Easy Brownies Recipe (2024)

By Mark Bittman

Updated Oct. 16, 2023

Easy Brownies Recipe (1)

Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(3,807)
Notes
Read community notes

The first time I made brownies without my mother was in the late 1960s, using a recipe from Paula Peck, the cookbook writer. Over the years, I tinkered with that and a similar version by Marion Cunningham. As my daughters learned to cook, they experimented a bit further. But we never really strayed from the originals. As long as you keep the flour to a minimum and don't add chemical leavening like baking powder, you will produce a true and beautiful brownie.

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Ingredients

Yield:About 1 dozen brownies

  • 3ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 8tablespoons (1 stick) salted or unsalted butter, more for greasing pan
  • 1cup sugar
  • 2eggs
  • ½cup all-purpose flour
  • Pinch salt if you use unsalted butter
  • ½teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

208 calories; 12 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 13 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Easy Brownies Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring occasionally. When chocolate is just about melted, remove from heat, and continue to stir until mixture is smooth. Meanwhile, grease an 8-inch-square baking pan. If you like, also line it with waxed or parchment paper and grease that.

  2. Transfer mixture to a bowl, and stir in sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add flour (and salt and vanilla if you are using them), and stir to incorporate. Stop stirring when no traces of flour remain.

  3. Step

    3

    Pour into pan, and bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until set and barely firm in the middle. Cool on a rack before cutting.

Ratings

5

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3,807

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Marmo

I am 12, and I made it myself with a absolutely no difficulty.The instructions are clear and to the point, and they made 12 delicious brownies that though I was missing a little bit of chocolate, were great.Thanks, I hope this was helpful

Jaime

This has been my go-to brownie recipe ever since it first appeared in the Times in 2004. It's perfect. I don't use a bowl; just add everything to the saucepan as directed after the chocolate and butter melt. Great for kids to make, too!

Norma Jaffe

I always add 1 level tsp of Espresso powder. It gives a richer flavor to the chocolate. I put it in the melter butter and chocolate.

Amanda

4 oz semi sweet chocolate, 3/4 cup of sugar, generous 1/2 cup flour and about 1/4 cup cocoa powder. Plus walnuts!

Lucy Anderson

I make this recipe only I use 1/3 - 1/2 cup cocoa in it instead of the unsweetened chocolate. Sometimes I kick it up a notch and add cayenne and cinnamon. Sometimes I put lumps of peanut butter on top and swirl it a bit. Trick is not to over mix.

Sarah

This recipe doubles well. I use 1 1/2 times the ingredients for a 9 inch square pan and double for a 9 X 13 pan. Cooking times are a little longer. For an 8 x 8 pan I find the cooking time is closer to 20-22 minutes than 30 if you like them fudgy in the middle.I also don't bother transferring the melted chocolate and butter to another bowl and finish making them in the saucepan . Just make sure that the mixture has cooled enough after adding the sugar before you add the eggs.

john foley

I like to beat sugar and eggs until thick and airy - this gives the brownies some loft (from Sheila Lukins)

Nancy D.

I always pop the brownies in the fridge when hot. That way they stay gooey and moist.

MM

Simple and delicious brownie recipe. It's super moist. Made it twice over a weekend for two different parties. Was a hit! I love that it's a straight up brownie recipe rather than trying to change what is already a classic dessert. Remember that it will take an hour or more to cool in a glass pan. I used glass pan and cooked for 32 minutes. My oven is older so may be a factor..

Gorynt

4 oz bittersweet choc1 T Valrhona cocoa powder 1 T butter 1 T dark brown sugar 1 t Medalio d’Oro coffee powder

Aly

I agree, all great brownie recipes need toasted walnuts in them, and a big walnut half on the top of each brownie!

Jbtomo

Interesting technical aside experienced w/recipe. Baked brownies in a (vintage) ±1971, 8"square Pyrex baking dish. Turned out as a lousy fatty mass. Previously used it to bake these brownies, but lined pan with parchment paper. 2nd time w/o parchment paper. Composed a note to the King Arthur flour baker's forum. Clever gal related similar experiences with a Pyrex pan. KAF aware of manufacturing changes @ with pans causing similar issue. 3rd time using metal; PERFECT! Hmmm?

James

Great brownies. I only had semisweet chocolate, so I used 4.5 oz of that and reduced the sugar by 3 tablespoons. Added a cup of chopped pecans.Super good.

