Easy fudgy homemade brownies with a crispy crackly top
These homemade fudgy brownies have it all. They are moist, chocolatey, a little chewy, and have the perfect crinkly top. Read on to learn the secrets to the best brownies ever! No mixer required!
I have been perfecting this homemade brownie recipe for years... every time I make them I tweak them and this last batch was SO GOOD I had to update my recipe. The good news is that they are even easier and I discovered a foolproof way to get that crackly crust every single time.
Fudgy homemade brownies ingredients
There are about a billion different brownie recipes out there. The reason is that even though there isn't much to making brownies technically, changing just one of the ingredients can totally change the flavor and texture of the brownies.
Butter & Oil - Hot butter and a little oil not only rehydrates the cocoa powder but also keeps your brownies from tasting dry.
Chocolate - I like the rich flavor of dark chocolate in my brownies but you can use semi-sweet or milk chocolate. Dark chocolate has very little sugar in it while milk chocolate has more sugar in it. You may want to adjust the amount of sugar in your recipe depending on the chocolate you use.
White Sugar & Brown Sugar - Sugar adds moisture and sweetness to your brownies. I like to use a little brown sugar as well which adds a nice flavor and a little bit of chew to my brownies.
Eggs - Eggs add moisture and structure to your brownies. The more you whisk eggs, the more air that is incorporated into your brownies. I whisk my eggs and sugar until they are smooth and combined then add in the hot butter/chocolate.
Cocoa Powder - I prefer to use dutched cocoa powder which lends a really rich and mellow flavor to these fudgy brownies but you can use any kind of cocoa powder that you like such as Hershey's. Since there isn't any baking powder or baking soda in this recipe, it doesn't matter what kind of cocoa powder you use.
Flour - This recipe uses regular all-purpose flour but you can also use cake flour for a more tender brownie. The trick is to fold in your flower gently so you don't make your brownies tough and dry.
Mix-ins - You can add in all kinds of extra ingredients to your brownies to make them your own. Candied pecans, chocolate chunks, caramel, cream cheese or candies. The list goes on and on. The best thing about making brownies is making them exactly the way you want them!
How do you make homemade brownies fudgy?
The easiest way to make a fudgy brownie is not to over-bake your brownies. Brownies will get much firmer as they cool down so most people over-bake them and then end up with dry brownies.
Brownies should be bake to the point where the center is set (not jiggly) but still soft. In a 10"x13" pan, that was exactly 19 minutes but the type of pan you use and your oven may give you different results.
How To Make Fudgy Brownies Step By Step
Preheat your oven to 350ºF and move the rack to the center of the oven.
Step 1 - Sift your flour and cocoa powder together to remove any lumps. Set it aside.
Step 2 - Make sure your eggs are not too cold. I put mine in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes to warm them up. Cold eggs will cool the butter down too fast and your sugar will not dissolve.
Step 3 - Melt your butter, oil, and chocolate over a pot of simmering water. Whisk occasionally until the chocolate is melted.
Step 4 - Whisk the eggs, white sugar, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla together either in a stand mixer or by hand until the mixture is thick and glossy. About four minutes on medium high.
Step 5 - Add the hot butter/chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and whisk it until you cannot feel any granules of sugar between your fingers. If your mixture is too cold, you can return the bowl back to your pot of simmering water and whisk it for another minute or so until you can't feel any grains of sugar.
Pro-Tip: Mixing your hot butter/chocolate mixture with the egg mixture until the grains of sugar dissolve is the secret to getting a very shiny, crackled crust on your fudgy brownies.
Step 6 - Fold in your flour mixture gently and add in your chocolate chips (or chopped nuts or m&ms if you want.) Or leave them plain!
Step 7 - Line a 10"x13" pan with some parchment paper. I cut the corners of the parchment and folded them over so that the sides lay flat. The parchment paper makes it easier to lift the brownies out later.
Step 8 - Bake your brownies at 350ºF for 18-20 minutes or until they are just set. Don't over-bake them because they will continue to bake in the pan when you take them out.
Step 9 - Allow your brownies to cool until the pan is barely warm before lifting out the brownies. Cut them with a ceramic or plastic knife to reduce sticking.
What kind of pan should you use to make brownies?
You can use any pan you want to make brownies but keep in mind that different pans bake differently so adjust accordingly.
Light Colored Metal Pans - This is the type of pan that I use. They are lightweight and distribute heat pretty evenly.
