The Baked Brownie
The Baked Brownie! Totally famous and for good reason – they are rich, dense, fudge-like brownies; you’ll never need another brownie recipe!
The famed Baked brownie. Oprah says it’s one of her favorite things. America’s Test Kitchen claims it’s their favorite brownie.
I don’t put much stock in Oprah, but America’s Test Kitchen is pretty much like the bible to me when it comes to all things kitchen. I check their reviews before any other recipes, and before I buy any kitchen equipment or new ingredients. So, if it’s their favorite brownie, I need to take a serious look.
If you haven’t treated yourself to the beauty that is the Baked cookbook
, run, don’t walk, to Amazon and order it immediately. The Baked series is one of my most coveted groups of cookbooks – they have incredibly wonderful recipes, many that have a cozy, homey feel as well as some that have unique tweaks. I could go on about all of the amazing recipes in this book, but for now, let’s focus on these brownies. Because they deserve it. They are one of my favorite things. And I usually need to hide them from myself.
There is a great explanation in the book about how the Baked brownie recipe came to be, which is a great read. The key is that they don’t want it to be cakey, so they use no leavening agents (no baking powder or baking soda). With 11 ounces of chocolate, additional cocoa powder, lots of butter and sugar, and 5 eggs, you don’t need me to tell you that these babies are R-I-C-H.
This is quite possibly the most perfect brownie. Now, if you like cakey brownies you won’t think so. But, if you like honest-to-goodness, rich and dense brownies, you will have found your Eden when you bite into these.
They have a good bit of height given that they don’t have any leavening agents, so they aren’t thin, gooey and smooshed like some brownies (this is a good thing). They have substance and heft when you bite into them, and they boast the ever-elusive and much sought after thin, crackly brownie crust that seems to be the calling card of amazing brownies.
Now, get thee into the kitchen and make these! Then pour yourself a tall glass of cold milk and enjoy bite after decadent bite.
Three years ago: Toasted Almond Fudge Ripple Ice Cream
Four years ago: Coconut Cream Pie
The Baked Brownie
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups (156.25 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, natural or Dutch-process will work
- 11 ounces (311.85 g) dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
- 5 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9x13-inch glass or light-colored baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together.
- Put the chocolate, butter and instant espresso powder in a large heat-proof bowl and set it over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water and add the sugars. Whisk until completely combined, then remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be room temperature.
- Add 3 eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
- Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula (not a whisk), fold the flour mixture into the chocolate until just a bit of the flour mixture is visible.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs sticking to it, about 30 minutes. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan, then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into squares and serve. Store at room temperature in an airtight container or wrap with plastic wrap for up to 3 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 October 8, 2010.
Is the Dark Chocolate supposed to be sweetened or unsweetened?
My forever brownies recipes. Been 10 years and still loving it.
My favorite brownie recipe. It is rich and chewy.
I’ve been making this recipe for close to a decade. It is literally THE best brownie recipe I’ve ever tried!
Hi I have a 13 x 18 pan should I double up the recipe
I’ve been using this recipe for 10 years, its my go to!
I’ve been using this recipe for a couple of years. I’m not a good cook and try to follow it to the letter – they’re always delicious and appreciated by the people I share them with.
Thanks a lot!
5 star brownie ALL THE WAY!!!!
are high hemp wraps healthy
My family loves this recipe but the few times I’ve made them they always seem a bit too greasy. I’m using the suggested amount of butter plus buttering the pan before adding parchment paper. Would it mess up the recipe to cut back on the amount of butter?
Hi Rachel, I think you could cut down the butter a bit without harm to the recipe.
The BEST. My go-to brownie recipe, always gets rave reviews and clean pan at any party. Not gritty at all like other homemade recipes I have tried in the past. Definitely worth the effort.
Made this, it was dense like cake and was basically like bread and cake mixed and didn’t taste good. Did everything right beside adding a tablespoon of milk to make it thinner because the mixture was too thick.
I just made these. They’ve been my go-to brownie recipe for years — they never fail me. My favorite variation is to add dollops of creamy peanut butter to the batter right before baking. I made them in a 8×8 ceramic pan, which took about 55 minutes to bake. I didn’t halve the recipe, but in retrospect I probably should have. The edges were a little more done than the center, but they were still delicious. Thank you for an amazing recipe!
I tried these and they are SOOO good! I’m highly impressed. Thank you for the recipe!
Crazy Q–Do you ever get a hard/chewy white piece from the egg? How to avoid it please?
Hi Kim, I’ve never had that issue!
This is caused by adding the egg to a mixture that is too hot, causing some of the egg white to cook. Make sure your mixture is cool before adding any eggs to it.
Can I make these in a mini muffin tin?
I never have, but I’m sure you could try!
These are hands. down. the. BEST.
Easy Step to follow, keep up, thanks
Let’s just say Ive made these several times after finding them on Pinterest. Why I looked there instead of here first anyway, I’ll never know. I was asked to make these twice in one week… For one person. I add a cup of mini semisweet chips to these. One batch I also added chopped drained marchinio cherries. Another batch I swirled in peanut butter. You can’t go wrong here. Hands down winner
This is very delicious. Maybe I’ll try it someday.
8 years later I stumble on this… tried to make them and the outer ring tasted fantastic… but then I realised the inside wasn’t actually cooked (weirdly, the toothpick I inserted came out fine…?). but it’s super oozy… and greasy….? I’m not in the US, so I’m wondering if something is off with my ingredients… maybe the fat content of my butter?
What percent cacao is your dark chocolate? I think I used too high of a percentage. Thank you
Hi Justina, It is 60%.
In reference to the name…….aren’t all brownies baked? However I can relate to your opinion when it comes to reviews by “America’s Test Kitchen, especially tools in the kitchen… What they’ve demonstrated countless times is many companies NEVER did prototyping of their product they released on the market. There is NO way they could have had 10 or 20 people used and tested many of the products that sre sold. There is no way otherwise they would have fixed the problems. My family used to have a store for a while. We sold many things, including kitchen tools. I quickly came to appreciate the upset.
Hi Pamela, The name comes from the bakery where the brownie recipe originated – it is called simply “Baked”.
A close friend of mine loves this recipe, but is on a lowcarb diet. So, I’m trying to modify this to make her feel a little better about eating them. I plan to use coconut flour in a ~1/3: 1 ratio while decreasing the number of eggs to adhere to a 6:1 ratio I found on some online tutorials. I will post the final results and recipe later after the taste test.
Wish me luck :)
Hi! My mother in law wants a black forest brownie for her birthday…any ideas on adding to this recipe or the better than box?
Hi Carolyn, I would use the better than box mix brownies – that’s my go-to recipe for doctored up brownies!
Thank you…how would you incorporate the cherries? What type and amount? I have found so many variations! Syrups, jams, frozen, fresh…goodness! I am paring it with coffee ice cream and fudge sauce…she is a woman who knows what she wants! I love it!
And by the way….have you ever heard of an 8 x 10 brownie pan? It is in a cookbook I have and I have never seen that….did searches and nothing came up except quarter sheets…but that just doesn’t seem deep enough.
Have a great day!
Hi Carolyn, I would do fresh, but they’re not in season right now, so frozen might work well too! I’ve never heard of an 8×10 pan, but I do know that Pyrex makes a 7×11!
Best brownies EVER!!!❤ Thank you so much for the amazing recipes! If I ever need to make something new, I check to see if you’ve already made it cause I know if you’ve made it, then you’ve perfected it! Thank you, thank you, thank you!☺
Fabulous every time :)
This is one of the first made from scratch brownie recipes I’ve tried that is absolutely worth the extra effort vs using a box mix. My bible study absolutely raved about them and fought over bringing the leftovers home!! Thanks so much for sharing.
I have made these brownies several times and they are always fantastic! They are so rich and dense; the texture is moist and fudgy without being too ‘gooey.’ I will never go back to another brownie recipe again! I never wait for the chocolate mixture to cool to room temperature before adding the eggs and my brownies turn out just fine. These usually do end up taking up to 10 minutes longer to cook than the recipe says.
This is now my go-to brownie recipe. Everything you promised and more !
Hi, if I want to make say 8 brownies, can I just divide all the quantities by 3 and cross my fingers? :)
I mean, you COULD… but you could also make the regular batch and freeze what you don’t need for another day!
I made 2/3rd of the recipe and it didn’t turn out fudgy. It was cakey. Even though I was careful not to overmix
😑
Made these exactly per recipe using 9×13 light metal pan, even cooked them 5-10 min longer than the 30m it called for as toothpick was still very wet at 30m…though middle still seemed too soft I took them out as the sides were getting too done and I assumed the carry over cooking from heat of pan would carry them to correct doneness…I let them fully cool and didn’t even attempt to cut them until well after 2 hrs…the entire middle section was a gobbly gooey mess!…wouldn’t even cut into a square let alone hold in hand to eat…could only use outer layer 2 rows in and even they were very gooey and messy to eat with your hand like brownies are meant to be eaten…I tried these as the description and picture is exactly how I like brownies but mine turned out nothing like picture!…I don’t feel the problem is my oven temp as I dont have issues with other things I cook…as well I was very careful about reading everything through and am certain ingredients were spot on…so disappointed…what a waste of time and ingredients…for the life of me I cannot find a brownie recipe that’s not too gooey or cake like…it’s beyond me how so many others loved these ???
I made these and they are awesome! But my kids prefer the taste of milk chocolate. Is it an equal substitute to put in milk chocolate? Have a blessed day!
Hi Brianne, I think if you used milk chocolate these would be way, way too sweet. I’d try stepping down to semisweet chocolate first.
I use milk chocolate and raw sugar every time. Bake a little longer….. extra 10ish minutes. the most incredible chewy crust forms once you put them in the fridge!!! (A must in my opinion)
Oh my goodness these are amazing. I have always been a boxed brownie believer, but these have changed my mind. Chocolately and moist with that signature crackly top–they’ve got it all! Thanks for the recipe!
Can you use cacao instead of cocoa?
I’m honestly not sure how it would affect the flavor and texture.
My sugars aren’t melting at all! What do I do? 😑
Hi AJ, Are you talking about step #3? They don’t need to melt, you just need to whisk to thoroughly combine them.
Delicious brownie , mine came out too soon. Only 25 min but the taste is superb! The kind of brownie that doesn’t need nuts or chocolate chips! I’ll make it again
I made these and wow, they’re fabulous. So fudgy and rich tasting. I added chopped walnuts and it brought them to another level. Definitely will keep this recipe.
One of the best brownie recipes I could find online. You are a true magician in the kitchen. Thanks for providing this complete in-depth recipe on the best brownie of all time – baked every time :)
Great recipes and I also like that your ads are about helping Animals! I have made your Irish Soda Bread and that cane out really well. Thanks so much for sharing the photos of the finished recipe and of your men in short pants!
Ellen in NJ and the 2 Senior Cats and the 4 Horses
Just made these for dessert after dinner tonight – they were perfect! Even better with vanilla ice cream on top. ? These are not super sweet. Would make again!
I made these for a treat for the teachers at my daughters school and they absolutely loved them! Recipe was easy to follow and the results were spectacular! Thanks for another great recipe.
I love this cookie made baked…
I did this recipe for a friends birthday and EVERYBODY loved them i chopped them into mini brownies so there were like a bite of heaven, they were so good, so moist and NOT overwhelmingly sweet that I did another batch this weak and kept half for myself (6)
Thank you so much, this will be my go to brownie recipe for now on.
I’m off dairy and usually replace butter with coconut oil. However in cakes I found coconut oil to be heavy. Is it ok tho in this brownie as it is more of a furgy brownie???
Hi Chaya, I’m honestly not sure, I’ve never used coconut oil in place of butter in baked goods. If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out!
EXCELLENT PERFECTION!
Just had to say that I made these today, and they came out EXACTLY like the picture! Everything was spot-on, including the baking time. I noticed in some previous comments that some people had problems with it, but these brownies were perfect at exactly 30 minutes. Also, I’m obsessed with Mexican chocolate flavor, so I added some cinnamon to the dry ingredients mixture. To die for! This is now my go-to brownie recipe, so thanks for sharing it.
hi,
i want to make a big batch of brownie for about 60 people. would you recommend doubling or tripling the recipe and make one big batch at one go?
thanks.
I’m not sure you could find a pan large enough to adequately double or triple this recipe, but you can certainly mix it up all at once and bake it in batches.
Just made these yesterday and they were AMAZING! So moist, rich and not cake-like at all! I didn’t have a 9×13 so made them in a 9×9 using the exact same ingredients (didn’t half it at all), baked it for 45 minutes at 350 and they were perfect!
Tried your recipe today and I was so thrilled! I nailed it! So rich and moist.
From one brown-eyed baker to another…thank you!
Oh WOW! That looks like the best brownie ever! You know a brownie recipe is good when it needs no frosting! Yum! :)
Wow–these are completely amazing! I made them last night and brought them to work and they’re going fast! Love the richness and fudgy-ness!
I love your brownie recipe. They are the best, so far, from the recipe’s I’ve already tried. I’ve made these baked brownies many times following your instructions and recipe. But I want to try baking it without the chopped dark chocolate bar and instead just use dark cocoa powder. How much dark cocoa powder should I put as substitute?
Thanks very much Michelle. :)
Hi Aice, I’m not sure I would recommend that, since there is such a large amount of chocolate, the melted state contributes quite a bit of liquid/moisture to the recipe. Using just cocoa powder would make for a much drier recipe.
Thank you very much. :)
I also have this Baked cookbook and have made these brownies several times. They are fantastic! Definitely one of my favorites! So rich and fudgy!
These babies are too die for! I have replace the cocoa with melted chocolate and it was heaven. my husband and friends totally love it! thanks for the recipe!
These are by far thee best brownie I have ever tasted! I have been making them since I read the recipe on your blog long ago. I have tried so many brownie recipes in my years, but this blows away the competition. The only thing I change is that I don’t always have espresso powder on hand, so I use a small packet of decaf instant coffee instead- the flavor is out-of-this-world!
I’m not much of a fan of cakey brownies so these sound perfect to me! I’ll definitely be saving this and making it in the future!
Aleeha xXx
http://www.halesaaw.com/
I am not a chocolate fan but I love to bake for friends and family. My dad has been requesting brownies and I was about to make your better-than-box brownies and saw this recipe posted. What is the difference between the two? Which one do you think is better?
Hi Rita, They’re both fabulous and my top two brownie choices! I would call the better-than-box brownies more of your “everyday” brownie – you might grab one (or two) for a snack. The Baked brownie is much more rich and decadent, making one enough for a dessert.
