The Very Best Brownies.
Rich, chewy and fudgy homemade brownies with a beautifully swirled, flaky top. These really are the best brownies! This delicious brownie recipe is flavored with cocoa powder and brown butter.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
Let’s rewind to Valentine’s Day. I’m single. I’m not feeling well. My mom is in town and our plan is to eat dinner and watch movies. As the sun goes down, I decide that I need a brownie—like I really need a brownie, for aforementioned reasons—and proceed to pull every baking book off of my shelves in my search for my ideal brownie recipe.
I wanted rich, dark, chewy, legit café-like brownies with crackly tops. I didn’t want gooey, fall-apart, stick-to-your-front-teeth brownies. I also didn’t want health-ified brownies or brownies swirled with cheesecake. I wanted one perfect brownie. Sometimes a girl just needs a brownie, you know?
I finally found a promising recipe in my copy of Alice Medrich’s Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts. It was a thinner brownie than I wanted, but it looked dark and delicious and had the most magnificent shiny, crackly top. The recipe contains a fair amount of butter, as legit brownies should, and the butter is browned before the addition of sugar and cocoa powder. If you’re going to put a lot of butter in something, you might as well brown it for extra flavor.
Alice’s recipe also called for a lower-than-usual baking temperature (325 degrees) and specified that the brownies be baked in the lower third of the oven. All of the chocolate flavor came from cocoa powder, too. Interesting.
Alice’s brownies made from scratch turned out beautifully. Crackly top. Dense, fudge-like interior. Rich, complex flavor. They weren’t quite matching my idea of the quintessential brownie, though. I wanted a taller brownie, one that is a little more like a brownie than fudge, with some chopped dark chocolate thrown in for textural interest. Thus began my obsessive quest for the quintessential brownie recipe.
Five batches of brownies and a bunch of brownie research later, I think I’ve found it. I learned a lot along the way. I learned that in order to achieve the shiny, crackly top, you have to stir the sugar into hot butter so it melts. Alice’s low baking temperature and rack positioning also seem to improve texture, but I couldn’t tell you why.
My final recipe calls for more flour and a little baking powder to help the brownies rise. I also used whole wheat flour, as always, but there’s so much chocolate in the brownies that I promise no one will be able to tell. I don’t make statements like this very often, but this really is the best brownies recipe I’ve ever encountered. (I’ve provided footnotes in my recipe so you can adjust the recipe to produce your ideal brownie.)
Ever since I started making simple baked goods from scratch, I’ve wondered how boxed mixes ever became mainstream. Sure, you don’t have to measure out flour and baking powder, but you still have to add liquid and crack the eggs. That hardly saves much time, and comes with the additional cost of preservatives and ingredients that should never be in your food. (Hydrogenated oil is the devil.)
Michael Pollan, my favorite food writer, came to Kansas City last summer to talk about his latest book, Cooked. He finally solved the boxed mix mystery for me.
Pollan explained that the first boxed mixes contained powdered eggs, which removed the step of cracking eggs into the bowl. I mean, why go to the trouble of cracking eggs into a bowl if you don’t have to, right? Wrong. American women initially wanted nothing to do with the boxed mixes. They felt like they were cheating when they used them. Once the manufacturers took out the powdered eggs so we could crack eggs over the bowl, we felt like we owned the final result. The baked good was then homemade enough to present to our loved ones.
If you have never made brownies from scratch, give these a try and I promise you’ll never reach for a box again. If you’re pinched for time, throw in chocolate chips instead of chopping the chocolate by hand. Ta da! Homemade brownies made from scratch and baked with love.
The Very Best Brownies.
Rich, dark, chewy and fudgy brownies made from scratch. These brownies are flavored with cocoa powder and brown butter and feature a beautifully swirled, flaky top. I don’t dare make claims like this very often, but this is the very best brownie recipe!
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch slices
- 1 ¼ cups cane sugar
- ¾ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder or very finely ground coffee (optional)
- 2 cold large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup white whole wheat flour or flour of choice
- 2 ounces dark or semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped, or ⅓ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the lower third of the oven. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with two criss-crossed pieces of parchment paper, making sure that the paper is long enough to go up the sides a couple of inches. Grease the parchment paper.