Dark Colored Metal Pans - Dark metal pans get a lot hotter and will bake your brownies faster. Don't put the pan too close to the bottom of the oven and check for doneness sooner (10 minutes early) so they don't accidentally burn.
Glass and Ceramic Pans - Brownies baked in glass or ceramic pans tend to take longer to bake so you might have to leave them in the oven longer.
How do you know when homemade brownies are done?
I used to over-bake my brownies every time, which is probably part of why they were dry. I thought the right way to check brownies for doneness was to stick a toothpick in the middle and when the toothpick came out clean, they were done. WRONG!
I've learned that homemade brownies actually continue baking quite a bit even after they come out of the oven. So if you wait until the toothpick comes out clean, it's already too late.
You want to remove brownies from the oven when the toothpick still has some very moist sticky crumbs stuck to the toothpick but not liquid.
I always line my pans with parchment paper rather than using a baking spray or cake goop because it makes it a lot easier to remove them from the pan after they cool.
How do you get brownies with a crackly top?
The last batch of brownies I made had a top like this. Very dry and not very pretty looking.
I did a lot of testing and discovered the secrets to getting a really shiny, crackled crust on brownies.
- Make sure your butter/chocolate mixture is hot and your eggs are room temperature.
- Make sure you are mixing your batter for 1 minute after adding the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture or until the sugar dissolves. Rub the brownie batter between your fingers, if you can feel granules of sugar, it needs to be whisked more. If the mixture is no longer warm, return the bowl to your pot of simmering water and whisk until you cannot feel the granules of sugar between your fingers.
- Using white granulated sugar in your brownie recipe
- Melted chocolate in your brownie recipe
And this is what they should look like! Wow! What a difference!
More chocolate craving recipes you'll love
Death By Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Easy Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Irish Cream Cake
Recipe
Equipment
- 9"x13" Pan
Ingredients
- 8 ounces unsalted butter 1 cup
- 2 ounces canola oil ¼ cup
- 5 ounces chocolate dark, semi-sweet or milk (I used a bar of chocolate or about 1 cup chocolate chips)
- 5 large eggs
- 12 ounces granulated sugar 1 ½ cup
- 4 ounces light brown sugar ½ cup packed
- 3 ounces cocoa powder sifted (⅔ cup)
- 5 ounces AP flour or cake flour for a more tender brownie (1 cup sifted)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 ounces chocolate chips 1 cup
Instructions
Fudgy Brownie Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Line a 9"x13" ¼ sheet pan with parchment paper so there is 1" of overhang on all sides.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt to remove lumps and then set aside.
- Melt your butter, oil, and chocolate together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Whisk occasionally until the butter is melted then remove from the heat.
- In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together your white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and room temperature eggs in a bowl until thick and glossy or whip on your stand mixer for about 4 minutes on medium-high.
- Add your hot melted chocolate mixture to the egg/sugar mixture and whisk for one minute or until the sugar is dissolved. Rub the mixture between your fingers, if you can still feel granules then keep whisking. If your mixture is no longer warm, you can return the bowl to your pot of simmering water and whisk for another minute until the granules are dissolved. This is what makes the crackly crust.
- Add in the flour mixture and chocolate chips to the egg mixture and fold gently until just combined. Don't over-mix it.
- Pour your batter into the parchment-lined pan. Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out from the center with a few sticky moist crumbs.
- Let your brownies cool until the pan is barely warm before removing the parchment paper and slicing the brownies.
Christine Petkus says
Hi Liz - If I am using a dark pan, approximately when should I start testing for doneness?
Thanks!
Christine
The Sugar Geek Show says
I would start testing 10 minutes early, those dark pans transfer a lot of heat
Mitra says
Hi Liz,
which size of the pan did you use for this recipe?
Thanks!
Mitra
The Sugar Geek Show says
9"x13" cookie sheet
Vanessa Flower says
Hi Liz. You have mentioned in the description that you melt your butter and cocoa powder together. However the actual recipe mentions that we need to melt the butter and chocolate together. Pls clarify. Thanks
The Sugar Geek Show says
sorry, I don't see where I say that. Follow the recipe for melting butter and chocolate together. The cocoa goes in with the flour
Elisabeth Anderson says
in your second paragraph - How Do You Make Homemade Brownies Fudgy? I melt my butter down with the cocoa powder so that the cocoa powder has a chance to absorb the fat from the butter. If you don’t melt the butter and combine it with the cocoa powder, your brownies can taste dry.
