This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Classic fudgy Homemade Brownies are so simple to make, and worth every single calorie. There’s SO yummy and SO simple!
Homemade Brownies are just one of those classic dessert recipes that always taste better made from scratch! Just like warm Chocolate Chip Cookies or a slice of Chocolate Cake, this recipe is best homemade.
The Best Homemade Brownies
Brownies make me so happy. The more chocolate, the better!! Who else agrees with me?
Homemade Brownies fresh out of the oven topped with cold Vanilla Ice Cream are pretty much heaven. And whether you like the middle piece or an edge piece, they’re just too good to deny.
We love making Brownies from scratch for all occasions! Birthdays, family get-togethers, school functions, or just an easy after-school snack.
This recipe is rich, fudgy, and everything else you want in a Brownie. This will quickly become your go-to brownie recipe—it’s definitely mine!
How to Make Brownies
This best Brownie recipe is sure to be a family favorite!
PREP. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9×11-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Lightly grease with baking spray.
WET INGREDIENTS. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, oil, and sugars. Whisk everything together well. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix for another 2 minutes.
DRY INGREDIENTS. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder.
COMBINE. Fold the dry ingredients in with the wet ingredients until just combined. Gently fold in ¾ cup of the chocolate chips (reserving the rest for the top).
BAKE. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth until even. Top the batter with the remaining chocolate chips. Put the brownies into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes (the middle should no longer jiggle).
COOL. Let the brownies sit in the pan for an additional 10-15 minutes before removing them from the pan. Let cool slightly before cutting. These are definitely best served warm.
Cutting your brownies
Do you ever have trouble cutting your Brownies into clean lines? Sometimes the Brownies will tear or bunch up if trying to cut them with a regular knife.
Try a PLASTIC knife next time and it will cut through like butter. So smooth and way less messy! Genius, right?
recipe Tips
Keep these tips in mind when making these brownies…
- Don’t over-mix. Stir until just combined to get the best texture.
- Don’t over-bake. Remember metal pans bake much more quickly than glass pans. Also, each oven bakes a little differently, so start checking the brownies 5 minutes before the suggested bake time.
- For easy cleanup, and an easy way to lift the brownies out of the pan, add parchment paper to the baking pan before pouring the batter.
- Test for doneness. Chewy gooey Brownies still need to be completely cooked in the center. To test for doneness insert a toothpick in the center. If it comes out clean or with a few cooked crumbs, then it is done. If it comes out wet with batter, then it still needs a bit longer.
- Cocoa powder. Be sure to use unsweetened baking cocoa powder. I used natural baking cocoa, but Dutch-processed cocoa powder will also work.
- Crackly top crust. I went through a few Brownies recipes to find the best tasting AND best looking Brownies. Some of the recipes I made tasted great, but the tops were dull and grainy.
This recipe had that signature crackly top crust and delicious taste. I found the secret was in the sugar. You need enough white sugar to form the crackly crust, but too much sugar will just become grainy.
Homemade Brownie FAQ
Fudgy v cakey brownies.
- Fudgy brownies. In order to make a “fudgy” brownie, the recipe needs to have more fat than flour. When this happens the center of the Brownie will be dense and gooier.
- Cakey brownies. A more “cakey” brownie uses more flour than fat as well as baking soda or baking powder to help it rise. These ingredients give more air creating a fluffier cake-like texture.
Chewy brownies. I have found a few factors that aid in making a chewy brownie.
- Using oil, particularly canola oil, can yield a chewier brownie.
- Brown sugar has molasses which creates a chewier texture. However, you want to make sure you still have enough white sugar in the recipe to create a shiny crackle top.
- Underbake a bit and let the brownies cool in the fridge. I don’t know the science behind this, but it seems to work every time.
Brownie pans. Bake brownies in a metal pan, glass, or ceramic dish.
- Metal pans heat up quickly and cook the batter at the bottom and top at about the same rate. Ideally, you want to use a light metal pan, but dark ones can be used as well.
- Glass and ceramic dishes both take longer to heat up than metal pans so they typically require a longer cook time at a lower temperature. This way the tops don’t start baking before the bottom.
Brownie Variations + Storing
There are TONS of ingredients that can jazz up brownies. Here are just a few ideas to get creative with your Homemade Brownies:
- different flavors of chocolate chips
- nuts
- candy pieces
- mint chocolates
Top the brownies with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream, a layer of delicious Chocolate Frosting, or a dollop of Whipped Cream and berries.
STORE cut Homemade Brownies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Make these ahead of time and they will taste just as yummy the next day.
FREEZE. Cool Brownies then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and again in foil. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let them thaw to room temperature before serving.
Recipe FAQ
Since the recipe uses baking powder you can use natural or dutch processed cocoa powder without adjusting any of the other ingredients. I used unsweetened natural cocoa powder for the recipe testing and photos because that is what I most often have on hand.
The key to a shiny crackly crust is the sugar. You need enough white sugar to form the crackly crust, but too much sugar will just become grainy so be sure to measure accurately.
Using Walmart brand ingredients I calculated that it would cost $7.56 to make this brownie recipe and an average (18.3-ounce) box of brownie mix plus the ingredients on the back is about $1.99. Making homemade brownies is significantly more, however, they taste much better and you avoid ingredients like “carrageenan” and “dextrose” which I found in the ingredients of the box mix.
For more brownie recipes:
- Buckeye Brownies
- Mint Brownies
- Caramel Brownies
- Peppermint Brownies
- Cheesecake Brownies
- Oreo Brownies
Homemade Brownies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup chocolate chips milk or semisweet, divided
Toppings
- sprinkles, toffee bits, crushed Oreos, crushed candies, chopped nuts optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-x-11-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine melted butter, oil, and both sugars and whisk well.
- Add eggs and vanilla and mix for another 2 minutes.
- In another bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in ¾ cup chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth out until even. Top with remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips and any other desired toppings and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the middle no longer jiggles.
- Let sit in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool completely before cutting.
Video
Notes
Cutting tip. Do you ever have trouble cutting your brownies into clean lines? Sometimes the brownies will tear or bunch up if you are trying to cut them with a regular knife. Try a plastic knife next time and it will cut through the brownies like butter. So smooth, and way less mess!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Easy recipe to follow. My brownies came out flat on the surface , didn’t have the delicious crevices seen in picture. The butter was cool, eggs were room temp, any suggestions as to what I may have done wrong?
So Tte key to a shiny crackly crust is the sugar. So just making sure you have the right amount of sugar will help. Also, making sure the baking powder is fresh so it will have a little rise. And when mixing everything together, I’d suggest mixing until just combined. You don’t want to over mix either. Hopefully some of those tips will help for next time! 🙂