- Brown the butter: Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter, while whisking constantly, until it’s a pale golden brown and the particles suspended in it are reddish brown. This usually takes me about 10 minutes.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in the sugar. Then add the cocoa powder, sea salt, baking powder and espresso powder. Stir until the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula after each one. When the mixture looks thick, shiny and well blended, add the vanilla extract and the flour. Stir until you no longer see streaks of flour. Then beat vigorously (put those arm muscles to work!) for 50 strokes with the wooden spoon or spatula.
- At this point, the mixture should be no more than slightly warm (if not, let it cool for a few more minutes). Fold in the chocolate chunks or chips.
- Spread the batter in the lined pan, then use a knife to make light swirls in the top of the batter. Bake on the lower rack for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Cool the brownies in the pan on a baking rack.
- Once the brownies are completely cool, lift the edges of the parchment paper and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut the brownies into 16 or 25 squares.
Notes
- Adapted from Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts and King Arthur Flour.
- These brownies freeze well. Store them in a freezer-safe bag and let them defrost at room temperature.
- For more dense and fudge-like brownies, cook the brownies a minute or two less.
- For more fluffy and cake-like brownies, add another egg.
- For less rich brownies, skip the chopped chocolate.
- If you like nuts in your brownies, fold in 1 cup walnut or pecan pieces along with the chopped chocolate.
- I haven’t tried, but I think an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend could be substituted for the whole wheat flour with good results. (Update! Here’s proof that Cup4Cup flour works great in this recipe.)
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
P.s. If you really want health-ified, naturally sweetened brownies, I have some dark chocolate zucchini brownies over here. Note that they don’t have the crackly top that these brownies do and that the zucchini hardly adds much nutrition because it’s almost entirely water. If I made them again, I would try skipping the zucchini altogether, upping the cocoa powder to 2/3 cup and decreasing the baking powder to 1 teaspoon for richer and less cakey results. 5/2/14: sorry folks, Terri says the brownies don’t turn out well when made this way!
mm mmm mmm! These brownies look amazing. xox
Oh. Goodness. These. Brownies! I never go back to a page to comment aster trying a recipe, but when someone does all the work to solve one of life’s great mysteries, I believe they deserve a “thank you.” So thank you! Now I’m going to take another bite followed by a swig of milk straight from the jug to celebrate ;)
Wow! What an amazing recipe!
I have tried making brownies from scratch in the past and have never been successful.
The brownies came out AMAZING! Way better than a mix. I will never use a brownie mix again. :)
Hooray! Thank you, Caroline! :)
Hi!! I´m about to bake your great looking brownies but I wonder how much a Tbsp butter is in gr. or oz.??
Thanks!!
Hey Patricia! 1 tablespoon is half an ounce, so 10 tablespoons butter would be 5 ounces.
Based on some of the challenges people sited with cooking time, I increased temp to 3:30 (3:35 for last 5 min). It still needed about 10-15 min over 25 min. They came out perfect and no issues with oiliness. I made as directed but omitted the extra chocolate. Thanks for creating!
Ohhhhh yes. These look incredible. The crackly top is definitely ESSENTIAL for a recipe to be termed ‘the best brownie’, and yours certainly cuts the metaphorical mustard! I have a fave recipe already but I will definitely try this one for comparison. It looks divine, thanks for sharing the deliciousness xx
Made these today and they came out really oily without the flaky top and too moist in the middle. I followed the recipe exactly as well.
Annie, I’m so sorry the brownies didn’t turn out right for you. I’m thoroughly baffled by the inconsistent results but I’m doing everything I can to get to the bottom of the matter.
Made these last night and they were delicious! They were a little too sweet for my taste, so next time I’ll cut down on the sugar. I don’t think I’ll add the coffee next time either, it kind of took over the chocolate flavor. They hit the spot, and were gorgeous to boot! Thanks for all your hard work!
Leah, glad the brownies turned out well! The sweetness/coffee flavor could have to do with the strength of your cocoa powder and coffee. Glad you liked them, though! I bet your next batch will be just right.
I was so excited about these brownies, and I just baked them tonight, but they didn’t come out of the oven with the crackly top and they look oily. I followed the recipe to a T. I even baked the brownies in the lower third of the oven. But, like other comments noted, maybe it was the chocolate I used. I used some fancy schmancy kind I got for Xmas (Julius Meinl cocoa from Vienna, Austria, but bought in Chicago). It seemed like the perfect cocoa – unsweetened, the real deal. But maybe it isn’t. ‘m going to try again with another cocoa.
