I’ve been loyal to this brownie recipe for decades and have no intention of changing it! It’s super easy, super chocolatey and super fudgy. I firmly believe the best brownies must be made with both cocoa and melted chocolate, and butter instead of oil. Bonus: it’s a simple one-bowl, hand mixed recipe!
Homemade Chocolate Brownies
These homemade brownies are every chocoholics dream come true.
Need a chocolate fix urgently? These will be in the oven in 15 minutes flat (if not faster).
Hate washing up? Just one bowl to deal with here.
Like your brownies outrageously chocolatey and fudgy in the middle? This one delivers in spades.
Not such a confident cook? This recipe is astonishingly forgiving. Even if you overcook them, they might look cakey, but they still have that rich, fudgy mouthfeel. There’s just not enough flour in these to make them dry and overcooked!
And look ↓↓↓ Super fudgy yet you can actually pick it up, rather than scooping up gloops of raw batter!
And that crinkly top we all know and love!
What makes a good brownie
The secret to a really great brownie is using both melted chocolate AND cocoa powder, plus butter instead of oil (because butter has way better flavour than oil). The combination of these plus minimal flour, just enough to make a barely-set batter, and brown sugar rather than white (for extra moisture and chewiness) is what will deliver that perfect rich, fudgy brownie you’ve been dreaming about.
And to make a killer brownie, stir through a generous amount of chocolate chunks. Not only will you get little pockets of gooey chocolate, it also makes the brownie extra fudgy because some of the chocolate melds in with the batter as it bakes! (This is optional though, and I don’t add the extra chocolate for everyday brownies 🙂 ).
How to make Homemade Brownies
These dreamy brownies start by melting chocolate and butter together before whisking in eggs and vanilla. Then just mix in flour and coco powder, and lastly stir in the extra chocolate chunks if you’re using it. Scrape into lined pan and bake!
How to tell when brownies are done
Stick a toothpick in the centre of the brownie, hold it for 2 seconds, then take it out.
super gooey – if there is a lot of smear on it (24 minutes bake time)
** moist and fudgy (my favourite) ** – if the toothpick gets a brown strain and has some smear on it (28 minutes)
cakey (but still fudgy mouthfeel) – toothpick is clean with just a few crumbs (32 minutes). But still really moist (because this recipe only has 1/2 cup of flour in it, impossible not to be moist!).
Fudgy, gooey brownies
The brownies in the photos and video are what I call “fudgy moist”. As in – super fudgy but not just a gloop of uncooked batter. You can pick it up with your hands rather than eating it with a spoon.
I have more elaborate brownies in my repertoire – such as these Outrageous Nutella Brownies (which certainly live up to their name!) and these Salted Caramel Stuffed Brownies (the caramel filling is creamy and set, like a soft fudge).
But this classic Chocolate Brownies recipe is the one I make most of the time. It’s my go-to because it’s everything I want in a brownie made with minimal fuss. The essential ingredients to make it super chocolatey, lovely and moist, and no unnecessary extras.
The other thing is that my brownie is sweet, but not tooth-achingly sweet. There are some brownie recipes out there that use almost double the sugar I do and they are far too sweet for me. The sugar in this recipe is just the right amount of sweet for me. No one has ever complained about my brownies not being sweet enough, that’s for sure! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Easy Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
- 200g / 14 tbsp unsalted butter (1 3/4 US sticks)
- 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips or melts/discs (US: semi-sweet chocolate) (Note 1)
- 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
- 3 large eggs , lightly beaten (fridge cold or room temp is fine)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder , sifted
- Pinch of salt
OPTIONAL EXTRA CHOCOLATE ADD-INS
- 180g / 6oz (1 cup) dark chocolate chips, or block/bar chopped into chunks (OPTIONAL!) (US: semi-sweet chocolate) (Note 2)
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
- Melt choc and butter, mix in sugar and vanilla, then eggs. Stir in flour, cocoa and salt, bake in lined 20cm/8" pan at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) for 28 minutes. Cool before slicing.
FULL RECIPE
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Spray a 20cm/8" square tin with oil or grease with butter. Line with baking paper/parchment paper with overhang (Note 3).
- Melt chocolate and butter – Place butter and chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl, microwave in 30 second bursts (takes me 1m 30 sec) until melted. Stir until smooth.
- Sugar and eggs – Add sugar and vanilla, mix, then add eggs and mix well until smooth and molten.
- Dry ingredients – Add flour, cocoa and salt and stir until smooth. Stir in chopped chocolate, pour into pan.
- Bake 24 minutes for really gooey in the centre, 28 minutes for fudgey but still very moist (my favourie, shown in video & photos), 32 minutes for moist fudge-cake-like. (See in post for toothpick testphotos).
