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 Malinda, remember me?
You really are amazing. You actually took the time to play with and come up with a revised recipe for those of us who had some issues. This blows me away. Here you had a recipe that you love, that works for YOU, but you still took the time to do this! Wow. I cant wait to try the revised recipe!
I want you to know, that I have a blog and I did a post yesterday and today, about some bloggers and their recipes sometimes not working for us. I did mention good things about you and how awesome you are. I shared your blog site as well. Take a look if you want to see Part 1 and 2. 🙂
https://sugarbundlebetty.com/2017/07/11/bah-hum-blog/
https://sugarbundlebetty.com/2017/07/12/day-2-bah-hum-blog/
WOW!! Thank you so much for mentioning me on your blog!! That just made my day! Brownies are so tricky to get just right I feel. Thanks again and I will definitely check it out!!
Can’t wait to make these:) is the temperature for convection ovens or non convection ovens? Thanks!
It is for non convection. I am currently redoing this recipe, so let me know how they turn out.
They’re great – I didn’t get the cracked top, but they’re very moist. Not quite as chewy as yours look, but very good:) I did add a little extra cocoa and choc chips because the batter didn’t quite taste chocolatey enough. They had a delicious flavor:) I’ll make these again for sure, and I’ll definitely try with any adjustments you make. Thank you!
Thank you so much for letting me know how they turned out as it helps me to better this recipe!! Thanks again!!
Oh and also do you think this I can make them in cupcake pan?
Hi I tried to make these brownies and the taste is perfect they were perfect but the only slight problem is it was a little wet still inside and I baked them for like 25-27 minutes what do you think I did wrong ?
I am glad that you liked them!! I am currently in the works of re-doing this recipe because I have had such mixed reviews. However, being too moist in the middle means they weren’t baked quite long enough. I haven’t made them in a cupcake pan so I can’t give an accurate cooking time, sorry. Thank you so much for your comment!! 🙂
Thank you! The recipe is pretty good though the top is nice and crispy it’s awesome and the taste is amazing the sides are so chewy it’s mouth watering! I’m trying another batch right now and I’ll bake it a little longer this time then .. thanks again! When ever you re do the recipe where can I find it on here or how should I ask.
Hope these turned out a little better for you! I think when I repost the new recipe I will probably just leave the old recipe in there as well for those that did like the original. Thanks!!
Where is read more to click?
Hi
I was looking for a good brownie recipe and came across yours. I have everything but the 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate. I have the cocoa powder and the chocolate chips would not having the 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate make a big difference ?
Yes, it will change the recipe. You could substitute in 3 level tablespoons unsweetened cocoa and 1 tablespoon butter for the unsweetened chocolate. I hope you enjoy and let me know how they turn out, I have had such mixed reviews with this recipe. Thanks! 🙂
Brownies should be so simple..but they’re not! I am 86 years old and have always been a brownie lover and have tried many recipes, always to find fault with the product. Admittedly, I’ve never used oil. Always butter. I do use Ghiradelli chips..and walnuts. Where are the walnuts? The closest I’ve come to perfect is a Ghiradelli recipe on the mix of their almost impossible to find cocoa and ground sweet chocolate.
Thanks for giving us chocolate fanatics a new approach!
I have to agree that brownies are not simple!! I love to use Ghiradelli products too and yes for some reason their cocoa powder is impossible to find, I hate that!! I haven’t seen it in the stores here where I am for a very long time! Thank you for your comment and please let me know how they turn out for you if you make them. 🙂
So the website really did’t work for me! Everything went wrong… Normally i am a really good baker but this brownie disappoint me….
I am so sorry these didn’t turn out for you!! I have had such mixed reviews with this recipe and I am currently working on revamping this recipe. Thank you for letting me know!!
hi, this have such great reviews.. but question , can i skip the 1 oz on chopped unsweetened chocolate to the water and sugar? and just put semi sweet chips while mixing? thank you
Hi! I don’t recommend altering the recipe as it will change the outcome of the brownie. Let me know how you like them!!
I really love Brownies so much. I will try this later. i hope to have a very good result. I will let you know if it turns out like yours. About the coffee thingy. I dont love coffee either. were really have in common. 🙂 Chewy and fudgy are really my favorite. Thank you for this recipe.
I hope they turn out as you like! Please let me know! Thanks!
Hi Malinda,
In my country, it’s hard to find unsweetened chocolate bar (I assume in bar as u mention this needs to be chopped). The closest that I could find was Hershey’s Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. May I use 1 ounce of this? Or may I use Hershey’s Semi Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar? Or May I use Ghirardelli Semi Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar? Or may I use Cadbury Baking Milk Chocolate Bar? I’m so sad and confused at the same time because your recipe also called for 1/3 cup cocoa powder. Please help.. I’m so sorry if these are a silly questions.
