My homemade brownies from scratch are fudgy, decadent, so chocolatey and the batter can be made in just minutes! This has been a fan-favorite for over 8 years and will have you ditching the box-mixes for good. Recipe includes a how-to video and lots of tips for shiny, crackly brownie tops!
Brownies From Scratch
I first shared this homemade brownie recipe years ago and it’s remained one of my personal favorites ever since, a classic right up there with my chocolate chip cookies and easy apple pie. It’s served as the base of many of my other brownie recipes on my site (perhaps most deliciously, my cheesecake brownies) and is perfect for beginners and advanced bakers alike.
At its core, this is really a no-frills, easy brownie recipe that really needs little introduction, but if you’re like me and love nerding out about nitty gritty recipe details, please read on (otherwise, hit that big “Jump to Recipe” button overhead)!
Why You Should Try THIS Brownie Recipe:
- Intense chocolate flavor. Melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and added chocolate chips put these brownies over the top. Add a pinch of instant coffee or espresso powder to the batter for an even more decadent chocolate experience.
- Shiny, crackly tops. While it may seem like just aesthetics, shiny and crackly tops are something that I personally love about brownies and that I wanted my own version to have. I spent years cracking the code on this and am very happy to share what I’ve found with you (it’s all about mixing the eggs and sugar… more on this below!).
- Easy, for when you need a chocolate fix in a hurry! My homemade brownies come together in just 10 minutes. Minimal mess & no mixer needed.
- Perfected recipe (true brownie texture!). This recipe was carefully (and repeatedly) tested to yield brownies that are dense, fudgy, and super chocolatey with the aforementioned shiny, crackly tops. I must’ve baked 100 different batches before landing on this version.
Ingredients for Homemade Brownies
We won’t go over every ingredient in detail (who has the time when there are brownies to be made!), but I think you should know what it is that truly makes these the best brownie recipe. The ingredients are common enough, but there are a few extras mixed in, along with a bit of technique… (more on that later).
Let’s dig in.
- Sugar. A blend of granulated and brown sugar is the way to go in almost every recipe, honestly, but especially here. The subtle molasses-ness of the brown sugar rounds out the flavor of the chocolate and adds extra chew to our brownies!
- Eggs… plus an extra yolk! The egg whites play a critical role in giving you brownies with a shiny, crackly top. When coupled with the sugar and whipped, you’ll be able to achieve exactly that boxed-brownie look. An extra yolk enriches the batter and makes the brownies even more tender and fudgy.
- Chocolate. For intensely chocolatey homemade brownies we build the batter on a base of melted chocolate and butter and then toss in some cocoa powder while the mixture is still warm (to help bloom it, as we do in my chocolate cake). Chocolate chips work in a pinch, but baking bars are best. Use semisweet baking bars, or, if you like a darker chocolate, use 60% cacao instead! Then, at the end, I do recommend mixing in some chocolate chips for an extra punch of chocolate.
- Instant coffee. If you’re someone who prefers dark chocolate, you’ll want to add this. It adds depth and enhances the chocolate flavor, particularly the more bitter flavors that you’ll find in dark chocolate. You can make things even more intense by swapping this with espresso powder, or if you’re not a fan feel free to omit it.
Sam’s Tip: These brownies were specifically and carefully designed to be dense and fudgy, and not cakey. However, if you like a lighter brownie you can stir in a quarter teaspoon of baking powder with the flour.
How to Make Brownies from Scratch
Whisk the eggs and sugar
I’ll usually melt my chocolate and butter together first (do this in intervals, stirring in between, just like when melting chocolate in the microwave). Then set this aside and combine your eggs and sugar and stir vigorously. Whisking together the eggs and sugar almost as if you were making meringue is critical to creating those shiny, crackly tops that you’ll see at the end!
The vigorous whisking can be an arm workout, but can absolutely be done by hand (usually takes me 60 seconds or so). You could alternatively use an electric mixer for this step!
Once the eggs are well-mixed, stir in your vanilla extract and salt.
Add the melted chocolate
Stir the melted chocolate into the batter. Everything should be thoroughly combined, but you don’t have to worry about whisking aggressively or vigorously, like you did with the eggs and sugar.
Finish the brownie batter & bake
Add the flour, followed by the chocolate chips. Once again, the batter just needs to be uniformly combined, no need to go crazy with mixing here! Once everything is combined, scrape your brownie batter into a 9×9″ baking pan, smooth it into an even layer (add a few more chocolate chips on top if you’d like, for good measure!) and bake!