Rochelle

Eating this right now with ice cream. It’s very good and comes together quickly. I used cocoa instead of chocolate as suggested by another reviewer and doubled the recipe because I only have a 9 by 13 pan. I used the microwave to melt the butter with the dry cocoa then added the rest of the ingredients to the same bowl.

Please do not rinse the turkey, or any other poultry. That is an old- fashioned notion. All you do is help to spread salmonella. Poultry cooked properly kills any chance of getting sick.

This is almost the Original Toll House Recipe. It calls or 4 Oz. of Baker’s unsweetened chocolate. No salt, and 1 cup chopped walnuts.

nnr

4 oz semi sweet chocolate, 3/4 cup of sugar, generous 1/2 cup flour and about 1/4 cup cocoa powder.

gordon

I’ve made this in the past without issue but this time there was no rise to the brownies at all. I used an 8 inch square pan and made everything according to recipe. The results are ‘brownies’ about 1/4 inch thick. I did wonder if the sugar might not have dissolved thoroughly when added to the butter and chocolate as it seemed kind of grainy, but otherwise everything was done per instructions. Any thoughts?

Julie

Very tasty and easy. I melted the chocolate and butter in the microwave because my 4 year old wanted to help. My other 4 year old said next time to add some chocolate chips for some crunch, so will try that too.

October Friedman

Dad used to make them all the time, was felling nostalgic, turned out perfectly.

Zelma

This is the recipe I have been looking for. Thank you!

Mary O'Rourke

Yummy. Fudgy but not heavy. I checked at 20 minutes but still quite wet in center. I let them bake another 7 minutes. Meant to make it 5 minutes but got distracted. Very slightly overbaked but still really good. For my oven, 25 minutes seems right. If you like nuts in your brownies, don't see any reason you couldn't stir some in at the end.

Vicki

2 tsp vanillaAlmost 1 tsp saltPinch or two of espresso powder IcingChips, butter melted then add powdered sugar pinch of salt vanilla

Notes

Best brownie recipe I’ve made. Crispy on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside, even next day. I used 4oz semi sweet chocolate and 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips.

Merve

I changed the recipe a little bit. Decreased the amount of flour and added cocoa powder to give a darker color. Also added some cinnamon and vanilla paste.

lmac

Don't really like these

Michelle

Great basic recipe; easy to execute and I make this frequently with a couple adjustments for when I need an easy dessert. The whole thing takes 15 minutes and it’s a crowd pleaser. I like to add a generous pinch of salt and espresso powder to amplify the flavor and complexity. I also cut the sugar in half and add a handful chocolate chips instead. Even in the recommended 8x8 pan I double the recipe because a single batch makes super thin brownies (a little less than 1/2 inch tall).

Ben

This recipe rules. Especially if you melt and mix everything in the same saucepan, streamlining prep and clean-up. Everything else is optional and excellent: walnuts, peanut-butter swirls, cocoa and espresso powders are all great; the batch in my oven right now is flaked with Maldon salt.

Nancy H.

My Favorite Fisherman and I think this recipe yields the best brownies ever. Light, strong chocolate flavor, and not too sweet or gooey. Served oven-warm with good vanilla ice cream probably will ruin your diet because you’ll want seconds. Go for it! Recipe lends itself to experimentation, which, if you like to bake, makes it super fun to use. Used 4 oz of unsweetened chocolate, a bit less sugar, fluffed eggs before adding. Lots of good ideas in the comments for the next batch:-)

Amy

I added espresso powder to the mix and put sea salt flakes on top. I usually like my sweets room temp but my hubby placed them in the fridge and they were superb, cold. The sea salt really made a difference as well.

Angel

Pan was 8x11

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Easy Brownies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is basic brownie made of? ›

Mix sugar, flour, melted butter, eggs, cocoa powder, vanilla, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until combined. Fold in chopped walnuts.

What are the three types of brownies? ›

Brownie textures fall into three general camps… Cakey, fudgy and chewy. Cakey brownies, like the name implies, are light, moist and airy, with a slightly fluffy, cake-like interior. Fudgy brownies are moist, dense and gooey, with almost the texture of fudge, but not quite as compact.

How to make box brownies taste better? ›

The first and easiest upgrade you can give to your boxed brownie mix is to add a tablespoon of instant coffee to the batter. Adding coffee to your brownies boosts their flavor because its bitter quality balances out sweetness, making it less overpowering. It allows that delicious chocolate flavor to really shine.

