If you’re looking for an indulgent, fudgy brownie that is extremely flavorful whilst not being cloyingly sweet, this recipe is it! It’s literally one of the best brownies I’ve ever had 😀
What makes these brownies so good?
There’s a few key things which I believe makes these some of the best brownies out there!
- Firstly, to make sure these brownies aren’t too sweet, I upped the cocoa content and used dark chocolate instead of regular milk chocolate.
- To get that perfect gooey texture, I used some brown sugar in addition to the white sugar. I also played around with the cooking time and found that the 22 minute mark made for the perfect fudgy brownie texture!
- The crinkled top creates a delicate crunchy layer to the brownie which adds an element of indulgence. The beautiful shiny top also just creates a visually stunning brownie which I LOVE 😀
How do you achieve that crinkled top?
If I’m being honest, I don’t really understand the science behind it! I tried to do some research but I couldn’t seem to find a straight answer. But from what I read, and my own trials and errors, melting the sugar and whipping the eggs helps! 🙂
My biggest success was when I whipped my eggs and sugar for a full 3 minutes, and then made sure I didn’t overmix my batter when adding in my dry ingredients. This gave me the most beautiful shiny top!
How to make these fudgy brownies
These brownies are actually really easy to put together and come together in 30 minutes!
Start off by greasing an 8 inch square cake tin (I like to grease mine with some homemade cake release). Once greased, line the tin with a piece of baking paper that is long enough so there is some overhang on two opposite edges of the tin. This will make it easier to pull your brownies out of your tin when they’re ready.
Next cut up your chocolate into large chunks (about 1/4 inch pieces). Place into a bowl, and in the same bowl, sift in your flour and salt. Mix until well combined and set aside.
In a microwave safe bowl, add in your butter, oil, cocoa powder, soft brown sugar, coffee powder and vanilla. Give it a mix (it may not mix completely if your butter is a little hard which is fine), and then heat in the microwave for 20 second bursts at a time, mixing in between each burst until the mixture is liquid and hot to the touch.
We want the mixture to be hot so that our cocoa is bloomed. It shouldn’t be boiling though, so just hot enough that when you touch the sides of the bowl you can feel a good amount of heat. It usually takes me about a minute to reach this stage. You can also do this over a double boiler. By heating the cocoa it helps to release more of the flavor and by melting the sugar, it helps with achieving that shiny crinkled top.
Set aside to cool and in another bowl add in your white sugar and eggs. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix on a medium-high speed for 3 minutes. The mixture should be light and creamy.
Next add your chocolate mixture from earlier into your egg mixture and gently fold it in until just combined.
You want to mix the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture gently. If you mix it too vigorously, you’re going to get rid of the air bubbles that we just whipped into our eggs/sugar. The air bubbles help us create a rich brownie that isn’t too heavy.
Lastly, add in your dry ingredients and chocolate from earlier and gently fold it in until just combined. Do not overmix the batter otherwise your brownies will be less fudgy and more cakey.
Pour the batter into your pre prepared cake tin and give it a little shake to even out the batter, and a light bang on your counter to get rid of any large air bubbles. Bake for 22-25 minutes depending on how fudgy you want your brownies to be (I recommend 22 minutes). Once done, poke a toothpick into the center and it should come out dirty.
If the toothpick comes out clean, then it means the brownies have been overbaked. If you choose to bake your brownies for the full 25 minutes for a less fudgy brownie, then I would recommend checking them at the 22 minute mark to make sure they aren’t overbaking.
Let the brownies cool in the tin for 1 hour to firm up. When ready, run a thin knife around the edge of the tin to release the brownie, and use the baking paper to lift the brownie slab up from the cake tin. Cut into slices and enjoy!
Fudgy Brownies
Print Pin VideoIMPORTANT: For accuracy, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided, as those are the exact quantities I use. Cup measurements are given as estimates (based on US cup measurements) to make it easier for those who do not have a scale.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (105 g) dark chocolate - I use 50% dark chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate chips okay too
- ¾ cup (90 g) flour - regular, all purpose
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter - room temperature or melted, see note 5
- ¼ cup (53 g) unflavored vegetable oil - I use canola
- ½ cup (100 g) soft brown sugar - packed, see note 1
- ⅔ cup (75 g) cocoa powder - unsweetened. I use natural cocoa powder for this recipe.