I was worried something was wrong as I was putting the uncooked brownie mixture in the pan. It was very hard to spread, and I definitely couldn’t swirl it to get the beautiful top that Kate achieved. I’m determined to try again. Fingers crossed!
Elizabeth, I’m so bummed to hear that your brownies didn’t turn out. It’s driving me crazy that they aren’t turning out perfectly for everyone! I actually spent the weekend at a baking workshop hosted by King Arthur Flour and asked what could be going wrong. Susan said it could be the fat content of the various cocoa powders, or it might have something to do with variations in the brown butter. I wonder if it has to do with the chopped chocolate addition. Ugh! She offered to try making the brownies and let me know if she finds any clues, so I will let you know if we figure it out!
Kate, you’re the best for offering to sleuth on brownie troubles. (And to reply to all these comments from folks like me!) I’ve loved everything I’ve made from your blog. I’m sure with more brownie research I’ll nail it like others have. But if you have any more tips, I’m all ears!
Hey Elizabeth, I still haven’t determined the source of the problem, but I found some pretty solid tips in this interview, question #1: http://seattletallpoppy.blogspot.com/2010/10/7-questions-for-baking-guru-alice.html. Sounds like maybe you didn’t mix in the butter vigorously enough? I really put some arm muscle into it. Maybe we need to add another egg? I’m worried that would change the texture of the finished result.
Just FYI (ask me how I know) – you can’t double this recipe as written. I’d guess it would be best to go with only 16 tbsp butter for a double batch. If you use 20, the butter separates out during baking and….. it’s not pretty.
That said, I’ve made this recipe lots and love it!! I’m actually remaking two separately mixed batches right now. They really are THE VERY BEST BROWNIES.
Krystal, thank you SO much for your comment! I’ve been baffled by others’ reports of oily brownies, and your suggestion that the butter separates out during baking gives me a much better clue of what’s going on. So glad you agree that they are the best!
It makes sense, and I noticed this suggestion above, that is might be variability with the browning or what the fat content is in the butter.
Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking. Sounds like some more brownie testing is in order this weekend.
I just made these today, doubled the recipe as written for a 9 x 13 pan. They took about 15 minutes longer to bake in the larger pan. I had my ingredients all measured out and ready to go once the butter was browned but did make one goof and forgot to measure double sugar. So I had the sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, etc. in before I realized my mistake. Went back and added the remaining sugar which of course didn’t melt in like it ideally should have and these STILL came out absolutely beautifully. Nice crackly top, dense, moist and intensely chocolatey. No issues with oiliness. I did omit the extra chocolate and they are plenty sweet and wonderful without it (“evil”, my husband calls them!). I think the folks that are having issues must not be mixing completely or it’s the wax in the chocolate they are using. I did finish those last 50 strokes with my poor hand mixer as my arm gave up on me so I’m sure that helped. Fantastic recipe! I will never make boxed brownies again!
Alyson, thank you so much for your feedback! Really glad to hear that the doubled brownies turned out well for you. Thank you for your extensive notes!
I just love this post! It is so accurate, I have tried probably 20 different healthy brownie recipes and none truly satisfied my need for a real brownie. Sweet potato brownies were terrible, most black bean ones were actually really good but generally lack the chewy factor! They look SO good! And at least your using much less processed ingredients!
Thanks, Mariam! I’m glad we agree. I’m more satisfied by a small piece of a seriously rich, real deal brownie than a whole pan of those healthy brownies.
Kate, I finally got around to making these and you are correct, they really are the best ever brownies! I use 1/2 c of flour just so it could be midway between both recipe but I’ll try with the full 3/4 next time. Turned out to be a huge hit when I brought them to school! Thanks so much (ps, no oily problem, they worked out perfectly!)
Awesome! Thank you, Mariam!
I love the look of these brownies and can’t wait to give them a try. Just one question – why the awkward measurements of butter? It seems odd to measure out ten tablespoons of butter… is butter in the states different to butter in NZ? Our butter comes in blocks of 500gms and so I don’t get how I would even measure it out by the tablespoon.
