Homemade Chewy Brownies
These Homemade Chewy Brownies are thick, fudgy, and made completely from scratch. You’ll never need a box mix again!!
Chewy Brownies
These are my go-to fudgiest brownies, and I make them all the time! They are thick and gooey brownies, so easy to make and a reader favorite!
My other favorite easy desserts are these No Chill Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies and No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars.
When I first created this chewy fudgy brownies recipe, it took me a lot of recipe fails to create what I call my perfect brownie. I had several boxes to check to call these my go-to brownies!
The great news is, that I finally nailed it and these chewy chocolate brownies are perfection.
Chewy brownies have a dense interior but not so dense that there isn’t any crumb. There should be a little crumb. Having thick brownies also helps them to stay chewy.
Why You’ll Love Gooey Brownies
- Ultimate chewy fudgy brownies
- Cures your sweet tooth
- Perfect for taking to parties and potlucks
- Can add in all your favorite brownie ingredients
- Everyone loves the dense chocolate flavor
Ingredients For The Fudgiest Brownies:
Sugar: Sugar is what creates the crust on top of the brownies. So there has to be a certain amount, or the crust disappears. I know 1 1/4 cups of sugar is a lot, but it was the lowest amount I could use and still have the crust on top.
Unsweetened chocolate: These are the baking bars of chocolate sold in the baking aisle. I like to use Ghirardelli, but use whatever brand you prefer. Using unsweetened chocolate really amps up the chocolate flavor in these brownies.
Flour: I used all-purpose flour and haven’t tested these with Gluten-Free Flour. However, Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour is a good choice. Cake flour and whole wheat flour will not work in this recipe.
Cocoa Powder: This is what makes these homemade brownies similar to that boxed version. Cocoa powder helps make chewy brownies and gives them that familiar taste. I prefer using natural cocoa powder and had the best results with it.
Chocolate Chips: I like adding chocolate chips because what’s more fun than biting into a pocket of melted chocolate??? Use whatever % chocolate you prefer!
Baking Powder: My original recipe (found below the recipe card) used 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. I lowered it to 1/4 teaspoon after a lot of readers complained about the brownies being too cakey. I find using a little leavening necessary to create a little lift. Otherwise, the brownies are too dense and lose their chewiness.
Salt: Salt is very important in baking, so don’t leave it out!
Eggs: Help bind everything together and also lend to the chewiness of the brownie.
Oil: Fat is necessary in these chewy chocolate brownies to prevent them from drying out. And it also helps make chewy brownies.
Vanilla
Expert Tips For Chewy Fudgy Brownies:
What may turn out for my family may not turn out for yours, and I definitely have experienced that with this recipe.
Maybe my definitions of cakey and chewy are different from yours??? When I think of cakey, I think of, well, cake, and I don’t consider these to have the same spongey texture of a cake.
These are my tips for making the fudgiest brownies….I can’t guarantee success because, unfortunately, chewy chocolate brownies are just one of those desserts that vary from person to person and can be difficult to master.
- Melt the sugar/chocolate mixture just until the chocolate has melted. Don’t boil.
- Don’t overmix anything. Just mix until combined, and that is it.
- Don’t overbake. It should have some moist crumbs on the toothpick when you test it. Leave the brownies in the pan, and they will finish cooking.
- Cool your brownies completely. This is a must if you don’t want your brownies to fall apart.
- Also, I highly, highly recommend you get an oven thermometer. I found that my oven wasn’t completely preheated after the beeper told me it was. It was 15 degrees cooler than it needed to be. Thanks to a thermometer, I now know when my oven is at the correct temperature. And don’t think that just because you have a brand new oven that you don’t need to worry about this, because mine is new too.
Frequently Asked Questions
After making these chewy brownies over and over, I have learned a few things when it comes to cutting them. First of all, it’s best to let them cool down before you ever cut them.
Secondly, using a plastic knife to slice the gooey brownies is a game changer. The plastic knife allows it to make clean slices, and fewer brownie crumbs will stick to the knife.
