Look no further, these thick, fudgy Homemade Bakery Style Brownies are the perfect one bowl brownie recipe you’ll ever need! Crisp edges, crackle top, fudgy center, and a decadent chocolate flavor, these are going to be your go-to recipe from now on!
When you’re looking for classic recipes, be sure to add this perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe to your list! Soft and chewy. While you’re at it, don’t forget our favorite Peanut Butter Cookie recipe too!
Easy Chocolate Brownies
I’m always on the hunt for the perfect brownie. But, there’s a flaw in that plan. The “perfect brownie” really depends on my mood.
Sometimes I’m in the mood for a fudgy brownie with powdered sugar on top. Sometimes these buttermilk brownies are the answer to my chocolate cravings!
Today though, I was on a quest to create a THICK brownie. But it couldn’t be cakey.
Because I’m sorry, I am NEVER in the mood for a cake-like brownie. I’d rather just have chocolate cake.
These Bakery Style Brownies are exactly what you’d expect a good bakery to crank out, yet you can make them at home, anytime!
- One bowl. Or in this case, you’ll mix everything (by hand) in a large saucepan. Easy clean up!
- Serious chocolate flavor. By using chocolate chips melted in the batter AND cocoa powder, you’ll achieve the perfect fudgy old-fashioned brownie flavor!
- Crackle top. The signature sign of a perfect brownie.
- Use this brownie in my easy brownie trifle recipe, layered with chocolate pudding too!
Don’t forget to add the cream cheese swirls. Try our cheesecake brownie recipe next! Or whip up a batch of chocolate chip brownies for an extra rich and fudgy treat.
Ingredients Needed
Looking for a recipe that is better than a boxed mix? Here’s what you’ll need.
- Butter. I use unsalted butter so that I can control the salt in my baking. No need to soften this butter because we’re going to melt it!
- Chocolate. You’ll need semi-sweet chocolate chips AND unsweetened cocoa powder for this brownie recipe.
PRO TIP: The better quality of chocolate you use, the better the taste. I usually opt for Ghirardelli.
- Eggs. This recipe calls for FOUR eggs. THAT is how you achieve gooey brownies with a chewy center and crispy crust. And they puff up to a thick, chewy treat.
- Vanilla Extract. Use PURE vanilla extract to amp up the flavor.
- Flour. Salt. Baking Powder. As you add in your dry ingredients, you will mix them in by hand JUST until combined.
Aimee’s Secret
Using just a small amount of baking powder provides a little lift in these brownies, without resulting in a cake-like texture. They still maintain their thick, chewy texture!
How to make Brownies
Achieving the perfect, better than a box, brownie is easy. And since you most likely have all the ingredients on hand, you can do this any day of the week!
- Melt Butter. In a medium sized saucepan, melt butter. Remove from heat.
- Add Chocolate Chips and Sugar. Add in the chocolate chips and sugar and stir until sugar is blended and all the chocolate has melted.
- Add Dry Ingredients. Mix in the dry ingredients JUST until blended. Use as few strokes as possible. If adding extra chocolate chips or nuts, fold them into the batter now.
- Bake. Pour batter in a 9-inch square baking dish lined with parchment paper. Bake. Cool. Cut. Enjoy.
PRO TIP: For a fudgy center, don’t overbake these brownies. And be sure to let them cool completely before cutting!
Tips and Tricks
- These easy brownies can be made in ONE bowl. Whether you use a medium sized saucepan, or microwave safe large bowl…clean up is a breeze!
- I use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips in my fudgy brownies, use what you have on hand! You can even toss some in at the end to make them chocolate chip brownies! Or toss in some walnuts for some nutty brownies!
- LINE your baking dish with parchment paper (or foil). Not only does it make clean up easier, but you can just lift your fudgy brownies out of the pan and cut them!
- DO NOT OVER STIR. When you add in the dry ingredients, use slow but big stirs to incorporate the dry into the wet. Just when you see no more dry, STOP STIRRING!
- Want to eat them sooner? Chill them in the refrigerator so they are easier to cut. Want to make a brownie ice cream sundae? Eat them warm!
