Deep-dark Fudgy Chewy Brownies Recipe
Our fudgy brownies are dense with a moist and intense chocolatey interior — somewhere between chocolate truffles and pieces of fudge.
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Ingredients
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Brownie Batter
Add-ins & Finish
Method
Brownie Batter
- 1
Prepare pan and oven
Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides for easy removal. Lightly butter the exposed pan edges or spray with nonstick spray.
- 2
Melt chocolate and butter
Place the chopped chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water (double boiler). Stir occasionally until smooth and glossy, about 5–7 minutes. Alternatively, microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until melted. Remove from heat and let cool 3–5 minutes.
- 3
Whisk sugars into chocolate
Whisk the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the warm chocolate-butter mixture until fully combined and glossy. The mixture may firm slightly as it cools — that's fine.
- 4
Incorporate eggs and flavorings
Whisk in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next. After the last egg, whisk in the vanilla extract and the espresso powder (if using). The batter will become shiny and thick.
- 5
Add dry ingredients
Sift (or whisk) together the cocoa powder, flour, and fine sea salt in a small bowl to remove lumps. Fold the dry mixture into the chocolate batter using a rubber spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix — you want dense fudgy structure.
- 6
Fold in add-ins
Fold in 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate, reserving the remainder for scattering on top.
Bake & Finish
- 7
- 8
Top and bake
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips/chopped chocolate evenly across the top. Bake in the center of the preheated oven for 28–36 minutes. Start checking at 28 minutes: the edges should be set and slightly pulling away from the pan, while the center will still look glossy and slightly wobbly (a toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter).
- 9
Cool completely
Remove brownies from the oven and set on a wire rack. If desired, sprinkle with coarse flake sea salt while still warm. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan (at least 1.5–2 hours) to allow the interior to set for that dense, fudgy texture.
- 10
Slice
Use the parchment overhang to lift the cooled brownie slab from the pan onto a cutting board. For clean slices, chill the brownies for 30 minutes, then cut into 9 or 12 squares using a long sharp knife wiped clean between cuts. Serve at room temperature.