In the U.S., our butter comes in sticks with tablespoons labeled on the outside. I googled the conversion and I think 10 tablespoons is 140 grams of butter. Hope that helps.
That’s so weeeeeird haha. I converted it too, and did about 140 grams of butter and used a gluten free baking mix as these were a treat for my partner. They were YUMMY, despite the fact that they were made with dreaded gluten free flours. They still had the crackly top and tasted nice and fudgy. Now I want to try them with normal flour because I bet they taste even better. So glad I came across this recipe!
Ha! I’m really glad the brownies turned out great with your gluten-free flour, Erica!
Made this for me and my husband this weekend and they turned out just as you described; crackly-topped and fudgy! Loved your detailed explanation of what you were looking for and how you got there with this recipe :)
Whitney, I’m so glad the brownies turned out just right for you! Thanks for letting me know!
I made these today and they were quick, easy and delicious. I also made the healthy version with your suggested edits with leaving out the zucchini, increasing the cocoa and decreasing the baking powder. It was extremely dry so I added so almond milk and only cooked for 25 min. Was very dry and not attractive. Have you tried making it yet? Do you melt the coconut oil? Thoughts
Hey Terri, I’m glad these brownies worked out for you but sorry that the others didn’t! I was just throwing those ideas out there because I thought they would work, but apparently not. I won’t do that again. Yes, I melted my coconut oil, and I just realized the recipe didn’t state that fact. Just fixed that, but I’m not quite sure what should be done to remedy the recipe. I’m sorry. :(
Thanks for the feedback – I am going to try making the zucchini ones this weekend – just bought the zucchini today. Looking forward to trying those.
I love the flavor from the browned butter, they almost taste carmel-ish. I also used the big Trader Joe’s, shiny, purple, chocolate bar instead of chocolate chips. They turned out amazing. The only problem is….my boys keep making the recipe and using up all my precious chocolate bars.
DeAnn, I’m so glad the recipe has been turning out well for you! Thank you for commenting!
Hey, I just tried this recipe and it came out really oily and lumpy! :( I could already feel that something was wrong when the mixture became grainy (kind of like when chocolate seizes) after i put the sugar, cocoa powder, sea salt, baking powder and vanilla extract into the melted butter! But i went on because i was really expecting it to turn out to be a great brownie :(
Kellie, I’m so sorry that happened to you! I’ve heard from a few others who have had the same problem. It’s driving me crazy because I can’t figure out what’s causing the problem. Your comment gave me a few more clues, though. I’m really sorry they didn’t turn out well and hope to figure out why soon!
I just made these and am reaching for another slice… Seriously the best brownies ever. I followed the recipe to the dot and they came out utterly perfectly! Thank you so much!
Yes! I’m so glad they turned out well for you, Isabella! Thank you for letting me know!
I did everything the recipe said–until it came to the vigorous mixing. I literally couldn’t mix anything. It was stiff and thick and really just scooted around the pan. Since mixing by hand wasn’t working out, I put it into my mixer and the mixer just scooted it around the bowl so I decided just to pick up up and put it in the dish and like someone else said, I could hardly spread it and definitely couldn’t swirl it.
I baked it for 25 minutes but there was oil all over it so I continued to bake it for about 10 minutes. Then I just decided to use a paper towel to soak up all of the grease and took it out. It looks nothing like the picture : ( The toothpick came out clean but looked very oily. Because of desperation, I’m still going to eat them (I think). Because I struggle to wait until things are cool, I’ve tried some edges and they taste pretty good (I don’t think as good as they should but still good!).
I’m not sure what I did or if any of this was normal? I’ve never made homemade brownies and was brought up on boxed brownies so that’s all I had to compare to other than comments from others. Either way, I’m definitely willing to retry these! Just some more info that may help out with the problem: I left out the chopped chocolate and the espresso.
Kashia, I am so bummed the brownies didn’t turn out for you. I’m sorry! You are not the first one to report this issue. I made another batch last weekend to try to figure it out, but that batch turned out well, too. It’s driving me mad! I think that cocoa powder combined with liquid can just be finicky sometimes, but I’m still searching for a better answer. The batter should have seemed loose and easy to manage the whole time. I’m going to email a baking expert at King Arthur Flour and see if she can help me figure it out. I’m so sorry your brownies didn’t turn out well! Don’t eat them if they’re terrible—if anything, I’ll mail you a good batch. :)
I’m thinking the problem people are having with the oily issue and possibly even the crumbling issue is the result of not beating the eggs in enough.
