These Fudgy Brownies caused a daily stampede at my bakery - and now I'm sharing the recipe with you!
These are the brownies that used to sell out first every single day in my bakery - and for good reason. I spent years tweaking the ratios of chocolate, butter, sugar, and eggs to get them just right: gooey and dense in the middle, with that shiny, crackly top everyone loves. Unlike so many recipes that turn out too cakey or too underbaked, these are reliably rich, fudgy, and packed with deep chocolate flavor.
After a decade of seeing them fly off the shelves, I can promise they'll disappear just as quickly from your kitchen too!
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Easy Brownie Recipe
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How To Make Fudgy Brownies
- How To Tell When Brownies Are Done Baking
- Slicing Fudgy Brownies Perfectly
- The Science Behind Fudgy Brownies (And How To Get Shiny Crackly Tops)
- Brownie Variations and Flavor Ideas
- How To Store Brownies
- Chocolate Brownie FAQ
- More Brownie Recipes
- Recipe
Why You'll Love This Easy Brownie Recipe
- Tried and tested brownie recipe for the gooiest brownies.
- Made with real melted chocolate for a deep and rich flavor.
- Backed by baking science, with every step explained for consistent results.
Ingredients You'll Need
This recipe uses real, from-scratch, basic ingredients for a deep chocolate flavor and fudgy texture. The secret ingredient here, though, is really the technique!
- Butter - Use unsalted butter to control the salt content in the brownies.
- Dark Chocolate - A high-quality dark chocolate will give your brownies a rich chocolate flavor. Semi-sweet chocolate is good too, but I don't recommend milk chocolate as the flavor won't be deep enough.
- Eggs - Use large eggs - free range if possible.
- Sugar - White granulated sugar works the most effectively for whipping into eggs. You can substitute in some brown sugar if you like, but make sure it's at least 50% white sugar.
- Flour - All-purpose flour will add structure to the brownies while keeping the fudgy texture.
- Vanilla - Using a good-quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste will enhance all of the other flavors, creating the perfect balance.
See the recipe card for quantities and the full recipe.
Measuring Ingredients:
I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a kitchen scale, rather than using measuring cups. It's very difficult to measure accurately with cups, and this can mess up your bakes.
Recommended Equipment
- Heatproof Bowl
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Sieve
- Rubber Spatula
- 8x8 Square Baking Pan - preferably a metal pan, as a glass pan takes longer to heat up.
How To Make Fudgy Brownies
This homemade brownie recipe is very easy to make in just a few simple steps. To make sure you get the best brownies possible, follow the instructions closely as there is baking science in every step!
Melt the Chocolate
Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C (160° fan-assisted) and line a square pan with parchment paper.
Chop up the chocolate into small chunks and add it to a heat-safe bowl, along with the butter. Melt it over a double boiler, or in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between each burst until fully melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
Whip Eggs and Sugar
Place the eggs and sugar into a separate bowl, and whisk them vigorously until the mixture is pale and thick, similar to custard.
This will only take around 60 seconds of whisking by hand. This step is important as it is what will give your brownies those shiny tops!
Combine Wet Ingredients
Check the chocolate mixture to make sure it is no longer hot, then pour it into the egg mixture, along with the vanilla. Gently mix everything together until fully combined.
Add the Flour
Sift the flour and salt into the bowl and use a spoon or rubber spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the chocolate batter until you can't see any lumps of flour.
Be careful not to knock too much air out of the batter - there are no leavening agents in this brownie recipe, so we are relying on the air we worked into the eggs.
Prepare Pan
Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan, smoothing it out to the sides of the pan.
Bake
Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top of the brownies looks dry but shiny.
Cool
Leave the brownies to cool in the pan completely before attempting to unmold them - they will fall apart into a gooey mess if taken out too soon!
Once cooled, use a sharp knife to cut them into squares. See the 'How To Slice Brownies' section below for more tips on this step.
How To Tell When Brownies Are Done Baking
The best thing about these homemade brownies is their gooey, fudgy middle. But when it comes to judging bake times, the classic 'toothpick test', used to check for moist crumbs in cakes and classic brownies, won't work.
