Love fudgy, chewy chocolate brownies? This simple recipe for easy chocolate brownies will give you perfect results every time. No fuss, no hard to find ingredients – just perfect brownies!
I have lots of brownie recipes on this blog, but I’ve never shared a recipe for a simple, classic brownie. No nuts, no salted caramel, no fancy add ins, just a pure and simple chocolate fudge brownie recipe.
I could not wait any longer to share these beauties with you. It’s probably the easiest brownie recipe I’ve ever made and they are delicious.
what makes this the best brownie recipe?
Just like my Nutella brownie recipe, they contain a hefty amount of cocoa powder. They always bake so perfectly and cut like a dream. Cocoa powder can make baked goods dry, but because we’re also using melted chocolate, they are anything but dry!
As you can see, they have that much-desired wafer-thin crackly top that everyone loves on a chocolate brownie. I’ve made countless brownie recipes over the years and this one is without a doubt the easiest and most foolproof brownie recipe I have ever made.
The recipe contains just enough flour to hold the brownies together. Katharine Hepburn once said that the best brownies have as little flour as possible. She was right!
The proof is undoubtedly in the photos – look at that fudgy middle! Yet they aren’t difficult to cut into neat squares.
ingredients
The list below is just a quick shopping list. Please scroll to the bottom of the post to find a printable recipe card with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions on how to make this recipe.
- unsalted butter. Avoid using baking “spreads”, margarine or any kind of spreadable butter – they contain water and oils which will affect the outcome of the recipe. Block butter all the way! I’ve use salted butter for brownies, but unsalted is the best choice because it allows you to control the level of salt in the recipe.
- chocolate. I’m not very fussy about the type of chocolate I use for brownies, but it MUST be dark (plain) chocolate with a minimum of 52% cocoa solids. I’ve tried everything from Green & Black’s chocolate to the value supermarket bars that usually cost around 50p. I stay far away from anything labelled cooking chocolate! The better quality of chocolate, the better your brownies will taste. I like to use Callebaut chocolate – it’s not too pricey and tastes amazing.
- Sugar – You will need caster (superfine) sugar and soft light brown sugar for this recipe. The brown sugar adds moisture and creates a chewy texture. If you have no caster sugar, granulated sugar works just as well.
- 2 large eggs
- vanilla extract
- Plain (all purpose) flour
- cocoa powder (not drinking chocolate, please.) A good quality brand will make a huge difference to your brownies. I like Green & Black’s, Callebaut and Van Houten cocoa powder.
- A little salt to bring out the flavours. It really makes a huge difference, so please don’t leave it out.
- espresso powder. If you don’t like coffee, don’t worry – it is merely there to enhance the chocolate flavour. You don’t have to put the coffee in if you really don’t want to, but I highly recommend you try it – even just 1/2 or 1 teaspoon of coffee makes all the difference.
tips for making the best chocolate brownies
- Before you begin baking, take all the ingredients out of the fridge (butter and eggs) to bring them to room temperature. This will depend on how warm your kitchen is, but I find doing this one hour before starting is ideal.
- The key to getting that wafer-thin crust on your brownies is whisk, whisk whisk! You need to use a stand or hand-held electric mixer and whisk the sugar and eggs on high speed for at least 5-8 minutes or until the mixture is very thick, pale and mousse-like.
- When you fold in the melted chocolate/butter and dry ingredients, you need to do it as gently as possible so you don’t knock out all the air you just created.
- The brownie batter will be thick and fudgy – spoon it into the lined tin and gently spread it out evenly.
- Try not to overbake the brownies – the line between a perfect fudgy brownie and a dry overbaked one is pretty fine. These brownies are quite thin compared to other recipes I have, so they take just 20 minutes in my oven. However, since all ovens differ, they may take a couple of minutes more or less in yours. A slightly undercooked brownie is always better than an overcooked one!
- If you can bear it, try and leave the brownies to go completely cold before cutting them. If you can leave them overnight, they will taste even better the next day. I recommend leaving them overnight in the fridge. I’m convinced doing this makes them taste even nicer.
fudgy brownies vs cakey brownies
The trick to achieving a fudgy chocolate brownie is to use more fat and less flour. Cakey brownies always have more flour and baking powder is often used.
If you prefer your brownies less gooey and more on the cakey side, then this M&M Brownies recipe would be a good one to try.
If you love gooey, fudgy brownies, I recommend this salted caramel brownie recipe. This deeply damp, gooey brownie recipe by Nigella Lawson is also so worth trying. But at the end of the day, the texture of your chocolate brownies all depends on oven timing.
