Fudgy Chocolate Brownies

Name: Fudgy Chocolate Brownies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 32 min
Total time: 52 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup (1 stick) (113 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, plus a little extra for greasing the pan; 4 oz (115 g) dark chocolate (60–70% cacao), finely chopped; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; ¼ cup, packed (55 g) light brown sugar; 2 large (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract; ½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; ⅓ cup (30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy; ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt; ½ cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Dense, glossy-topped brownies with a truffle-like center, made with both dark chocolate and cocoa powder for deep flavor. One bowl, one saucepan, and no mixer needed.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 32 min
Wait: 2 hr
Total: 2 hr 52 min
Makes: 16 brownies (one 8-inch pan)

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Steps

Before you start

Position an oven rack in the center and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
Take the eggs out 30 minutes ahead so they come to room temperature and blend smoothly into the batter.
Plan on 2 hours of cooling time: the brownies set up and slice cleanly only once completely cool.
Use a light-colored metal pan if possible; dark pans can over-brown the edges.

1
Prepare the panOven 350°F / 175°C
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Lightly butter an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) metal pan.
- Line it with parchment, leaving 2 inches of overhang on two opposite sides to act as handles, then lightly butter the parchment.
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Ready when: Pan is fully lined with no bare corners.
Tip: Press the parchment into the corners so the batter doesn't seep underneath.
2
Melt chocolate and butter
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter pieces with the chopped dark chocolate, stirring constantly with a spatula.
- Remove from the heat as soon as only a few small chocolate bits remain, then stir until completely smooth.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth, glossy, and free of lumps.
Tip: Chocolate scorches easily, so keep the heat low and never walk away.
3
Cool slightly
- Let the mixture sit off the heat for 5 minutes.
- It should feel warm, not hot, when you touch the side of the pan, so it won't scramble the eggs.
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Ready when: Saucepan side feels warm but comfortable to touch.
4
Whisk in sugars
- Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the chocolate mixture and whisk for 1 minute.
- The mixture will look grainy and thick, which is normal.
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Ready when: No dry sugar patches remain.
5
Beat in eggs
- Add the eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously for 30 seconds after each.
- Whisk in the vanilla.
- Keep whisking for 1 more minute, until the batter turns thick, shiny, and pulls away from the pan in a ribbon.
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Ready when: Batter is glossy, thick, and satiny.
Tip: This vigorous whisking builds the shiny, crackly top.
6
Fold in dry ingredients
- Sift or sprinkle the flour, cocoa powder, and salt over the batter.
- Fold with a spatula for about 20 strokes, until just a few streaks of flour remain.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, if using, until no dry flour is visible.
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Ready when: Batter is thick and uniformly dark with no dry flour.
Tip: Stop mixing once the flour disappears. Overmixing makes brownies cakey and tough.
7
Fill the pan
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
- Spread it into an even layer, pushing it into the corners with the spatula.
- Smooth the top.
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Ready when: Batter is level and reaches all four corners.
8
BakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake on the center rack at 350°F (175°C) for 30 to 34 minutes.
- Begin checking at 30 minutes by inserting a toothpick 2 inches from the edge and 2 inches from the center.
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Ready when: Edges look set and slightly pulled from the pan, the top is shiny with fine cracks, and the toothpick has moist, fudgy crumbs but no wet batter.
Tip: A clean toothpick means overbaked, dry brownies. Pull them out while the center is still soft.
9
Cool completely
- Set the pan on a wire rack and cool for at least 2 hours at room temperature.
- For the cleanest slices, then chill for 30 minutes in the fridge.
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Ready when: Brownies are firm, and the pan feels fully cool to the touch.
Tip: Cutting while warm gives gooey, ragged squares.
10
Slice and serve
- Lift the brownies out by the parchment handles onto a cutting board.
- With a large sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts, cut into a 4×4 grid of 16 squares.
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Ready when: Squares have clean, sharp edges.
Tip: Running the knife under hot water and drying it between cuts keeps edges neat.

Good to know

Tips

Weigh ingredients with a kitchen scale for the most consistent results, especially the flour.
Vigorous whisking after adding the eggs is what creates the shiny, crackly top.
Underbake slightly: the brownies keep setting as they cool.
For extra flavor, sprinkle flaky salt over the batter before baking.

Make ahead

Bake the brownies up to 2 days ahead. Cool completely, cover the pan tightly, and keep at room temperature. Slice just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: airtight container up to 4 days. Fridge: up to 1 week, for an even fudgier texture. Freezer: wrap squares individually and freeze up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature for 1 hour. To reheat, microwave a single brownie for 10 seconds.

Substitutions

dark chocolate (60–70% cacao) → semisweet chocolate. Brownies will taste a little sweeter and less intense.
unsalted butter → salted butter. Reduce the fine sea salt to ¼ tsp (1.5 g).
light brown sugar → granulated sugar. Use an equal weight; the brownies will be a little less chewy and moist.
semisweet chocolate chips → chopped walnuts. Use ½ cup (60 g) for crunch instead of chocolate chips.