Be sure to wipe off the knife after each pass if there are crumbs.
These chewy fudgy brownies are incredible as they are, but you can also add all sorts of yummy ingredients. Here are a few ideas:
Andes Mints, chopped
White chocolate chips
Nuts, pecans, walnuts, or chopped hazelnuts
Dried fruit like cherries, cranberries, or raisins
Chopped candy bars
Mini Reese’s peanut butter cups
Peanut butter chips
Butterscotch chips
More Chocolate Dessert Recipes To Try:
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Homemade Chewy Brownies
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups (265g) sugar
- ¼ cup (60ml) water
- 2 ounces (56.5g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped into small pieces
- ¾ cup (100g) all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (30g) regular not dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup (45g) semi sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper or foil and lightly grease with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan combine the sugar, water and unsweetened chocolate. Cook over medium-low heat just until chocolate is melted and smooth. The sugar will not be completely dissolved. Let mixture cool slightly (about 5 min).
- In a large bowl add mix together the flour (spoon flour into measuring cup and level off with the back side of a knife for accurate measurement), cocoa powder (spoon cocoa powder into measuring cup and level off with the back of a knife for accurate measurement), chocolate chips, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined.
- Pour in the oil, eggs, and vanilla. Pour in the melted chocolate and stir just until combined. Don't overmix!! Spread evenly into prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with SOME MOIST CRUMBS. DO NOT OVERBAKE if you want moist and chewy brownies. Cool completely before cutting.
Video
Notes
- Overbaking will result in drier, crumbly brownies. I accidentally overbaked them once and they were very crumbly. The toothpick needs to have a few moist crumbs on it. Some readers like to test them 5 minutes before the suggested time.
- This recipe may be doubled and baked in a 9×13 pan. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- Nutrition facts: Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the information shown is just an estimate.
Nutrition
Original Recipe
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped into small pieces
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder (dark or regular)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper or foil, lightly spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan combine the sugar, water and unsweetened chocolate. Cook over medium low heat until chocolate is melted and smooth (about 5 min) Let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl add in the flour, cocoa powder, eggs, oil, vanilla, baking powder, salt and chocolate chips. Pour in the melted chocolate and stir all just until combined. Don’t overmix!! Spread evenly into prepared pan and bake anywhere from 25-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with SOME MOIST CRUMBS. DO NOT OVERBAKE if you want moist and chewy brownies. Cool completely before cutting.
Hi I just made the brownies. I am happy with the texture but not so much with the taste is there a way to make them less sweet and more chocolatey I thought to maybe reduce the sugar by 1/4 c and add maybe another half to whole oz of chocolate.? I should mention I didn’t have unsweetened chocolate I had semi sweet so maybe that might have been a problem I also used canola oil. I will try to make them again because everything including the prep was simple and quick. Thank you.
I am sorry you didn’t like the taste. I don’t recommend reducing the sugar much because it will affect the papery crust. I tried making it will less several times but it didn’t turn out as well. Using semi sweet instead of unsweetened will change how the brownies taste. Thank you for your comment.
Mine didn’t turn out like yours, followed the recipe but it’s not thick and it is also cakey. Maybe the oven is too hot or I overmixed the batter. But the taste is delicious!
I am so sorry they didn’t turn out as you would have hoped. Maybe I need to reduce the cooking time in the instructions. Ovens can vary so much so maybe they overcooked.
