Fudgy Brownies

Brownie Ingredients

This brownie recipe calls for a few simple, classic ingredients that come together to create rich, fudgy brownies with that melt-in-your-mouth texture. Here’s a quick breakdown of each ingredient, what it does, and some easy swaps if you need them:

Butter: Butter is key for adding richness and moisture, giving your brownies that decadent, fudgy texture we all crave. It also enhances the chocolate flavor. We use salted butter for extra flavor, but if you’re using unsalted, just add a pinch of salt to balance it out.

Unsweetened Baking Chocolate: This is the star of the show, bringing deep, rich chocolate flavor and helping to achieve that dense, fudgy texture. Unsweetened chocolate is bitter in flavor, which lets you control the sweetness so your brownies won’t be too sugary. It’s typically sold in bar form, which you’ll want to chop into pieces for melting. Read more about how to choose and when to use different types of baking chocolate here.

Flour: Start with Gold Medal™ All Purpose Flour, which gives your brownies structure and helps bind everything together without making them too cakey. It's called "all-purpose" for a reason—it’s versatile and great for so many baked goods, from cookies to breads.

Salt: A small but mighty ingredient, salt balances out the sweetness and brings out the rich, deep chocolate flavor. We like to use regular table salt for most baking recipes, but if you have kosher salt or sea salt on hand, feel free to use that instead—just adjust the amount slightly. For kosher salt, use 1 1/2 to 2 times the amount of table salt, and for fine sea salt, use the same amount. If you're using coarse sea salt, you'll need about 1 1/2 to 2 times more.

Sugar: Sugar is essential for sweetness and contributes to the moist, rich texture of these brownies. It also helps give them that nice, slightly crisp top as they bake.

Vanilla: Vanilla extract adds a warm, rounded flavor that complements the chocolate, making it a must-have in most baking recipes. If you don't have vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste or even a splash of almond extract can be great alternatives.

Eggs: We use large eggs in our baking recipes because they are the most common size. They help bind everything together, allowing the brownies to set as they bake and contribute to the soft, fudgy texture that makes them so irresistible.

Cookware You’ll Need

Before we start baking, let’s quickly go over the tools you’ll need to make these brownies. No need for anything fancy—just a few key items to help things go smoothly and ensure a batch of delicious, fudgy brownies. Ready? Let’s dive in:

Baking Pan: A 9-inch square baking pan is the size that you’ll need for your brownie recipe, ensuring they bake evenly. Using the pan size specified in the recipe is important—too big, and the brownies can become overbaked and hard; too small, and they can have uncooked batter in the center and be overbaked on the edges. A shiny metal pan is ideal because it reflects heat, helping the brownies bake evenly. Glass dishes take longer to heat up than metal, but they also hold heat longer, so brownies baked in glass may need a bit more time. If you're using a nonstick, or dark-colored pan, check the brownies at the minimum bake time and adjust as needed. For dark-colored pans, it can be helpful to reduce the oven temperature by 25°F, as they absorb more heat.

Saucepan: A small, sturdy 1-quart saucepan is the right size for melting butter and chocolate over low heat, ensuring even melting without burning.

Measuring Cups and Spoons: Measuring cups and spoons are key to getting the right amounts of ingredients, like flour, sugar, and vanilla. Accurate measurements help ensure your brownies have the correct texture and flavor every time.

Small and Medium Mixing Bowls: You’ll need a medium mixing bowl for combining the sugar, vanilla, and eggs, and a small bowl to combine the flour and salt. Using separate bowls helps keep everything organized and ensures a smooth, even mix.

Electric Mixer: An electric mixer (handheld or stand) is essential for beating the sugar, eggs, and vanilla together until light and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the batter, helping to create that rich, fudgy texture we love in brownies. A hand mixer makes it quick and easy to beat the eggs and sugar, while a stand mixer works great too—just keep an eye on it, as it might mix a bit faster. For the hand mixer, use the beaters; for the stand mixer, the whisk attachment is best.

Spatula and Spoon: You’ll need a spoon to stir the chocolate mixture and a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, making sure everything is mixed evenly. If you have a heat-resistant spatula, it’ll work for both jobs.