Michelle, I’m disappointed in your comment about Oprah. Why isn’t she entitled to have a favorite brownie? What if someone said “BEB loves these but I don’t put much stock in her opinion”? If you’re going to disregard someone’s opinions, why even mention their name?
Oh for crying out loud. Get a grip.
Oprah is entitled to have a favorite brownie. I know a lot of people love her and pay attention to her “favorite things” lists, which is why I mentioned it. However, for all things food-related, I trust America’s Test Kitchen’s opinion way more, which is why I included THEIR opinion.
These Baked brownies are exceptionally good, but as a connisseur of the ultimate chocolately, gooey brownies, I actually prefer the texture of Alice Medrich’s Best Cocoa Brownies.
http://food52.com/recipes/21007-alice-medrich-s-best-cocoa-brownies
I wouldn’t turn down either of them.
Hi Jane, I’ve never tried those, thanks for sharing, I’ll bake them up soon!
You can’t go wrong with Alice Medrich. She has devoted years of her life to chocolate. I trust her implicitly and I’ve never tried a chocolate recipe of hers that wasn’t devastating.
The brown sugar in this recipe caught my eye as I scanned the ingredient list. I don’t think I’ve ever seen brown sugar in a brownie recipe. Very interesting! Maybe I’ll make a batch these today to celebrate the Pens :))
YES! THEY DID IT!!!
Oh man. These just finished cooling. I’ve just cut them and had one. Seriously. Best brownies ever. My life has been changed because of these brownies. So moist! So chewy! So chocolatey! I didn’t use parchment paper, instead I just greased and floured. I divided the pan into fourths, took the first fourth (the “ugly fourth”) and cut it for me and my husband. The rest came out of the pan quite nicely. Using a bench scraper, I slid each quadrant onto a cutting board, and used the bench scraper to cut perfect pieces. The perfect pieces are going to my father as today is his 59th birthday and brownies are his favorite treat! I’m delighted. He will love them.
As always, thanks Michelle!
This has been on my to bake list for years. Finally made them yesterday. I’m usually a healthy baker so I didn’t have all-purpose flour. I used 3/4 c whole wheat and the rest brown rice flour. I also only used 9 oz dark chocolate instead of 11 as I didn’t want any extra in the house to only use 1/3 more of the extra chocolate bar I would have had to buy. ??? end result: YUMMY!!
Does the Dutch Cocoa -meaning it’s alkalized- act as a leavening agent? There are certainly enough other basic ingredients for it to interact with.
Yes, depending on the interaction with other ingredients, it can act as a bit of a leavening agent.
Just finished eating these warm with some vanilla bean ice cream. I feel VERY satisfied!
I made these brownies last night and they are THE BEST I’VE HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!! My husband seconds that. :)
While I’d love to eat a whole 9×13 pan of brownies it’s probably not the best idea. Is there a way to make a half batch of these in an 8 or 9 inch square pan? The thing I’m not sure of is the eggs, if I would use 2 and a yolk or what. Also wasn’t sure of baking time and how much to reduce it. Has anyone tried?
sorry for some reason it did not let me directly reply but i just wanted to say that i ended up trying it and it worked. i just had to double the amount of white chocolate to be able to cover the whole surface (the original recipe is for an 8×8 brownie). i actually liked it better with this frosting but i like it with ice cream the most. but i just have to ask, is it just me, or does this brownie taste way better the next day? if i try it right after it has finished cooling off and it’s at room temperature, it tastes like it has too much sugar and not enough chocolate but the next day you get the full deep chocolate flavor. because of this, i always make it the day before.
i love this recipe, thanks for posting. i had also been meaning to try cook’s illustrated’s white chocolate and peppermint brownie, but do you think i could just use that white chocolate and peppermint frosting on top of this brownie?
Hi Jose, I have not made those brownies, but I looked them up quickly and it looks as though they use a sturdier brownie recipe than this one. It may still work, but I can’t guarantee.
I made a few mistakes with the recipe (eggs straight out of the fridge, left the heat on the burner while mixing) and they still turned out to be the best brownies I have ever consumed in my life. I can’t wait to try again and see what happens when you follow the recipe correctly. If you are trying to decide whether or not to make these, MAKE THEM. :)
EuZEKT http://www.FyLitCl7Pf7kjQdDUOLQOuaxTXbj5iNG.com
are you using baking chocolet 100 percent cocoa?
Hi Jessica, I used Dutch-process cocoa powder and 60% cacao chocolate.
baked it!ate it!loooved it!!!!!!!amazing
Hell, I was wondering if I can use semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate or bitterrsweet chocolate.
Hi Kassandra, You can use semisweet, the resulting brownie will just be a bit more on the sweet side.
Hi! I can’t buy 60% chocolate… Can I buy 40%? Does it change the recipe?
Hi Amelia, Sure, your brownies may taste just a little bit sweeter than the original recipe intended.
I was so disappointed in these brownies :-( I followed the instructions to the absolute T and them came out…..stiff. Like cake that tried to somehow become a spongy biscotti. No dense, fudgy texture at all. I keep thinking maybe the 30 mins was just way too long but it still doesn’t account for the strange texture. I used high quality all purpose flour, the correct sugars, the correct time, good butter, good chocolate….at a loss. It’s not often I wil say brownies are inedible. :-(
I’ve made so many of your recipes over the years and I cannot figure out why I am JUST discovering these brownies. They really are the best brownie I have ever eaten — ever! Thank you for this fabulous recipe which will be the only brownie recipe I will use from now on.
Do you think it would hurt the brownies too much if I put in 3 eggs instead of 5?
Hi Shannon, Yes, it would definitely affect the recipe, I would not recommend doing this.
Mine turned out like cake; think I beat it too long after adding the eggs, cause I was worried they weren’t fully incorporated (there was liquid surrounding the batter). So be careful of that, but the taste is fantastic! :D
Is there a way to use fewer eggs? How specifically and what will it do to the taste? Made these a lot and love it, but my son is requesting it.
Thank you!!!!
Hi Kim, I have not experimented with using fewer eggs, so I couldn’t say for sure how the texture will be affected.
My go to brownie, every single time. I add cinnamon to the dry ingredients sometimes for a Mexican kick. Or sprinkle choc chips over the top before baking. Sometimes peanut butter chips. Occasionally, it’s walnuts. I’m not going to lie. Easiest, tastiest, richest brownie recipe I have ever made! Best part, I don’t have to use my big mixer. Love it!
Hi is it possible to get this recipe in grams ? thanks so much
This is my go-to brownie recipe. It’s super fudgy and gooey. I divide the batter between 2 8-inch square pan and bake for 20 minutes.
I can honestly say these are the best brownies in the world. I have people rave to me when i make them. they’re such a hit and it’s my go-to brownie recipe. Thanks!
Best brownie ever!! Wayyy better than any store made nonsense :P I live in Qatar and I was looking for a really good brownie recipe and I’ve hit the jackpot. Thank you so much! I have taken a photo but I have no way to share it here :/
Loved these brownies…would like to add nuts, maybe 1/2 to 1 cup of chopped pecans. Would that change the cooking time?
Hi Brenda, No, that should not change the baking the time. Glad you enjoyed the brownies! :)
These brownies look delicious – and super moist at that!
Happy Baking! :)
Sydney
I made these brownies & they were divine!!!! My only question is how long should u wait before adding the eggs to the chocolate mixture? I was so paranoid about cooking the eggs that I iced down the bowl with the hot choc mixture.
Hi Krisie, I just wait it out, the length of time will depend on how warm (or cool) your kitchen is. I literally just stick my finger into the mixture to see if it’s down to room temperature or not.
I’m thinking of making these gluten free. Can I just swap for an AP GF flour or would I need something else?
Hi Crystal, I’ve never used any type of gluten-free flour, so unfortunately I can’t offer any advice on how to alter these.
You know this has to be a great recipe when 4 years later, people are still commenting. Can’t wait to make these?
Could someone clarify the amount of flour for me? 1 1/4 cup of flour would be about 150g or 5.6 oz, is that correct? I am new to baking so I try to be as accurate as I can. Whenever I measure flour by volume I tend to run in trouble. A “cup” of flour can weigh anywhere between 4 and 5 1/2 ounces.
Hi Maya, I use the King Arthur Flour weight chart for all of my conversions, so according to that, 1 cup all-purpose flour = 4.25 ounces. Therefore, 1.25 cups of all-purpose flour equates to 5.3 ounces. I hope that helps!
1 cup, 2 sticks of butter, sounds like too much to use with only 1 1/4 cup of flour. They look good in the photo, though.
Great texture, definitely not cakey. I’m bringing these to a 4th of July party:)
Picked up a couple of the key ingredients on the way home and made these brownies last night. The directions were very easy to follow and the results were amazing. Used a 9.7 oz. bar of 70% Bittersweet Chocolate from Scharffen Berger plus Medaglia d’Oro Espresso powder. Absolutely delicious!
What do you think the baking time would be if I halved the recipe?
Hi Sara, I am not sure, as I have never halved the recipe. You could try decreasing it a bit and go from there.
I made your baked brownies today & I must say they came out AMAZING. so moist and fudge-y with the most perfect crackle crust…. I did make a few changes however:
Used milk chocolate instead of dark & decreased the amount of sugar -(1 cup white & 1/2 cup coconut sugar)
Baked them at 150C for 30min. They are PERFECT. my husband & kids all agree.
Can’t wait to try the salted caramel ones!!!
I’m making these for the first time and I just added the sugar and the mixture is very grainy with the sugar in it. Is that normal before I add eggs and the dry mixture? Thanks!
Hi Kayla, Yes, it will all come together!
i made these for to take to a bbq and everyone was raving, they are delicious. how would they do baked in a mini muffin tin? i wanted to make brownie bites.
Hi Tanya, I’ve never tried it, so unfortunately I couldn’t say :(
Hi,
I spontaneously decided to bake these brownies today because the description (which was, by the way, also stilistically pretty cool!) sounded exactly like what I’ve been looking for for so long. I’m german, and all brownies you ever get served here have that spongy, cakey texture I abhor. They came out magnificent and the three other people I used as guinea pigs loved them! (Or at least they pretended to do so which might have been due to the fact that I held a kitchen knife in my hand.) Thanks for the great recipe.
The only problem I encountered was that the brownies were VERY hard to get out of the baking pan (probably because I just buttered it since I was out of baking parchment and also didn’t let it cool off completely out of- let’s face it- sheer greed.)
Also, I added a bit less salt, which proved to be the right decision for me personally, and the next time I will use a little less sugar and a little more chocolate in order to make the brownies even more chocolatey :)
Oh, and by the way: it can be quite inconvenient for someone in Germany or probably Europe in general to cook/bake after american recipes, because we don’t use the same quantity and temperature units and a lot of the stuff that’s often required just isn’t available here. For other non-american readers:
– There are websites and web calculators that help you convert the american units into yours. Just, for example, google “ounces to gram” and you will probably find what you need. Also, you can apparently buy plastic “cup” beakers on Ebay or elsewhere pretty cheaply.
For german readers: two of the sites I used to convert the units: http://amerikanisch-kochen.de/maseinheiten and http://www.usa-kulinarisch.de/informationen/masseinheiten-umrechnen/.
DON’T FORGET TO CONVERT FAHRENHEIT TO CELSIUS! I almost fell victim to that, and believe me, baking brownies at 350° Celsius for half an hour is a very, very bad idea.
– Packed sugar isn’t available here. In fact, I had to google and find out what packed sugar even is! All sugar, both white and brown, is sold granulated or powdered around here. To achieve the additional moistness that is provided by the packed sugar I used our regular granulated brown sugar, and added a tablespoon of sugar beet molasses. It worked out very well, although you might want to consider using a little less sugar in general as a compensation.
Thanks again!
“Packed” brown sugar isn’t a type of sugar but how you measure it! Rather than spooning the sugar into the cup and leaving it with quite a bit of air, you need to pack the sugar down into the cup and squish out the air so that you can’t fit anymore in. Brown sugar is really the only one that you “pack” due to its consistency. You might also see some recipes that call for “loosely” or “lightly” packed, or “firmly” packed. What I think you’re referring to as “brown” sugar in Germany is actually what we’d call raw sugar, or demerara sugar, which doesn’t “pack”. Brown sugar is a completely different thing and quite soft and moist. If you’re looking for it online ignore the “packed” and just look for “light brown sugar” (it also comes in a variety (soft, muscovado) of dark brown sugars, which could probably be substituted, you’ll just get a richer (still!) brownie).
They look sooooo good! But I have a doubt, does the sugar dissolve un the butter/chocolate mixture?
It will look grainy when mixed at first, but yes, it dissolves when baked.
This looks amaaaazing! :)
http://cafecraftea.blogspot.com
Hello, BEB, tried this recipe after drooling over it for a couple of weeks. Went smoothly till the melted chocolate part, but when I added the sugars, it went all strange. Still waiting for it to cool to see if i can salvage any of it – not too hopeful – but at the moment it looks like the sugars and the chocolate have ganged up, leaving the liquid butter swirling around it. I am going to forge ahead, after all, it’s chocolate. Can’t dump it without breaking my heart. Will see what the end result is like. Sigh!
Wow their Mouth Watering and they Look Yummy
Hi….. I tried this recipe yesterday. The brownies came out tasting delicious but it is very cakey and looks more like a chocolate cake. I am not sure what I did wrong.
In step 3 when I whisk the sugar into mixture of butter, chocolate and espresso powders, I find it difficult to make it all completely combined. It seems that that butter cannot blend completely with the other ingredients and so, batter looks watery (butter looks disintegrated with the other ingredients). At that point, I felt like I have failed the process somehow. I really not sure whether it is supposed to be like that. Please advise. Thanks
Hi! These brownies look so amazingly delicious that I want to bake them for my friend’s birthday. The only problem is that I only have a 8X8 pan. And I know I should half the recipe, but since the recipe calls for 5 eggs, should I use 2 eggs or 3 eggs?
Thank you!
Hi Christina, I would break one egg and beat it a little with a fork, weigh it, and then use half. That is the most accurate way to split eggs in half.
Found this recipe on Pinterest. All your recipes are great! However these brownies are THE BEST I have ever had, the only recipe I make anymore! Thanks for sharing
How long will I need to bake if I’m using a 9 by 9 pan?
Hi Leah, You will need to cut the recipe in half, and then you’ll probably need to increase the baking time an extra 3 to 7 minutes.
How big are the eggs?
Medium? Because it differ from every country
Hi Leah, Unless otherwise noted, all eggs used in recipes here are large.
I cannot wait too try out this recipe tomorrow!! Baking Saturdays are always the best! I will be reviewing this recipe on my blog. I hope its okay that I listed you on my recent Blogroll post :)
xo
crazyforyou1.blogspot.co.uk
You’re probably like ‘people are still commenting on this?’