Hi I liked ur receipe but as I m vegetarian can’t use eggs… so can u suggest it’s substitute for ur receipe
Unfortunately I have not tested this recipe using a substitute for eggs. I now there are some things you can use to replace eggs such as flax seed or chia seeds mixed with water but I don’t know how it will affect this brownie recipe. Hope that helps! 🙂
You can ise applesauce
Hi I’m a bit New to making brownies. So is the baking pan like a cookie sheet or does it have to be bought for brownies specifically?? I’ve never made them so I don’t know what to use
Hi, no worries. The pan you will want to use will have taller sides than a regular cookie sheet. Mine measured around 2″ tall. Hope that helps and let me know if you have anymore questions! 🙂
I made these today and they were dry and didn’t taste very chocolatey. They weren’t fudgey or chewy. I followed the directions, only adjustment was a little less sugar, not sure if that would make such a difference. Baked them for 30 min, no longer. Not sure why they turned out wrong…
My guess is that your oven may cook hotter and they overbaked. I overbaked these once and they were dry and crumbly. I would try reducing the baking time by at least 5 minutes. The toothpick should still have some moist crumbs on it when you test them. Hope this helps. Thanks for the comment! 🙂
Oh and the sugar plays more with the shiny crust. I tested this recipe several times and the amount I have in the recipe is the least amount I could use and still have that shiny crust. Thanks again!
Do you have a vegetable oil preference over coconut oil for this recipe? Have you used coconut oil in any of your past batches?
Can’t wait to try your recipe !
I haven’t used coconut oil for this brownie recipe but I don’t see why it wouldn’t be ok to use. Let me know how they turn out for you! Hope you enjoy! 🙂
These brownies have the exact taste I have been looking for–THANK YOU!!– but I am dumb founded on what I am doing incorrectly. Two times now I have made them and they just fall apart! Like really, really fall apart! Haha! Would you by chance have any ideas on why this might happen? Thanks!
I am so glad that they are what you were looking for!! When I bake them they do crumble a little but they shouldn’t fall apart. Just a few ideas I have- Don’t over bake. Bake them just until there are a few moist crumbs on the toothpick. Don’t over beat the eggs. This can cause the brownies to become more cake like and crumbly. Also, probably the hardest one (for me at least!) the brownies need to be completely cooled before cutting them. I hope that helps! Let me know! Thanks again!! 🙂
Awesome
V chewy n die heart choclaty
Thank you!
I just made these brownies and doubled the recipe. I added about a cup of chopped walnuts. I used the updated recipe. I have them timed for 44 minutes. These are for a co-worker for her birthday. I am optimistic about using my department as a guinea pig as I haven’t tried it yet but it’s chocolate… what’s not to like?
I use my husband’s coworkers as guinea pigs too, lol!! Let me know how they turn out and how you like them!! 🙂
A bit off topic but I also hate coffee and my mother brings hers over with her! 🙂 Can’t wait to try this recipe tonight for a weekend treat, thank you for sharing!
Lol, I am glad I am not the only one!! 🙂 Hope you enjoy the brownies!!
I just wanted to know where do you purchase the unsweetened chocolate ? Thank you in advance!
You will find it in the baking section of the grocery store. 🙂
Could I double the recipe to make it i a 9×13 pan and it come out good?
It should be fine, you just might need to bake it a little longer. Hope you enjoy!! 🙂
How much longer?
I’ve been searching for a homemade recipe that exactly like the box- these are perfect!! Thanks for an amazing recipe
Why thank you Ashley!! I am so glad you liked the brownies! 🙂
(Smile) I am thinking, they made a box mix to taste like these must! Mine are baking now, and can’t wait to try! God bless!
Lol, thank you Bobbe! I hope you enjoyed the brownies!! 🙂
These look perfect. I want to make them now but I have everything except for the unsweetened chocolate. Can I substitute more semisweet instead? If so can you tell me the new semisweet chip recipe?
Semisweet chip measurement* sorry
While I have not done this myself so I can’t say for sure how it will turn out but you can replace the unsweetened chocolate with 1/4 cup bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate chips and reduce the sugar amount by 1 tablespoon. Hope this helps and let me know how they turn out!!
Just reading this now about not having unsweetened chocolate! This is my dilemma as well! I will try it as you suggested at let you, and anyone else reading this with the same question know how it turned out! I will even leave a link to show pictures of how it turned out. Thank you! Disregard my last comment asking about unsweetened chocolate. (:
No worries!! Let me know how you like them!!