Cooling Rack: After baking, placing the pan on a cooling rack helps your brownies cool evenly by allowing air to circulate all around the pan. Once the brownies have cooled completely, they're ready to be cut and enjoyed.

Brownie Variations

Looking to mix things up? Here are some easy variations to customize your brownie recipe:

Chocolate Chips: Stir in 1/2 cup of semisweet, milk, or white baking chips for extra gooey pockets of chocolate.

Nuts: Add 1/2 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds for a delightful crunch and texture in every bite.

Mint or Coffee: A teaspoon of instant coffee powder or a splash of mint extract enhances and deepens the chocolate flavor.

Frosting: Top your cooled brownies with Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy Frosting for an easy, indulgent finish.

Caramel: Drizzle caramel sauce over the brownies for a sweet, gooey twist.

If you love these fudgy brownies, why not try more brownie recipes? There are plenty of delicious, indulgent options out there. From classic fudgy brownies to fun new flavors, there’s a brownie for every craving. For more brownie inspiration, check out these brownie recipes for fresh ideas:

The Ultimate Brownie: For cakey brownie lovers, this is Betty’s all-time favorite homemade recipe, featuring a light, airy texture and a satisfying crunch from the nuts, with the just the right balance of sweetness and richness.

Zucchini Brownies: This easy dessert combines Betty’s fudgy brownies with mini chocolate chips and rich chocolate frosting—great for using up extra summer zucchini.

Nutella® Ganache Brownies: This easy yet impressive dessert features Betty’s brownies topped with Nutella®-infused ganache and toasted hazelnuts, delivering a rich, chocolaty flavor with minimal hands-on time.

Mint-Chocolate Brownies: For mint fans, these brownies offer a triple dose of mint—mint chips in the batter, mint extract in the frosting, and a minty chocolate drizzle on top, creating a sweet, refreshing mint flavor in every bite.

How to Make Brownies

Making these fudgy brownies is simpler than you’d expect. Here’s a quick overview of the steps—read on for all the details and some handy tips to help you bake up brownies that are rich, gooey, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious every time.

Melt the Butter and Chocolate

Start by chopping the unsweetened chocolate into pieces and cutting the butter into smaller chunks to help them melt more easily. Melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Be sure to keep the heat low, as chocolate can burn quickly if the temperature is too high. Once melted, allow the mixture to cool slightly.

Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a small bowl, combine the flour and salt; set aside. Mixing the dry ingredients first makes it easier to incorporate them into the wet ingredients later, ensuring an even, smooth batter.

Beat the Wet Ingredients

Beat the sugar, vanilla, and eggs in a medium bowl on high speed for 5 minutes until the mixture is light in color and slightly fluffy. This step adds air to the batter, giving your fudgy brownies lift and the right texture.

Mix the Batter

Slowly mix the cooled chocolate mixture into the sugar and egg blend—it will be thick, like brownie batter, but that’s exactly what you want. Then, beat in the dry ingredients, being careful not to overmix. The batter should be thick and dense. Pour it into a greased 9-inch square pan, smoothing the top with a spatula to ensure an even layer. This helps the brownies bake uniformly, giving you that fudgy texture in every bite.

Bake the Brownies

Now, pop the pan in the oven, and bake for about 28 minutes. This is where the magic happens—while the edges firm up, the center stays soft and fudgy. The key to fudgy brownies is baking just long enough for the edges to set, while keeping the center soft and moist. The edges should slightly pull away from the pan, and the center should feel soft but set. Remember, for fudgy brownies, less is more—soft and gooey, not cakelike.

Cool

Once your brownies are baked to perfection, remove them from the oven and let them cool completely on a cooling rack—about 2 hours. Cooling is important because it allows the brownies to set, making them easier to cut and ensuring that fudgy texture you crave. If you try to cut them too soon, they may fall apart—imagine a cake that’s still warm and falls apart when you slice it.

Storing and Reheating Homemade Brownies

Once your fudgy brownies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay fresh for 3 to 4 days, keeping their rich, soft texture—for enjoying a sweet treat whenever the mood strikes.

For longer storage, freeze your brownies to keep them fresh for up to 3 months. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or foil, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready to indulge, let them thaw at room temperature, or warm them up in the microwave for a few seconds to restore their fudgy goodness.