After adding the sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and espresso to the browned butter, stir to combine. Then once the batter has cooled, add the eggs one at a time beating in between each. At this point it will still not be smooth. The next 50 strokes are imperative to make a shiny smooth batter. You can do this in a stand mixer or with hand beaters (for ~30 seconds).
Yep, that very well could be it. Beating the eggs well is essential to a proper emulsification. I’ve tried to emphasize that point in the instructions! Great idea to use a mixer.
Hi Kate – I discovered your website a while ago but today was the first day I cooked any of your recipes. I made the brownies and your Caprese Pasta Salad along with some grilled salmon from another website. Everything came out great! Thanks for introducing me to parchment paper and white balsamic vinegar (I’m new at cooking). Anyhow, I just thought I’d post about the brownies in case it helps. I followed the recipe exactly except I forgot to put it in the bottom third of the oven – you might want to add a reminder to step #6 because it appears I’m not the only one who forgot. I used Hershey’s 100% cacao natural unsweetened cocoa powder and Ghirardelli semisweet baking chocolate. Yay for American chocolate!
I really liked the brownies The batter was thick but not hard to deal with. I didn’t find it to be oily at all. The top was not as flaky as yours seems to be from the pictures. Also I baked them for at least 35 minutes and the toothpick was not coming out clean – I stopped because I didn’t want to over-bake them. The only taste comment I have is, strangely enough, they didn’t seem to be as sweet as I’d like – they really tasted very cocoa powder-y. Do you think maybe somehow I didn’t use enough butter? I’m surprised since there is a lot of sugar and I used semisweet chocolate and I thought I got the butter right. I thought it just might be that I have a sweet tooth (I do) but others made the same comment. Overall, I thought they were great and I’d make them again. Thanks!
Sammy, thank you for commenting! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes. Thank you for your suggestion about the brownie rack reminder, I’ll add it. The brownies are richly chocolatey in flavor, but I can’t say that mine tasted cocoa powdery. Cocoa powder brand varies pretty widely by brand, so you might like the brownies better with another cocoa powder? Not sure!
Hi! Just wanted to let you know I tried your brownies and they came out perfect! I used graham flour because it was all I had…so there are some crunchy bits lol, good for fiber I guess! I also used Navitas Naturals Raw Cacao Powder, which has very strong chocolate flavor already, so I didn’t put any additional chocolate and I’m satisfied with the result. I didn’t have any butter problems or oil problems. (I used a pretty expensive all natural butter, so I’m not sure if that mattered?) I spent a while making the brown butter, maybe 13 minutes or so? Then the butter foamed up and gave off the most amazing caramel smell so I knew it was ready! To me, these brownies are a “gourmet adult-version” with the strong brown butter flavor. Great to serve with coffee/tea to friends, house guests! :D Thank you for posting this recipe!!
Katie, thank you! I’m so relieved the brownies turned out beautifully for you. I’ve only made these brownies with organic butter, so maybe you’re onto something with the high quality butter idea. Thanks for commenting!
Kate, what about substituting the butter with margarine, and caster sugar for pure cane sugar?
Hey Sam, I don’t think that margarine is going to brown like butter will. I would definitely advise using real butter. Caster sugar should be a fine substitute, though.
I made these brownies yesterday, they are so good. Its mite be my new favorite brownie recipe.
Hooray! I’m happy to hear that, Liza. Thank you for commenting.
Impulse baked these Thursday night when my roommate surprised me with GF pizza for dinner. She’s moving out so it’s been a week of little gestures. Just thought I’d share that she absolutely LOVED these and they came out great GF/DF. Nice crackle top and fudgy center, perfect!
Yes! So glad you both loved the brownies. Also glad to hear that your gluten free/dairy free version turned out well! Thanks, Grace!
Oh my gosh. These are amazing. So rich and decadent, I could barely finish my brownie square (but, don’t worry, I did). These remind me of Starbucks brownies: moist, chewy, fudgy, and NOT cakey!