I just wanted to let you know I made this once and it was the best brownie I’ve had– I was pregnant and somehow became a brownie-person during the pregnancy. I am making these again today, yippee! That means I’ve literally kept this tab open for more than 4 months… that’s crazy.
I love this :)
I don’t know what it is about brownies.Brownies are the most tempting dessert in the world.
I made these this weekend, and they turned out perfect!!! You showed me that baking scrumptious brownies is easy! :) The only mistake I made was that my pan was a bit smaller, so the batter was thicker and I had to bake them a bit longer, and ended up drying them out a bit :) Anyhow, my family devoured them all, and I definitely loved them. Oh my, the flavour! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Would the recipe still work if I added in some chopped walnuts?
Hi Andrea, Yes, I don’t see why not!
You are officially my ‘go to’ website for all things wonderful. There is just too much out there, and so far, everything I have tried from your site works – including these, so why bother floundering out there in that vast sea of foodie websites. In the time I have wasted in front of this box I could have baked enough of these brownies for everyone in my village. They hit the chocolate nerve! 11 oz of 70% Lindt chocolate goodness packed into these gems helps. Thanks for keeping your site fresh.
Hi! I am a true fan of your recipes! I get them in my mail box and really enjoy reading your posts.
Ever since I lost my brownie recipe, which I had been using for years (awful, right?), I have been searching for a new one.
Soooo, I made these brownies. I followed the recipe to the letter. Total disaster and I don’t know what went wrong. They did form a crust which I liked, but underneath they were all liquid. At the end of the 30 min, as they were not done, I baked them another 15. Still nothing. We ended up eating them with a spoon out of bowls. Don’t get me wrong, the taste was great, just the chocolate fix we needed, but we were in the mood for brownies, which we didn’t have… Could you direct me as to what could be the problem? I even used a clear glass baking dish! Thank you!
Hi Louise, I’m so sorry that you had an issue with these brownies. I’m not sure what the issue could have been, but I would make sure you use an oven thermometer, because if the temperature is off, that could certainly cause issues. I make these all the time and they come out pretty much exactly the same every time.
Just made these and they came out looking good but a little cakey – however they tasted horrible – very odd taste – I followed the recipe exactly and got the Girradeli 60% chocolate and dark cocoa. Not sure what happened. I had been very excited about these and am very disappointed.
I made these tonight. I couldn’t figure out why they were taking so long and still very runny in the middle . Finally, I took them out and put them in the microwave ! Ha.
Well after about 10 minutes in the microwave, they finally firmed up.
Finally it dawned on me that I probably used to small of a pan. I need to pay more attention to the recipe directions next time. I used an 8×8 pyrex dish !
So anyway, my brownies were perhaps a tad underdone but moist with a very good texture anyway. I am ecstatic that I was able to save these. I thought for sure I ruined them.
I’ll just repeat what others have said. These are the best brownies I have ever had !
Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe !
I found your blog on Pinterest and I’m so glad I did! This recipe is so good and makes a perfectly fudgey brownie with a crusty top and chewy edges. Over Christmas I had a cakey brownie (not my fave) and had been craving a more dense brownie ever since. This was the ticket! Thanks for sharing!
I’m planning on making these this weekend and I just have a quick question:
Can the chocolate, butter and instant espresso powder be melted in just a sauce pan over the stove, instead of over a pan of simmering water?
I’m just now realizing that all of my larger bowls are plastic, so I can’t do the method that the recipe calls for. Your input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Lana, Unfortunately, I would not recommend this, as cooking chocolate in a saucepan over direct heat can cause the chocolate to scorch pretty easily. The double boiler method allows for much more gentle heating. If you don’t have any metal, glass or ceramic bowls that you can use, I would recommend microwaving the mixture on 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring after each, until totally melted and smooth.
I have been hesitant to make these as I live at a High Altitude (5700 ft) and the ingredients are expensive but today I caved. There are no set rules for baking at high altitudes, it’s just trial and error. 2 common changes for altitudes are more flour and/or a longer bake time. I chose to increase flour by 1 TBLSP. and kept bake time the same (mostly because toothpick came out clean and I could see edges start to come away from pan) the edges and crust are AMAZING so next time I will still add my extra flour but I will also add about 3-5 min. more time in the oven. p.s. out of parchment paper (after all the holiday baking) so I just sprayed bottom and sides with cooking spray and it worked fine.
Do you need to use instant espresso powder for the baked brownie or do you know a subsitute? thanks!
Hi Hally, I really do recommend it, as it really intensifies the chocolate flavor. However, if you need to, it can be omitted (there are no good substitutes for it).
Sorry, Im new to baking and don’t have many pans, I have a 9inch square is it ok to use this tin and have the brownie a little thicker?
That’s okay! There is actually too much batter to put it all in a 9-inch square pan. If that’s all you have, you will need to cut this recipe in half.
Hi
For baking this brownie if use a glass dish do I still need to line it with paper?
Thank you
Hi Fatema, Yes, if you use a glass dish you still need to line it with paper.
When turning off the heat but keeping the bowl over the steaming water, and then adding the sugars to whisk until completely combined, does the sugar have to be dissolved? Like, how should the chocolate mixture look at room temperature? Btw, your blog post about this recipe is my favourite one :)
Hi Mikaela, It will be a bit grainy. I hope that helps!
Reader from the Philippines! Great blog! I just made them now and waiting for it to cool down. Is it really too liquid in the middle or its just underbaked? I just followed the procedures and baked it for 30 mins.
Hi Paul, They should not be liquid in the middle, but will be slightly under baked. They will set up as they cool. However, note that the recipe does say 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. It’s important to make sure you check the visual clues too, as well as using the time as a guide.
Sorry if this has been asked before but do you know if this recipe doubles well or not? I want to make a double batch they’re so delicious! I love them with peanut butter chips added too :) Thanks!!
Hi Jenny, As this is already made in a 9×13-inch pan, I’m not sure how you could double it and maintain the same thickness. I would probably just make two separate batches if you need more brownies.
I found your recipe 2 weeks ago. I have made them twice since. Everyone that has tried them agrees that perhaps this is the best chunky brownie recipe out there. Kudos. They are to die for. Thanks for sharing!!
These brownies are the only brownies I make now. My family & friends absolutely love them. They are super… Super rich and everything you want in a brownie. I bake mine in a 8×8 brownie pan.
Made these for a friend’s birthday tonight using a 9.7 oz bar of 70% ScharffenBerger and also their cocoa powder. She wanted caramel and pecans, so I added them. She declared them THE BEST BROWNIES I’VE EVER HAD!!! They really are delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe — I will be using this one again!
“store up to 3 day”? Who are we kidding?
Can this recipe be made in 2 8″pans? If so, how long would you bake them for?
Hi Jean, I’m not sure how well the recipe would translate to being halved, as I have not tried it. I’m not sure how long they would need to bake. However, if you’re going to make the same recipe, but split it between two pans, why not just make it in the 9×13 as called for?
Hi there!
I’m sure Jean figured it out by now, but in case someone else had the same question, I wanted to share my experience. I baked these yesterday in two 8×8 glass pans for 30 minutes each (I don’t own a 9×13) and they came out great. I used the metric weights posted on David Lebovitz’s site.
I would describe these as dense and decadent, and I imagine only as good as the chocolate you choose to use. I still prefer my brownies to be very chewy, but would whip up another batch of these for those times I’m craving something rich and dark!
These brownies were sublime! This was the third recipe I’ve tried and it will be the last because I will stick to this one. The crust was fantastic, I used Hershey’s dark cocoa powder and dark semisweet chocolate chips which I found at Walmart. I couldn’t help myself and cut a piece when I took them out of the oven and to my dissapointment was very soft and crumbly. I though I had done something wrong so I let them cool completely. You have to let them cool completely in order for them to gain their texture. Best brownies I’ve ever had….
Goodness I can’t wait to bake these brownies! I’ve made Ina’s Outrageous Brownies many times and like them a lot, but I’m always on the search for better! I don’t care for cakey brownies at all so these sound perfect. If only I had a small kitchen in my office.
Hi,
I was interested in making a cheesecake with brownie base (not the swirl version). Would this hold up? It seems like it might be difficult combine my favorite brownie and cheesecake recipe because of the baking times, water bath, etc..But I would love to make a cheesecake brownie bar that would be baked in a brownie pan. Has anyone had experience with this?
Thanks!
Hi Drew, I’m not sure that baking them on top of each other would work. Instead, I would bake them separately in the same size pan, then stack the layers, sort of like what I did with the red velvet cheesecake: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/02/08/red-velvet-cheesecake-recipe/
These look great! You might like our Bonfire Brownies:
http://littlebuttondiaries.com/2013/10/27/bonfire-brownies-dark-chocolate-ginger-and-popping-candy/
These brownies are amazing.
These are amazing. I used only 4 eggs (what I had), and sprinkled chocolate chips and walnuts on top before baking…..deeeelicious! Highly, highly recommend.
Hi, I loved your brownie recipe. Is there a way I can substitute the eggs with something else as we are strictly vegetarian and don’t eat eggs. Thanks.
Hi Rashi, I am not aware of an egg substitute that would deliver the same results. If you regularly use some sort of substitute in baking with success, you could always give that a try.
I did 2 batches 2 days ago and took them yesterday to a flea market at my daughter’s school. I couldn’t even count to 10 until all pieces were gone. These brownies are great and have been requested for the next time. My cooking time is close to 40 minutes. I once did them just 30 minutes and they were too moistly…still they left the table quicker than I thought they would. Almost like liquid chocolate.
Yummy Brownie
Simply put, thank you. I think that one of the most important aspects of baking is the quality of the ingredients used. Making sure to use real butter and 100% cacao, this recipe was moist and literally melted in my mouth. I couldn’t believe it. Once again, thank you ♥
Does your blog have a contact page? I’m having a tough time locating it but, I’d like to send you an email. I’ve got some creative ideas for your blog you might be interested in hearing. Either way, great blog and I look forward to seeing it develop over time.
These are the BEST ever brownies! Thank you Michelle!
I topped the batter with two cups of chopped walnuts and slightly
pushed them into the batter.
My final cooking time is 38 minutes.
Michelle, please comment on your baking time.
I froze my undercooked brownies and they were outstanding.
Next time I plan to cook for 36 minutes.
Hi John, You can find the baking time in step #6 of the recipe above.
Hi Michelle
I have a 9 inch square baking pan! Do I need to change the recipe if I want to bake in it?
Hi Nimisha, Yes, you will need to cut the recipe in half and probably increase the baking time a tad.
Hi, I have a question:
This recipe tastes amazing! But me & my family members find it a bit too sweet for our liking. Apart from the sweetness, this recipe is perfect! Any ideas how I can cut the sweetness? I’m thinking of removing some sugar, but afraid it might affect the texture. Alternatively do I add an extra tbsp of cocoa powder? Or perhaps use a chocolate with a higher cocoa %? Please help!
Hi Lisa, I would not alter the sugar; you’re right – it will definitely alter the texture. You might want to try a higher % cacao chocolate if you prefer it less sweet.
do you think I could make these as brownie pops I have the pan for it. Thanks, Melissa
Hi Melissa, I have never made brownie pops, so I couldn’t say for sure, but if you try it, please stop back and share your feedback!
My second attempt, I baked for 34 minutes and they were not quite done.
Next time I will try 38 minutes. I follow other directions to the letter.
I only had 4 eggs and 6 oz of dark chocolate, so I added 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dry mix (used regular, as I didn’t have dutch cocoa around either), and they still turned out amazing!
I am making these brownies now and am having a problem with the baking. After 30 minutes, the entire middle (from about 1 inch in on all sides) was raw. After 16 more minutes (with me checking halfway), they were not raw but still very runny. I baked them in a glass plan on 350. Do you have any idea what could have happened and why I would have needed to bake them for so much longer than the recipe calls for? Thanks for your help! :)
They are still baking. When all is said and done, the brownies will have been in the oven for 60 minutes. :( I know that is bad but they were raw in the middle until one hour of cooking. No idea what I did wrong but something was definitely amiss.
I’ve had this problem with cakes before. It happens to me when you put too much batter in a pan, for example, putting this recipe batter into an 8×8 pan instead of a 9×13 would give you this problem. I’m don’t know if you did that or not, but that’s a common problem when the baking pan is too small. Maybe try to divide it up into several pans next time?
I am just loving this chocolaty The Baked Brownie :)
thanks for sharing this one
yummmmmyyyyyy
My first attempt (50 minutes cooking time) were overcooked.
Next attempt I will follow directions and take brownies out undercooked
hoping they will finish cooking from residual heat of glass pan.
Suggestions please.
John
Monica,
I just baked this brownie for the first time and it took me 50 minutes!
I used a 9×13 clear pyrex pan and a oven thermometer.
I hope others will comment about their baking time.
John
Hi,
These brownies look fabulous!! I wanted to ask if you have ever made half of the recipe since I would be baking for 2 and the whole recipe would just be a big temptation you know
Hi Pearl, I haven’t, but I have frozen leftovers, and they freeze and thaw out really well. I just wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place in a ziploc freezer bag.
How do you get that thin crackly crust at the top??? Thanks! :)
No secret tricks, it’s the recipe!
Great Great Recipe everyone should try this. the only thing i didn’t know why had happened was the burning of the sides i guess that happens with every baking dish and was a bit difficult to get out. However these were extremely moist and rich :)
Hi there, these looking amazing & i trust they’re, if they’re you’re favorite..! :) My boyfriend has been a few provinces away and I would love to send him some baked goods. He misses them. He loves brownies so I thought I would try some new recipes. This seems to be the winner! So I have a few questions. Would it be alright to use regular unsweetened cocoa and chocolate? He isn’t the biggest fan of dark. :P Also instead of espresso powder, would capuccino powder be alright? Also I noticed you mentioned to keep them in room temp for 3 days. Any tips on how to keep them fresher longer? It’ll probably take up to 5 days to reach him. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks for posting such great recipes. :)
Hi Tammy, I would not use unsweetened chocolate, as they would turn out too bitter; however, you could substitute regular unsweetened cocoa for the Dutch-processed cocoa and I think they would be okay. Cappuccino powder may include powdered milk, so I would steer clear of that and stick with the espresso. Once they are cool, you can cut them and wrap them individually in plastic wrap before packaging them; that should help them keep a little longer.
I’ve made this recipe several times and every single time, these brownies are just…. sweet perfection. I’ve usually make them without adding the instant espresso powder and they are always incredible. However, tonight I made them with the espresso powder and they were amazing in a different way.
