Homemade Brownies
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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
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
- ⅓ 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.
Can you double or triple the recipe to make a 9×13 pan of brownies? If so, are the measurements just increased ?
Hi Jenny! I haven’t tried doubling yet, but if I were to bake it in a 9×13 inch pan, I would try doubling the recipe first and see how that turns out. Obviously the baking time will need to be adjusted.
Hi, Can I have the substitute of eggs for this recipe ? I wanna make it eggless one.
Fabulous recipe! I think the extra step of whipping the eggs and the sugar in this recipe makes all of the difference. I made them in a disposable aluminum pan and cooked them to perfection for 25 minutes. This recipe is a keeper!
These are my husband’s favorite brownies! He doesn’t like cakes or most brownies, but these are the bee’s knees. He said they remind him of the brownies his granny’s cook used to make. Any recipe that can take someone back to their childhood is pure magic! My kids love them too. I love to whip up a batch when we have surprise guests over for dinner. I start them before making dinner, and we end with a sweet treat that tastes like I spent so much time on. Thank you so much for sharing!
Properly measure the flour? Properly measured anything is measured by weight on a scale. So if you want to emphasize proper measuring, you do it how it supposed to be done. Right?
Hi Albina! Yes, the most accurate way to measure flour is by weight. However most people do not own a food scale so the best way to measure flour using measuring cups is the spoon and level method.
I love a dark, bittersweet brownie. Can I use Hershey’s Extra Dark Cocoa? I am not sure but I believe it is a dutched or alkalized cocoa.
I looks great and I would love to try this recipe but I don’t understand the measurements. Could you please put it in grams? Thank you so much
Delicious recipe!