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
More Brownie Recipes You’ll Love
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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Brought these to work and and they were a hit! I used 4 oz bittersweet chocolate and 4 oz semisweet chocolate, and it came out with the right amount of sweetness. This one is a keeper! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!
Just made these for the first time this afternoon. They are simply the best brownies ever. I made half a batch (we’re on a diet 😉 ) and took them out earlier as I was afraid of overcooking in a smaller pan. My new go to brownie recipe.
Hi Jenn. Just made these brownies this morning and they were so yummy! Couple of questions: 1-To make it more gooey, should I cut the amount of eggs in half? 2-If I wanted to cut the recipe in half, can I use a 8 x 8 pan and would I bake it the same amount of time? Thanks so much.
Glad you enjoyed them! To make them more gooey, I wouldn’t omit any eggs; I’d just underbake them a bit. And it’s fine to halve the recipe for an 8 x 8-inch pan. The bake time should be about the same but keep a close eye on them.
Best brownies Ever!!!! Would not change a thing.
Wow! These are great! We did add a couple handfuls of walnuts, but that was the only change at all. I found bake temp and time was spot on for my oven. They came out with crisp edges, gooey, chewy centers and decadent chocolate flavor. Thanks for an amazing recipe!
Honestly, these are the best brownies ever! You will not need another recipe !!
Great recipe. To all of those using boxed brownie mix, these much better. Also
keep in mind that almost all boxed baking goods, crackers etc. are now being
Bioengineered.
That’s because the ingredients are. Check your baking powder… Clabber Girl is bioengineered also.
Oh no, really. Clabber Girl? What are you using instead?
I use Rumford Baking Powder (Jenn’s suggestion). It doesn’t contain aluminum which causes the metallic taste some people can detect in baked goods containing other baking powders.
Yes, they are delicious, chocolaty. and rich. Baking time is off, my oven temp is spot on. Pulled them at 35 minutes, they were already starting to crisp up at the edges, next time30 – 32 minute. Jenn, 45 minutes and they would have gone down the disposal. Maybe the written time should be rechecked. Thanks for another goodie
Thanks for the feedback. I’ll have to retest them to confirm baking time. Glad you enjoyed them!
I made this recipe two days ago and I agree with the timing. I pulled mine out around 35 minutes and could have pulled them out sooner. They are delicious now but would have burned at 45 minutes.
For me the time and temp were perfect !
I agree. I only baked for 30 minutes which is more in line with other brownie recipes. I really love your recipes and you are my go to when baking desserts!
Made these for Father’s Day with my granddaughter who is 7 and who loves to cook. I considered using a mix because I had never made this recipe before and I didn’t want to disappoint the fathers getting ready for Father’s Day. Well, my granddaughter who likes to try things said “No, Grandpa, the mix is cheating!” So we used your recipe it was heavenly. There’s nothing like using real chocolate and real ingredients. The brownies were a hit! Best of all, she took all the credit which she deserved. All I did was give a few pieces of advice here and there and take the brownies out of the oven. There were high fives all around the kitchen.
The best part was tasting the brownies on Father’s Day and the brownies were delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Wonderful recipe! Delicious brownies! Thanks Jenn!
A couple tweaks….
Baking time was closer to 25-30 minutes in my oven. I suggest monitoring baking time vs presetting timer for 45 minutes……watch for what Jenn notes…..”top has formed a shiny crust and the batter is moderately firm.” Also, I do not spray or grease parchment paper when baking brownies, bars or cake layers. I think it adds some unnecessary grease to the base of brownies/bars/cake layers . They still release from the parchment paper very cleanly.
After seeing the recipe in my email feed, I had to try these brownies. These are by far the very best brownies I have ever made! Have tried other recipes but none of them compare to Jenn’s brownies. I did add a bit of cinnamon to the batter because I like the “hint” it provides. Saved the cut off edges and will use them with vanilla ice cream in a sort of brownies sundae.