The only “beef” I have with the recipe is…. the cooking time. It says to cook them for 30 minutes. I have made these brownies at least 1/2 a dozen times and every single time it takes me 50 – 60 minutes to get them done. I have never had them burn or turn out any less fudgey than the ones in the picture look. And, my oven is perfectly fine. I bake a lot and it’s never off more than a few degrees (I have an oven thermometer in there to keep track). I’m not sure what the issue is but, they take almost double the time to bake. This isn’t even really a complaint because, I’m fine that it takes longer, I just think its weird that my baking time is so totally off from the recipe.
Does anyone else have that same issue? I use a glass Pyrex dish that is 9″ x 13″ and about 2″ deep. I’m just confused and wondering…. What gives? LOL!
I had that problem today. It took me 56 minutes to get them to a point where I would call then done and not raw in the middle. No idea what is up. :)
Seriously the best brownie I have ever had!! Cannot say enough good things about this recipe! Thank you, thank you for posting.
If I want more cake like brownies can I add baking soda or powder? If so, how much?
Hi Nancy, I wouldn’t recommend trying to convert this into a cakey brownie; the recipe is definitely not formulated to produce that type of brownie. Instead, I would look for a cake-like brownie recipe.
What if I want cake like brownies. Can baking soda or powder be added ? If so, how much?
oh my these are delicious. I event screwed up a little and put them in a pan to small for them but they still came out made awesome. Great recipe, throw in some high quality ingredients and take a cheat day from your diet. they are worth it.
Hi Ive tried this recipe 5-6 times. Im happy with the taste and texture. However I.have a really weird problem. My brownie has big deep holes (like craters) on.the bottom. Any idea why this is happening and how to avoid this ?
Hi Bianca, That’s really odd. I’m not sure what would cause that!
Very nice pics, thanks a lot for this sweet post.
Hi,
I tried to make these tonight and I followed the recipe to a T, yet for some reason they came out very dry and nearly bitter. I’m worried I over baked them, but they were in the oven exactly 30 minutes. I used a glass pan, and I’m wondering if leaving them to cool in it was a mistake? Or maybe I burnt the chocolate–how would I be able to tell?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Hi Annie, Sometimes glass can be a greater conductor of heat than something like an aluminum pan, so that could have been it. If you don’t particularly like dark chocolate, you could try semisweet if you found the brownies to be too bitter.
I made these yesterday and they are the best brownies I have ever made in my life. They were rich and chewy and so delicious. I had them today and they are even better the next day. Simply amazing…going to make these all the time.
Tried these brownies and they were horrible. The pictures you display look completely different from how mine looked and how others looked using the same recipe on different blogs. Are you sure those are the baked brownie in the picture, because all the other blogs i checked out that have tried this recipe all looked like how mine did and were pretty consistent with look.
Yes, I am SURE that those are the Baked brownie, that I made from the book. I have made them countless times and they look as the picture depicts each time. I cannot speak to other people’s photos.
Hey !
I’m glad I found this awesome website with so many good recipes .
I want to try this one out tomorrow, but I got a small problem.
You see, I’m from Finland, and here we use ‘dl’ instead of ‘cup’, so I tried to search on the interent how much is 1 cup actually, but then there were 2 different results: 1 US cup (8 oz) = 240 ml and 1 UK cup = 2,8 dl .
So I just wanted to make sure that when you use one cup of something, I have to use 2,8 dl of that, not 240 ml.
Sorry I might sound stupid (and maybe it doesn’t matter if I use 240 ml or 2,8 dl) , but I really need to do this right so I just wanted to make sure :) Thank you .
Hi Elysia, the 8 ounces = 1 cup is only relevant for liquid measurements (and butter). All other ingredients have different weights for a 1 cup volume measurement. You could start with this chart and convert the ingredients you need: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/master-weight-chart.html
Would these bake well in a mini muffin pan? Do you have any suggestions on cooking time, using mini cupcake liners, etc?
Hi Sara, I’ve never tried making them in a mini muffin pan, so unfortunately I don’t have any insight on cooking time or anything like that, but if you try it, let me know how they turn out!
My brownie tasted great but I don’t know why the centre of the brownie is still not cooked. What is wrong?
I made these brownies last night and they are fantastic! The only change I made was to add some chocolate chips because I love them in everything. I followed the directions exactly and these brownies came out super chocolatey and rich! My sister took some of them to class with her and everyone loved them. I’m going to add this recipe to my recipe binder!
Hi, can i use white sugar instead of brown sugar??
Also could you please specify the flour and sugar in ounces as Im not sure of the right cup measurement here (India). Thanks alot… Im hoping to try it this weekend.
I use this weight chart as my master guide: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/master-weight-chart.html. It converts to ounces, and from there you can convert to grams.
For this particular recipe, you would need:
151 grams all-purpose flour
298 grams white sugar
106 grams brown sugar
Hi Bianca, No, I would not substitute white sugar in place of brown sugar – it will significantly affect the texture.
I’ve been looking for a good brownie recipe for a while and am planning on trying these out! Just one question before I do so. You said that you use a 60% bittersweet chocolate for baking. Would using semi-sweet in this recipe change the consistency of your results? Would it still work with part of the chocolate being semi-sweet? I find that I’m not a fan of chocolate when it is too bitter. Thanks! :)
Hi Rachel, I think you would be just fine using the semisweet chocolate. Enjoy!
Awesome! I can’t wait to try these. :)
I made these brownies and I can say that they turned out perfectly and were very much appreciated.
Hi! I don’t have a glass baking pan. Does it ruin the brownies if I bake them in an aluminum baking pan?. Thank you!!!
I think that would be just fine.
Made these brownies tonight… they turned out lovely. The only problem I will have is not to eat them all myself! Thanks for the recipe
Is it okay to use dark brown sugar?
Hi Althea, I think that would be okay.
I followed these brownies to the letter and although they have the crackly top they are nowhere near as dense or gooey as your pictures portray. They came out cake-like, I have almost given up finding the gooiest and chewiest brownies :(
Perfection! Every now and again i order a brownie when i’m out to dinner, and help but smile as they don’t quite match up to this!
*cant help
I have baked this exact recipe at least 20 times by now since I first found it, they are unbelievable, the praise and requests I get for them are never ending! The coffee hit just really pushes them over the edge and they are so easy and foolproof to make, perfect every time. I just wanted to thank you so much for posting the recipe as it has made me, the kids, and everyone I share them with very very happy!
I stumbled across your blog a few weeks ago and have very much enjoyed sifting through the wealth of recipes and techniques here! I am a natural cook, so to speak, as in I am somehow a very good cook with no formal or childhood training (I spent all my time as a little girl in the shop with dad working on motors and carpentry). This site has given me lots of new ideas to try out and I’ve really enjoyed experimenting with brownie recipes! Last attempt was a meld of this and the Outrageous Brownies (from Ina or Ira?). Anyways!
I’ve noticed something as I’ve browsed through dozens and dozens of recipes of all types, including these brownie recipes. And that is – butter. Every single recipe calling for butter (and I think so far all of them have =) specifically call for unsalted butter…
So perhaps it’s been asked or there’s a really simple reason that just escapes me. But – why unsalted?? And will regular butter devastate the recipes if I adjust the measured salt back some?
Hi Kaz, Unsalted butter because different butter manufacturers can include varying amounts of salt in their butter. By using unsalted butter and adding the salt separately, we have complete control of how much salt is going into a recipe. You can greatly reduce or omit salt if all you have to use is salted butter, but sometimes the flavor can be affected.
Thanks for the reply, Michelle =) That does make perfect sense.
These look good! I have been using the recipe on the back of the cocoa can for brownies, but will try this one with this kids this weekend:)
These are absolutely the BEST brownies I have ever eaten. Better than brownies in cafes too. My husband enjoys these brownies very much too. I came to this verdict after the first batch I made ….after having overwhelmed the eggs, overcooked the brownies AND used a pan waaaaaayy to big for them! So yes, I messed that batch up but they still tasted like amazing but were cakey. Then I made another batch (which I managed to not screw up) and they are heavenly.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! :)
This will be my third time making these brownies. Can I just say – AY CARUMBA!!
These brownies are amazing. The only thing I do differently is leave out the espresso powder. I really dislike any coffee flavoring with my chocolate.
These brownies are dense but not heavy. They are so rich and fudgy… they make my thighs cry with mercy (because that’s where they end up!). These are perfection. I adore them. Thank you!
I used Cadbury Cocoa. It didn’t say dark or unsweetend on it. I couldn’t find dark unsweetened cocoa. Did this alter the taste?
I used Cadbury cocoa too and mine were delicious!
I was wondering what could i do differently in this recipe to have chunks of chocolate in them?
Hi Dominique, You could fold in chocolate chips before pouring the batter into the pan.
I’ve baked so many different brownies and baked these last night. Halved the recipe and dolloped some chunky peanut butter and swirled it.
Happy with the nice height, good recipe. Will attempt the rest!
Enjoy reading your blog.
I’ve baked so many different brownies and baked these last night. Halved the recipe and dolloped some chunky peanut butter and swirled it.
Happy with the nice height, good recipe. Will attemp the rest!
Enjoy reading your blog.
Hi Michelle,
I’d love to try this brownie recipe. But I don’t Have an oven, I only have oven toaster and microwave oven. Should this be recipe compatible using oven toaster and microwave? Or should it be possible to be baked in microwave or oven toaster? :)
Hoping for your response, Thanks you :)
Hi Anna, I definitely don’t think this could be made in a microwave, but if your toaster oven is large enough and has actual bake settings, then that could work.
I made these brownies exactly as stated in the recipe and they were great! I like the idea of using parchment paper. it was easy for me to pull the brownie out of the pan; I let it cool then i cut off the edges and cut perfect brownie bars. The parchment paper also made it easier for me to clean the pan. I used a mixture of Godiva and Dove dark chocolate. I strongly recommend that anyone who is making these for the first time to follow this recipe to a T to get the best results. Thank you for posting this recipe!
Should the butter be room temperature as well?
Hi Linda, It doesn’t matter, since you’ll be melting it with the chocolate. Enjoy the brownies!
I’ve been wanting to make these for ages, and finally tried them on Friday. The first day, I thought they were okay…but the second and third days they were amazing. Perfect texture and flavor profile! Halfway through baking, I topped half of the pan with little dollops of homemade caramel and sprinkled with fleur de sel and it resulted in THE BEST brownies I’ve ever had. (And I have eaten way more than my fair share of brownies!)
Oh that’s awesome I’ve been baking these for ages and love them but I’m definitely going to try with your additions, that sounds amazing! Thanks so much for posting that!
Wow! these brownies look to die for! I can’t wait to try this recipe out. Thanks!
Hi Michelle !! thanks for the awesome recipe !
just a quick question. when i added the sugar to the chocolate and butter mixture it only melted slightly no matter how much i stirred it. i ended up with a big grainy lump.
am i doing something wrong?
Hmm, the sugar won’t melt completely (it will still appear slightly grainy), but should not be a lump. If the mixture turned into one hard mass, it sounds as though your chocolate seized up.
you had me at “I don’t put much faith in Oprah” ;)
:)
I made these tonight and, as I hoped they would, they shattered my belief that brownies from scratch couldn’t be better than boxed mix. These are incredible!!! I didn’t have a 9×13 pan so I poured half the batter into an 8×8 glass pan and half into an 8×8 spring form cake pan and 30 minutes was still the right amount of time.
This is the only brownie batter I will use from now on! I made these this weekend for Lundi Gras at a friend’s house. While they were cooling, I had to leave to run an errand and when I came back they were gone (minus one they left for me)! I got so much praise for the brownies that my friend and her family members were offering me money to make another batch! Love this recipe. They were fudgey and cakey at the same time. Also instead of using espresso powder I used instant coffee and instead of light brown sugar, I used dark brown sugar but only a 1/3 cup.
I found this post (and your blog) when googling brownie recipes. I made these and they are SO DELICIOUS. So thank you so much for the recipe!
Hi Michelle,
How dark is the dark chocolate (what percentage cocoa) you use? I made these yesterday using Cadbury Dark Baking Chocolate which is 45% cocoa solids and the brownies turned out great! But I’m thinking of making another batch using Lindt Cooking Chocolate Dessert which is 70% Cocoa. I am the hoping the change in better quality chocolate would make even better brownies haha. Will using darker chocolate enhance the flavor or just make it taste bitter?
Thanks.
Hi Diana, I typically use 60% cocoa for these brownies. I’ve mixed in some 70% with it if I have some extra to use up. I don’t think it tastes bitter all – just a really rich, pure chocolate flavor. Enjoy! :)
Just made these…well, ate them, lol. I could not wait for them to fully cool! They are fabulous for sure. Thank you for sharing!
I’ll be making these tonight. The pics you posted are extremely compelling…I feel like you could have just posted the pics without the explanation and people would be making this recipe just as much…because I want to eat the pictures lol!
Congrats! This recipe is so loved in my family that I am baking the 2nd batch in one week! I used to make dreadful brownies – too dry, too cake-like. This recipe is perfect.
I added some cinnamon chocolate drops – yummy!
I’m a chocoholic and can’t wait to make these! Recipe calls for dark chocolate- do you find semi-sweet, bittersweet, or a combination of the two to work best? Thanks!
Ammmazing brownies! Definitely my go-to recipe from now on. Super rich moist…perfection! Thanks so much!
GUYS!! I just made these and they are CRAZZZY!!!
I made these with just a few differences though:
-Instead of butter I used coconut oil
-I didn’t have dark unsweetened cocoa powder so I just used Kroger cocoa powder
-I didn’t have dark chocolate so I used Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
– I don’t drink coffee, but I have Pero instant coffee substitute that I used instead
The brownies came out way lighter than the ones in the picture, but they are decadent and SOOOO MOIST!! Can’t wait to surprise my husband when he gets home :) Thanks for the recipe!
Michelle, thanks a million for your help!
When baking with a Pyrex pan should the temperature be reduced from 350* to 325* ?
Do you bake on top of a cookie sheet or pizza stone?
John
Hi John, I never reduce the temperature unless I’m using a dark, non-stick pan. So if you’re using glass Pyrex I would leave the temperature at 350. I place pans directly on the oven rack, unless otherwise stated in a recipe.
I. love. these. brownies. Amazing. I have made them a few times since my mom first made them for me last summer. This is my go-to brownie recipe, for sure.
These look absolutely delicious. I am a chocoholic, and am always looking for the richest, darkest, chocolate deserts. I am definitely going to make these soon!
Michelle, do you think these would hold up well if I shipped them to a friend? I would probably do next day air, but how long do they seem to retain their moisture? (If they even last long enough without being eaten first!) And do they fall apart easily, or do they seem to hold their shape well?
