Homemade Chewy Brownies

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These Homemade Chewy Brownies are thick, fudgy, and made completely from scratch. You’ll never need a box mix again!! 

Top down view of brownies cut into squares.

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
Close up of brownies cut into squares to show crackly top.

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

Brownie in hand.

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.

  1. Melt the sugar/chocolate mixture just until the chocolate has melted. Don’t boil.
  2. Don’t overmix anything. Just mix until combined, and that is it.
  3. 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.
  4. Cool your brownies completely. This is a must if you don’t want your brownies to fall apart.
  5. 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.
Brownies stacked on one another

Frequently Asked Questions

HOW DO YOU CUT CHEWY BROWNIES?

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.

WHAT ELSE CAN I ADD TO BROWNIES?

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

Course: Brownie
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chewy brownie
These Homemade Chewy Brownies are thick, chewy, fudgy and made completely from scratch. You'll never need a box mix again!!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 9 brownies
Calories: 455kcal
Author: Malinda Linnebur
Print Recipe Save Recipe

Ingredients

  • cups (265g) sugar
  • ¼ cup (60ml) water
  • 2 ounces (56.5g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • ¾ cup (100g) all purpose flour
  • 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

  1. 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. 
  2. 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.  
  3. Nutrition facts: Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the information shown is just an estimate.

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 4.2mg

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

  1.  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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

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