If you get distracted and leave them in the oven for even just a few minutes too long, you might not achieve the gooey interior you’re striving for.
What kind of brownie do you prefer?
For me personally, this recipe has the best of both worlds. They are moist and fudgy – but not too rich and gooey. If you’re looking for an easy, everyday kind of brownie recipe – this is the one!
commonly asked questions
why are my chocolate brownies too gooey?
- If you cut your brownies too soon, you might be mistaken for thinking that they are undercooked, or in extreme cases, raw. Many recipes will tell you to leave the brownie for at least two hours before cutting, but I take it further. I leave them for at least 4-6 hours and often chill them overnight.
- This will give your brownies a chance to firm up properly and you’ll be able to cut them into neat squares – if you’re bothered about that kind of thing! I know waiting that long is a big ask, but I believe it’s worth it.
- However, if it turns out your brownies are indeed undercooked, then make a note for next time to bake them for a few minutes longer. They are usually still ok to eat providing there aren’t pools of runny batter running everywhere! Brownies tend to set around the edges before the middle. This is why refrigerating the brownie overnight is such a game changer – it allows it to set to a perfectly fudgy centre.
why are my chocolate brownies dry?
Unfortunately, if your brownies are too dry they are simply overbaked. If this happens, I serve them with ice cream and a gooey chocolate sauce. They don’t go to waste.
Or save them and make my chocolate brownie berry trifle!
variations
- Fold in 100g dark, milk or white chocolate chips or chunks
- For nutty brownies, stir in 75g broken walnuts or pecans
- for fruity brownies, add 100g dried cherries, cranberries or raisins
- Add some spice – 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon works well
- want bite sized brownies? Cut them as small as you wish – perfect for parties
storing
chocolate brownies will keep in an airtight container for up to three days. If your kitchen isn’t too warm (not something I generally have a problem with, living in Scotland!) you can leave them sitting out or place them in the fridge. Personally, I think there’s nothing nicer than a fridge cold brownie.
freezing
Brownies are ideal for freezing. Once they have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container or freezer bags and freeze for up to three months.
want to see more brownie recipes?
Did you make this recipe?
I really hope you loved it! Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment below and please rate the recipe by clicking on the stars in the recipe card.
Easy Chocolate Brownies (best recipe ever!)
Love fudgy, chewy chocolate brownies but always struggled to get the right texture? This recipe for easy chocolate brownies will give you perfect results every time - and they take just 20 minutes to bake.
Ingredients
- 95g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 25g cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1-2 teaspoons espresso powder
- 115g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 170g dark chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 100g caster (superfine) or granulated sugar
- 120g soft light brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven the 180C/160Fan/350F. Grease a 9-inch (23x23cm) square baking tin and line with baking paper so it extends over two sides (so you can easily lift the brownies out later.)
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt and espresso powder together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Melt the butter and chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Once the chocolate and butter are completely melted, remove from the heat, Stir in the vanilla extract. Set aside
- Using a stand mixer or hand held electric whisk, whisk the sugar and eggs for at least 5 minutes or until the mixture is very thick and pale. It should have a least doubled in volume.
- Carefully fold in the melted, slightly cooled chocolate, being careful not to knock out the air. Once the chocolate is incorporated, gently fold in the dry ingredients. When the batter is smooth and shiny, pour into the lined tin and level it out using a spatula.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the top of the brownie has set. Allow to cool completely in the tin before slicing into squares - at least a few hours - or once the tin has cooled down, refrigerate overnight.
Notes
Storing: chocolate brownies will keep well in an airtight container for 3-4 days. They can be kept at room temperature (as long as your kitchen isn't very hot) or in the fridge.
Freezing: Brownies can be frozen for up to three months.
Variations: Fold in 100g chocolate chips or chunks, 75g broken walnuts or pecans, or 100g dried cherries, cranberries or raisins
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 285Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 76mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 2gSugar: 30gProtein: 3g
Calories and nutritional information are provided by a third party application and should be viewed as indicative figures only.
Can I use regular instant coffee rather than espresso?
Yes you can, but I would melt it with the chocolate instead of adding it to the flour mixture 🙂
Yummmmy. I wanna try ths your recipe, but is ths more to fudgy or chewy? Because i like chewy brownies. Please info, thank you so much.
They usually turn out fudgy in the middle and chewy around the edges! 🙂