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I think they’d do fine being mailed. If it were me sending them, I’d cut and freeze them, and package them up frozen. They’ll stay fresh longer that way! They hold their shape well, best to cut when cooled.
Hi Jared, I think they would be fine for shipping. I would cut them and wrap each one individually, which will keep them the freshest and least likely to break apart during shipping. They stay fresh for 3-5 days if wrapped and stored correctly. Enjoy!
So, I made these and they turned out good. I had a few problems with mixing the sugar and butter because I had too much sugar and too little lqiuid and I let them bake a bit longer than they should have but they were good! The real texture and flavour came through after a couple of days and my friends really liked them.
This recipe is good!
Ohhhh, and mine looks exactly as yours
Thank you, thank you, thank you
Just baked it, and turned out soooooooooo YUMMMMMMY, i think this is the best brownie I’ve ever tasted, really loved it
So proud of my self
Thank you very much
I have a fear of over-beating eggs into batter.
Can eggs be beat first and later be added to batter?
Hi John, I would not beat the eggs ahead of time. In this recipe you are merely whisking; just do it slowly and gently – enough to incorporate the eggs and you’ll be fine.
Did not come out close to the picture shown, it was one of the words recipes I have ever followed… A box of Duncan Hines put this recipe to shame… Sorry but true..
If you are a bad baker…what can u expect? recipes are just numbers and ingredientes , sometimes you need a little bit more. Did you weight your ingredients correctly? did you make everything as written? are you 100% sure? before complaining people should try to understand first where the mistake was..In this case the problem is you not the recipe since lots and lots have make this brownies with beautiful results.
I was wondering if anyone baked this recipe using a 9×9 pan? I like thicker brownies. How would the baking time be affected? Would 35-40 minutes be appropriate? Thanks
I just made these today, and they are great! My new girlfriend’s best friend and son want some brownies, so I decided to do a test run before Christmas. I followed the recipe, except that I did not have espresso powder and I added Baileys Caramel liqueur-about 3/4 cup. My father came home just after I cut them. He’s a brownie freak, and after he tasted one, he asked me whether it was a mix or from scratch. I told him I made them from scratch, and he said they are very good. They are very moist, just dense enough, and chewy. I am not a fan of cakey brownies. Up to now, our favorite brownies were some I buy in Puerto Rico from Carla’s Sweets, a baker down there. However, these are now my favorite. So, my future batches will be great! I used eight ounces of Callebaut chocolate, and then I added a couple cups of Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips. So, I am now going to share them with friends and co-workers and see what they think.
These are probably the best brownies I have ever made/eaten. I used a packet of instant hazelnut coffee (a little over 1t) and I did not have dark chocolate on hand so I used 8oz unsweetened and 3oz semi sweet. I used Hershey’s special dark for the cocoa powder. I did not line the pan with parchment since we were traveling so I left them in the pan and covered it but they were so moist they almost suctioned to the pan so I would probably line it next time.
Hi I am in the process of making these brownies and find that when I melted the butter chocolate and added brown sugar whilst whisking i found that the mixture is more gooey like cake in too much sauce… is this normal??? please let me know else i would have to stop it here… and repeat
I forgot to add vanilla. Are they ruined
Definitely not ruined, but might just be a tad bit lacking in flavor, which the vanilla helps to bring out.
Made these brownies for the office.. went down a treat! added some fudge chips, milk chocolate bits and some wafered almond to top them off… they were fantastic!!
Hey Michelle,
I have a question..can we add walnuts to these brownies..I’m just on my way to making these oh-so-wonderful looking brownies!
I think you could add walnuts; let me know how they turn out!
Ok so I guess I must have done something wrong! You have to help me out here :(
After melting the butter and chocolate step I added the sugars and for some odd reason they wouldn’t incorporate at all. After a frustrating hour of considering whether I should continue or just forget about the whole thing..I thought I should go on and see what happens. Everything was perfect; the texture, the taste. the crackling light brown surface BUT it was grainy since the sugar didn’t dissolve at all. Could there have been an issue with my sugar? I was thinking of maybe grinding the sugar next time to get a powder version so it can dissolve properly. These brownies were gone in the next 12 hours! I can only imagine how great they would actually be if it wasn’t for the sugar glitch! Any suggestions for next time??
It sounds like your mixture wasn’t warm enough. The sugar should melt and incorporate completely if the mixture is warm enough. Were you using regular white sugar and brown sugar? The only thing I can think of is that if you used a substitute for the white sugar or raw sugar for the brown, it might not dissolve properly.
Just made these brownies today they looked so good in the picture but they didn’t come out the same more cake like I really was hoping for a a chewy brownie : (
In my opinion, 30 min is too long. I put these in and went to check up on them 25 min later and they were already overdone. And you typically want to under bake brownies not over bake them. Keep an eye on these. Next time I might only leave them in for 20 min. The flavour is good though.
These brownies ate delish !! I baked them in a 8×8 pan so they were thicker, so dense and fudgy Roth that awesome sought after crackly crust, hubby loved these as well. Will be making 2 more of your top 10 brownies this week! Your blog is the best luv your recipes!! Keep em coming!
Do you think I could replace the flour with whole wheat baking flour?
I’ve done it, and I prefer to sift the flour first to leave out the more coarse bran. A finer texture results. So, sift, and then measure, using a little less ww flour than white (maybe a tablespoon less for brownies).
So I figured it out! After commenting saying they were bitter, I realized…I’m working with “bitter”sweet chocolate! ha ha ha! They were actually more chalky than bitter, but, I wasn’t sifting the flour, so I would be cooking with 1/2-1C of flour! Yuck! So I re measured my flour, made these last night, and they came out soooooo much better!
These are so rich and gooey and delicious, by far the best I’ve ever made, but the first time I made these I thought the espresso flavor was overwhelming, made it a tad bit bitter the first bite. I know coffee brings out the taste of chocolate, but IMHO, I’d cut down to a half tsp.
But these are sooooo good! Always a hit!
I made these today and they were insanely good!! I substituted coffee for espresso powder and it came out fine. There was just one thing,they were quite greasy. I think maybe I might have oiled the pan a little too much. Do we need to oil when we apply parchment paper? Isn’t parchment paper supposed to be grease proof?
Hi Hannah, You shouldn’t oil or grease the parchment paper. You butter the pan, which helps the parchment stay in place. Don’t butter or oil the parchment paper.
I forgot to add the 1 1/4 cup of sugar! Oh no!!!
I made these yesterday except I used semisweet chocolate chips and instant coffee powder! We made brownie sundaes with them and they were a hit with my friends!
Hi, i do not want to be mean or hateful, is just an opinion,
way to much eggs and sorry but i am sure that the brownie in the picture has other recipe.
In 2006 Ive visited America and went crazy over a home made brownie at a friend’s house, since then i keep trying recipes, one original american creamy/ heavy noncakey with shiny top. But this is not the one!!
I am sorry if i ofend anyone that’s not my intention i repet it is just an opinion.
I can absolutely guarantee that the brownies in these picture did, in fact, come directly from the recipe in this post. There are many different types of brownie recipes – some chewy, some fudge-like, some cakey – and that make different size recipes – some for 8×8 pans, some for 9×13, etc. They don’t all look the same or taste the same.
I have personally tried this recipe and mine turned out exactly like that picture every time. Are you at a different elevation? That can really change things!
Hi, I was looking at the JoyofCooking brownie recipe and this recipe, and I was wondering whether it changes anything when adding the sugar before or after the butter-chocolate mixture has cooled to room temperature?
Sorry to say these didn’t turn out for me at all. I really tried to make sure not to over mix them ( mixed the eggs before putting them in the flour mixture). Now the only change I made was using Margarine instead of butter (all I had). They turned out cakey and not dense or rich. I wouldn’t think the margarine would make that much of a difference…. Oh well….
Hi Crystal, Using margarine in place of butter could have a huge impact on the outcome of baked goods. I usually do not recommend subbing margarine for any recipe that calls for butter, as they have vastly different properties. Margarine doesn’t have the same fat content as butter, and has a much higher water content. That can make a big difference in recipes. I would try again with butter!
We do not mix milk and meat at the same meal, and I usually make this recipe for a meat meal, so I always use margarine. I have never had this recipe turn out badly; it is always rich and fudgy!
Nvm i just missed the first step !
Hi, these look amaizing but what size pan do you use ?
Thanks !
Mine got slightly burnt from below. :'(
However, they taste absolutely perfect from above, thank you for sharing the recipe. :)
i made these a few hours ago, I must say they turned out to be the best brownies I’ve ever tasted. Theres one issue though, they seemed to be undercooked. is that normal ? :D (i was using a convection oven therefore i decreased cooking time to about 26 mins and temp to 155-160 degrees celcius)
thanks for sharing
Hi Lucy, Unfortunately I’m not familiar with using a convection oven and am not sure how any alterations might affect the recipe. That being said, the brownies should definitely be more moist and chewy than baked fully through like a cake.
Hi there
I made these last night, and it was actually the first time I ever baked brownies! They were very yummy, unfortunatey I overbaked them just sligthtly (the piece right in the middle was perfectly moist) but it was no biggie.
I do have one question. I live in Sweden and there’s no light brown sugar in the supermarkets. This time I used regular brown sugar but I was also considering light brown muscovado sugar (I read somewhere that could be a substitute) which of the two would you use?
Thanks for a great blog :)
Hi Susanna, I would stick with the regular brown sugar. I’m glad you enjoyed the brownies!
I just made these and oh my word! I have (scratch that, HAD!) a favourite go-to brownie recipe that I thought came out perfect every time – moist, chocolatey, perfection in every way – that I had actually stopped trying new brownie recipes due to an immense disappointment after the first bite & then questioning why I hadn’t just made my go-to from the beginning. But boy, am I glad I decided to make these! they surpassed my fav recipe in every way and I don’t even have to heat them up to eat them (I’m one of those people who think most desserts taste better warm ;) ) although my husband prefers more cakey brownies. But he’s not the one who bakes so he really has no say… ;)
I was wondering what type of chocolate you used and if you used a dark unsweetened cocoa powder or a regular unsweetened cocoa powder?
Hi Kirstin, I used Ghiradelli chocolate, and I used Penzeys Dutch-process cocoa powder.
Okay, so I don’t care for the gooey chewy brownies, but after reading the comments I do want to try this recipe. Is there anything I could do to make them more cake-like in texture? Thanks!
Hi Sally, I wouldn’t advise trying to doctor this recipe. Most of my brownie recipes here on the site are of the chewy, fudge-like variety (I don’t care for cake-like brownies myself). I would give these a try if you think you’re interested, and if you think they’re too chewy, I’d search for a cakey brownie recipe.
I really want to make them for my boyfriend’s birthday, but I won’t have time that day to mix them and bake them, and brownies fresh from the oven are his favorite. Would there be any harm if I were to mix up these brownies the night before, store the batter in a bowl in the fridge overnight, and bake them the next evening?
Hi Veronica, I wouldn’t recommend leaving the batter to sit overnight in the refrigerator; the batter will get very thick and the brownies will have a very different texture.
Hi..I just finished making these brownies. Fresh out of the oven and cooled.
I used all ingredients as listed , followed directions and the results were great.
Brownie is very RICH. This is definitely NOT a cakie brownie. I was wondering , what would happen if I left the brownies in the oven a little while longer..maybe 5 mins more. Would brownies be as rich? Great recipe ..thank you for sharing. I’m new to your blog and a fan!
Hi Rosalie, If you overbake the brownies they’ll likely be somewhat dry and could end up “crusty” around the edges.
Hi,
I tried making these just now but blundered when I forgot to add the sugar to the chocolate prior to the eggs. The sugar was in the flour by the time I realised my mistake so I had no choice but to simply proceed. When the eggs went into the chocolate they wouldn’t mix properly and the chocolate looked like it was coagulating. Long story short, I was paranoid, overmixed the batter, and got a cakey brownie. What I’m curious about is, does the sugar help the chocolate mix with the eggs and was the that the problem, or is the chocolate not supposed to combine completely with the eggs in the first place? Thanks :)
Hi. How long would This brownie last in e fridge? Thanks! Lovely bakes!!
Hi Christina, I would recommend keeping them at room temperature (for up to 3 days); the refrigerator can cause them to dry out. If you know you won’t eat them all soon enough, you can wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer bag in the freezer.
I would like to say that I made these last night, followed recipe word for word. I end up with falling apart dry crumbles of/almost powdery brownies. During the baking the butter raised up to the top of the brownies bubbling and almost seeping thru the creases -I used 1 cup of butter. That would be 2 sticks right ? because each stick half cup. I would love to know what went wrong -thank you in advance!
Hi Bella, Yes, 1 cup of butter is 8 ounces, or 2 traditional sticks (I would make sure your sticks are indeed 4 ounces each). I’m not sure I understand though – you said the brownies are powdery and dry, but there is a layer of butter on top? Unfortunately if you followed the recipe exactly with no substitutions or change in technique I could only guess that perhaps your oven is running hot or cool, which affected how the brownies baked. If you don’t have an oven thermometer, definitely get one. They’re inexpensive and totally invaluable.
Made these today and this is the best brownie recipe I have ever made. They are delicious!
Hi Michelle. Wanna ask you re: the sugar. when it’s added to the melted choc n butter, is the sugar supposed to melt too? cos i tried making this today. in fact it’s now. haha. and im waiting for the chocolate to cool down. but the sugar isnt melting. is it supposed to be that way? thanks a lot!
Hi Olivia, The sugar should be completely combined into the chocolate mixture, but it won’t melt completely.
These look absolutely amazing! However, all I have is unsweetened chocolate squares. Can I use them and add a bit more sugar, or would it not be the same thing?
Hi Shelby, The texture and the flavor could definitely end up being off. I’d recommend going with the recipe as written.
I just made these. They are still cooling in the pan, but I couldn’t stand it any longer. I cut out a corner with a paring knife and a fork. And then I cut out another piece. These brownies are GREAT! They are fudgy, with the lightest crispy layer on top. They are dense and light at the same time, if that’s possible. Hooray….a success!!!!!
Hi Michelle,
I’m newish to trying out my baking skills, and I’m looking for the perfect brownie recipe–fudgey, rich, and chocolatey. This looks perfect! I’m curious, given my relative inexperience, whether adding walnuts to this recipe will affect the result when it comes out of the oven. I appreciate any insight you could give me!
Hi Jamie, You could add chopped walnuts if you’d like. I’d probably start with 1 cup and see if you think that’s enough.