- Serve with ice cream. Don’t forget the vanilla ice cream (or use our easy no churn ice cream recipe)!
- If dipping them in chocolate and adding topping, you’ll definitely want to wait until they have cooled COMPLETELY. Then cut them in 9 large squares, and cut those squares diagonally so you’ll be left with 18 triangles. I use this melting chocolate for perfect results!
PRO TIP: For perfect cutting, use a cheap, disposable plastic knife after the brownies have cooled. WORKS LIKE A CHARM.
Recipe FAQs
To achieve fudgy brownies, not cakey brownies, you’ll need a high fat to flour ratio, like in my recipe.
Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature. These chewy fudgy brownies can be stored for up to one week.
Freezing brownies is so easy. Once baked and cooled completely, you can either slide the whole pan of brownies into an airtight freezer container. Or, cut into squares and freeze bite size servings. Thaw in container at room temperature overnight.
Aimee’s Pro Tip
Use a metal pan instead of a glass baking pan. It transmits the heat evenly in brownies, which results in the perfect texture. You may find your brownies under-cooked if using glass…add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Variations
Today’s easy brownie recipe is the perfect base for all of your mix-ins and flavors. I use my recipe regularly to make a variety of flavors!
- Love Caramel? Give these Salted Caramel Brownies a try next!
- Or use this recipe to make a delicious M&M Brownie for your next party.
- Add a batch of nutty Walnut Brownies to the list too!
- Swirl in some peanut butter for the perfect flavor combo. Our Peanut Butter Brownies are ALWAYS a hit.
- Don’t forget to try a batch of Oreo Brownies next!
- When you’re craving a gooey treat, whip up a batch of our Turtle Brownies!
- Drizzle with melted chocolate and make Valentine Brownies with holiday sprinkles!
- Try my Peppermint Brownies for a sweet Christmas treat.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- English Toffee
- Caramel Corn
- Pralines
- Cheesecake Recipe – for the oven!
- Chocolate Cheesecake
- Instant Pot Brownies
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The Best Brownie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium sized saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and add in chocolate chips and sugar.
- Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Add in eggs, one at a time, stirring completely after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
- Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Using big strokes, stir in JUST until mixed and no longer see dry ingredients. DO NOT BEAT OR OVER STIR.
- Pour batter into dish and bake for about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before cutting.
Notes
- These can be made in ONE bowl. Whether you use a medium sized saucepan, or microwave safe large bowl…clean up is a breeze!
- I use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips in my brownies, use what you have on hand! You can even toss some in at the end to make them chocolate chip brownies! Or toss in some walnuts for some nutty brownies!
- LINE your baking dish with parchment paper (or foil). Not only does it make clean up easier, but you can just lift your brownies out of the pan and cut them!
- Use a metal pan instead of a glass baking pan. It transmits the heat evenly in brownies, which results in the perfect texture. You may find your brownies under-cooked if using glass…add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
- DO NOT OVER STIR. When you add in the dry ingredients, use slow but big stirs to incorporate the dry into the wet. Just when you see no more dry, STOP STIRRING!
- Want to eat them sooner? Chill them in the refrigerator so they are easier to cut. Want to make a brownie ice cream sundae? Eat them warm!
- If dipping them in chocolate and adding topping, you’ll definitely want to wait until they have cooled COMPLETELY. Then cut them in 9 large squares, and cut those squares diagonally so you’ll be left with 18 triangles. I use this melting chocolate for perfect results!
- STORAGE: Store brownies in airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Baking time. If you like thick and gooey brownies, cook them from 35-40 minutes. If you prefer them cooked all the way through (and not gooey at all) increase time to 45-50 minutes.
Video
Nutrition
Look no further, these thick, fudgy Bakery Style Brownies are the perfect, one bowl brownie recipe you’ll ever need! They also make a great bake sale treat!
I made these today. So rich and yummy!! Thank you for sharing your recipe 😊. I used a brownie pan from Amazon that makes individual brownies. They popped right out. They looked perfect. Thank you, again!