Every online brownie recipe I’ve tried lately comes out cakey and hubby and I are disappointed. These were perfect. We are trying not to finish off the whole pan in one weekend. THANK YOU!
Hooray! You are welcome. Sounds like you had a delicious weekend.
Hi Kate, why not substituting foil or baking paper for parchment? I’m not from the USA, though, but I’m trying really hard to find which alternatives suit the recipe.
Hey Sam, foil should work! I’m not familiar with baking paper—sounds like it could be another name for parchment paper.
I’m trying this right now, very excited!!
Hey Fiona, how did the brownies turn out? Well, I hope!
They turned out perfectly Kate, thank you! My boyfriend and I are on a quest to find the perfect brownie recipe, and we made some last week that were really dry, so these were such an improvement! Well done :)
Hooray! Happy to hear it! Thanks, Fiona.
Just thought I’d leave a note…made these today and they turned out gorgeous. Crackly top, rich fudgy but not too fudgy middle. Reminiscent of a great boxed mix but decadent enough to feel like they were from a fancy pants bakery.
For what it’s worth…I used unsalted land-o-lakes butter that I browned too quickly b/c I had 3 kids going on full steam around me, whole foods brand cocoa powder and ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips (not chopped). Oh and all purpose flour instead of whole wheat. I followed the instructions to a T…although I did totally incorporate the sugar into the butter before mixing in the cocoa and other ingredients. I was worried that the mixture wasn’t cool enough to add the eggs but I was in a hurry so I added them anyway and stirred very vigorously.
The result was PERFECTION. My husband said…”they taste like the brownies you get at a nice restaurant or a great bakery.”
Thanks for a wonderful recipe! xo
Abby, thank you for the note! I really appreciate your feedback and ingredient details. I’m glad to hear that the brownies turned out well with Land O’ Lakes butter. I’ve only used Trader Joe’s butter with this recipe and was wondering if that might have something to do with other recipe makers’ troubles, but maybe not.
Btw, I used to work for a floral network, and your website was my escape. Your photos have so many flowers in them that my boss never noticed that I wasn’t actually working. :)
So great to hear that, Kate!!! I’m a huge fan of yours as well!! XO
Kate, I followed exactly the recipe, but I alternated it instead – I skipped browning the butter and followed another Alice Medrich recipe. I baked them for almost 40 mins. & came out bad. The inside’s too moist, like it’s not fully baked. And the top really stuck to my teeth. I figured out, maybe because I used margarine & an oven toaster.
Hey Sam, I’m sorry the brownies didn’t turn out. It very well might be because of the butter. I think it’s important to use real butter and brown it first. In the process of browning the butter, some of the water in the butter is released as steam—I have a hunch that if that water is still in the butter, it makes the chocolate seize up and then the oil in the butter rises to the top.
Without a doubt, the BEST homemade brownie recipe!!! I made a few mods – I used salted butter because that’s all I had on hand. The only sea salt I had was fleur de sel and since I used salted butter, I used 1/4 tsp. I used all purpose flour and ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips. They turned out perfect! So rich and yummy with that crackly top!!
Yes! I’m so glad you loved the brownies, Kimberley. Your version sounds totally delicious.
I tried baking this recipe for the first time and it came out so perfectly awesome,rich and chewy on the inside and crispy on the top. I love it so much except that i found it was too sweet for me. So i bake it second time and reduced to a cup of sugar instead of 1 1/4 cup. But what i get was that the chewiness and the crispy top has gone… what should i do? any suggestion? Oh! by the way, is the oven rack position effecting the result cause the first time i bake i put it in the middle rack but the second time i put it on the bottom rack. Note that my oven is just a small one.
Hmm, that is interesting. Stirring the sugar into the hot butter is what makes the top all crackly. I’m not sure why 1/4 cup less sugar would have that effect! I’m sorry.
I made these last night, and huge hit! They’re gone… I wanted some more… They tasted great, but a little dark. I’ll try decreasing the cocoa a little bit next time. They were still fantastic, and the best brownie recipe I’ve found yet! I’ve never heard of browning the butter before.
Gwynnie, glad you enjoyed the brownies! I’m a dark chocolate fan myself, but decreasing the cocoa powder or using a less dark cocoa powder should do the trick.
I made brownies from this recipe, but added a couple of spices to make them “Mexican Brownies.”