Hello, love your blog, food porn is excellent. I have a question – I’ve been making these for a number of months now, and they are amazing. My only problem is that I always find that the next day, after they’ve been cut up the previous evening, generally about an hour after being removed from the oven, that the outside of all the brownies have gotten a hard crust (the inside is still moist). I keep them in an airtight container, so it’s not that. Do you find that you have a similar issue – should I quash all cravings and wait a day to cut them? Thank you!
Hi Cobi, I have not had that issue (given that they are placed in an airtight container). You might want to wrap them individually in plastic wrap to remedy the problem.
This ones definitely a keeper, was looking for the ULTIMATE brownie recipe, I found it. My husband and daughter LOVED them. Thanks .
Just made these and they were devoured in minutes! I halved the recipe and put them in 2 mini pans and cooked for twenty on confection and they turned out AMAZING!
Hi :) i just want to say i tried this recipe because I saw it in pinterest and it is the best brownies i’ve made.. really … it is a little bit on the sweet side but its really great.. :) although i did add almonds to my version but still, it really turned out well.. thank you for posting this recipe. :)
Hello, my name is Elizabeth and I work at a small library in Wyoming. We’re currently putting together a recipe book with recipes from our annual Death By Chocolate fundraising event. We’re looking for pictures for our section dividers, and I just love the second picture down on this post (brownies with a glass of milk on a blue background). If you would be interested in talking about what we could do to use your picture in our recipe book (credit, compensation, etc.), please email me. Thank you!
Michelle,
These brownies are RIDICULOUS!! Thank you for posting them. I too am a boxed brownie lover. I have always preferred them over homemade brownies. These trump all brownies, boxed and homemade. I was wondering if you had any tips to make mini brownie bites with this recipe? I am bringing them to a picnic and it is more convienent. I would be baking them in mini muffin pans. Have you ever tried this? I assume the only difference would be to bake them for a shorter amount of time. Thanks!
Hi Laura, I have not tried making brownie bites, but definitely reduce the baking time!
I have got to say that this is a really good recipe. The brownie came out really good and was just as you said it to be! I wouldn’t say I am a genius in baking but chancing on your blog was one of the greatest thing that happened in my baking history!
Also, thank you for your bits and pieces of thoughts put into your post…
They really help a lot!
just wondering do you think it would still work out if you added an extra 2oz of chocolate?
Hi Alexa, I have not tried it with extra chocolate, but I honestly don’t think these need it. They are wonderfully rich and chocolately; I wouldn’t add any more.
When I first saw these I just couldn’t believe my eyes… So rich, so dense, so incredible!!! Thank you very much for this amazing recipe. When I first made these, my friends were absolutely amazed. The next time I made them, I added a tablespoon of powdered cinnamon and it was fabulous. I recommend you to try it out, I think you will love it… Thank you again for this amazing recipe! :)
Sorry I meant I did use regular powder, I used the chips for the chocolate to melt with the butter. The only thing is the bag of chips was 11.5ozs, didn’t think a half ounce would make a difference and I did eat a few chips before melting :) but like I said I loved the flavor, think the espresso gives it a little extra something. Will def try this recipe again and try and figure out what I did wrong. Hopefully I can find dark cocoa powder cause I do prefer dark chocolate.
Just made a batch today. I found the espresso but couldn’t find dark cocoa powder so I used regular with ghiardellis milk chocolate chips to melt with the butter. I cooked them at least 40 min and they still seemed not ready but I had to take them out cause I had to leave the house. They still seem undercooked or is that whats considered fudgy? I tried a corner an it was so good but the middle seems raw.
Hi Donna, If you used melted chocolate chips to substitute part of the cocoa powder, that definitely could be the problem. It could cause the batter to be a little runnier than it otherwise would be. In the future, you can substitute regular unsweetened cocoa powder.
well i do have to say that i took them to work and i had people stashing them to take them home to their family, one person who asked for the recipe, and another person calling in before her shift to ask if i could save one for her son( but they were already gone!) Expcept for one that I later found out was hidden, and he was nice enough to share it with a girl who missed out on the festivities. my boyfriend who is a baker also said they were really good, and to my dismay never compliments things i make:(
I just made these brownies last night and they are AMAZING! Much better than boxed brownie mixes! Those have always been the best tasting to me since every homemade brownie I have tried to make before has never come out right tasting. But these have changed my thoughts and have become my favorite brownie recipe. I was a little worried they might taste egg-y since they have 5 eggs (I hate the taste of eggs!) but it’s just pure brownie. Also, if you take them out a little early they are super fudgy and delicious.
Hi :) love your recipes. Can I use chocolate chips in place of 11 ounces of chocolate? I was thinking of Ghirardelli Chocolate Baking Chips Bittersweet they are 10 ounces than adding in 2 ounces of chopped chocolate. And for the espresso powder could I use coffee?
Thank you so much for your time
have a fantastic day :)
I used a bag of Hershey’s dark chocolate morsels and Starbucks via Italian roast coffee and they turned out amazing!
Yes, you could definitely do that. Enjoy the brownies!
Thanks a lot for sharing such a decadent brownie recipe. Just could not stop drooling over the picture. Had to make it immediately. Did not have dark chocolate bar, so used semi sweet CC and yet they came out just delicious. So moist on the inside with the elusive crackle on the top. This was the first time my brownies had the crackle on them. Absolutely love them.
Question: Is the espresso necessary? I don’t drink coffee. I don’t really care for the taste. But I’m never sure if its okay to just leave something out of a recipe…what do you think?
Hi Helen, It’s not necessary and you can certainly omit it. That being said, I’m not a coffee drinker either, but you’ll find that a large number of chocolate recipes (especially things like cakes and brownies) call for espresso powder. You can’t taste it at all, and it really amps up the flavor of the chocolate, adding more depth to the dish.
Thanks for the recipe, everyone loved it. For my taste it was a little too rich though:( what do u think i could do to make it a little less rich? I used hershey unsweetened cocoa( i put the cocoa u suggested on my amazon wish list :) ), and I used 10 oz dark chocolate. Thanks.
Hi Elise, These are definitely meant to be rich brownies. You could try using semisweet chocolate if you thought the dark chocolate was too much.
Done !
Absolutely divine ! Will put this recipe in my file.
Thanks a lot for this bliss moment !!
Next try will be the peanut buttercup for my daughter’s birthday next week.
Waouhhhhh !!
The cake’s picture has called me.
Then when i realised it was brownies. I became even more interested.
Then i read your note. What else can i do than try to make them ???? Your note is really well written, funny, gready and i’m very very impatient to have my decadent bites.
I’ll have to try it this week !
ps : i’m french, sorry if i’ve left mistakes
Great recipe! I only have a question about the baking time. I baked for 30 minutes @350, and the brownies weren’t done (at all!). In fact, I ended up baking them for nearly 50 minutes before they were done to perfection (with the toothpick test). I followed the recipe exactly. Anyone else have this experience?
Hi Dawn, Do you by any chance have an oven thermometer? It sounds like the temperature may have been off if there was that large of a difference in the baking times.
Thanks for your reply! No, I don’t have an oven thermometer, but perhaps I need to buy one. I suspected there might have been something off with the temperature.
So, mine just came out of the oven, and I couldn’t help myself, i just needed a little taste, and they were to die for!
I did however make a few slight changes. i didn’t have any dark cocoa or dark chocolate, so I used semisweet chips and regular cocoa, but they turned out absolutely wonderful! The only problem I had was that I had a hard time figuring out when they were done. The toothpick came out clean, but it was still jiggly. After 37 minutes I finally took them out, but they were still a little jiggly. Anyone else have this problem?
I’ve had that too with this recipe. I left the batch to cool and they hardened up but kept a little gooiness in the centre. Judging by the picture, I think they’re meant to be like that.
Oh, something I forgot in my first post was that they still taste good, but they aren’t brownies..
Hello!
I am an amateur baker, but I have such interest in making things, especially new things. I was searching pinterest for a brownies recipe, which I came across many. I came along this one and saw the fabulous reviews and the images were just delicious looking. So I tried it.
What I am confused about is why my brownies came out caramelly, rather than brownie. It’s really gooey — I left it in the oven as long as I felt comfortable leaving them in there (approximately an hour). Only because they just weren’t hardening up inside. I used cocoa and a really delicious milk chocolate bar (could that be the issue?) I have an idea that it may have been the butter, but I am quite sure I used the recipe’s callings of butter.
Do you happen to have any idea as to what may have happened? I have clicked the box where it says “Notify me of follow-up comments via e-mail”, so I will be aware of any responses.
Thank you!
Maureen
Hi Maureen, It sounds like they should have been in there long enough. While milk chocolate is creamier than bittersweet I don’t think it should have played with the texture too much. Did you use the correct amount of chocolate, butter, etc.? If everything was as it should be, my guess is that your oven might be running on the cool side. Definitely look into an oven thermometer (they are less than $10) to ensure that the temperature inside is accurate.
Hiya!
Thanks for your very quick reply. I should have also included where I am. I am a Canadian who has moved to Finland for school (free schooling!!) :P
Anyway, to continue, I am using an oven that is set in Celsius, which isn’t too big of a deal — because I can just convert via Google what 375ºF (approximately 190ºC). The oven isn’t the best, of course, but could it be that I set it too low in Celsius?
Also, can I replace them back in the oven at a higher heat to see if they will bake more? I have played one set of the brownies into the freezer to keep fresh and the other that I have already started picking at in the refrigerator.
I have measuring cups and everything in cups, so it couldn’t be that. I also used two tin foil pans. They aren’t 9×13 so I made two batches out of them. About a little over an inch in depth… maybe 4 inches width and 8inches length. (I am just estimating).
Hi Maureen, You are welcome! As for the Celsius conversions, I really couldn’t say for sure, as I would do the same you have done – Google. The biggest issue, however, might be dividing the batter into different sized pans. I’m sure they would bake a little differently than the original recipe, as they could be thicker. I would still grab an oven thermometer, though. Mine, for instance, runs about 25 degrees cool, so with the thermometer in there I can see the exact temperature, and usually need to put the dial 25 degrees hotter than the recipe calls for in order for the oven temperature to get to the correct place.
Bit late, but in case you get a notification and are still having issues with this recipe it could be the cups. US cups are a different size to UK, Australian, Canadian & South African cups. And I’m assuming European cups too. US cups are 240mL whereas the others are 250mL. I always convert US recipes to grams and mL rather than attempt to use cups (why the US seems to persist with cups rather than using grams (or ounces) is beyond me as it’s a lot more precise which is what you need for baking! Oh, and “sticks” of butter?? Thank-you for including the weight, I never remember and usually have to go look it up!). You have to be careful as different ingredients obviously pack into a cup differently and have different weights. Here’s a site that has a handy table: https://www.dovesfarm.co.uk/resources/conversion-tables/us-cups-conversion-table/
It’s a little strange that you’re cooking at 190 Celsius & you still need so much extra time. The recipe says 350F, which is 175C. Usually you do cook brownies at this slightly lower temp (than for most cakes and biscuits). Possibly your oven isn’t quite right and an oven thermometer as Michelle suggests might help!
I seem to have found the perfection brownie recipe I wasted WAY too many hours on the Internet searching desperately for …after recently trying a “cakey” brownie that I (and every other family member) absolutely abhored…We are definitely in the fudgey brownie camp…
I am an avid, new follower of your exquisitely written blog…and particularly found myself laughing and shaking my head up and down in agreement about your “brownie” logic…regarding the whisper-thin, crackley crust ALWAYS present in a perfect brownie..but that this did not determine whether the brownie itself was delectable…In sum…your writing rocks…
Here in France, thankfully, it is not too difficult to find Callebaut…but I prefer Valrhona….I haven’t tried Caillier cocoa yet (which I can obtain just across the border in Switzerland) but I imagine it could be a quality product as well…
One question…before I embark on doing your brownie justice…would you know if I can obtain a lighter-coloured 9X13 metal pan (good/sturdy quality) online? Here in France the pans seems to be quite dark (black or dark grey)..and my only pan of this size is Le Creuset cast iron with a “non-stick” dark interior…
I lied…second question…should the pan be placed exactly in the middle of the oven for best results?…Thanking you profusely for your excellent blog and the time and creativity you so generously share…
Hi Donna, I believe you could probably find light-colored pans online. My favorites are called Magic Line pans (I do have a 9×13 in that brand), however I don’t know about international shipping, you’ll have to check that out. And yes, definitely place the pan in the center of the oven. I usually always rotate the pan halfway through baking for even baking.
Michelle, have you ever made Ina’s Outrageous Brownies? What do you think of those vs. these? They seem similar and I am a huge fan of Ina and her brownies!
Hi Katelyn, I have made Ina’s Outrageous Brownies (https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2007/10/09/outrageous-indeed/) and they are pretty different actually. Ina’s brownies are much denser and more fudge-like, while this Baked Brownie is much more moist. If I had to pick one to eat for the rest of my life, it would be this one – the Baked Brownie.
Hi! I’m a massive Ina fan and i’ve tried her brownies, but these are by far my favourite of the two!! Just realised you asked a year ago, so it’s probably pointless, but just in case anyone else is wondering :)
Hi!
Thinking of making these for Valentines! Have a couple of questions:
-When you say use ‘Dark Chocolate chopped’…Can I use dark chocolate baking chips or bar?
-If I don’t use espresso powder, will it make a big difference?
-I believe I have a 9×13 baking pan (the one Analon brand that is steel/silver looking). Would that be okay without parchment paper?
-How much time would you wait after heating the chocolate mixture before you put in the eggs?
I apologize if these questions have been asked already. Thanks for your time!
Hi Marissa,
You can use either chips or a bar, whatever you have available.
You can also omit the espresso powder without a problem.
You don’t have to use parchment paper, it just makes it really easy to remove them and cut them on a cutting board, but I would still grease the pan.
As for how long to wait, as the recipe states, wait until it comes down to room temperature. The amount of time this takes will depend on how warm the room is, how hot the mixture got to begin with, etc.
Enjoy the brownies!
Great recipe! I am badly craving for anything chocolatey right mow. Would you know how long these will keep in the freezer? Thanks! :D
Hi Kathy, I usually will keep frozen baked goods for 2-3 months.
These are by far the best brownie recipe I have ever made….I used Valrhona cocoa powder. So moist and delicious especially with the addition of Espresso powder….I’ll never use another recipe again…You have the best recipes and look forward to receiving the Weekend Dish every week.
I tried these last night and they baked up just the way you said they would. These are really nice brownies but as for my favorite the title still belongs to the recipe in the Food and Wine 2011 cookbook. Thank you for sharing though!