SAM’S TIP: I recommend baking your brownies in a metal pan, as glass pans can take longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
An extra egg yolk, a bit of brown sugar, real melted chocolate, a bit less flour than you might expect, and no baking powder or baking soda all contribute to the rich fudginess of these brownies. If your brownies turn out cakey after following my recipe, it may be that your flour was accidentally over-measured.
After years of making homemade brownies from scratch, I can tell you with confidence the secret is following a good recipe. Use one that recommends vigorously whisking the eggs and sugar, enriches the batter with melted chocolate, and for good measure adds a pinch of instant coffee or espresso. Obviously I’m biased, but my recipe really does crack the code for perfect brownies, and I’m excited for you to try it.
Unfortunately, a straight substitution of the chocolate called for with white chocolate yields results that are too sweet and a bit oily. However, I do have a white chocolate brownie recipe that I recommend you try instead, or for a chocolate-less version try my blondies!
More Chocolate Desserts
This is truly the easiest, ultimate, best homemade brownie recipe. And I really think you are going to love it.
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Fudgy Homemade Brownies from Scratch
Ingredients
- 12 Tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter cut into Tablespoon-sized pieces
- 4 oz (113 g) semisweet chocolate bar chopped into small pieces
- ½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- ½ teaspoon instant coffee grounds optional
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (127 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a 9×9 baking pan¹ with parchment paper²
- Combine butter and chopped chocolate in a large, microwave-safe bowl.12 Tablespoons (170 g) unsalted butter, 4 oz (113 g) semisweet chocolate bar
- Microwave in 25-second intervals, stirring well in between, until completely melted and smooth.
- Immediately add cocoa powder and instant coffee (if using), stir well.½ cup (50 g) natural cocoa powder (unsweetened), ½ teaspoon instant coffee grounds
- In a separate, medium-sized mixing bowl, combine sugars and eggs. Whisk vigorously, until well combined and lightened in color (at least 60 seconds of vigorous whisking, this ensures shiny, crackly tops! Feel free to use an electric mixer!).¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar, 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
- Stir in vanilla extract and salt.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon salt
- Drizzle chocolate mixture into egg mixture and stir until completely combined.
- Add flour, stir until completely combined.1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- Stir in chocolate chips.¾ cup (127 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- Spread into prepared 9×9 pan.
- Bake in center rack of 350F (175C) oven for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out slightly fudgy, but not wet with batter.
- Allow to cool before cutting and serving (they'll be messy and seem underdone otherwise).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
I originally shared this brownie recipe on 02/01/2017. I’ve made small changes to the recipe to make the tops crackly (changed the step for beating the eggs well instead of mixing the batter well as a whole), and I’ve updated some of the photos and added a video and tried to make the post itself more informative.
Stephanie
Hi. I’m going to try this recipe. Can an 8×8 pan be used instead of the two sizes listed?
Sam
Absolutely, just keep in mind that the brownies will probably need to cook a bit longer. I hope you love them, Stephanie! 🙂
Stephanie
I made these in my 8×8. I added chopped pecans and drizzled some chocolate glaze on top when they cooled. They’re delicious! Thank you for the excellent recipe and thank you for answering my question!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you, Stephanie! I am so glad that they turned out well and you enjoyed the brownies. 🙂
Kate
Hello.
Love the recipe but. It didn’t get a “crackle” top. Did I do something wrong ?
Thank you
Sam
Hmm, as long as they still taste good I would say you probably didn’t do anything wrong, but they usually do crackle for me. You could let the batter sit in the refrigerator a bit longer and see if that helps!
Kim
In the brownie recipe you video it looked as if you used 3 whole eggs? Also my batter did not pour out it was thick. I had to dump in and smooth out more like fudge. The are in fridge now. I will let you know how turned out.
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Kim! The brownie recipe calls for 2 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk. The batter is very thick, so what you’re experiencing is normal. They should bake fine. Let me know how they turn out! Enjoy! 🙂
Megan
I am either going to be making these today or tomorrow, and was wondering would adding caramel chips work? I have some left over from when I added them to your coconut cookies and being that I just made those recently, I want to change things up and not do another cookie. And I do love caramel!