How to make fudgy brownies vs cakey brownies? ›

Fudgy brownies have a higher fat-to-flour ratio than cakey ones. So add more fat—in this case, butter and chocolate. A cakey batch has more flour and relies on baking powder for leavening. The amount of sugar and eggs does not change whether you're going fudgy or cakey.

How to make brownies better? ›

One change is to use milk or heavy cream instead of water. This change will make brownies more moist and gooey since milk is more fatty and flavorful than water. A second change is to use butter instead of oil. For similar reasons to using milk, butter adds a rich and more decadent quality to the batter.

What ingredients are in a box of brownie mix? ›

Sugar, Enriched Bleached Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Cocoa Processed With Alkali, Contains 2% Or Less Of: Canola And/Or Soybean Oil, Corn Starch, Salt, Baking Soda, Natural And Artificial Flavor. Contains Wheat Ingredients.

What is the old version of brownies? ›

Did you know that Brownies were originally called 'Rosebuds'? Rosebuds was established in 1914 for girls to join before they became Guides.

What's the difference between brownies and fudge brownies? ›

Fudge doesn't contain very much besides chocolate, sweetened condensed milk and if you want some inclusions like nuts, marshmallows, cookies, cacao nibs, peanut butter, dried fruit and so on. Whereas brownies contain cacao powder (no chocolate!), flour, eggs, butter or oil, baking powder and nuts.

Should I use milk instead of water for box brownies? ›

Use Milk Instead of Water

We've encountered mixes in which water is the only liquid. Replace it with a richer, more flavorful liquid, such as milk, buttermilk or coconut milk. The extra fat from the milk will turn a normal box of brownies into a moist and gooey treat.

How to jazz up box brownies? ›

Add a teaspoon of instant coffee or espresso powder. Throw in a handful of nuts—pecans, walnuts, macadamia, whatever you have on hand. Scoop in a palmful of dried or frozen fruit. Add an extra splash of the top-shelf vanilla extract, or a dab of vanilla paste, or a dash of vanilla powder, to the batter.

How to level up boxed brownies? ›

add mix-ins!

Any chopped candy, nut or dried fruit (or a combo!) will work, but don't stop there! After you pour the batter into the pan, dollop your favorite topping or spread and give it all a pretty swirl! Think Nutella, Biscoff, jams/preserves and nut or seed butter are just some of the delicious options.

What is a brownie fairy? ›

brownie, in English and Scottish folklore, a small, industrious fairy or hobgoblin believed to inhabit houses and barns. Rarely seen, he was often heard at night, cleaning and doing housework; he also sometimes mischievously disarranged rooms.

Does cocoa powder matter in brownies? ›

And where melted chocolate introduces more moisture to the brownie and, consequently, requires additional flour to balance it out, cocoa powder can stand in for a portion of the flour. With less flour, the brownies taste barely bound, with no risk of cakiness or toughness.

Why do my brownies taste more like cake? ›

Cocoa powder helps make a more cakey brownie

Most of the chocolatey flavor comes from just one ingredient: the cocoa powder. Most of the fat on the other hand comes from the cocoa butter.

What chocolate are brownies made of? ›

HOWEVER… for the base of the brownie mixture, YOU MUST USE DARK CHOCOLATE. 70% OR DARKER. No, you can't taste it like a chunk of dark chocolate, it just makes it so fudgey and delicious, and it naturally sweets so you do NOT need to worry.

Where are brownies made from? ›

Brownies were invented in Chicago, and now you can whip up the original recipe at home. The iconic dessert traces its roots back to the Columbian Exposition World's Fair in 1893. Chicago is the birthplace of the skyscraper, TV remote control, car radio and—perhaps most deliciously—the brownie.

What material is best for brownies? ›

Material. Pans used for baking brownies can be made of steel, aluminum, glass, ceramic, or silicone. They can be finished with nonstick coatings made of different materials, too. Most brownie recipes and mixes are written for metal pans, but you can adapt them for different materials.

What's the difference between chocolate brownies and cocoa brownies? ›

Cocoa and chocolate brownies differ the most from an ingredient standpoint when it comes to the type of fat used: cocoa brownies often use oil, and chocolate brownies use butter. This, partnered with the flavor that cocoa and chocolate each give their brownies, is the biggest difference in the texture of either type.

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