Made these brownies last night. They were Delish! I’m not even a chocolate lover like most women but I was in the mood for brownies and I’m always on the lookout for a “from scratch” recipe. They were incredibly moist, super rich and great with ice cream. I’ll be making them again. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Ok, I think I’v figured out what has been going on with the brownies turning out grainy. The first time I made these I was also disappointed but decided to try again. This time they came out PERFECT! When you mix the sugar in after melting the butter and chocolate together, make sure that it is exactly at room temperature before you add the eggs. Don’t even bother preheating your oven until you have given the chocolate-sugar mixture a few minutes to cool down and then let it set until COMPLETELY cool (this takes awhile). I had no issues this time!
SO fabulousy fudgey!! Thanks for sharing!!
Goodness me, these are PERFECT. I made them last night and can’t stop thinking about them in there, in the kitchen, so lonely, and wanting to be in my belly. Thank you for sharing this!
My husband and I just about died over these.
I brought half of the tray into work — it was gone in 2 days, most people helping themselves to second servings. I’ve already been requested (nay, demanded!) to make them a whole pan again next week!
Thanks for sharing this!
WOW.
Skipped the espresso powder, didn’t have any.
I also had to make these nondairy, so I used margarine instead of butter, and semisweet baking chocolate- the kosher pareve “good chocolate” runs about $3.50 for a 3.5 ounce bar, definitely only spending that much for a special occasion.
That being said, these were AMAZING. Now to try the rest of the recipes on your Top Ten Brownie list…hopefully without having to size up my wardrobe.
Froze half the pan already, otherwise I’ll be eating them all week…
These brownies were yummy!! They definitely were not cakey at all which was interesting shift. Thanks for the recipe!!
I’m planning on making these for my bf’s birthday this weekend (I’m a big fan of the Baked boys recipes) but I was hoping to cut them out using a circle cookie cutter and make them into hockey pucks (could you figure out I’m Canadian?!?!). How do these brownies cut? Do you think they’ll hold up to being cut with a cookie cutter?? Thanks :)
Hi Becca, Yay hockey! I would let the brownies cool completely at room temperature and then pop them in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before cutting. I think they would cut fairly clean with that scenario.
I can’t believe how forgiving these brownies are! I realized after I put them in the oven that I put in 1 stick of butter instead of 1 cup of butter….yeah, oops! I waited nervously to see how they would come out, and they’re surprisingly awesome! Crumbly and probably difficult to transport, but awesome. I’m sure they’re even better with the full amount of butter, but if you’re looking to axe a few calories, they still come out just fine!
This recipe looks delicious. I am not a boxed brownie fanatic, and the only homemade brownies that I’ve had were a bit too cakey and dry for me. I’m looking forward to making this maybe for my birthday and am wondering if I could add some chocolate chips. I know it sounds ridiculous but I just love the texture of having the melty chocolate surprises in a lovely brownie. Let me know if you think this would be overkill or not!
Definitely! Quite a few of my brownie recipes include chocolate chips. That being said, I don’t think this one needs them (they are awesome just the way they are), but a little extra chocolate never hurt anyone :)
I have made these before and loved them. Tonight, I made the but used a new pan that is longer and wider. This caused me to have thin brownies–thinner than I like. So, I whipped up some peanut butter frosting and made brownie whoopee pies. They are amazing and going out as holiday gifts. Happy mistake!
Ever since I baked my first batch of brownies, I’ve always wondered how the crackly top crust comes into being. I mean, it doesn’t happen to cakes. Does anybody know why?
well I’m no expert… I wonder if it has anything to do with the egg white… i mean 5 eggs is a lot!
I’m dying for some brownies and I saw this on Pinterest. I think I need to make them when my son goes down for his nap! :)
Two questions: 1) Will reg cocoa (not dutch-processed) yield a similiar result? Also, is there a specific reason for buttering AND using parchment paper?
Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try them!
Hi Elaine, You can use regular cocoa, although the depth of chocolate flavor will be a little less (still delicious!). I butter the pan because it makes the parchment easier to stay in place. I use parchment because you can use it to lift the brownies out of the pan in one piece, for easier slicing on a cutting board.
Holy smokes, these are the best brownies EVAR! I figured out the butter thing once I made them. :) I have a recipe for a different desert that just calls for parchment paper in a 9×13 pan – I’ll definitely be using the butter trick next time with that recipe, too!
I ended up using Ghirardelli chocolate and (gasp!) Hershey’s cocoa because that’s what I had. Completely wonderful! Hubs has decided this will be our go-to recipe for brownies and will be taken to the office Christmas party. Thanks for the great recipe!
First, these brownies were amazing. Second, these brownies were AMAZING!!!! I made these for part of our Thanksgiving dessert, and I can honestly say they were one of the best things I have every put in my mouth. I did not use the espresso powder, but followed the rest of the recipe exactly. Thank you for such a wonderful brownie!! I will be adding these to our Christmas menu as well :)
Made these last weekend and took them to church. Had almost half of the congregation ask for the recipe!! I didn’t have any dark chocolate, so I actually melted down Hershey’s special dark chocolate chips. And instant espresso powder is apparently impossible to find in Virginia, so I used Starbucks Via Instant Italian Roast Extra Bold coffee instead. I can’t imagine these turning out any more amazing, so I guess it worked!! Thanks so much!! Will be forwarding your website to most of the people at my church :)
Oh, they were! They tasted almost like fudge. Next time I’ll use all semi-sweet or maybe half SS and half bittersweet! Thank you!
Is it possible to use 11oz of Milk Chocolate baking chips instead of the dark chocolate? I made these using the 60% Ghirardelli squares and they were absolutely delicious but a little too “dark chocolatey” for us. If you use Milk Chocolate, should you still add the same amount if sugars?
If you found the bittersweet chocolate a little too much on the dark side, I would go with semisweet before you do milk. I think they would be way, way too sweet using all milk chocolate.
These are my absolute favorite brownies of all time. Thank you for posting! They taste even better the next day — Delicious!
Found your post off of Pinterest a couple of days ago and immediately bookmarked the page. I finally found time to make them tonight, and even though I was short on chocolate (didn’t realize my box of dark chocolate was only 6 oz, and I only had an extra 2 oz of unsweetened on hand so I threw that in with an extra Tbsp of cocoa) and didn’t have the espresso powder these brownies are still the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of making/eating. I will probably die the next time I make them with the right ingredients. Thanks so much for sharing them!
My husband and I tried these brownies at the Baked in Charleston while on our honeymoon and I was in love then. When I saw this recipe on pinterest I just about flipped! You are so wonderful for posting this recipe! In fact, I’ve got my second batch of these INCREDIBLE brownies in the oven right now! This is how brownies are meant to be, fudgy and rich and altogether deliciously ridiculous :D
A big thank you all the way from Denmark, have been looking for a recipe like this for a while. The perfekt brownie!
OMG your blog is so good. You really inspire a beginner like me.
The recipe I used gives a good taste but it’s too cakey.
What you show is the my ideal brownies!! >_<
I surely try this recipe and keep on following other recipes of you:)
I have attempted this recipe twice, following all directions precisely, except for lining my glass baking dish with foil or parchment paper. Both times when the time timer goes off they are still practically liquid, except for the very edges.
It took twice the bake time for them to cook and then they tasted burned. I am so sad and don’t understand what could be going wrong.
I am thinking that your oven needs to be re-calibrated or something. Maybe when you set it for 350 it is really at 250? I would buy a small oven thermometer and check the temp of the oven. If it is not that then i have no idea what it could be.
I plan on making these, but wondering if instant espresso powder is found next to the instant coffee? If they are rich, there’s a simple solution to that: top a warm one with some whipped cream. mmmmm
Hi Jill, Sometimes it can be found near the instant coffee, sometimes in the baking aisle. Some small grocery stores don’t carry it, but you should be able to find it at larger ones or specialty stores (my local Italian market always has it), or somewhere like Williams-Sonoma.
I made these yesterday and I think they have ruined me for all other brownies. Yum. Thank you for sharing!
Hi! I am going to try these out today. I don’t have any parchment paper so I’m going to try without. Also, regular cocoa powder with milk chocolate. I guess I’ll let you know the results… I love brownies, so I’m sure they’ll turn out yummy no matter what!
What would you say is the diff between these and your Chewy brownies? I made those and they were a hit. I belong to the “I love boxed brownies” club.
Hi Jen, These are definitely more “substantial”. They are denser, richer and thicker than the chewy brownies.
I had never made homemade brownies before this. You will never go back to the boxed version. It’s worth the time and effort.
These look awesome!
I try to send my Husband (fresh) not literally fresh Brownies to Afghanistan every few weeks. I have tried sooo many different kinds, and all of the Soliders, and him have decided that the “fudgy” not cake like Brownies are the best.
I think that this will hit their sweet tooth while they are out their serving our country.
Although it says they can be stored up to 3 days? I have never had problems if I ensure I pack them tightly, that they have ever been stale?
It takes roughly around 8 days to get to them, have you seen them get old, that soon?
Hi Liz, As long as you pack them up tightly you should be just fine. I never throw brownies out ;-)
I just have a few questions about the process…When you mix the sugars in with the chocolate mixture, does the sugar need to dissolve so the mix is smooth again or will it be a bit grainy?
Also, I know you say you should see a bit of flower left in the final mixture but do you think you could possibly post a picture or describe it very well?
I want to make sure I am doing every step correctly in order to make sure these brownies come out as amazing as everyone makes them out to be :)
Thanks!
Jessica
Hi Jessica, When you mix the sugar in, it will be a bit grainy, definitely not completely smooth.
As far as leaving some bits of flour… I don’t have a photo, but really you just want to mix until most of the flour is incorporated. Think of it like pancake batter – you don’t want to mix until everything is blended and smooth – you want to leave some lumps and bumps.
I made these yesterday. Soooo good! Kids love them. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I just do not know where I went wrong. I am a very good baker but we couldn’t even eat these. The chocolate taste of the brownies was bitter and I set timer to ensure that I didn’t overcook but they were crumbly. I was careful not to overmix. I have looked and looked at the recipe trying to figure out what I did wrong?
Sherry, I couldn’t figure out my results, either and am debating whether or not to give these another go…the brownies are very crumbly today (I made them yesterday, and they are in a tupperware container now)…the taste was good, but the texture not what I’d expected. I bake alot and almost always have excellent results. Not so much with these! I think I will just continue down the list and chalk these up as “not a winner” in my cookbook! Hope one of the recipes yield a fudgy, moist brownie as I’d hoped these would be!
Thanks Julie,
I was beginning to think it was just me. I am still scratching my head trying to figure out what I did. I think I will just keep looking and like you said “continue down the list”. My brother-in-law told me tonight that I shouldn’t be kicking myself or questioning myself and that my brownies are very good. Sometimes you just have to stick with what you know! :)
I am making it my mission to go through this list of brownies this summer! I made the Baked Brownies this morning…the taste is amazing: intensely chocolatey, just like I like them. But, the texture is not what I’d expected based on the photograph. I was very careful not to over-stir the eggs in, but my brownies do not have a crackle top nor are they very fudgey…more cake-like. Not sure what I did wrong. You can definitely tell that a cup of butter was used in the batter, as the cake is kind of greasy. Nevertheless, I will continue down the list. These brownies will be scarfed down by my chocolate-loving family in no time!
I made these for a meeting at work today. The brownies were wonderfully dense but not cloying, full of chocolate flavor, and beautiful to cut. Several people told me they were the best brownies they had ever eaten. This will be my go-to recipe for brownies from now on. Thanks a bunch!
the BEST brownies I have ever made. I may have to limit how often I make these because I literally could have sat there and eaten the whole batch right out of the pan! My friends very happily devoured them!
This recipe was amazing!!! I have tried quite a few brownie recipes that say they are moist and fudge like but these were true to their word! Thx!
I want to make these today, but I don’t have dark chocolate, just semi-sweet. Do I still put in the same amounts of sugar?
Hi Jennifer, Yes, I would use the same amount of sugar. Enjoy the brownies!
i am baking these right now :). But I Would like to know, do you have a convection oven? If not, how do I adjust the cooking time for recipes when I use a convection oven verses a regular oven. I know the cooking time is less, but should I also be adjusting the temperature? Thanks for any help.
Hi Nancy, I do not have a convection oven, but there is some information on adapting recipes for convection baking in the FAQ section here: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/baking-faq/
I’m sure these brownies taste excellent, but when I made them I forgot to add the sugar! I think it would be helpful to create a separate step for adding the sugar.
I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for so long I can’t remember putting it there. I’ve gone through countless brownie recipes and always been disappointed. I rediscovered this today and decided this was my next attempt and they are SO GOOOOOOD. Perfect, just what I’ve been looking for in a brownie. I didn’t have espresso powder and 100g of the chocolate I had to use milk, as I’d ran out of dark, but it still worked wonderfully. On the downside, I now feel rather sick from eating a much larger piece than I should have…and will be making my boyfriend take the rest to work with him tomorrow – they are dangerous to have in the house!
Just a note on cocoa powders. Alkalized cocoa powder = dutch process cocoa powder = a cocoa powder that has been treated with alkali to make it appear darker (or sometimes redder) and to make it taste less bitter. Regular cocoa power = natural cocoa powder = non-alkalized cocoa powder. All cocoa powder, whether alkalized or not, is the purest form of cocoa available, 100% cocoa, and therefore as dark as cocoa can get. Personally I don’t notice a big taste difference between the regular or dutch process and use them interchangably all the time. Brands can make a taste difference though. Valrhona is the absolute best with Callebaut and Scharffenberger close seconds. This is true of their cocoa powders and their baking chocolate bars/discs. For the white chocolate fans out there, and I am one (I do not discriminate in life or in chocolate), once you try Valrhona Ivoire or Lindt White you will never buy another brand. There are a lot of brands out there that use other fat solids in place of the more expensive cocoa butter and they are just plain nasty, overly sweet, cloying freakishly white, disgusting things. How do you really feel Cynthia? Also, I’ve baked a hella lot of brownies in my life and agree 100% that the Baked brownie is the best. I’ve tried it with the espresso powder, without the espresso powder and with half the espresso powder and loved it every way. Try the Baked brownie with chopped up Valrhona Ivoire chunks – a beautiful ebony ivory flavor combo challeged only by your fabulous Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake. Served that cheesecake with fresh raspberry puree for dessert with my neighbors and let’s just say that I WILL be invited back. Love, love, love ya, don’t mean maybe!
Hi Michelle,
Greetings fm Singapore! Just baked these jewels & I’m a fudge-brownie convert! Love your blog n pix too!!!
I’m thinking my gas oven is hotter than electric. I plan to get an oven thermometer to check it. I have asked many people a question & haven’t found anyone that can answer it… Is there a difference between ‘dutch cocoa’ & ‘dutch dark cocoa’? Does ‘dark cocoa’ always mean ‘dutch cocoa’?