So mine didn’t come out like the gorgeous , glossy ones in the picture. The only thing that I can figure is that my chocolate stove mixture was still grainy when I took it off the heat. It had been on for a while and was bubbling even though I reduced the heat. Could this have been it? Should o have kept on on until the sugar was smooth? Ugh I’m so disappointed in myself lol
Don’t be disappointed! Sometimes making homemade brownies can be well, a little tricky to get that shiny crust. Do you think you could have over cooked the chocolate mixture? I usually only leave it on the stove long enough to melt the chocolate and start to dissolve the sugar. Let me know if this helps.
Instead of melting chocolate in a pot, use a double boiler or make one of your own. It helps keep chocolate from separating and becoming grainy.
Directions:
Fill pot about 1/4 full with water and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and fit the bowl into the pot. The bottom of the bowl should not reach the water (at least 2″ to 3″ space between the bowl and water is optimal). …
Add the ingredients required and proceed as recipe instructs.
Hi, Is there only “1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped” ? the other recipe I made called for 10 ounces of Chocolate to be melted. Forgive me, I only made brownie once before just to make sure that it is not type o. I want to make this one for our ladies group
Yes 1 oz would be correct. I am also using cocoa powder and chocolate chips so that adds to the chocolate flavor. Hope you enjoy!! 🙂
Thank you for prompt reply. Will make this now 😉
Would milk chocolate chips work?
Yes, milk chocolate would work fine. I like to use semi sweet or dark chocolate chips just amp up the chocolate flavor. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!!
Would using castor sugar be okay? Or would you recommend only using granulated sugar to get the crust?
Thanks 🙂 I can’t wait to try these.
I haven’t baked with castor sugar so I can’t say for sure. However, I’ve read that they can be interchanged so it shouldn’t be a problem. I hope you like them!! 🙂
Hi Tina,
I have only just seen this recipe and your comment. If you are from outside of the US, you might not realise that “granulated sugar” in the US is very fine, so is fairly close to caster sugar in some other countries (like the UK). In the UK, a lot of granulated sugar is rather big-grained, hence caster sugar is asked for in many cake recipes.
I do find that using granulated sugar works fine for brownies, and especially in this recipe where the sugar is mixed with water, I think it will work out alright.
Hope that helps!
nevermind, I just saw your comment to not use the 9×13., thanks!
would it work in a 9×13 and reduce the cooking time?
Malinda,
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I stumbled across your recipe on Facebook. Printed it, tried it, and it is awesome. I cannot tell you how many batches of brownies I have made trying to “get it right”. I did substitute with gluten free flour because my family has been gluten free for about 9 months. Brownies are my 17 year old’s favorite treat, so I have tried too many recipes. She thought this batch was from the box, and I was just letting her eat them as a treat. I laughed, because I was so excited that she loved them. Thank you. I subscribed to your newsletter in hopes of more great recipes. Thank you again.
Your comment has made my day!!! Thank you so very much and I am soooo happy that you enjoyed them! I have been testing brownie recipes for what seems like forever as well and finally came up with one I liked. Thank you so much again and I hope you find other recipes here to enjoy!
Holy Lord, they’re as soft and gooey as anyone could ask for. Next time I’ll be sure to add strawberries and homemade whipped cream/caramel sauce for the sweetest version of sweet tooth!
Thank you so much Jamie!! Those additions sound heavenly too!! 🙂
What did you do to make gluten free work?
Hi, does “unsweetened chocolate” means dark chocolate? Thanks!!!
There is actually an unsweetened chocolate in the baking isle. Unsweetened doesn’t contain any sugar while dark chocolate does. My favorite chocolate to use is Ghirardelli chocolate. Hope that helps. Thanks!
Can you use regular semi sweet chocolate chips instead of unsweetened? Why does it need to be unsweetened?
Recipe please???
You have to click Read More.
Hey , I have tried many recipes but none of them worked . Can I use something else except eggs ?
Brownies are one of the hardest things I have made to date. They are very finicky and what may work for one person doesn’t always work for everyone else. I have tested this recipe many many times and this is what I have found best. You are welcome to try variations but I can’t say how they will turn out. I hope that helps and thank you for asking!! 🙂
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