Best Brownie Recipe
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The search for the very best brownie recipe ends here. These brownies are fudgy, deeply chocolaty, and absolutely worth making from scratch.
I’ve made a lot of brownie recipes over the years, but I always come back to this one. The brownies are thick, deeply chocolatey, irresistibly fudgy in the center, and topped with a paper-thin, crackly crust. The secret? While most brownie recipes—and nearly all boxed mixes—rely solely on cocoa powder, this one is made with real melted chocolate for exceptional richness and flavor.
The recipe originally comes from pastry chef Nick Malgieri’s Chocolate cookbook. It’s been around for decades and featured in numerous cooking publications, such as The New York Times, Saveur, and The Splendid Table. Try it for yourself and see why people have been making it for so long.
Why You’ll Love This Brownie Recipe
- One bowl and no mixer required
- Perfectly fudgy with crackly tops
- Made with simple ingredients
- Easy to make ahead and freeze
- Perfect for parties, bake sales, and gifting
- A time-tested recipe that’s been loved for decades
“The name does not lie!! These are hands-down the BEST brownies I have made!!! My entire family devoured them.”
What You’ll Need To Make Homemade Brownies
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and moisture, creating the brownies’ signature fudgy texture. Using unsalted butter lets you control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate: Since chocolate is the star here, use a good-quality chocolate bar, such as Ghirardelli or Guittard. I recommend bars instead of chocolate chips, which contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting as smoothly.
- Eggs: Provide structure while keeping the brownies rich and chewy. Use large eggs, and let them come to room temperature if possible so they blend more easily into the batter.
- Granulated sugar: Helps create the brownies’ signature shiny, crackly top while adding sweetness.
- Dark brown sugar: Adds moisture along with a subtle molasses flavor that makes the brownies even richer and fudgier. Light brown sugar will work in a pinch, but you’ll get a milder flavor and slightly less moisture.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the chocolate flavor without overpowering it.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and makes the chocolate taste even richer.
- All-purpose flour: Just enough flour gives the brownies structure while keeping them dense and fudgy instead of cakey. Measure using the spoon-and-level method for the best results—packing the cup or scooping straight from the bag adds too much flour and dries out the brownies.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Melt the butter and chocolate. Melt the butter until it’s hot and bubbling, then add the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for about a minute before whisking; the residual heat from the butter is usually enough to melt the chocolate completely. If a few pieces remain, microwave the mixture briefly and whisk again until smooth and glossy.
Step 2: Mix the eggs, sugars, and flavoring. Whisk the eggs with the sugars, vanilla, and salt until smooth, making sure there are no lumps of brown sugar. You don’t need to whip a lot of air into the mixture—just whisk until everything is evenly combined.
Step 3: Finish the batter. Whisk the melted chocolate into the egg mixture, then stir in the flour just until no streaks remain. The batter will be thick and glossy. Avoid overmixing at this stage, which can make the brownies a bit tougher.
Step 4: Bake. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides so you can easily lift the brownies out after baking. Spray the paper with nonstick cooking spray, then spread the batter evenly into the corners and bake until the top is shiny and set. If you’re unsure whether they’re done, it’s better to err on the side of slightly underbaked than overbaked. The brownies will continue to set as they cool.
Step 5: Cool and cut. As tempting as it is to cut into warm brownies, letting them cool completely gives them time to finish setting, making them easier. Once cool, use the parchment overhang to lift them from the pan, then trim the crispy edges (chef’s treat!) and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for longer storage.
Choosing Your Pan
This recipe is written for a 9×13-inch metal pan (24 brownies). Some helpful adjustments:
- 8×8 or 9×9 pan: Halve the recipe. Start checking for doneness around 30 minutes.
- Two 8×8 pans: Keep the full recipe and split the batter between two pans (great for trying different mix-ins). Bake about 30 minutes.
- Glass or ceramic instead of metal: Drop the oven to 325°F rather than adding time at 350°F. Both retain heat more than metal and can burn at the edges before the center’s done. Glass is the more stubborn of the two; ceramic tends to be a bit more forgiving.
Variations and Mix-Ins
- Add nuts: Fold in ½ to 1 cup of chopped toasted walnuts or pecans along with the batter for crunch.
- Deepen the chocolate flavor: Add 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the melted chocolate-butter mixture. You won’t taste coffee; it just intensifies the chocolate.
- Go extra chocolatey: Fold in ½ to 1 cup of chocolate chips along with the flour for pockets of melted chocolate throughout.
Video Tutorial
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Best Brownie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped (I use Ghirardelli bars)
- 4 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set a rack in the middle position. Line a 9 x 13-in (23 x 33-cm) pan with parchment paper (bring parchment up sides of pan so there is a slight overhang) and grease with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave until bubbling. Add the chocolate and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted. The heat from the butter should be enough to melt the chocolate completely, but if not, place the chocolate-butter mixture in the microwave and heat for 20 seconds or so, then whisk again. (Alternatively, combine the butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted.)
- Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla; whisk until smooth (be sure no lumps of brown sugar remain). Whisk in the chocolate-butter mixture, then add the flour and whisk until the batter is uniform.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the top has formed a shiny crust and the batter is moderately firm. Cool completely in the pan on a rack.
