Our family’s go to classic homemade brownies! These brownies are fudgy, chewy, and have lots of chocolate flavor.

homemade brownies stacked in a tower on light blue plate with white background

Plus you can customize them with different add-ins likes nuts, mint chips, and caramel. We also tested this recipe multiple times and found it makes AWESOME gluten free brownies!

Guys, I am just going to say it. Brownies can be hard to photograph because they slightly look like square pieces of poo!

It’s been almost 2 years since I posted a brownie recipe. So far on our site we have a super fudgy brownie recipe and an espresso brownie recipe.

I’ve been intimidated of doing a “classic” brownie because that can mean so many different things to so many people.

Fudgy, chewy, cakey, crispy outside, moist, chocolatey -these are all words people use to describe a classic brownie.

I feel like this is a big battle!

homemade brownies stacked in a pile on light blue plate with sprinkle of sea salt on top

I realized I didn’t even know what type of brownie was my favorite. How am I suppose to create MY classic brownie when I’m not even sure what I like?!

So the brownie testing began.

5 batches later – starting with more fudgy brownies and realizing I like a chewier brownie, this is my definition of a classic brownie.

 homemade brownies stacked in a tower with single scoop of vanilla ice cream on top on light blue plate with white background

How would I describe this brownie?

It’s still fudgy, but not I feel like I’m eating molten chocolate fudgy. It’s got that crispy and shiny outside. And it’s slightly chewy. My ideal brownie is one that can soak up a little vanilla ice cream when eating them together!

collage image of how to make homemade brownies with glass mixing bowl and baking ingredients

How to Make Chewy Homemade Brownies

I originally started with a brownie that was really heavy on melted chocolate. Lots of melted chocolate is what makes a brownie super fudgy. But in order to achieve a chewier texture, I cut back on the amount of melted chocolate and increased the amount of cocoa powder.

How to Make a Brownie with a Crispy, Shiny Top

After consulting many sites, beating the sugar with the eggs is what I discovered works the best to get the crispy, shiny top on the brownies. I suppose it’s not that simple – the amount of granulated sugar in the recipe plays an important part too.

homemade brownies cut into squares on a wooden platter

Butter VS. Oil in Brownies

For my personal tastes, I found that my optimal brownie uses a combination of butter and vegetable oil. Butter enhances the natural chocolate flavor but oil helps to produce a chewier brownie.

How Many Eggs To Put In Brownies

Lastly, the egg debate. I found that I liked 2 eggs plus an additional egg yolk. The additional egg yolk adds more fat, creating a fudgier brownie.

homemade brownies stacked in a tower on light blue plate with white background

Should I Bake Brownies in a Glass or Metal Pan

I used a glass 8×8 inch baking pan because that’s what I have in my kitchen! You can use a metal pan and I would recommend decreasing the baking time by 5 minutes. Metal pans heat up faster and can produce chewier brownies.

Can I Add Nuts or Other Add-Ins to These Brownies?

Definitely! Add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of add-ins. You could add any variety of chopped nuts, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, mint pieces, caramel bits, reese’s pieces, etc.

Gluten Free Homemade Brownies

I recommend and tested this recipe multiple times with King Arthur’s Measure for Measure All Purpose Gluten Free Flour.

More Dessert Recipes

Homemade Brownies

4.55 from 22 ratings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
Our family’s go to classic homemade brownies! These brownies are fudgy, chewy, and have lots of chocolate flavor. Plus you can customize them with different add-ins likes nuts, mint chips, and caramel. We also tested this recipe multiple times and found it makes AWESOME gluten free brownies!

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup properly measured all purpose flour OR gluten free flour, I recommend King Arthur’s GF Measure for Measure Flour
  • ½ tsp salt
  • cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
  • 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed, 1 stick
  • 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. 
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the properly measured flour, salt and cocoa powder. Stir together with a spoon until mixed. Set aside. 
  • In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the chopped unsweetened chocolate and cubed butter. Stir occasionally until it’s fully melted, about 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a larger mixing bowl, beat the sugar and eggs plus additional egg yolk with an electric mixer for 1 minute, until the mixture is pale yellow and doubled in volume. 
  • Once the chocolate is melted, pour it into the egg mixture. Then add the vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Stir with a spatula to combine. 
  • Spoon the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing with a spatula just until combined. Do not continue to mix the batter once you can no longer see flour. 
  • Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-33 minutes (glass pan) 25-27 minutes (metal pan) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For a chewier, less fudgy brownie, bake for 35-37 minutes in a glass pan or 30 minutes in a metal pan. 

Notes

This recipe turned out great using gluten free flour! We love King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Beth
Calories: 223kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Sodium: 112mg, Potassium: 100mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 299IU, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 2mg
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