after 30 minutes the middle was still raw. Everyone at work loved them when I brought them in on the weekend. Maybe I will make these instead of the boxed stuff…
Brownie Box Mix Do-over by Anne Bryn (Cakemix Doctor and my favorite cookbook “What can I bring?”). Take your brownie mix and add only 2 eggs and 1 stick butter almost melted. Bake 350 for 25-30 min. Let cool and place in fridge. THEY ARE SO GOOD AND FUDGIEEEEEE!
@Deanna
Did you reduce the sugar in the recipe since you used semi-sweet? I’m planning on making this in a few weeks, but I couldn’t find bittersweet or unsweetened in my tiny local grocery store, so I bought only the semi-sweet chocolate….
So they turned out pretty good. Not better than the Ghiradelli box mix from Costco though, so I figure I might as well stick with that. They were better than any from scratch recipe I’ve tried
I have my pan in the oven as I write this! I’ll let you know how they turn out. I didn’t have unsweetened chocolate so I used semi-sweet…
Even though I have a trusted brownie recipe, I am going to try these, because they look so good! You’re right, box brownies aren’t really that bad, and the best thing is, they are consistent :)
Nailed it, indeed! I had to check out the full article after your delicious looking brownies, and CI sure did their homework! These are definitely the best brownies I’ve ever made…the texture is just perfect and they sure pack a chocolately punch! Thanks for sharing this recipe with everyone!
Chew brownies are always the best! Thanks for sharing the recipes and some tips on how to come up with this. I will try this sometime and see how it works out for me.
why is it absolutly necesary to cool them before cutting into them, does it affect the texture/chewy factor?
those pictures of yours were sooo good – that I baked them today!
i half the recipe and reduced the sugar to 70% (asians don’t like our stuff too sweet) and while they were nice, not as chewy as i expected….and sure didn’t look as good as yours! mine looked kindda….cakey? maybe it hasn’t cooled down completely.
interesting to fold the bittersweet chips in instead of melting – retains the chocolately-ness in a subtly way. definitely not the richness brownie, but i’m sure some pple like it tt way!:)
I love the level of detail of America’s Test Kitchen :) These brownies look sinfully delicious.
I’m SOOOOOO trying these!
I have that recipe bookmarked in the magazine. Now I know I have to try it!
Just to let you know, my office is RAVING about these today! They all agree I live in a very, dangerous house :) Love you!!
So glad to have someone openly post about the brownie box mix love so many of us secretly share! But now I’m even happier–I can’t wait to have “box mix brownies” that I can make from scratch!
What gorgeous beauties are these!!! Makes me cry for these, coz I am unable to pick them off from my monitor screen. Absolutely amazing!!!
They r so beautiful n tempting!
I made these last night. I only had natural cocoa, not dutch-processed, so I added a dash of baking soda.
I cooked at 325 degrees since I have a convection oven.
I ended up cooking about 38 minutes…though I still felt that they were a little underdone. Are they supposed to be quite soft? Or maybe it’s because I used the wrong type of cocoa?
Yours also came out a tad thicker than mine. I used a 13×9 pyrex dish.
Having used dutch processed in place of regular cocoa before, the dutch tends to be much finer and results in a drier product. So it was probably the cocoa
So what do you recommend if no dutch cocoa is available. Should more regular cocoa be added to make it drier? thanks
A great recipe, so easy to bake! absolutely delicious
Great recipe and pics thanks for the info.
Chewy brownies are the best brownies! I can’t stand dry, cakey ones. Ick!
good, so hungry:) thanks for share their knowledge
oh those look delicious! I’m drooling…I wish I could have one right now :)
My daughter is in love with the boxed brownies. I just baked the King Arthur brownies and she said they were almost as good at the Ghirardelli. I’ll have to give these a try.
in all my brownie making, for the chocolate ingredient its always been either melted or powdered – never thought what a combo of the two would do! same with the butter and veg oil. hmmmmmmmmmmm i think there’s going to be just ONE MORE recipe to add to the repertoire!(i wish LOST wasn’t on tonight – ’cause i’d be heading into the kitchen right now!)
Hi, Michelle. Finally! ATK tackled the chewy brownie conundrum (right texture but little flavour or vice versa).
I’ve bought books on brownies, to no avail. in seeking the perfect chewy version. This looks very promising, and I’ll report in a few days. I have high hopes, as ATK never fails, in my experience.
Thanks so very much,
Dan
Those do look like great brownies. Thanks for sharing!