No question is a silly question! I would try substituting it with a semi sweet chocolate baking bar or if you can find a dark chocolate bar that would be great. Let me know how they turn out for you, I have had such mixed reviews with this recipe. Thanks!!
Thank you so much for the recipe! I read through all the comments and followed all the advice you gave everyone which really helped. I’ve never had homemade brownies turn out this good. And for the coffee lovers out there, I substituted the water for coffee and it seemed to work just as well!
Thank you so much for your comment!! I have had such mixed reviews with this recipe!!
oh my goodness! DROOL! These look absolutely amazing! Your photographs are absolutely gorgeous too! They make me feel like I can just grab a brownie from the screen myself! Can’t wait to give this recipe a try! Haven’t been able to find a good brownie recipe that can satisfy both me and my husband but this one definitely looks promising! =)
Thank you so much, Anisha!! I hope you enjoy them! 🙂
hi there. I am a brownie fanatic. Always searching for the perfect brownie that has to be chewy! I kid you not, I have tried over 36 recipes and even created a spreadsheet. hahahhaah. see how serious I am about brownies? I tried this recipe and had no crackle at all. mine looked like a cake. They were kinda dense which I liked but not chewy. I baked them for 20 minutes…tested oven temp before hand. I don’t know what I did wrong! I love the way yours look and hoped I would get the same result. help!
Hi! I am so sorry that these didn’t turn out the way you wanted. Brownies are such a hard thing and I have had a lot of mixed reviews on this recipe. So, it has become my mission to learn how to do video and I plan on this being one of my first recipes to video. I am hoping that this will help to clear up any questions. I am also thinking about taking out the baking soda in the recipe because after doing some more research it can cause brownies to be cakey. Thank you so much for your comment!!
Hi Malinda. I agree, brownies are really a finicky thing! But I hope you didn’t think I was criticizing. I was just frustrated. Maybe I will try it without the baking powder. I love brownies and yours do look incredible. Take care. Thank you for responding.
Don’t feel bad about your comment at all!! I love having people telling me how a recipe turned out for them whether it be good or bad. It just helps me become a better cook myself! Thanks again!!
I feel like Betty and I are kindred spirits! Haha! I am also a brownie fanatic and every time I see a recipe that claims to be as good or better than a box mix, I jump right on it! I’ve tried so many recipes. I’ve yet to find the perfect one. When I saw the description here about needing to have the papery crust, chewy texture and chocolatey flavor I immediately made them. Mine, like Betty’s, were cakey. I did get the shiney crust on top, but the inside wasn’t dense and chewy. It was crumbly and cakey. The flavor was good, a bit too sweet for me but I’d still say the flavor and crust were the highlights for me. Even with following the instructions to a tee, I couldn’t accomplish the desired texture. Dang brownies for being so good but so tricky to master!
Thank you so much for your comment! I just updated this recipe this morning and I am hoping it will make a better brownie. I hate that brownies are so difficult to make perfect! Thanks again! 🙂
You only use 1 ounce of unsweetened chocolate?
Yes, that is correct.
Thank you very much
You are very welcome! I hope you enjoy!!
I was a little shocked to find baking powder in the recipe, especially for a fudgey brownie. Found the texture to be more like a cake, than a brownie.
Are the chocolate chips optional or do they have to be added?
They are important as they add to the flavor and they help make that shiny crust.
I heard that if you substitute the water with milk and the oil with butter your result would have a more bakery style brownie; have you tried either of these substitutions?
When I was testing out brownie recipes I used butter for the oil but it just didn’t turn out as well as I wanted so I went back to the oil. I have not tried replacing the water with milk though. Sounds very interesting!
I decided to make the recipe just as you had written it and they turned out perfect. My family really enjoyed them. I will no longer be using boxed brownie mix. Thank you.
That’s great!! I am so glad you enjoyed them!! 🙂
I also dislike coffee and refuse to add it to chocolate baked items. I think those of us who really dislike the taste of coffee can taste it, despite the claims that it can’t be tasted. I know I can definitely taste it! Same with bourbon in pecan pie — just don’t do it!
I’m glad I’m not the only one who can still taste it! Thanks Pam! 🙂
If I doubled the recipe would it work in a 9×13 and if that did work would I reduce the cooking time?
Yes, you could try making it in a 9×13. Just keep checking the brownies and take them out of the oven when there is still some moist crumbs on the toothpick.