- Use the parchment overhang to lift the brownies out of the pan, transfer them to a cutting board, and separate the parchment from the edges. Using a sharp knife, trim away the edges and cut the brownies into 24 (2-in) squares.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Can light brown sugar be used? What is the difference between dark and light?
Sure — dark brown sugar just has more molasses in it. These will still be delicious with light brown sugar. Enjoy!
so yummy!
followed the recipe exactly, i think i baked them a few mins less which made it a bit more fudgy, will aim to bake them 5 more mins 🙂
thank you !
Hi there, Jenn!
Dumb question please
When thawing out the frozen brownies on the countertop overnight, do you remove the foil wrapping first?
Thank you,
Elise
Hi Elise, I’d leave the foil on. 🙂
Hi there!
We are avid fans of brownies here ; the Nigella and Laura Vitale kind. But, it seems we need an update and would love to try your recipe.The problem being our pan sizes. We have 10x6x1.5(ish) in pan and a 6×9.5(ish)x1.5…How to work out the math to fit these pans?Please Help!!
Hi Naira, I’d suggest going with the 10 x 6-inch pan and cutting the recipe in half. Bake time may be slightly different, so keep a close eye on them. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn. When I was in middle school more than 40 years ago, my mom’s friend used to sell us a brownie with a crust I beleive had oats in the and the brownie part had raisins, I tried using your recipe to mimick that from my childhood favorite brownie but it didn’t turn out how I remembered it. Can you be able to re create it? Thank you. ~~Annie
That sounds unusual but tasty! I will add it to my list of recipes to potentially develop. 🙂
Thank you! I am looking forward to it. I’ve been one of your baking fans and I love your recipes.
~~Annie
Love these Jen. 10/10! Love Damien, formerly Knocklebede now Killarney xx
Hi! Can the chocolate used in this be chips instead of bars? All I have on hand. Also, to add walnuts or toffee bits, how much would you add? A cup? A half cup? Thank you!
Hi Jane, Chocolate chips have stabilizers in them to help retain their shape when heated, but if you can’t find any chocolate bars right now, you might be able to get away with morsels for this recipe; I just can’t say for sure because I haven’t tried it. And for the additional toffee bits or nuts you could add up to a cup. Please LMK how they turn out!
Hi – I acquired some of the Ghirardelli bars, so now I will make it as written. Will add the toffee bits up to a cup, though since I have too many of those on hand! Thanks!
Hi, Jenn:
Further feedback: Just wanted you to know that the brownies came out well. I did use the bars and not the chips – I was finally able to get my hands on them. However, my addition of toffee bits was not a good idea. They melted! Makes sense with the chocolate butter mixture. So the brownies tasted a bit caramel-y, which is not a bad thing, but not what I was looking for. Next time, I will make the recipe, as is or with a cup of walnuts. Thought you (and other readers) might want to know this. Otherwise, a great recipe!
Thanks for the follow-up and sorry that the toffee was not quite right. I appreciate you reporting back — I’m sure other readers will find it helpful! 🙂
WOW! These brownies are out of this world! Thank you for making me look good! Question: you gave long-term freezing instructions, and Saran Wrap of the pan in the refrigerator for serving next day, but how do you store the brownies for just serving 2 days later? Thanks again!
Hi Elise, Glad you enjoyed them! Once cut, they keep well in a covered container at room temperature for several days.
Hi! We are halving your recipe as it’s so delicious, but we are trying to manage the “diet”. What size baking pan do you suggest and amount of time to bake? Thank you!>.
Hi Kara, I get it! To halve the recipe, I’d use an 8 x 8-inch square pan. Baking time should be about the same but keep a close eye on them. Enjoy!
I have the same problem as another person mentioned. There is a layer of sugar crystals at the bottom and its crunchy. Should I be whisking thoroughly like you asked or lightly? Also could it be because in India its hard to get very fine sugar so the sugar crystals are quite big. In that case, can i use powdered white sugar?
Hi Shilpa, Sorry you also had a problem with this! You should definitely be whisking it thoroughly. I wouldn’t use powdered sugar but you could put your granulated sugar in a blender briefly to make the crystals a bit smaller. I’d love to hear if that helps!
Hi Jenn, love your recipes, especially this brownie. I’m just curious as to why you don’t recommend the powdered sugar? Is it because it would incorporate too well in the mix or because of the small amount of cornstarch usually found in it? Thank you.
It’s a combination of the two; I don’t like the idea of the finer texture here and the addition of cornstarch may make the results less predictable. Hope that clarifies!
Thank you for your reply! Super clear 🙂
Hi Jenn – love your recipes – every single one i’ve tried has been amazing! Hey – if i have half milk chocolate, can I use half that and half 70% for this recipe? If i do, would i decrease some of the sugar?
Hi Lulu, I’ve never tried these using milk chocolate, but I’d probably decrease each sugar by 1 to 2 tablespoons. I’d love to know how it turns out.
These are the best brownies, perfect amount of chocolate and perfect texture. I tested a few recipes for brownies but these were the best :). They were a little thick because I used a small tin but next time I would use a bigger one. 🙂