- 1 tsp coffee powder
- 1 tsp vanilla essence/extract
- 1 cup (200 g) white sugar - granulated
- 2 large eggs - room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160 °C (320°F) with the fan on (see note 6 if you don't have a fan function) and grease a square 8 inch cake tin (I use my homemade cake release). Once greased, line with a piece of baking paper that is long enough so there is some overhang on two opposite edges of the tin. This will make it easier to pull your brownies out of your tin when they're ready.
- Next cut up your chocolate into large chunks (about 1/4 inch pieces). Place into a bowl, and in the same bowl, sift in your flour and salt. Mix until well combined and set aside.
- In a microwave safe bowl, add in your butter, oil, cocoa powder, soft brown sugar, coffee powder and vanilla. Give it a mix (it may not mix completely if your butter is a little hard which is fine), and then heat in the microwave for 20 second bursts at a time, mixing in between each burst until the mixture is liquid and hot to the touch (see note 2).
- Set aside to cool and in another bowl add in your white sugar and eggs. Using a hand or stand mixer, mix on a medium-high speed for 3 minutes. The mixture should be light and creamy.
- Next add your chocolate mixture from earlier into your egg mixture and gently fold it in until just combined (see note 3).
- Lastly, add in your dry ingredients and chocolate from earlier and gently fold it in until just combined. Do not overmix the batter otherwise your brownies will be less fudgy and more cakey.
- Pour the batter into your pre prepared cake tin and give it a little shake to even out the batter, and a light bang on your counter to get rid of any large air bubbles. Bake for 22-25 minutes depending on how fudgy you want your brownies to be (I recommend 22 minutes). Once done, poke a toothpick into the center and it should come out dirty (see note 4).
- Let the brownies cool in the tin for 1 hour to firm up. When ready, run a thin knife around the edge of the tin to release the brownie, and use the baking paper to lift the brownie slab up from the cake tin. Cut into slices and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only as they are automatically calculated by a third party application. Actual values may differ based on brands and types of products used.
216 Comments
Hi MK I have tried many of your recipes.
It is actually what got me baking and enjoying it at that. The recipes are excellent and easy to follow, thus making baking more fun. However, the end product is the ultimate joy.
I tried the fudgy brownies today and it is excellent. I had great feedback.
Hi Vani! So happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the recipes and having fun along the way 😀 really appreciate the wonderful feedback and thank you for all your love and support 🙂 so glad you enjoyed the brownies too!
Been a silent reader and viewer of your account. And first time to try your recipe. This is too bitter for us.. Made a double batch as the photos look yummy and i love dark chocolate but sadly we cannot eat it.
Hi Che! 🙂 Oh no so sorry to hear the brownies were bitter! I’ve had really great feedback for these brownies so I’m so sorry you didn’t experience the same – that can be frustrating! The brownies should be sweet, so perhaps the dark chocolate you used was a bit too dark? I usually use around 50% dark chocolate, but I imagine anything above 70% would be too dark. Also, I would recommend using the gram measurements provided for accuracy as too much cocoa powder will also cause bitterness 🙂 I would also double check the quantity of all the ingredients when making a double or triple batch as there can be more room for error (I have accidentally done this before and forgot to add double the amount of sugar!). Hope these tips help for next time 🙂
So these brownies don’t have any baking powder
Yes that’s correct – no baking powder 🙂
Hi, the brownies came out well but the only problem is that the chocolate is not melted enough..
How can I fix it?
Please kindly reply
Hi Shamla! 🙂 This may be due to the type of chocolate you’re using. If you’re using a compound chocolate, then when the brownies cool, the chocolate will harden as well. If you want a more soft melted chocolate in your brownies that take a bit of time to firm up, then I would recommend using a courverture chocolate or a eating chocolate (like a cadbury bar). Hope that helps 🙂
hey MK i love your brownies recipe and tried it a lot more than 4x.my friends are enjoying it but my family says it kinda tastes a little bit bitter.what could be the problem
Hi Miru! So happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the recipe 🙂 to reduce the bitterness, simply reduce the amount of cocoa power and this should do the trick 🙂
how much can i reduce the cocoa powder?will that affect the texture?Thank you in advance
Hi Miru! You can reduce it slightly (about a tbsp or so) and it should be fine 🙂
Thank you!!!!For 1/2x recipe what tin size should i use?
