Brownies

Published Oct. 11, 2023

Brownies
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
45 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(653)
Notes
Read community notes

There are many kinds of brownies, but this simple recipe aims for a chewy, fudgy texture with a shiny, crackly top. Theories abound on what creates that delectable flaky top layer, but here, it is achieved by dissolving the sugar into the butter, then stirring in chocolate chips until melted. Use semisweet chocolate for sweeter brownies, or dark for a slightly more grownup treat, and feel free to stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans before baking if you like a little extra crunch. For easy cutting, let the brownies cool completely and use a hot, dry knife, wiping off the crumbs in between cuts.

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Ingredients

Yield:9 to 12 servings
  • Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing
  • ½cup /113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
  • ½cup/86 grams dark or semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2large eggs
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½cup/47 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½cup/64 grams all-purpose flour
  • ½teaspoon kosher salt
  • teaspoon baking soda
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

213 calories; 12 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 21 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 107 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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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 325 degrees, with a rack positioned in the center. Grease an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

  2. Step 2

    Combine the butter and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter comes to a simmer. Turn off the heat, then add the chocolate chips and stir until melted. (The mixture will be grainy at this point.) Pour into a large mixing bowl and set aside until just warm to the touch.

  3. Step 3

    Add the eggs and vanilla to the mixing bowl and whisk vigorously for 1 minute, until pale and glossy. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until incorporated. Add the flour, salt and baking soda and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula until well combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top.

  4. Step 4

    Bake brownies until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs on it, 30 to 33 minutes. Cool completely in the pan before slicing into squares. Brownies will keep for up to 3 days, well-wrapped at room temperature.

Ratings

5 out of 5
653 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Forget all of that. I owned a brownie company for 32 years. 1 pound of sugar. 3/4 pound of all purpose flour. 5 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate. 1 pound of unsalted butter. 5 large eggs beaten. (Optional, 12 oz of walnuts or pecans.) In saucepan melt butter and chocolate, add sugar, next add eggs, then flour, finally add nuts. Heat oven to 350 degrees. using 8 by 11 (or close to that) greased and floured baking pan (or parchment paper), depending on your oven, 40 minutes or so.

After adding the chocolate to the melted butter & sugar it was super grainy/chunky and I got stressed that I did something wrong but after adding the rest of the ingredients it was all good. Straight out of the oven it looked super puffed up in the middle and I feared it had turned out too cakey but once fully cooled it de-puffed to the perfect flat chewy brownie recipe I have been searching for!

Add a little instant espresso powder….

I'm not going to get into whose brownie recipe is best. That said, adding between a teaspoon and a tablespoon of instant espresso powder to any dark chocolate recipe really enhances the depth of the chocolatey-ness.

I always use an instant-read thermometer to test doneness now; brownies are done at 206 deg F. That way, you get a perfectly moist and fudgy brownie once they cool. I start checking at the shortest recommended baking time.

Is this the recipe where someone from Germany could never get it right, so she moved to the United States and stole someone's husband? Because I want to eat those brownies.

This is a lovely recipe that comes together with ease. This is my new go-to brownie recipe. Thank you.

I agree with Rashid, only in smaller proportions: 1 c. Sugar, 3/4 c. Flour, 1 stick plus 2 T. Butter, 2 eggs, 6 T. Cocoa. Stir by hand, no mixer. Bake 350 for 30 minutes, 8x8 pan. Perfect!

Very nice fudge texture, and simple recipe to follow. I added 3/4 tsp salt; no regrets.

My new brownie go-to. Less convenient than boxed but great superior fudgy taste. Used dark chocolate chips & Ghirardelli Dutch process cocoa. Increased ingredient quantity to 1 1/2 and used 9" sq. metal pan. Baked @325° for 33 minutes. A bit too moist so may try 350° and/or longer bake time in the future. Did everything in one pot. Step 3 needs a rewrite! How do you add the eggs to the mixing bowl with the chocolate and whisk till pale and glossy!? Obviously a separate step in a separate bowl.

