The Best Brownies

Although boxed brownies hold a special place in our heart, these homemade brownies are the new staple in our house. They are the best brownies!

Growing up, if you slid open our pantry door, you could always find a box of Ghirardelli brownie mix. Our mom, a baker herself, swore by these boxed brownies (sorry, mom! your secret’s out). The box had to be Ghirardelli and it had to be the double or triple chocolate variety so there would be chocolate chips in the bag. Whenever it was someone’s birthday or if we just wanted to bake, we’d go back to the pantry, grab a box, cut open the clear, plastic bag, and dump the powdered mixture into our big yellow mixing bowl. We’d then pour in the oil, water, eggs, and as our mom taught us, a little extra vanilla. We know this recipe by heart and making these was a staple growing up in our house. We still love those Ghirardelli boxed brownies–the crinkle top, soft center, and chewy edges are squares of nostalgia for us–but if you are in the mood for something a little more decadent with a pure chocolate profile (but still with that crinkle top!) look no further.

When you read the recipe, the first step is combining the butter and almost a 1 pound of bittersweet chocolate. You know it’s going to be good when the recipe calls for a pound of chocolate and yields ~12 brownies (a 9″X13″ tray.) YES please! If you are looking for how to make fudgy brownies from scratch, look no further. These chocolate brownies are all that and more.

Brownies Ingredient Notes:

1. Butter: We always use salted butter in our baking since we find this provides the best flavor (just like with cooking salt in layers). We keep this in mind when deciding the salt to add to the recipe so no need to scale back when adding the salt.
2. Bittersweet Chocolate: The quality of chocolate you use will greatly impact the flavor and texture of the brownies. Opt for high-quality bittersweet chocolate (we use 70% cocoa content_ for the best results. Brands like Valrhona, Ghirardelli, or Lindt are good options. You can also use bittersweet chocolate chips or feves, or even darker chocolate if you prefer a less sweet brownie.
3. Cocoa Powder: Use unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe. Dutch-processed cocoa powder can be used as well for a richer and deeper chocolate flavor.
4. Flour: All-purpose flour is used in this recipe. Be sure to measure it accurately using the spoon-and-level method or scale to avoid ending up with overly dense brownies.
5. Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature for best results. Eggs play a crucial role in the structure and texture of the brownies, so it’s important to have them at room temperature to ensure proper emulsification with the other ingredients.
6. Dark Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: The combination of dark brown sugar and granulated sugar provides sweetness and moisture to the brownies. Dark brown sugar adds a deeper flavor due to its higher molasses content, but you can use light brown sugar if that’s what you have on hand.
7. Salt: Salt enhances the overall flavor of the brownies and balances the sweetness. You can adjust the amount of salt based on your personal preference. We always measure for diamond kosher, if using morton use half the amount.
8. Vanilla: Vanilla extract adds depth and complexity to the chocolate flavor. Use pure vanilla extract for the best results.
9. Espresso Powder (optional): Espresso powder can intensify the chocolate flavor of the brownies without adding a coffee taste. It’s optional, but it can be a great addition if you’re a coffee lover or want to enhance the richness of the chocolate.

Some things to know to make the best brownies:

1. Fudgy Centers – Bake Time: Take these out before you think they are done. Your standard toothpick tester trick will not work here. They have so much chocolate that the tester will still be a little wet when they are done (now that’s what I like to see in a brownie!). You’ll know they are done when the top starts to crack slightly and they are a little firm, but soft to the touch.
2. Chocolate: Use high quality, bittersweet chocolate. These brownies are mostly chocolate. They have very little flour which is why they have that great fudgy texture, but it also makes it even more important to use a great chocolate! Our favorite for these is a 70% Valrhona bar (or the feves work) but you can use bittersweet chips or chocolate bars. If there’s a time to splurge on chocolate, it’s for these brownies.
3. Crinkle Top: to get the crinkle top on the brownies, you need to make sure you inflate the eggs with enough air during the whipping step of the recipe. As you whisk the egg mixture, the mixture will start to thicken and become pale in color. As soon as it gets pale, you can test if it’s the right texture by doing the ribbon test. When you pick up some batter with the whisk, it should fall from the beater in a wide ribbon that folds back on itself and slowly dissolves on the surface of the batter in the bowl. This will take about 4 to 5 minutes of consistent whisking with a stand or hand mixer.

Recipe

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Best Fudgy Brownies

Course Dessert

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Equipment

• 9×13" metal baking pan

Ingredients

• 1 cup salted butter 227 g
• 14 ounces bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup unsweetened, dutch cocoa powder 60 g
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 120 g
• 5 large eggs
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 140 g
• 1 cup granulated sugar 200 g
• 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 if morton
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Butter and line a 9-by-13-inch metal baking dish with parchment paper
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.
• Remove from the heat and add the chocolate. If the heat from the butter does not fully melt the chocolate, put the pan back over the heat for 10 seconds and stir until melted.(note: if you are using a chocolate bar, you will need to melt the chocolate longer on the stove)
• Set chocolate mixture aside to cool.
• Sift the flour, espresso powder and cocoa powder into a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs, sugars, salt, and vanilla. Using a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or hand mixer), beat on high speed until the mixture thickens and becomes pale in color and falls from the beater in a wide ribbon that folds back on itself and slowly dissolves on the surface, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Using a rubber spatula, fold the cooled chocolate into the egg mixture.
• Add the flour, cocoa powder, and espresso powder and fold it in quickly but gently with the rubber spatula so that you don't deflate the air that's been incorporated into the eggs.
  
• Pour the batter into the prepared dish and smooth the top with a spatula.
  
• Bake until the top looks slightly cracked and feels soft to the touch, about 25 minutes.
  
• Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Using a sharp knife, cut into 12 squares, or size desired.

Entertainer’s Note

We love serving these with ice cream for an easy dinner party dessert. They are also so fudgy that you can make them a day ahead and they will still taste just as delicious for serving the next day! Our favorite ice cream to pair with these is coffee ice cream because to us, coffee and chocolate is a match made in heaven but use whatever is your favorite.