I’ve been loyal to this brownie recipe for decades and have no intention of changing it! It’s super easy, super chocolatey and super fudgy. I firmly believe the best brownies must be made with both cocoa and melted chocolate, and butter instead of oil. Bonus: it’s a simple one-bowl, hand mixed recipe!
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 and fudgy in the middle? 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! (This is optional though, and I don’t add the extra chocolate for everyday brownies 🙂 ).
How to make 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 extra chocolate chunks if you’re using it. 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!).
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)
- 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips or melts/discs (US: semi-sweet chocolate) (Note 1)
- 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
- 3 large eggs , lightly beaten (fridge cold or room temp is fine)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder , sifted
- Pinch of salt
OPTIONAL EXTRA CHOCOLATE ADD-INS
- 180g / 6oz (1 cup) dark chocolate chips, or block/bar chopped into chunks (OPTIONAL!) (US: semi-sweet chocolate) (Note 2)
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
- Melt choc and butter, mix in sugar and vanilla, then eggs. Stir in flour, cocoa and salt, bake in lined 20cm/8" pan at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) for 28 minutes. Cool before slicing.
FULL RECIPE
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Spray a 20cm/8" square tin with oil or grease with butter. Line with baking paper/parchment paper with overhang (Note 3).
- Melt chocolate and butter – Place butter and chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl, microwave in 30 second bursts (takes me 1m 30 sec) until melted. Stir until smooth.
- Sugar and eggs – Add sugar and vanilla, mix, then add eggs and mix well until smooth and molten.
- Dry ingredients – 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).
- Rest for 10 minutes before lifting out of the pan (they are fragile when hot). Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. For really neat slices, refrigerate for 30 minutes, or even overnight, but always eat at room temp for fudgy perfection!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published August 2016. Updated with new photos and brand new video in 2020.
All things Brownies
And more irresistible bars and slices
Life of Dozer
Dozer hates being hugged. Don’t know why. I mean, what dog doesn’t like their face being squished like this in a chokehold grip?
Hi Nagi, Made the brownies for the cake stall and just as well I froze a lot of them as the ones left out were demolished so quick I am now making another 2 batches. Thank you
Woo hoo! So glad you enjoyed it Coral, thanks so much for letting me know!
Nagi, We love you!!! thank you for the “special order” .. all polished off within one day!! What a fantastic recipe… So pleased that I will be able to make this at home and flagging this page for my go to brownie recipe from now on…. They are super delicious and perfectly balanced with just the right amount of sweetness and gooeyness. YUMMM!!! axx
I still cannot believe you guys ate an entire batch in 24 hours!!
Hi Nagi,
I am just about to make the brownies but wondered if they are good to freeze. Just love all your recipes and now your mum’s, it is so exciting to be able to make different things. Keep up the good work and love seeing what Dozer is up to.
Brownies freeze great Coral! Wrap them well in an airtight container, and thaw to room temperature. 🙂 N x
Well, I’m definitely on the fudge-gooey side of the fence – if I wanted cake, I’d make a chocolate cake haha! A bit of extra salted caramel or raspberries never go wrong either. These look lovely – my usual recipe is a cocoa brownie without melted chocolate at all, so I’d be interested to try yours and see what the differences are. Hope you are having a good week Nagi!
I’m all about the fudgey brownie all the way, but I certainly wouldn’t turn any down 😉
Love you guys bullied or guilted mom into a blog of her own., I think it’s so exciting! 🙂
Wow! These look simple and perfect! And I love how you showed the difference between the cakier and fudgier brownies!
So excited to see your mum’s blog! Oishii-sou~! Yomitai!!
xox Sarah
Yum! I love that you can decide how gooey or fudge to make the brownies! And such an easy recipe, too.
Hi Marlene! How are you?? How’s the hip? All on track?
Yes, thanks. Slow but steady progress. Now I have to get the blog back on the track as well….
Hi Nagi! Forgot…I am currently also working on a fourth cookbook specifically for my sons. It is another compilation of newer favorite recipes and will have quite a few of yours in it with appropriate credit and thanks given! Haven’t decided on the title yet.
That is just so cute Dorothy! I really love that you are making your own cookbooks 🙂 Send me some of your favorites, I’ll cook and shoot them for you so you have some photos! N x
I love chewy brownies, I could probably eat a whole pan in a day. It’s that over-indulgent life, haha.
You know, I don’t actually have a chewy brownie recipe! Have you got one? Could you drop a link here? 🙂 N x
I can’t believe I just signed up for you blog and your mother started her blog. Japanese food is simply my favorite but the only thing I can make is miso soup. Looking forward to wonderful recipes.