- Rest for 10 minutes before lifting out of the pan (they are fragile when hot). Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. For really neat slices, refrigerate for 30 minutes, or even overnight, but always eat at room temp for fudgy perfection!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published August 2016. Updated with new photos and brand new video in 2020.
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Life of Dozer
Dozer hates being hugged. Don’t know why. I mean, what dog doesn’t like their face being squished like this in a chokehold grip?
Awesome brownie! Unfortunately I over cooked mine so they weren’t super gooey but still tasted amazing! Love heating a small slice up and having some vanilla ice cream to go with it!
I love this
Hi Nagi, been doing most of your cakes, and wanted to say thank you very much for making Look so easy and simple 🙂 your recipes are amazing and soo tasty 😋
You’re so welcome Sarah! N x
Made it for arvo tea and it was delicious!! Will defo be making it again.
Thanks Nagi
Can I use raw sugar instead of brown sugar?
Hi Carmen, raw sugar has a bigger grain and may change the texture of these unfortunately – N x
OMG, these were on point, so gooey, so chocolatey and not over sweet at all! Ticked all the boxes!! Thank you!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them Charissa! N x
Apologies error my review should have read *****+. Recipe is ten stars as bonus hardly any washing up
OMG! This brownie was so gooood. The dark chocolate chunks are not optional they are essential! Made with Gluten Free plain flour and half a teaspoon of Baking Powder. As it is such a wet, chocolatey mix you couldn’t tell it was GF. Couldn’t wait for it to cool, served warm with vanilla ice cream for dessert last night. Yum
Wahoo! That’s great to hear Tan! N x
Is there maybe a typo in the oven temperature part? 180˚C is 356˚F, not 320˚F
I made two batches following this recipe. The second batch i made, i reduced the amount of chocolate chunks and chocolate chips. My family and colleagues loved it! The most fudgy and soft brownie i’ve ever made. Will definitely make it again.
I’m so glad they enjoyed them Marha, you’ll be the favourite from now on!! N x
Hi Nagi! I tried this just now and my kids loved it! Realizing I only have 1 stick of butter left in the fridge so I divided the recipe in half and still it turned out great! Happy tummy during the quarantine period! Will definitely try more of your recipes!
That’s great to hear NeensG, brownies fix everything 🙂 N x
I have tried at least 4 different brownie recipes, that included white sugar or milk, or coffee, or whatever else you can add in a cake bake. All of them failed. Too messy, too gooey, too moist, too dry. This recipe is the only brownie recipe that actually produced delicious fluffy, moist brownies. The absolute the BEST brownie recipe I’ve ever tried. And its so easy! Thankyou so much.
Not sure what I did wrong, followed the exact proportions. The butter started to ooze out from the sides and my Brownie looks really gloopy with no crinkly top.
Hi Shilpi! Unfortunately that’s what happens if the batter is not mixed together properly. You just need to give the batter a good mix until it’s molten and the butter is fully incorporated otherwise it does ooze out and separate as you describe. AND you also don’t get the crinkly top. Reason I know for sure is because it’s happened to me in the past ❤️
You nailed it AGAIN Nagi! Definitely the BEST chocolate brownie recipe in the WORLD! Devoured in a matter of no time and hubby wants me to bake them again for guests on Sunday! Thanks for the great recipes xx
Wahoo!!!!! Thanks Debbie!
Hi Nagi,
The ingredients call for vanilla extract however I couldn’t see where to add this in the instructions? Is it required? Thank you!
Thanks for that Jadey – I’ll fix it now!! N x
Hi Nagi,
Just wondering if I can use milk chocolate instead of dark chocolate
Hi Jasmine, I fine milk chocolate a little too sweet here unfortunately – N x
Ooooo I better try making this at home! I always had a question Nagi – I honestly can’t stand the taste of butter in most things and thinking of substituting butter with coconut oil in all recipes that call for butter. Would coconut oil work as a substitute in both baking and general cooking or do you have any other suggestions?
I hope you are doing ok during this pandemic! Stay safe and healthy with Dozer 🙂
LOVE this recipe! Have made these brownies so many times and they’re always a hit with everyone!
Great recipe – quick and easy to follow.
I used a reduced-fat alternative instead of butter, and also added a couple of dashes each of allspice and cinnamon (as I’ll be serving the brownies over Christmas).
Baked them for 28 minutes and they were delicious.
Thanks Nagi! 😊
Hi Nagi
Can I freeze the chocolate brownies?
My first time ever baking a brownie, and this recipe made one that I loved. Did it with a 3yo and we had a ball!
I LOVE hearing this Joycelyn!