I love your recipe!! The brownies have a perfect consistency and making them was so fun. Didn’t even use a mixer. Today, I’m going to another event that involves food, so I’m going to try making coffee brownies with this recipe.
The tidbit about browning the butter was interesting and the smell is fantastic when you do it!
Thanks, Sarah! I’m so glad the brownies turned out great for you. Your variations sound delicious! Hope the brownies were a hit at your events.
Made these as the brownie base for my cheesecake brownies yesterday and they turned out awesome! I’ll be linking to your blog when I post the recipe on Monday – thank you!!
Just tasted these brownies! Absolutely perfect–my fiance and I both agree that they really are the best.
I used turbinado sugar, but added it while the butter was still over low heat to ensure that it mostly melted. I also used sprouted whole wheat flour. I baked them in a glass dish on the bottom rack. They turned out just as you described. Thanks for such a quality recipe!
Yessss! I’m really happy to hear that the brownies turned out perfectly for you, Sarah. Thank you for letting me know!
I’ve made these brownies twice and they are super delicious and moist – but I can’t get them to look like the lovely ones in your photos. Instead mine come out oily and with a kind of weird sugary crust on top. I’m thinking it might be because I used raw sugar – maybe it’s too coarse? But not sure if that would explain the oily factor . . .
Danielle, I’m sorry for my slow response. I’m bummed that your brownies aren’t turning out like mine. I’ve heard from others who have had similar issues, so I’ve been tweaking my instructions, which seems to have helped resolve most of the issues. It’s maddening because none of my brownies have turned out greasy! I have two ideas. One, are you mixing the eggs into the batter vigorously? It’s important to beat them in very thoroughly so the batter is properly emulsified—if it’s not, that would explain why the fat in the brownies is separating from the rest. My other question—are you browning the butter long enough? I wonder, since melted chocolate seizes on contact with water, if you’re adding the ingredients before all the water has evaporated from the butter. You might also try using a different brand of cocoa powder or butter to see if it makes the difference. Sorry again!
Hi Kate! Sorry for the delay – I now have a little one who prevents me from baking as often as I would like. I tried the recipe again but used granulated sugar this time instead of coarse sugar, and it made a huge improvement in the look of the brownies! My hubby likes the previous ones made with the coarse sugar because they had a sugary crust on top, so both taste good. But they definitely look better with regular sugar! Great recipe – super yummy brownies :)
Hi Danielle, thank you for getting back to me! I’m glad to know the brownies turned out well both times. Now I want to try that sugary crust version!
These are easily the best brownies I’ve ever made — so perfect! I sprinkled a bit of fleur de sel on top for a bit of contrast. Thanks for writing such clear instructions and coming up with such a great recipe! <3
Hooray! Thank you for commenting, Arshia! So glad the brownies turned out well for you. Fleur de sel on top sounds perfect.
These are divine! Just replaced my previous brownie recipe! I cut the chocolate chips down and put in a bit of TJ’s peanut butter chips and mini peanut butter chips. So yummy!
Excellent! Thanks, Jen! I’m so glad the brownies turned out great for you. I bet they are extra irresistible with peanut butter chips.
By any chance I could use Brown sugar instead of cane?
And for the baking powder, may I use baking soda instead?
They said I could mix ½ teaspoon baking soda with ½ cup buttermilk, sour milk or plain yogurt, and that its the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
You think I should go for it…Does it sound okay to use (You know Yogurt and brownies?) those ingredients in this recipe?
Hey Jessie, I’m sorry, I haven’t tried either of those substitutions so I really don’t know. These brownies are a little finicky so for best results, I’d use regular sugar and baking powder as directed.
Hi Kate,
I made these yesterday and they were.so.evil.
Wicked.
I ate so many of them!!
Guests got some too :)
I added toasted walnuts and sprinkled sea salt flakes on top because I wanted a nutty, salty-sweet brownie.
Thank you for a recipe that did wonders ;)
Hooray! Thanks, Vina! Glad they turned out great. Your walnut and sea salt version sounds incredible.
Hi Kate. I’m going to make these tonight. I’m not sure what’s going to happen as Australian ingredients tend to differ from those back home in the states. I promised my wife that we would watch movies and eat brownie Sundays before we got together. We have tried SO many times with so so results. I’m really looking forward to this. I’ll let you know. Thanks for the recipe.