Those chewy, fudgey brownies look insanely delicious!!
WOW … they look absolutely divine!
Amazing! I love an ooey-gooey chewy brownie! I love Cooks Illustrated.
These were the one item in the latest issue that I had to try – I need to make them soon! Yours look great!
I am a HUGE fan of box mix brownies. I will definitely try these!!
I can’t wait to try this recipe! But, ummm…”For the chewiest texture, it’s important to cool brownies completely before cutting”…is this truly possible? Has it been done? ;-) lol…
It’s a colleague’s birthday friday and I was debating making choc. chip cookies, but I think you may have swayed me. wow, look so so good!
Oh my. Those look like *just* the kind of brownies I love….moist and super chocolatey!
I have to say. The nerd in me loves that this all comes down to science.
Gotta love a fudgy chewy brownie. These look amazing.
If I ever get married, my cake will be brownies – that’s how much I love them. Can’t wait to try out this recipe and fortify it will a little chili powder!
Yum, yum and yum! Looks so good and I”m sure it tastes good too! Brownies is my weakness, especially the gooey, oooey type. Thank you for posting this.
I would like a few (pans) of these right now! Yum :)
those look SO good! the people at cook’s illustrated sure know how to do it right!
Oh, what a dreamy thought…chewy, ooey, gooey, yummy brownies. MMMM My friend make a Chocolate Caramel Brownie to serve with our lunch today. I could have eaten the whole pan!!
I read this article too! I love how they scientifically talk about each component and what it does. I actually love the brownie recipe I’ve made for the last, oh, dozen times I’ve made brownies. But these do look tempting…
I own the book. But, have not made the brownies. Looks great.
Brownies are always my favourite, especially those chewy ones. Yours look very mist and chewy….mmmm
can y’al help me plz i reallly need help for my conventional oven project i’m in ta 9th and don’t know what 2 do plz helllp me and in deserts
I had definitely earmarked that recipe when our Cook’s Illustrated arrived, and now you’ve made me want to move it to the top of the list. YUM!
oh my those look fantastic. I’m totally going to make them stat. Thanks for posting!
You got me…those look unbelieveable! The inside looks so perfectly fundgy. I can’t wait to try them! And how interesting about the fat ratios. I never would’ve thunk!
I am so glad you posted this. I just picked up this cooks illustrated and wanted to know how this recipe would turn out. These look so yummy!
You’ve done it again! These look fantastic!
wow, so much science behind a brownie…who knew?!? These look perfect, so I have no choice but to make them!!
Agh! That’s the brownie recipe I tested for them. I was hoping it would never get published, and I could use it as my secret brownie recipe forever. No such luck! But I have to say, this really is the very best from-scratch brownie recipe I have ever tried. (And I would definitely use the instant espresso.) Your pictures are beautiful and mouthwatering as always. I’m so glad I made a batch of these not too long ago and froze some of them!
CI is the best cooking magazine around, imo. The brownies look spectacular. Heh, those Ghiradelli mixes are definitely a step above Betty Crocker.
you know last week i totally overindulged in some awesome brownies and swore them off…until now! these look SOOOOOOOO incredible, way better than store-bought mixes!
I love brownies, LOVE THEM! These look so great! I love a crackly top and soft inside. Yum!
crackly, not cracky. I am going to get coffee now, to wake me up…
I think that homemade is always better than bought. But when it comes to homemade brownies, they’re just not as good as the boxed mix. I’m going to have to try this recipe very soon!
Wow, I am salivating. The cracky top won me over.
Great brownie tips! I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to eat just one of these. I always appreciate the testing and re-testing that America’s Test Kitchen goes through to get the perfect recipe. I have their Family Baking Book and it’s fantastic!
I did a brownie post this week, too! Ha! Great minds. And I love America’s Test Kitchen recipes–they are always so right on and so fascinating to read the notes! Will definitely be trying this one.
mmm yum!! they look great especially after my brownie fail this weekend… i’m still craving them. fyi – low/no fat brownies = no good :-)
oh my god those look amazing. I love chewy brownies, those cakey ones just aren’t good if you ask me! I will be making these pronto!
OMG those look so good!! I love that they did a recipe that tries to mimmic the boxed version of something! I want to make this so badly! For once being able to say that I made better-than-the-box brownies!
I hope I can wait to cut into these:)
me too!
I love chewy brownies, those cakey ones just aren’t good if you ask me! I will be making these pronto. https://flirtymania.com/es.html