I made these for my wife who is a chocolate’holic, needless to say she loves them. I’ve follow several of your recipes and overall they are all winners. Great job! Thank you for great ideas and delicious food.
Happy wife, happy life 🙂
Aimee,
With all your great recipes, why aren’t you fat?
LOL
Dennis
I tried your “best brownie” recipe. It is by far the best brownie recipe I have ever tried. I passed it on to my daughter who also loves it. They are a hit with my whole family.
Thank you Aimee!!!
Oh yay, thank you!
Excellent moist and fudgy brownies. These are my “go to” when I want to make special brownies for an occasion or gift. They’re always appreciated.
Glad you are a fan 🙂
Can this be doubled for a big batch?
These came out with a great soft texture and have a nice chocolate taste.
This is the middle ground of chocolate taste that works for me. It does not require as much chocolate as another recipe I have, which requires both a chocolate bar, chocolate chips, and cocoa powder. The chocolate is not too little either, compared to another recipe, which only had cocoa powder.
When I make this again, I will lessen the sugar as the brownie tasted slightly too sweet. Also, it tasted a little salty, so I will lessen the salt. Aside from these aspects, the overall taste and texture is good.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
We LOVE brownies at our house. My husband used to pick up brownies in a box every time he went to the store for me. But once I made these he just leaves a note on the counter for the best brownies ever. These are my go to for taking to events when we we need to bring a dessert. They also freeze well if I bake them for just the two of us.
This recipe was so good that I decided to use this as my ‘base’ for making variations such as:
1.adding mini marshmallows, crushed graham crackers making them Smore’s brownies
2.adding chopped strawberries into the batter and then drizzling the top with ganache and then dusting crushed dried strawberries on top for a chocolate covered strawberry brownie
3.adding walnuts that I crushed with my mortar & pestle and adding to the batter, then making a brown sugar ‘glaze’ drizzled on top and some crushed walnuts and then topping with vanilla ice cream for a sundae brownie.
These are my family’s favorite brownies!!! Great chocolate taste. Clean up is super fast with the one bowl method. This is a keeper! Thank you!
The best, and easiest, brownie recipe I’ve tried by far! So packed full of chocolatey flavor but not bitter at all like other recipes I’ve tried. Everyone in my house loved it! I skipped the parchment paper since I didn’t have any on hand and I would NOT recommend that since these are so chewy and sticky once cooled down (at least in my glass dish) that this morning when I tried to get a bit more they were totally stuck to the bottom and had to be pried off haha.
So glad you and your family loved them 🙂
Oh holy moly 🫠 these brownies are even better as the bakery bought ones. Ooey gooey, moist and sooooo chocolatey! I thought about to add some gingerbread spice for the autumn and winter days – definitely will try it.
This recipe is just superb! If an idiot in a kitchen like me can do this, anyone can! Thank you soooo much! ❤️
bro i love this will most prob make againnnn!1! thx for making the recipe its so awesome and acc tastes good + has great texture. also one bowl?? marriage. i love it way to much. thanks again. peace out !!!!!
bro i love this will most prob make againnnn!1! thx for making the recipe its so awesome and acc tastes good + has great texture. also one bowl?? marriage. i love it way to much. thanks again. peace out
Absolutely loved these brownies I used dark chocolate chips 😋 they didn’t stay around too long thanks so much 😁
Yummy
Awesome every time! Thank you for saving me from buying packaged brownie mix and thinking it’s great. These are so much better! Everyone loves them and there’s never any left. Couldn’t be easier either. Win, win all the way around!
Would I double the recipe to make a 9×13 pan?
I forgot the most important part-thank you for making this such an easy recipe to clean up!! Literally one bowl and one scraper!!
I have made brownies from scratch before…but these are the real deal!!! Thank you so much for sharing. I am so inspired by this recipe that I’m off to check out the rest of your recipes. It’s probably not the best idea-because I love baking as much as I love sweets😫 Ah who cares-I’ll just walk it off a little longer.
So glad you love them as much as we do!