Hi Jana, I have seen dutch cocoa referred to both as just dutch and dutch dark. I’m unsure though if there is a difference or just how certain vendors name it – I’ve never seen the same store sell two different types of Dutch cocoa.
Try Meijer’s if you have that store. They sell Hershey’s Dark cocoa
i’m going to order the dark cocoa powder asap… gotta make these! question: do you have gas or electric oven?
I have an electric oven.
Sorry I meant to post this on your salted caramel brownies recipe…
I’m not sure where I went wrong on this recipe. My brownies look nothing like what your pictures represent. The brownie itself was Very fudgy-I even cooked it for about 10-15 minutes longer than what you called for. The caramel itself tasted more like toffee than caramel. I took your suggestion on using the foil, but that somehow only seemed to make it worse. I had high hopes on this one, but I’m sure it was probably baker error. Any suggestions on the caramel though? Thanks though. I’ll be making another recipe of yours this week. I’m not giving up just yet… :)
Hi Kristin, If you found the caramel tasted more like toffee and the brownies weren’t very fudgy (more cakey?) then I would lean towards thinking that they were overbaked, especially since you said you baked them for 10 to 15 minutes longer. That’s a long time in brownie years ;-)
What is the main difference between these and Ina’s outrageous brownies?
These are nowhere near as dense as Ina’s Outrageous Brownies. I think these are better.
I have recently become a HUGE fan of your blog! I am always looking for new baking ideas…I’m merely a novice baker, but I LOVE to bake! I would love to make these Baked Brownies, but I don’t have any dark chocolate in my baking cupboards, and this PA snow is really making it difficult to get anywhere, especially the store! So, I have a bar of unsweetened chocolate, half a bar of semi-sweet, and natural cocoa powdered… any ideas for yummy chewy, fudgey brownies???
*Powder
Hi Amanda, I think these Chewy Brownies would work – just use semisweet instead of bittersweet…
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/03/09/chewy-brownies/
what kind of espresso powder do you use? i’ve made ina’s outrageous brownies before & you could really taste the coffee powder. btw, i love your website & want to make everything you post. my husband is a big steelers fan & our dog is named “steeler.” i’m going to try making the cookies for superbowl. :)
Hi Rachel, I use Medaglia D’ Oro espresso powder. It’s sold in a local Italian market near where I live, but it’s also available on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Medaglia-Oro-Instant-Espresso-2-Ounce/dp/B001E5E24A
Hi there – can’t seem to find instant espresso anywhere. Can I just buy already made espresso at Starbucks? If so, how much do you think I should use? Thanks!!!! Making these tonight! Wish me luck! …:).
Definitely don’t use already-made espresso; that’s a liquid, which could make the batter way too thin. I have found it at Italian groceries, and you can also buy it online at Amazon (see link above) or from King Arthur Flour. If you’re in a pinch, I would just omit it.
Oh my! I made these today and they were amazing! So moist and chocolaty, thanks for another decadent recipe!
Another GREAT recipe from Brown Eyed Baker. I know the recipes I try from this blog will be wonderful- no doubt. This blog is my go-to for yummy goodies.
Aw thank you for the kudos, you are too sweet! And YAY for brownies!
Hye Michelle,
I’d made this last weekend. And, I’ll say, totally nominate this as the IT brownies, heck it is the IT brownies. haha. Here a link of mine, which I play with the brownies, yes I play with my food, just to enjoy it a bit longer. By mean play is photograph them, I drool every time seeing the pictures, and for sure I’ll be taking the baking supplies out from the pantry. Anyway thanks, this really a keeper
You are welcome, so happy you loved them!
I finally made these last week. I made them for a party we had to go to for Halloween. I decorated them with homemade vanilla frosting and sprinkled with Halloween shaped sprinkles. They were just delicious. I used a combination of Scharfen Berger and Lindt chocolate – very dark chocolate – and they were amazing. Thanks for the excellent brownie recipe.
Oooh I just adore Lindt chocolate. I actually just ate a square of 85% about an hour ago :) Glad you loved the brownies!
So they finally cooled and yummo! Those are some of the tastiest brownies we’ve ever eaten. This recipe is a keeper which will be at the front of my brownie section in my recipe box! Again, thanks for sharing!
(PS…..if they’re this good with my subbing some of the choc, I can’t imagine how they’ll taste with all the Scharffen Berger)!
Yay!! So glad you loved them! They are fab!
I made these today and they are delicious. The only thing I changed was I didn’t have enough Scharffen Berger chocolate so I made up the balance with Ghiradelli chocolate chips. Am still waiting for them to cool completely, but managed to slice about an inch sliver on the corner! Just couldn’t wait…..Thanks for sharing BEB!
Yay, so happy to hear Denise! Isn’t it torture waiting for baked goods to cool?!
I made these today and they didn’t turn out so well for me. The flavor isn’t bad but the texture seems all wrong. They break up and crumble all over the place at the slightest touch or movement. In fact, the entire pan’s worth cracked in half as I lifted them up by the parchment paper. No crisp crackle to the top, either. There were a few things I did differently from the recipe — I used a darker pan instead of a glass or light-colored one and I melted my butter and chocolate in the microwave instead of in a double boiler. I also used wheat flour as that’s all I had in the house and I have subbed in many recipes with no problems in the past. I wonder if any of those could have been the issue?
Hi Heather, A dark pan can often times cause baked goods to be overbaked if it is baked at the same temperature and for the same amount of time. If using a dark pan, I would recommend reducing the temperature by 25 degrees F and checking for doneness at least 5-10 minutes earlier than the recipe states. Melting in a microwave shouldn’t be an issue unless it really overheated and the chocolate scorched, but you would have definitely been able to tell if that happened. As far as wheat flour, I never bake with it and it does have slightly different properties than all-purpose flour, so that has the potential to play into texture issues.
It depends on what kind of whole wheat flour you used. I buy Eagle Mills Ultagrain. It’s white whole wheat and it’s much more fine than regular whole wheat. I can usually substitute it 100% in most recipes. The most important thing to remember is that whole wheat sucks up the wet ingredients, so you usually have to add more liquid.
Hmm, well I baked these just last night using a dark pan and they turned out PERFECTLY! So delicious! I did reduce the oven temp by about 25 degrees. I think it must have been your flour.
I just made a *different* Baked brownie today. They look similar, but now I will have to try these! I haven’t even tried mine, yet…they are still cooling. Seeing yours makes me want to dig in NOW!
I should not have looked at this post workout, lol
Oh my! These brownies look so rich, chewy and moist. America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book is one of my favorite baking cookbooks. The recipes are consistently great.
These look too good to be true! So chocolatey, so luscious. Are they anything like Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies? I’ve made those a few times with great success. Always a hit. I think I am going to make these for my son’s karate school party for Halloween. Maybe decorate them a bit for the holiday. Thanks for making these unbelievable chocolate-y delights!
I don’t think they’re as dense as Ina’s brownies. They are definitely rich and chewy, but don’t have that heavy, packed texture that the Outrageous Brownies do. I like these better than Ina’s, hands down (and I really, really like Ina’s).
mmmmm These look real good! :)))
Greets from BFC
These are making me drool. OMG!
I can’t find dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder anywhere! Where did you get it? I need to make these! They look so delicious!
Hi Abby, I used my Dutch-processed cocoa powder. I have never found it in my grocery stores, and have ordered it from a few different places (links below):
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/double-dutch-dark-cocoa-16-oz
http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeyscocoapowder.html
http://www.amazon.com/Callebaut-Baking-Cocoa-Powder-2-2lb/dp/B000CD9P88/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1286748544&sr=8-1
You can buy it at Meijer’s if you have that store!
I found some at Walmart.
I’ve never found it at Walmart. I do love King Arthur flour and will order some from them. Your brownies look delish by the way.
Oh, LOL. I was confused by the title. My immediate thought was “How else would you make brownies? They have to be baked.” Now I understand, thank you.
These brownies look so great, the best brownie recipes are on your blog. thanks for sharing them with us
I may just need this cookbook- these brownies look fabulous!
Wow! These are gorgeous and look amazing!!
I have these in the oven right now! Unfortunately, I didn’t have instant espresso (or even instant coffee) so this recipe is without that ingredient. But I think it will still be super tasty (or at least the batter was… and I don’t normally eat batter).
Brittany, would love to hear what you thought, I’m sure they were still amazingly fabulous even without the espresso powder!
AMAZING, even without the espresso powder. These will make a regular appearance in my home. Thanks for sharing the recipe here!
Awesome to hear! You are very welcome!
these are gorgeous! i’m going to see if i can get my hands on 11 ounces of chocolate tomorrow… i used to work in a coffee shop that had dense, chewy delicious brownies with that signature crackly top..they were like crack! so addictive!!
Everything in the Baked book is awesome, glad you got your copy :)!! The second book just came out, I am seeing the authors next week on their book tour, should be lots of fun!!
Now I am totally craving brownies! I really don’t think there’s a “safe” time to read your blog. Even though I just had dinner, I now am ravenous for some brownies :)
a baked chocolate bar…now that is a good thing!
I made these afternoon and we just cut into them. Let me tell you, my fiance is a brownie expert and I have baked many different recipes and he has liked most of them, but tonight he told me to throw away every other recipe and memorize this one because this is the only one he wants to eat from this point in life. He told me that he could and will eat the whole pan for he has finally experienced brownie nirvana. Thanks for the recipe, I am off to buy the Baked cookbook tomorrow.
You are very welcome! I’m happy that these got the thumbs up from a brownie expert, so excited to hear he loved them!
I’ll have to make these for my husband! He’s such a chocoholic!
I’ve been wanting to try these brownies ever since I got the cookbook! But instead I refrain from flipping to that page so that I won’t eat a whole pan of these. Plus, I can never seem to keep an ounce of chocolate in my kitchen, never mind 11 ounces. These look just as incredible as the ones in the book, I better go buy some chocolate!
You know I think I might be a little miffed at you too. You see I logged on this morning to get the garlic rolls to make for a friend who just had a baby. I was completely ambushed by the thick squares of chocolaty goodness that slapped my drool button silly. Yes, for the THIRD time this week, the kids will be getting brownies. (We really do eat balanced around here, I promise.) We have been looking for that special recipe as of late and you had me at “America’s Test Kitchen”. I am very excited to spend my rainy afternoon in the kitchen with these brownies, and garlic rolls.
THANKS AGAIN!
Amanda
I hope you enjoyed the brownies, Amanda, and aren’t *TOO* mad at me ;-)
That looks so rich and yummy.
Those look fantastic!
The fudgey vs cakey ratio looks perfect, as does that thin crust on the top — very nice…Theresa
Oh my gosh, these look SO rich and decadent. I am definitely in the fudge-y brownie camp so I’m super excited to try these. Putting that cookbook on my wishlist too!
I love rich dense brownies, so this recipe looks like the one for me.
That’s it. I am going to have to make these. And buy the cookbook. I love a good brownie. Ooey gooey and rich are the best kind.
Those look great, I’ll have to try them. I too love everything ATK, especially Baking Illustrated. They are a great resource. You know, as much as you like these, you should consider renaming your site “Brownie Eyed Baker”. :-)
Not bad, Erik! I’ll keep it in mind :)
I love this cookbook and just picked up their latest book. I’ve got some big plans for Christmas gifts with these tasty treats.
These brownies look amazing! My husband LOVES brownies, and I’ve been looking for a great recipe to try. Thanks for sharing. Love your blog!
Aw, thanks Lindsey!
B.E.B., I am mad at you this morning, just saw this post and you know I’m just going right over to the cupboards to start pulling brownie ingredients together and that means I’ll be missing aerobics class again…what are you trying to do to the “willpower challenged”??? Am not going to visit here for at least however long it takes me to burn off the brownie caloreis, oh my!!!
Haha my apologies, please don’t stay mad for long! :-D
*droooll*
I absolutely love the Baked book, these look too good to be true!
I have been dying to try these! oh my god, woudl you say is your favorite brownie ever? cause you have tons of brownie recipes, my current favorite is from Boudin Bakery’s and I found the recipe in http://www.cookiemadness.net/2009/09/boudin-bakery-brownies/ and is amazing! it has no baking soda or powder either, but I still want to try this! Thanks a lot!
-Amalia
Amalia, I do think I would stamp these as my favorite ever. They are just the quintessential perfect brownie in every possible way. Love!
i am practically drooling at these pictures
i LOVE the baked cookbook & the brownies are the best!
i have re-created so many of their goodies from that book & everyone is a gem.
i just received “the boys” new cookbook “baked explorations: classic american desserts reinvented” & it looks like a treasure! their take on reviving old recipes with a modern twist is great!
i am lucky enough to live not too far from their bakery & that was an amazing experience!
thanks for your adaptation…i am going to bake it & i know why i enjoy your blog so very much…we are on the same wave length when it comes to sweets!
These make my mouth water! :)
ALSO, in the photographs of the brownies, it appears that there are chunks of chocolate or chocolate chips in the baked brownie but the recipe says to melt all the chocolate and mix into the dry mixture. Am I seeing things?
Hmm maybe? ;-) There aren’t any chips or chunks of chocolate in the brownies.
I thought so too at first, but I think what we’re seeing is bits of the crackly crust on top… Mmmmm…
I think its the crust pieces you see, that has been cut thru
Hi Judy, that’s not chocolate chips or chunkc of chocolate. They looked like it but they are actually the thinly crunchy crust top. Thats what you get baking brownies. Good luck and have fun baking !
What does “dark chocolate” mean? Unsweetened, semisweet or sweet dark “eating” chocolate?
Hi Judy, dark chocolate is typically 60% – 72% bittersweet chocolate. I buy Ghiradelli 60% for baking.
If I didn’t wait for the chocolate mixture to be room temp, did I ruin the brownies? The texture seemed lumpy =/
um yuck!!
only kiddin yum!!
these brownies rock my world!!! best recipe ever!!
Thank you for clarifying the type of chocolate needed. I bought unsweetened dark chocolate. So tomorrow, I go back and get the right stuff.
you always have the best recipes on your blog! this is no exception. now i’m craving brownies! yummm
We definitely need more brownies in my part of the world. These look fantastic – and I like that they are not ‘cakey’ with a ‘thin crackly crust’. What a great explanation of texture. Thanks for sharing.
These brownies are great and my kids went wild – but I have fond memories of buying cake brownies at the local bakery – but no one seems to make brownies with that cake texture. Can someone direct me to a recipe. Most appreciated.
I think you may like this one :D
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2008/06/03/twd-french-chocolate-brownies/