You’re welcome! 🙂 A 6 inch pan for half the recipe should work well 🙂
Starting off with a negative note, i do not like chocolate, let alone fudgy chocolate thingy, not my thing. But I’ve been looking for a good brownies recipe to share with friends and i came across this on youtube so i tried it. Holy macaroni, this has got to be one of the best recipes I’ve ever tried. It is so fudgy, chocolate-y, ahhhh I’m drooling as I’m writing this review. Please, you guys have to try the recipe.
I did some adjustments since I’m using semi-sweet choc bar, i only put half a cup of white sugar & 3/4 cup of brown sugar. BUT STILL TASTED SO DANG GOOD. And of course you can’t miss out the flakey sea salt. Again, holy macaroni. I can’t stop thinking about it and it is super duper easy to make as well. Love it. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful, delicious recipe ❤️❤️
Thanks so much for the wonderful feedback! So happy to hear you enjoyed the brownies 😀
these turned out great. just one thing, the brown sugar didn’t dissolve properly and one could notice the sugar while eating.
any solution that can be avoided next time?
Hi Sam! 🙂 Hmm when you heated the initial sugar mixture with the oil etc did the sugar dissolve? It may be that the mixture wasn’t hot enough to dissolve the sugar which is why you may be feeling the sugar in the baked brownie. Also when it comes to the white sugar, you want to make sure your sugar granules aren’t too large and that they’re quite fine so that they can also dissolve into the eggs. Hope this helps for next time 🙂
I am not a baker, neither am I a professional baker. I’ve always told every recipe from a simple cake or cupcakes, even following the instructions religiously so I’ve given up on baking. However, I have come across your videos and I’m pleased to say that you encouraged me to give it another shot, and I followed everything and your timing exact ingredients, and the brownies came out perfect. when I’m in perfect, they looked exactly like yours. The toothpick came out with a gooey substance, and then instantly knew that I had for once mastered something. this is down to you, your hard work that you put in your videos and the recipes are you trial. my partner could not wait to eat the brownies he was over the moon. I cut them in bigger squares because he can’t stand small things and it was such a hit. You are blessed thank you so much love from the UK
Hi Saba! Thank you so much for your wonderful message, and I am so happy to hear you’ve found success in your baking with this recipe! Keep up the awesome work 😀
Hi there,
I have made these brownies about 4x now for friends and family and every time without fail they are delicious. If I were to increase the recipe by a ratio 2.25 to fit a 12×12 pan would you have any tips on baking? Longer bake time or same time as usual? Thank you very much. Chad
Hi Chad! So happy to hear you’re enjoying the brownies! 😀 And what I usually do is look at the thickness of the batter. If it’s roughly the same thickness as the original recipe when placed in the 8inch square tin, then cooking time should be around the same. If it’s thicker, then cook for slightly longer, or if it’s thinner, then reduce the cooking time. Hope that helps 😀
Hey MK after seeing your video I have started baking. Great thanks for that. I could not make this recipe well. My brownies were not cooked and it was messy to see. I followed the measurements and each and every steps could you pls help me what would be the mistake.
Hi Yaminikarthika! 🙂 Sorry to hear the brownies didn’t quite turn out how you’d hoped! It’s hard to say what exactly may have gone wrong without being there myself, but if the brownies weren’t cooked then you may need to leave them in the oven for a little longer, and if you don’t have a fan function then be sure to bump up the temperature to 175C. I would also recommend making sure all ingredients are at room temp, and that you use a good quality chocolate (not compound chocolate). Hope these tips help 🙂
Thank you for your quick reply. I will try again with your tips👍🏻
Can we use normal white sugar instead of brown sugar
Hi Namya! Brown sugar adds a gooey caramel like texture/flavour to the brownies, but you can probably get away with using white sugar too just the texture may be slightly different 🙂