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Megan! They should work fine in your brownies. Let me know how it turns out! Enjoy! 🙂
Ellis D Padilla
I made twice the amount, had to use a combo of bittersweet chocolate & semisweet & regular coffee. The brownies were a hit st the office, not too sweet, crunchy & fudgy. Thanks
Sugar Spun Run
I am so happy that everyone enjoyed the brownies, Ellis! Thanks for the feedback. 🙂
Sheena
I’m wanting to make this in a sheet pan tonight as I need to make several. How should I adjust the cook time or any other adjustments?
Sheena
*I intend to double the recipe.
Nicole
Holy Yum! 8 months pregnant and craving brownies, these hit the spot! When I started to read your recipe I was ecstatic that 1) I had all the ingredients and 2) you included instant coffee (which I think should be in every chocolate recipe).
I only had a 13×9 metal dish and it did take about an additional 6 minutes from recommenced time.
How am I not going to eat all of these tonight!
Sam
Thank you so much, Nicole! I am so glad you enjoyed the brownies so much! I know how that craving feeling goes. Some times you just HAVE to have brownies!! 🙂
Sonda
What if I only have salted butter????
Sam
Hi Sonda! If you only have salted butter, you will want to increase the amount of salt you add to 3/4 teaspoon. Enjoy! 🙂
Sharon
Increase measured salt if using salted butter??
Sugar Spun Run
Hello Sharon, If you’re using salted butter, I would decrease or eliminate the additional salt from the recipe. I hope that you enjoy the brownies. 🙂
Thomas
This really is the best brownie recipe!! I’ve always relied on boxes because 9 times out of ten they are the better. But I WILL NEVER BUY A BOX AGAIN!!! Sometimes I add peanut butter chips in too …. shhhh …
Sam
Thank you so much, Thomas! I am so glad you enjoyed the brownies so much. There’s nothing wrong with a little peanut butter and chocolate combination. 🙂
Maggie
One word comment!
Perfect!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed the brownies, Maggie! Thank you so much for commenting!
sarinya
I just made these, and it turned out perfect!. Thank you so much! for all very helpful details. 🙂
Sugar Spun Run
You are so very welcome, Sarinya! I am so happy you enjoyed the brownies! 🙂
April
I don’t even know where to begin! I have up on making chocolate chip cookies and brownies because they never seemed to come out right. I have been a big fan of Allrecipes because the users feedback helped with the flaws in the recipes. But even then I have not been able to find good recipes for these 2 things. Until now. I am so glad I have found Sugar Run Spun. I have made the absolute best tasting /picture perfect cookies and brownies thanks to this site and no corrections were needed! The Worst Chocolate Chip Cookies and this brownie recipe are my ‘go-to’ recipes from now on! Thank you! It has never been ‘easier’. 🙂 I didn’t have a 9×9 so I had to use a metal 13×9 and it def took longer than 18 min but I just continued to bake in 3 min intervals until the toothpick came out crumbly – but it was worth the wait! (I know there’s a lot of variables with cook time). And I have read a trick to use a plastic knife for cutting and it keeps the brownies picture perfect. I have also tried the biscuits recipe from here and it is also my ‘go-to’ recipe! Great job!
Sugar Spun Run
April, thank you so much for your kind words! I am honored that you have chosen my cookie and brownie recipes as your “go-to’s.” I am so glad that you’ve had success with both. I try to make it easy, simple and delicious. Thank you for your support. Stay tuned… more recipes to come! 🙂
Rachel G
Can I eliminate the chocolate chips? I forgot them when I went to the grocery store!!
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Rachel! Yes you can! 🙂
Melissa Vargas
I like more cake like brownies…how should I change them?
Thank you.
Melis
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Melissa! Unfortunately, I don’t have recommendations to make them more cake-like, as these brownies come out more on the fudgy side.
Raz Sey
Using 3 eggs instead of 2 +yolks! More cake like!
Cassidy
Great recipe! Made these last night and they turned out perfect 😊
Sugar Spun Run
Hooray! I am so happy you loved the brownies, Cassidy! 🙂
Esther
Would making these brownies in a 9×13 pan, affect the amount for the ingredients?
Sugar Spun Run
Hello, Esther! Yes, this recipe can also be made in a 13×9 pan, it will need to bake for about 16-18 minutes in a 13×9. Let me know how your brownies turn out! 🙂
Jerreka Hawkins
Hello Sam, I’m getting to make these brownies today. And I’ll give you a update on them later.😊
Sugar Spun Run
I can not wait to hear how they turn out!