Taylor Ann Spencer is the assistant food editor at Delish, where she develops recipes, creates recipe videos, and styles food. With a background in writing and theater as well as professional cooking, she enjoys sharing her love for global flavors and all things baking through informational posts, hosted videos, and just plain everyday conversations. When she's not cooking, she's brainstorming her next culinary mash-up. Mac 'n' cheese chili rellenos, anyone?
Everyone needs a staple, crowd-pleasing brownie recipe to keep in their back pocket—we think these moist, extra-chocolatey brownies should be your new go-to. Starring both melted chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder, these dense, fudgy brownies deliver all the intense chocolate decadence that we crave. If you normally reach for the boxed mix, trust us—make this easy, homemade recipe one time, and you'll ditch the boxed mix for good. Read on for how to make these brownies the best they can be:
Our top tips for making moist, fudgy brownies:
—Use cocoa powder and melted chocolate. You could use one or the other alone and make a just-okay brownie, but together they're a pretty unstoppable duo: Cocoa gives the brownies that really intense chocolate flavor, while melted chocolate boosts the flavor and also adds to the fudgy texture.
—Use white and brown sugar. The high proportion of white sugar (over brown) guarantees that signature shiny, crackly top, while the molasses in brown sugar brings a delightful additional depth of flavor.
—Cut the sweetness (but not too much!). A hefty dose of vanilla extract provides a rich background note for the two types of chocolate featured here, while generous amounts of salt and espresso powder boost its flavor and balance the overall sweetness. Though many brownie recipes rely on oil for fat, we’ve gone with butter because, simply, it tastes better! The dairy solids enrich the overall flavor, without making these too one-note.
Brownie variations.
Everyone has their own (very strong) opinions about whether or not a brownie should have mix-ins. We’ve left these pure and unadulterated—nothing added to disturb that fudgy, chewy strata—but if you want to stir in up to 1 cup additional chocolate chips or chopped nuts, be our guest. Whatever you do, we recommend letting these brownies cool completely before attempting to cut them. Then remove the whole sheet from the pan and slice it into squares with a sharp knife.
Storage.
Store these brownies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Made these? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
- Yields:
- 18 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 5 mins
- Total Time:
- 45 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 265
Ingredients
Cooking spray
- 1 c.
(2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 6 oz.
chocolate (60% cacao), chopped (about 3/4 c.)
- 2 tsp.
pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp.
espresso powder
- 1 tsp.
kosher salt
- 1 1/2 c.
(300 g.) granulated sugar
- 1/2 c.
(105 g.) packed light brown sugar
- 4
large eggs, room temperature
- 1 c.
(120 g.) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c.
(40 g.) unsweetened cocoa powder
- Nutrition Information
- Per Serving (Serves 18)
- Calories265 Fat14 gSaturated fat8 gTrans fat0 gCholesterol68 mgSodium125 mgCarbohydrates32 gFiber1 gSugar26 gProtein3 gVitamin D0 mcgCalcium21 mgIron1 mgPotassium95 mg
- Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.Powered by
Directions
- Step 1Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13"-by-9" metal baking pan with cooking spray. Line pan with foil, leaving an overhang on 2 opposite sides. Grease foil with cooking spray.
- Step 2In a small pot over medium heat, melt butter. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and stir with a rubber spatula until melted and smooth. Stir in vanilla, espresso powder, and salt.
- Step 3In a large bowl, whisk granulated sugar and brown sugar. Whisk in chocolate mixture until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking to blend after each addition, then continue to whisk until batter is well combined, about 30 seconds more (this will help achieve a shiny, crackly top). Fold in flour and cocoa powder with a spatula just until combined.
- Step 4Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake brownie until puffed and set and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 22 to 28 minutes.
- Step 5Let cool completely in pan. Using foil overhang, remove brownie from pan and cut into squares with a sharp knife.