The Sugar Geek Show says
OH I see what you mean now, yes that sounds confusing. I updated it to be more clear. I just mean the butter needs to be melted so the cocoa powder can absorb properly
trudy fennell says
I double and bake in a lined 1/2 sheet pan. 9 x 13 not enoug for my gang!! Takes a bit longer to bake.
ai get lots of complements on my brownies but like yours more..
Thanks
Michelle says
Please Help!! I did not get that layer of crispy on the top. I followed the recipe just as you said. What could I possibly be doing wrong?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Did you substitute any of the ingredients?
Michelle Buck says
No. I followed the recipe exactly. I measured everything using a scale.
The Sugar Geek Show says
I did some research and found that you need to whisk the sugar/eggs mixture a bit before adding in the flour to ensure a crackly crust. I must do that naturally because I never realized that is what causes the brownie to get a crackly top. I have added that information to the recipe for the future for you.
Tasneem Latif says
Delicious. Roughly how much bake time as i had to keep opening my oven as i wasn't sure between 20-35mins
The Sugar Geek Show says
Mine baked for 20 minutes 🙂
Cynthia says
They look lovely! Can you please post ingredients to be measured in metric?
The Sugar Geek Show says
There is an option for metric measurements right under the ingredients. A check box
gastrofoodtr says
nice
Yasmin says
Can you make these into cupcakes?
The Sugar Geek Show says
Yes you can! Just pour them into cupcake liners. Mmm tasty!
Bernard Loh says
that's looks tasty,how do you make it?
The Sugar Geek Show says
The instructions are under the ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of the blog post 🙂
Gretchen says
These were delicious!! My edge brownies were perfect but the 2 slices in the middle fell apart. Any tips for correcting on the next bake?
The Sugar Geek Show says
So glad you liked them! Maybe bake for one more minute <3
Madeleine Fuchs says
Hello. Would it be possible to substitute Bakers unsweetened chocolate squares?
Thank you.Thank you for the recipe.
The Sugar Geek Show says
I haven't tested this recipe with bakers chocolate, so I can't say for sure. I think it would be ok! You might need to add more sugar.
Donna says
I have not made this yet but on the website it shows whisking the eggs, vanilla, and sugar, but on the recipe it says to use a stand mixer. Does it matter which way you mix it.
Thanks.
Elizabeth Marek says
I find using a mixer easier but most people make brownies with just a whisk and they turn out just fine 😀
Ebere says
What is the measurements for oil if it has to be substituted instead of butter as said in your post
Elizabeth Marek says
Same weights
Natalie says
Hi Liz can you make some more brownie videos please because my daughter loves brownies ?
Elizabeth Marek says
Sure! I'm so glad she loves them!
Ali says
Best brownies ever! And so easy to make! My partner likes them with walnuts. My nephew love plain and refused to eat anything else the day I took them over. And tonight I’m making 2 batches, 1 with walnuts and 1 with white chocolate chips!
Farah says
They were perfectly divine! Thank you
Jarina L Branch says
Love you your work! I want to make these brownies with chocolate chunks, chocolate chips, and walnuts. How much can I put in the recipe
Elizabeth Marek says
Yum! I'm not sure exactly but you could probably add 1/2 cup (total) of mix-ins without a problem.
Tina says
Amazing!
Shihama says
Love this recipe. Can you tell me which topping you are spreading on top of the brownies in the video. If possible a simple recipe for that . Thanks in advance. Just live all your recipes and how perfectly it turns out. ❤️
Elizabeth Marek says
Im using my ganache frosting recipe
Zubaida says
I tried the recipe and it was divine. Thanks for sharing.
Velma Salazar says
Hello, just stumbled on your recipe and dying to make these today , but I don't see a metric conversion on the recipe. Wanted to make sure they came out just like yours but need measurements in cups 😔
Elizabeth Marek says
All my recipes are in ounces and grams for accuracy. If you are looking for cups measurements there are many other brownie recipes out there that use cups 🙂
DrMango says
I followed the recipe exactly using grams. It came out exactly how she showed. Thank you so much for this recipe. I was able to get the crackly crust too. I used a stand mixer.
DrMango says
Came out amazing in a 9x9 with the same exact recipe. Thank you.
Maegan W. says
Well that's it! I no longer have to look for another brownie recipe..... and I have made more than I'm comfortable admitting to. This one checks all the boxes. It's fudgy and chewy without having to rely on being underbaked. It has perfect edges, crinkly top, perfect amount of sweetness and the chocolate really shines. You've done it my dear! Thank you!