See? It’s just meant to BE! 🙂 So glad you love Japanese food Anita. N x
So now you cannot blame me if I officially spend more time on your mom’s blog……Japanese food is something I have always wanted to learn and now you are handing it over to me on a platter.
There you go! 🙂 And you’ll learn properly too, I actually don’t know that many Japanese recipes because I just pick up the phone and ask my mother for the recipes!
Made it and it was a big hit! You’re my go to whenever I want to cook or bake something new and yummy! ❤
You made them already??? You ROCK Mrs Ron! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and I’m SO GLAD you enjoyed it! 🙂 N x
Brownies are a food group all on their own, don’t you think? I love fudgy, almost gooey brownies. Yum
HELLOOOOOO Maureen! How are you, how is JOHN???
‘Mom, you don’t have to love me that much!’ Dozer seems to be trying to whisper . . . just briefly came on to say a huge ‘thank you’ to you and your siblings for having encouraged your Mom to write her own blog and another clap for providing the link: from my brief survey I know I am going to learn a lot ! [In my case methinks we’ll forget about the brownies, but they look very nice for those who partake . . . 🙂 !!]
Whisper? No….he is desperately trying to escape! Did you spend any time in Japan during your travels Eha? 🙂 N x
* with apologies for getting far too verbal * Yup, megaheaps of times loving it always but, for some reason, cook more Vietnamese, Szechwan and Keralan/North Indian . . . so am SO looking forwards to your Mom’s recipes.
Thanks Nagi for all the fabulous recipes you are sending. My husband is a very fussy eater, but I have him eating ‘gourmet’ meals now. You have solved a problem, I need to make brownies for my granddaughter’s school sports day and these will be perfect. Also subscribed to your mum’s recipes, they look delicious. I too wish I had some of my mother’s recipes.
She will be delighted that you joined her mail list Coral! I do hope you try this – I’d love to know what you think!
HI NAGI! CAPS SAVES ME FROM ERRORS – KIND OF -I DID JUST SUBSCRIBE TO YOUR MUM’S BLOG (THEY DO TEACH US OUR CRAFT AFTER ALL). I GOT A LAUGH OUT OF YOUR COMMENTS ON HOW YOU GOT HER TO BLOG – AND LAST NIGHT I REMADE THE SEAFOOD GRATIN – THANKS AS I SAID IN AN EARLIER POST – YOU PROMISED AND DELIVERED X WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES COOKING BUT I HOPE THE GOOD FOOD AND WINE SHOW DID NOT TURN YOU OFF COMPLETELY 😉
Hi Dee! Making mistakes at the show was all part of the FUN! 🙂 So glad you enjoy the gratin, thank you for trying it, that recipe is a personal favourite. Glad you laughed instead of scolding me for bullying my mother…. 🙂 N x
Hello Nagi! Just have to tell you my hubby thinks chocolate is a food group! He is going to LOVE this post!! I also took a peak at your mom’s site. Subscribe!! *s*
I wish I had some of my mom’s recipes…so, good move on your part to get her to put them in writing!! I have tried to cre-create some of my mom’s stuff. Some I get spot on, some are just…”what the heck is missing??”
Thanks for your wonderful site, and sharing some great food with all of us!!
I know exactly what you mean Estelle. I don’t actually know that many Japanese recipes myself because if I do want to make something, I just pick up the phone and ask my mother! In a couple of years when she’s shared most of the recipes on my list, I want to print them out and make a cookbook 🙂
“Basically, we told her that if she croaked before she wrote down all our favourite Japanese recipes, we’d be really cranky.” – omg, Nagi, you had me snort laughing!!
We’ve been tinkering with Japanese recipes in our kitchen lately, so I’m beyond excited about your mom’s blog. And what a beautiful lady – like mother like daughter.
Gorgeous brownies too – I’m totally in the fudgy camp for brownies so these look perfect and, of course, I love how simple they are to prepare!!
I believe the word is “bullied”? 😉
Hello Nagi, Love, love Dozer PIC as much as yor Dear Mum story and receipts from Japen! What wonderful memories for YOU and your Family to Look back! Have very good w/End! PS. Not spaghetti eater nor lazanna. Not sure what IT is just does Not gives me apetite.
Thanks Vera!!! So glad you like the photos of Dozer, I have so darn many of them, it’s good to have somewhere to SHARE them! 🙂
A great, reliable, go-to brownie recipe is a must -have in any baking repertoire. I’ve had one that I made at least weekly when my kids were small and lunch boxes, parties or cake stalls had to be catered for.
Can’t wait to give yours a try.
Right on Amanda! Bet yours is a killer 🙂