When the brownies are ready to come out of the oven, they will still be very gooey on the inside, and will continue to firm up as they cool (see the 'Brownie Science' section below).
It's important to look for the visual cues that your brownies are baked. The main sign to look out for in your brownies is a dry, crinkly top that is nice and shiny. The brownies should not jiggle if you shake the pan, and may be starting to come away from the edges slightly. Don't continue to bake the brownies past this point, or they will turn out overbaked, dry, and very dense.
Slicing Fudgy Brownies Perfectly
Once your fudge brownies are baked and cooled to perfection, it's time to slice - and I'm going to teach you the best way to do it!
I've said it once, and I'll say it again: make sure brownies are completely cool before slicing. Then, grab a large, sharp knife and place it in a jug of hot water to heat the knife. Wipe the knife dry with a paper towel, and slice straight down into the brownies. Repeat this process between every cut to achieve super clean edges on your batch of brownies. Cut into 9 or 16 squares, depending on how big you want each brownie to be.
The Science Behind Fudgy Brownies (And How To Get Shiny Crackly Tops)
Ever wondered what makes brownies fudgy? Or why do they have crackly tops? I like to think of myself as half baker-half scientist, because there are so many technical elements to creating the best brownie recipe. It's really useful to know the scientific explanations behind baking, as it gives a bit more purpose to each step and improves your overall baking knowledge.
- Fat + Sugar = Fudginess - Melted chocolate adds both fat and sugar to the brownie batter, which creates that rich, dense texture.
- Less Flour = More Gooey - I have tested this recipe A LOT with all different amounts of flour to fat ratios. I've found that using less flour (just enough to bind the batter) gives the intensely gooey, chewy texture we are looking for in a fudgy brownie. More flour will leave you with cakey brownies.
- Whisked Eggs = Shiny Tops - Whisking the eggs thoroughly helps to emulsify the fats and liquids, making a smooth, shiny batter. The beaten eggs combined with the sugar forms a meringue-like structure which is what forms the beautiful shiny top on the brownies as they bake.
- No Leavening Agents - Unlike other baked goods, we don't want to add any rise and air into these brownies, so there are no leavening agents (like baking powder or baking soda). This means there won't be any cake-like crumbs, and the brownies will be thick with an almost truffle-like center.
- Bake Time is Key - These fudgy brownies contain melted chocolate and butter, which are both liquid when warm, so the brownies will set as they cool. That's why when you first take the brownies out of the oven, they will still seem quite underbaked, so the typical 'toothpick test' won't work like it does with cakes. As they cool, they will firm up into the perfect brownie texture.
Cakey vs Fudgy Brownie Recipes
Ever wondered what makes one brownie soft and gooey, and another light and fluffy? It all comes down to the balance of ingredients.
Cakey brownies use more flour and often include baking powder for lift, giving them a lighter, more structured crumb. Fudgy brownies, like this recipe, skip any leavening agents and use more fat and chocolate for a rich, dense texture that's gooey all the way through. Cakey brownies are also more likely to use cocoa powder rather than melted chocolate. Cocoa powder brownies are just as delicious, but definitely have a different texture and flavor profile! If you're after a brownie with a soft center and a deep chocolate flavor, fudgy is a winner.
Brownie Variations and Flavor Ideas
Want to switch things up? Try one of these easy customisations next time!
- Brown Butter Brownies - If you've been a 'Bonni Baker' for a while, you'll know how much of a fan I am for using brown butter in my bakes. It is so simple to make, and creates a gorgeous toasty flavor that would go amazingly with these brownies. Check out my Brown Butter recipe to make your own and use it in so many different ways!
- Mix-ins - There's no easier way to add some extra flavor to your brownies than with mix-ins. Simply stir in some chopped pistachios or walnuts, milk or white chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, or dried fruit to your brownie batter before baking, and enjoy!
