What makes a good brownie? Using both cocoa AND melted chocolate, and butter instead of oil. What makes the BEST chocolate brownies in the world? Adding in a generous amount of dark chocolate chunks. Fudgy, as gooey as you want, and very, very chocolatey, this homemade brownie recipe is incredibly easy, made in one bowl, and incredibly forgiving!
Choose how gooey you want them, just follow the bake times and my “toothpick smearing” test. Brownies can be frozen for up to 3 months, but nothing quite compares to when they’re freshly made, and still slightly warm….
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, fudgy in the middle and the signature paper thin crackly top? 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!
Making 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 let’s-pretend-it’s-optional chocolate chunks. 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!).
Reduce cook time by 2 minutes if you opt not to use the extra chocolate stir ins.
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)
- 200 g / 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips (7 oz) (Note 1)
- 1 cup (175g) brown sugar , loosely packed
- 3 eggs , lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
- 1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 180g/6oz dark chocolate block/bar (optional) , chopped into chunks rather than shards, (bittersweet or semi-sweet, cooking chocolate) (Note 2)
Alternative stir in
- 1.5 cups roughly chopped walnuts (or other nuts)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan forced).
- Spray a 20cm/8″ square tin with oil and line with baking/parchment paper with overhang (Note 2).
- Place butter and chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl, microwave in 30 second bursts (takes me 1m 30 sec) until melted. Stir until smooth.
- Add sugar and vanilla, mix, then add eggs and mix well until smooth and molten.
- 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).
- If you didn't use the extra chocolate for stirring in, reduce cook time by 2 minutes.
- Rest for 10 minutes before lifting out of the pan. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. Store in an airtight container for 4 days (bet they don't last that long!) or freeze for 3 months.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published August 2016. Updated with new photos and brand new video in 2020.
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Very yummy and easy
This is the best brownie recipe – I love adding walnuts on half and banana pieces on the other half. YUM!
Very good recipe. I have prepared many times and everyone loves the brownies. It is very easy to do. Thanks Nagi.
Omg these are the best brownies I’ve ever made! So fudgy and soft.
Could I add cherries to them for a Black Forest vibe?
Perfect! Reduced the sugar to 60gr. Used 3 large eggs. Swapped the wheat flour for oat flour. Baked in 12 cupcake forms for 18 mins @ 180c. They pop right out of the forms. Wonderful slightly warm with vanilla ice cream.
Okay the amount of times I have made this recipe is crazy. This is my go to thing to bake and I literally cannot recommend it enough. I find I have to bake it longer, but I don’t care because they are the best brownies in the entire world. Thanks Nagi!
These are indeed great. I do have a question- at times I have a separation between the chocolate and the oil. Any recommendations?
Thanks.
I don’t usually comment on internet but this time I want to! Beautiful recipe that can be made with 1 hand (while holding a baby in other hand). Super delicious, will definitely repeat it again and again. Thank you:)
i brought these into my class once and everyone loved them !! 10/10 i’ve made these 3 times so good 💓💓💓
Hello Nagi san, I want to make your delicious looking brownies for my son as he’s having a brownie competition in school! Could you please help me. I need to make enough for at least 20 people so can you advise me on ingredient measurements for that amount. Thank you so much, Jane
Can you make your brownie recipe into mini muffins for a party and what time and heat adjustments do I need to make please?💞🌟👏🏻
Can I make the batter early, leave it in the fridge and cook later on? TIA
I don’t normally leave comments, but this recipe is worth shouting from the rooftops about!! I tried this for the very first time and it was amazing. Best brownie recipe ever! I won’t ever need another one again! So fudgy and moist, you can’t go wrong! Thanks Nagi x
Absolutely incredible! As a 16 year old who can’t bake and is horrendous at cooking, these made my family go insane! One question though, how long should I take to reheat these for later servings?
Hello ..I am trying ur recipe for first time..wish me luck!!
Could u help me please if I don’t have butter can I use oil and how much..
Thank you
My first time nailing a brownie recipe! They were so tasty. I only had compound chocolate to melt in and chunks of Cadbury white chocolate but still turned out a treat. Thanks Nagi
Made these and they turned out super good! All of the chopped chocolate i added sunk to the bottom of the tin though 😓 Is there any advice on how to have them spread evenly?
They are GREAT
These are the best brownies I ever made ! 10 out of 10 ! Thank you for a great recipe !
They are fab, aren’t they? I get asked for them all the time
Does this recipe work with dairy free butter substitute? I’m cooking for someone lactose intolerant and they are so delicious I want to share with everyone!