Ryan, I’m crossing my fingers that the brownies turned out well! Do let me know!
Just a question about texture, because I think you said you didn’t want fudgy – are these a cake-ier brownie? I love a caky brownie, with crisp-ish edges and soft insides…just like me. Also, have you ever tried Barefoot Contessa’s Outrageous Brownies? Those are usually my go-to brownies and they are perfection (I don’t use nuts though, NO NUTS in my desserts)…but I’m always happy to test out “new” brownies!
Hey Jessica! I’m afraid these aren’t very cakey on the inside—they’re more dense and firm, which might mean that they’re more on the fudgy side. They’re definitely not gooey. I haven’t tried Barefoot Contessa’s brownies, but they sound great!
I can’t wait to make these this weekend. My husband and son thank you! I will make them with a homemade gluten-free flour mixture which is comprised of the following:
40% Whole Grain:
-200 grams Brown Rice Flour
-200 grams Millet Flour
60% Starches:
-200 grams Sweet Rice Flour
-200 grams White Rice Flour
-200 grams Arrowroot Powder
I make a big batch of this to keep on hand for my weekend baking habit.
Recipe is from Gluten Free Girl. Check it out for substitutions in what makes up the grains and the starches. There are many other options than what I listed above. http://glutenfreegirl.com/2012/07/how-to-make-a-gluten-free-all-purpose-flour-mix/
Lori, thanks for sharing your GF blend! I hope the brownies turn out great for you.
I can’t thank you enough. I can now see the end of my shamefaced Ghirardelli dark chocolate boxed brownie days. I honestly can’t bring myself to even look at the ingredients because I know if I do I won’t be able to eat them…but they are JUST what I’m looking for in a brownie! Now it sounds as if you’ve truly recreated the perfect brownie! I’m so excited to try them!
Emily, you’re welcome! I hope the brownies turn out marvelously for you!
So I made these brownies. All I have to say is,,,,BEST BROWNIES EVER! Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Hip hip hooray! Thanks, Amy!
These are perfect!!!
They are crispy outside and soft inside, exactly what I’m looking for!
Thanks for the recipe:)
Anyway, I find it a little bit to sweet for me. I might reduce the sugar the next time I make these again. I’m thinking of making some orange brownies since I always love orange-flavor brownies!
By the way, I read from another website that the key of crispy brownies is the egg white. Their recipes are almost the same as yours but they seperate the egg and make a ‘soft peak stage’ meringue from egg white and sugar before fold it into the rest of the ingredients. They also use higher temperature about 350F and 25 minutes longer baking time. I tried their recipes once but the brownies came out too crispy, more like brownie brittles to me. Not sure why they didn’t work:/ – just want to share:)
Thanks, Rin! Glad you enjoyed the brownies! That’s interesting about the crispy brownies. A higher temperature and 25 minutes longer in the oven would certainly dry out the brownies—maybe that’s why yours ended up so brittle.
Did you ever figure out for sure what was causing the oil to separate? I’m planning to make them tomorrow and I was going to use Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips. Do you think that will work?
No, I’m afraid I never got to the bottom of the matter, but I did tweak the recipe steps and have been getting fewer and fewer reports of oil separation. I haven’t tried those particular chocolate chips. I hope they turn out great!
Thanks for responding so quickly! I’ll let you know how it goes.
I ended up getting some Ghirardelli semi sweet chips and made these tonight. They are the most delicious brownies I’ve ever had. This is the perfect recipe. Thanks so much Kate!!
Woohoo! Thanks for reporting back!
These brownies are amazing! I used 3 eggs because I like them cake-y vs. fudgey, and they were delicious! My brownies took about 40 minutes to cook at 325 and for the last 5 minutes I moved them up to the top third of the oven, but that is the only modification I needed to make. Delish!
Awesome, thanks Rebecca! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I made these brownies before and they came out fab, nice crunchy top too. But this time I didnt have a crunchy top :/ I figured its probably because I was lazy and only melted the butter in the microwave.
Thanks for the recipe :)
Hi S! Yes, that’s probably why. Browning the butter releases a lot of moisture from the butter, then the sugar dissolves in the hot butter to make that crackly top.