- Toppings - The shiny crust of your brownies can be smothered with any topping you like. Try finishing off your brownies with pistachio cream, marshmallow frosting (just like I do with my S'mores Brownies), mascarpone cream (like my Tiramisu Brownies), Biscoff or Nutella spread, or with fresh strawberries and strawberry glaze for a fruity option. Or, simply a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
- Cheesecake Brownies - Can't choose between a creamy cheesecake and a gooey chocolate brownie? Now you don't have to. Take a look at my Cheesecake Brownies for the ultimate indulgent treat.
How To Store Brownies
Store your tasty brownies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Avoid keeping fudgy brownies in the fridge, as it can dry them out and cause them to become denser, as the melted chocolate and butter will solidify and harden when cold.
Serving Suggestions for Fudgy Brownies
You really don't need to add anything to this homemade brownie recipe for them to be spectacular, but if you want to make them into the perfect dessert for a dinner party, serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of homemade chantilly cream! You could even drizzle with caramel sauce or chocolate ganache for extra indulgence.
Chocolate Brownie FAQ
If you have a question about this recipe that isn't answered here, please write it in the comment section, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
The best way to know if fudgy brownies are baked is by looking at them! They should have a glossy top that's crispy and dry, still with a gooey center. Once they stop jiggling if you shake the pan, and come away from the edges slightly, the brownies are done and should be taken out of the oven immediately.
Oil can be used as a substitute for butter in this fudgy brownie recipe; however, I would avoid it if possible. Whilst oil is a great component for moist cakes, it lacks the depth of flavor that butter adds to baked goods. If you do choose to use oil in this recipe, opt for a flavorless oil like canola or vegetable oil, so that the flavor doesn't change too much.
Cocoa powder brownies are a great option if you prefer a chewy or cakey brownie over a fudgy one. Cocoa powder is great for keeping brownies soft and often pairs well with a recipe that uses oil as the fat. Melted chocolate brownies, however, have a deeper flavor and a dense, gooey texture that cannot be replicated with cocoa powder.
While you can technically make anything from a box mix these days, I strongly encourage you to try making these homemade brownies from scratch. This really is the ultimate fudgy brownie recipe, and it is so easy with simple ingredients, it's almost the same amount of effort as using a box mix. I'm convinced you'll never go back to box brownies again - this is the only brownie recipe you'll ever need!
More Brownie Recipes
Did I get you in a brownie mood? Here are some of my other brownie recipes to try next time!
Recipe
Fudgy Brownie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ sticks Unsalted Butter
- 10.5 oz Dark Chocolate 300g
- 3 Large Eggs (room temperature)
- 1¼ cups Granulated Sugar 250g
- 1 cup All-purpose Flour 120g
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C (160° fan-assisted) and line a square pan with parchment paper.
- Chop the chocolate into small pieces and put it into a heatproof bowl along with the butter. Melt them together either in a double boiler or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between until completely melted. Set aside to cool while you proceed to the next step.10.5 oz (300 g) Dark Chocolate, 1½ sticks (170 g) Unsalted Butter
- Combine the sugar and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until pale and thick. This should take about 60 seconds of vigorous whisking by hand. You can use an electric mixer if you prefer, but it's not necessary.3 Large Eggs, 1¼ cups (250 g) Granulated Sugar
- Pour the cooled melted chocolate mixture into the egg/sugar mixture, add the vanilla, and gently whisk everything together until fully incorporated.1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Sift the flour and salt into the bowl and use a spoon or spatula to fold everything together until there are no more visible lumps of flour.1 cup (125 g) All-purpose Flour, ½ teaspoon (½ tsp) Salt
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread it out into an even layer.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the brownies are set and the tops are dry and shiny.
- Let the brownies cool in the pan completely before attempting to remove them, they will continue to bake as they cool.
Jody
Which size pan?
Jules Grasekamp
This recipe uses an 8x8-inch square baking pan 🙂
Chris
Oh lawd these gooey, fudgy brownies with a cup of milk makes me a happy man! I have no idea how you're able to create these wonderful recipes in your mind from scratch, but I am so thankful that you share them with me (and the rest of the world). Super informative recipe, keep'em comin!