American · Dessert · Easy
Brownies
Deep, dark, fudgy brownies with crackly tops and molten centers. One bowl, no fuss, gone in minutes.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Brownies, in 5 ideas
- Pull them early. Residual heat finishes the job, and underbaked centers are what make brownies fudgy instead of cakey.
- Dutch-process cocoa gives a darker color and smoother chocolate flavor than natural cocoa.
- Brown the butter first for a nutty depth that makes people ask what your secret is.
- Chill the cut brownies for clean slices, then serve at room temperature.
- A pinch of flaky sea salt on top balances the sweetness perfectly.
What you need
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 8 oz dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
How to make it
Directions
- Heat the oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper.
- Melt the butter and chopped chocolate together in a heatproof bowl over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- Whisk in the sugar, then the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
- Fold in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt just until no streaks remain. Stir in chocolate chips if using.
- Spread in the pan and bake 28 to 32 minutes, until the edges are set but the center still looks slightly underdone.
- Cool completely in the pan before cutting; they firm up as they cool.
Money saver. Store-brand chocolate and cocoa work just as well as premium here; the butter and technique matter more than the label.