These seriously fudgy homemade brownies are quite possibly the richest, most decadent brownies you’ll ever try. They’re thick, dense, and supremely chocolatey, thanks to a triple dose of chocolate: cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and chocolate chips. They’re basically one step away from pure fudge!
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since made a few important changes based on reader feedback. We reduced the sugar to make them less sweet, and now bake them in a 9-inch square pan instead of a 9×13, which yields thicker, richer brownies.
If you Google “homemade brownies,” prepare to receive thousands of search results. (I don’t recommend doing this while hungry.) I threw my homemade frosted brownies recipe into the ring back in 2014—and I still love that one. Those brownies are chewy, dense, easy, and topped with chocolate frosting to boot.
But maybe today you’re not in the mood for chewy brownies or sweet buttercream. Maybe what you want is something even richer. Deep, pure chocolate flavor that melts in your mouth… almost like eating fudge, but with a little more texture.
That’s where today’s brownie recipe comes in.
Because that’s the best part about baking: you can continually experiment like a mad, butter-loving scientist. And if you think about it, we can never have too many recipes that combine butter, sugar, and chocolate. I even have a different recipe for thick & fudgy brownies in my New York Times–best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients You Need
- Butter: You can make brownies with butter, oil, or a combination of both, but in testing, we liked these brownies best with all butter. Unparalleled for flavor!
- Baking Chocolate: You need 4 ounces (1 standard bar) of either semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate. Chop it up, and divide it in half. You’ll melt half with the butter, and then fold in the rest of the chopped chocolate along with the chocolate chips.
- Sugar: Sugar does much more than sweeten brownies. It liquifies as they bake, creating a softer center, and migrates to the top, creating that shiny, crackly surface characteristic of a good brownie.
- Eggs: Eggs are one of the main ingredients in brownies. Just as they do in flourless chocolate cake, eggs bind, add richness, and provide structure.
- Vanilla: Even the most chocolatey desserts benefit from pure vanilla!
- Cocoa Powder: Though natural cocoa powder can be used, I suggest a Dutch-process cocoa powder (I really like this brand) for a richer, smoother chocolate flavor. This brownie recipe does not rely on chemical leaveners; if a recipe does, that’s when it’s important to remember the difference between Dutch-process vs. natural cocoa powder.
- Flour: The cocoa powder takes the place of some flour, so you’ll only need 1 cup in these homemade brownies. The more flour in brownie batter, the cakier the brownies will taste. We want a dense and fudgy batch today, so use as little flour as possible.
- Salt: To balance all the flavors.
- Chocolate Chips: You may think these brownies have enough chocolate already that you could leave out the chocolate chips, but see below for why they’re key to brownie success!
Why is there no baking powder or baking soda in these brownies? Adding baking powder or baking soda lifts brownies up and creates a cakier result. But today, we all want a brownie so dense and fudgy that it’s basically 1 step up from eating pure chocolate.
You’ll get a taste of how dense these brownies are when you’re whisking the batter. It’s so thick and so fudgy.
Seriously fudgy.
How to Make the Fudgiest Brownies: Key Steps
Start by melting together the butter and half of the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Next, beat together the sugar and eggs. This is a new step in this recipe, and it’s key to developing that shiny, crackly, tissue-thin surface on the brownies.
Whip until your sugar and egg mixture reaches what’s known as the “ribbon stage”—the color will lighten to a very pale yellow, and the consistency will thicken and increase in volume. (This takes around 3 minutes.) It should look like a creamy, slightly foamy custard. That foam is going to provide necessary structure for the brownies:
Why Is It Called the Ribbon Stage?
If you stop whipping and lift the beaters or whisk attachment up out of the bowl, the mixture should fall in a continuous stream that creates a trail of folded ribbon lines on the surface that remain visible for 10–30 seconds before they disappear back into the mixture. King Arthur Baking has a helpful article about this, if you’d like some more information and visuals.
Now combine your two mixtures, and then add in the remaining ingredients.
Spread the batter in a lined 9-inch square baking pan. Use a metal baking pan, not glass or ceramic, to ensure the brownies bake evenly.