Excellent brownies. I doubled the recipe for a 13x9 pan, used half brown sugar, half white and half semi-sweet, half bittersweet Ghirardelli bars broken up, plus some walnuts. It needed 40 minutes. Easy, and yummy. Definitely in my rotation now.

No need for all this fuss - the secret to fudgy brownies with the shiny crispy top is one thing : replace half of the granulated sugar in your favorite recipe with powdered sugar. That's it!

Not in love with this recipe, took 50 minutes to fully bake which was pretty surprising. I feel like they are really lacking in chocolate flavor and depth. It's a brownie, so I'm going to eat it, but I wouldn't make these again.

Absolutely perfect. But, to save myself from dirtying another bowl, I let the butter/sugar/chocolate mixture cool in the pan off the stove for a bit and then added the rest of the ingredients.

Really solid brownie recipe! Didn’t change a thing. It’s really versatile base if you wanted to add a topping (caramel, peanut butter cups, a swirl of cream cheese or tahini). I chopped up After Eight pieces and sprinkled on the top prior to baking. Delish!

Can this be made with a gluten free flour? What kind would be best?

I was disappointed by this recipe - it didn’t crack as described and it was quite cakey and dry. Followed the recipe pretty closely too so I don’t think it was human error

I’ve been baking brownies with this recipe for over 50 years. The recipe was originally printed on a chocolate chip bag. Always come out great. I cut them into 1’ squares when I create a dessert table for a large crowd. They freeze well for several months.

I haven’t yet tried the “Kathrine Hepburn Brownies” recipe yet, but I can tell you it’s gonna be hard to be Lidey’s recipe — It’s incredible!

Seeing this recipe & all the great reviews, I knew I needed to make these brownies. Though Rashid’s recipe also intrigued me, given his 32 year ownership of a brownie factory, & simpler recipe all mixed in one pot. Solution: bake both Sorry Rashid, there is simply no comparison to Lidey’s truly amazing recipe, with its moist, rich, very chocolaty brownies, having just the right balance between almost cakey to nice and fudgie. Not to mention the shiny, crackly top layer. Just wonderful!

Definitely add a pinch of salt, a tablespoon of espresso powder, and a cup of toasted chopped walnuts. When cool, I mix those with the chocolate chips, add a bit of flour, and mix it all around. This keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the pan. Before serving, I sprinkle the tops with a touch of powdered sugar, because why not? I want the highest class of calories when I’m eating the perfect (for me) brownies.

I have been using the same brownie recipe for 50 years. It is the recipe found in Fanny Farmer's cookbook first published in 1895. It is simple and turns out wonderfully every time. It does not use baking powder or soda. Brownies - to be fudgy and chewy - should not rise. So I would never use this recipe. Finally, I use a bar of 70% baking chocolate for the best chocolate flavor - not chocolate chips which are highly processed and taste like cardboard.

Grind or sprinkle course sea salt over the top for a perfect salty and sweet treat!

Honeybear brownies from the back of a 1970s cocoa tin is the only brownie recipe. I lost the recipe for years. Luckily, a few others agreed and posted it online. I was so happy to recover that recipe last year!

This recipe looks wonderful, and I’m wondering if anyone has tried it with 30-50% of the sugar specified, with success. Asking for a friend. ; )

1 pound of sugar. 3/4 pound of all purpose flour. 5 1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate. 1 pound of unsalted butter. 5 large eggs beaten. (Optional, 12 oz of walnuts or pecans.) 1 tbsp espresso p insaucepan melt butter and chocolate, add sugar, next add eggs, then flour, epresso powder,nu Heat oven to 350 degrees. using 8 by 11 (or close to that) greased and floured baking pan (or parchment paper), depending on your oven, 40 minutes or so.

Why would I only want one brownie recipe? I have back pepper brownie recipe, a 5-spice one. One with dried cherries. It depends on the situation.

This same recipe works really nicely with gluten free flour.

Katharine Hepburn’s brownie recipe has never let me down. It’s been featured here too. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10782-katharine-hepburns-brownies?smid=url-share

It’s missing one crucial ingredient, mini-marshmallows.

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