Brownie Recipe

Preheat and prep pan

Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a 9x9-inch (23x23 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides for easy removal. Butter the parchment or spray lightly with nonstick spray.

Measure and have all ingredients at room temperature. Chop the chocolate and nuts (if using). Sift the flour and cocoa together into a bowl to remove lumps.

Melt butter and chocolate

Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a small pot of barely simmering water (double boiler) or microwave in 20–30 second bursts, stirring between bursts, until fully melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 3–5 minutes.

Combine sugar and chocolate

Add the granulated sugar to the slightly cooled chocolate mixture and stir until combined. The sugar will not fully dissolve yet — this is normal and helps create a slightly crisp top.

Add eggs and vanilla

Add the eggs one at a time, whisking or stirring vigorously after each addition until the batter is glossy and homogenous. Stir in the vanilla extract and the instant espresso powder (if using) to deepen chocolate flavor.

Add dry ingredients

Sift the flour and cocoa mixture over the chocolate batter and add the salt. Fold gently with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix to keep brownies fudgy.

Fold in mix-ins

Fold in the chopped nuts and/or chocolate chips if using. Reserve a small handful of chips or nuts to sprinkle on top for appearance, if desired.

Transfer to pan

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Smooth the top and sprinkle the reserved chips or nuts over the batter. Lightly tap the pan on the counter to remove large air bubbles.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 22–28 minutes. Check doneness at 22 minutes: the top should be set with a shiny, slightly crackled crust and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter) for fudgy brownies. For cakier brownies, bake 2–4 minutes longer.

Cool

Remove from oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Let cool completely in the pan (about 1–2 hours) so the brownies set, or cool for 30–45 minutes for slightly softer slices. Run a thin knife around the edges, use the parchment overhang to lift brownies from the pan, and transfer to a cutting board.

Slice and serve

Use a sharp knife wiped between cuts for clean edges. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top immediately before serving if desired. Serve room temperature or slightly warm with ice cream.