How to Get Shiny Crackly Tops in Brownies
The secret is in the sugar! If properly dissolved, the sugar will migrate to the top as the brownie batter bakes, creating that signature shiny and crackly surface we all know and love.
Whipping the sugar with the eggs gives it a head start on dissolving, thanks to the water content in the egg whites. Combining that with warm melted butter and chocolate will help to dissolve it even further. If your sugar isn’t properly dissolved, your brownies will look—and taste—grainy. Very unappetizing!
The other trick is to always include chocolate chips. I learned this years ago from the smart folks at King Arthur Baking, and Tessa at Handle the Heat also has a great article explaining the keys to brownie crust success.
How to Tell When Brownies Are Done Baking
This can be tricky, so here’s how to determine when these brownies are done:
- Set the timer to 28 minutes as soon as the brownies go into the oven. Once you begin to smell that captivating scent of chocolate permeate through the kitchen, check the brownies. Even if this is at the 25-minute mark.
- Stick a toothpick in the center and pull it out. If the toothpick comes out coated in wet batter, the brownies need more time.
- Continue to check the brownies with a new toothpick every 2 minutes. If there are a few moist crumbs on the toothpick, the brownies are done. You don’t want a totally clean toothpick—that could mean your brownies are overbaked and might be dry. 32 minutes is the most these brownies have ever taken in my oven (if using a 9-inch metal baking pan).
Now comes the hardest part: waiting for the brownies to cool completely before cutting them. I wish I had a tip for you here on how to speed up this torturous process, but I do not. BEST OF LUCK.
Here’s the real question: are you a center person or an edge person? Save me the corners please.
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Description
This recipe has been *slightly updated* since my team and I originally published it in 2016. These seriously fudgy homemade brownies are thick, dense, and intensely chocolatey thanks to cocoa powder, melted baking chocolate, and chocolate chips. With shiny crackly tops and melt-in-your-mouth centers, this is our go-to brownie recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 9-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides to lift out the finished brownies (makes cutting easier!). Set aside.
- In a small microwave-safe bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the butter and half (2oz/56g) of the chopped chocolate. Melt in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until completely melted and smooth. Set aside to slightly cool while you continue.
- In a large bowl with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine the sugar and eggs. Beat on medium-high speed until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is pale and ribbon-y, about 3 minutes.
- Pour the warm melted butter/chocolate into the bowl with the sugar/eggs, add the vanilla, and beat or whisk to combine.
- With a fine-mesh sieve, sift the cocoa powder, flour, and salt into the batter, then whisk or beat on low speed to incorporate. Fold in the remaining 2 ounces/57g chopped chocolate and the chocolate chips. The batter will be very thick. Spread it evenly into the prepared pan. (A small offset spatula can help here.)
- Bake for 28–30 minutes, then test the brownies with a toothpick. Insert the toothpick into the center of the pan. If it comes out coated with wet batter, the brownies are not done. If there are only a few moist crumbs, the brownies are done. Keep checking every 2 minutes until you have moist crumbs. Brownies typically take 30–32 minutes in my oven. Err on the side of under-baking, as the brownies will continue to set as they cool.
- Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool completely in the pan. When cool, lift the brownies out by gripping the parchment overhangs and transfer to a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into squares.
- Cover and store leftover brownies at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make-Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Brownies freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Glass Mixing Bowls | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Fine Mesh Sieve | Whisk | Wooden Spoon or Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Chocolate: Baking chocolate is typically sold in 4-ounce (113g) bars. Half will be melted with the butter, and half will be chopped up and folded into the batter with the chocolate chips. I suggest Ghirardelli, Baker’s, or Lindt brands; in either semi-sweet (56% cacao) or bittersweet (60% cacao).
- Cocoa Powder: You can use either natural or Dutch-process cocoa powder in this recipe. I prefer Dutch-process (such as this brand) for a smoother chocolate flavor.
- Recipe Update in 2026: My team and I made a couple slight updates to this recipe based on reader feedback. To make it the way it was originally written, increase the sugar to 2 cups (400g), increase the chocolate chips to 1.5 cups (270g), and whisk the sugar into the melted butter and chocolate mixture. Then whisk in the eggs and vanilla, followed by the remaining ingredients. Spread into a lined 9×13-inch pan and bake for 30-32 minutes.
