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.
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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.
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