Grease-Lined Walnut Fudge Brownies
Rich, fudgy brownies with a glossy crumb and generous walnut pieces throughout. Oil-based batter delivers a tender, moist texture, while cocoa powder and melted chocolate deepen the chocolate flavor. The grease-lined pan creates crispy, caramelized edges that contrast beautifully with the dense center. These brownies are best served slightly underbaked so the interior stays just barely fudgy.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 28 min
- Wait
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 hr 28 min
- Makes
- 12 brownies (one 8×8-inch pan)
Steps
Before you start
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
- Measure all ingredients before starting—brownie batter comes together quickly
- Chop walnuts into ½-inch pieces so they distribute evenly and don't sink to the bottom
- Grease your pan thoroughly with neutral oil, making sure corners and edges are well-coated
Melt chocolate and oil
- Pour the neutral oil into a medium saucepan and set over medium heat until shimmering (about 2 minutes).
- Add the chopped bittersweet chocolate and remove the pan from heat.
- Let sit for 1 minute, then whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
- The residual heat will melt the chocolate without scorching it.
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Ready when: Chocolate is glossy and smooth with no lumps
Tip: Don't let the chocolate sit on heat too long or it will seize. Remove the pan from heat before the chocolate is fully melted.
Whisk in sugar and eggs
- Transfer the warm chocolate mixture to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the sugar and whisk vigorously for about 1 minute until slightly thickened and lighter in color.
- Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Pour in the vanilla extract and whisk again until the mixture is thick, glossy, and has doubled slightly in volume (about 2 minutes of whisking total after the eggs are added).
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Ready when: Mixture is glossy, slightly pale, and falls in ribbons from the whisk
Tip: Use room-temperature eggs so they emulsify smoothly into the warm chocolate without cooking.
Combine dry ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, and salt until no clumps of cocoa remain and everything is evenly distributed.
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Ready when: All ingredients are thoroughly combined with no visible cocoa lumps or streaks
Tip: Whisking rather than sifting makes this faster and is just as effective for distributing the cocoa evenly.
Fold in dry ingredients
- Pour the dry ingredient mixture into the chocolate-egg mixture.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold gently but thoroughly until just combined.
- The batter should show no streaks of flour or cocoa, but don't overmix—stop as soon as you don't see dry spots.
- The batter will be thick and glossy.
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Ready when: No white streaks of flour are visible; batter is uniform in color and texture
Tip: Overmixing at this stage overdevelops gluten and makes brownies cake-like instead of fudgy. Fold gently.
Fold in walnuts
- Add the chopped walnuts to the batter and fold gently with the spatula until evenly distributed throughout, about 10–15 folds.
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Ready when: Walnut pieces are distributed throughout the batter with no clumps
Tip: Fold just until combined to avoid breaking down the walnuts and to keep the batter from becoming overworked.
Transfer to greased pan
- Pour the batter into the greased 8×8-inch baking pan.
- Use the rubber spatula to spread it evenly into the corners and to the edges, but don't overly smooth the surface—a slightly rough top will bake into rustic brownie texture.
- The batter should reach the corners but not overflow.
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Ready when: Batter is level and fills the pan to about ¾ inch from the rim
Tip: Make sure the grease covers every corner so the edges bake up crispy and don't stick.
Bake browniesOven 350°F / 175°C
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for 24–28 minutes.
- The top will look set and slightly matte, but the center should still have a little jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
- Insert a wooden toothpick into the center—it should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, not completely clean and not wet with batter.
- The edges will be just starting to pull away from the pan.
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Ready when: Top is set and matte; center has slight jiggle; toothpick emerges with moist crumbs, not wet batter
Tip: Underbaking slightly is crucial for fudgy brownies. They will continue to cook as they cool. If you prefer cakey brownies, bake 2–3 minutes longer.
Cool in pan
- Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack.
- Let the brownies cool in the pan at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- They will firm up considerably as they cool.
- You can cool them longer (up to 2 hours) if you prefer them firmer and easier to cut.
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Ready when: Brownies are cool to the touch and have firmed up considerably
Tip: Resist the urge to cut warm brownies—they will crumble. The cooling step is essential for clean, fudgy pieces.
Cut and serve
- Once completely cool, use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between each cut to slice the brownies into 12 squares (cut into thirds one direction, quarters the other).
- Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed.
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Ready when: Brownies are cut into clean, even pieces
Tip: Hot-water rinsing the knife prevents the fudgy brownies from sticking and tearing. Wipe the blade clean after each cut.
Good to know
Tips
- Oil creates a different crumb structure than butter—brownies will be more tender and fudgy with oil. This is intentional for this recipe.
- Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes before chopping and folding in for deeper, richer flavor.
- For extra fudgy brownies, slightly underbake by 1–2 minutes. For more structure, bake an additional 2–3 minutes.
- The grease-lined pan is crucial—it creates caramelized, crispy edges. Don't use parchment paper if you want that effect.
Make ahead
Brownies can be baked up to 3 days ahead. Store covered at room temperature, then cut just before serving. You can also freeze unbaked batter in the greased pan (covered tightly) for up to 1 week; bake from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to the bake time.
Storage & reheating
At room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Refrigerated for up to 5 days. Frozen in an airtight container or wrapped individually for up to 2 months. Reheat frozen brownies at room temperature for 30 minutes or warm briefly in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5 minutes.
Substitutions
- bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao) → semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate (60–72% cacao). Semi-sweet will make brownies slightly sweeter and less intense. Dark chocolate will intensify the cocoa flavor.
- walnut pieces → pecans or chopped hazelnuts. Use the same weight. Pecans are milder and buttery; hazelnuts add a subtle nuttiness.
- neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or light olive oil) → melted unsalted butter. Use the same amount. Butter will add richness and make the brownies slightly more cake-like and tender.
- kosher salt → sea salt or finishing salt (sprinkle on top before baking). Kosher salt or fleur de sel on the top adds a sophisticated contrast to the sweetness.
