Brownie Recipe

The easiest brownie recipe for making perfect brownies every time.  This recipe produces a rich, well-balanced chocolate brownie with a perfect crust.  While I like them fudgey and gooey with a crisp top, there are simple alterations you can make for a cakier or softer result. Use this recipe as your platform for customizing your perfect brownie!

Making brownies from scratch doesn't have to be hard. Don't be afraid of flour and chocolate - the rewards you reap will be well worth the effort.

Step 1: Materials

Hardware:

• Scale - with this scale, you'll never need a set of measuring cups again. It's so much easier, and more accurate!
• Mixing bowls
• 9x13" baking pan
• I love my Kitchenaid, but a wooden spoon works just as well for this recipe
• Rubber spatula
• Whisk

Software:

• 1 cup (225 g) butter, melted
• 3 cups (600 g) white sugar
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) vanilla extract
• 4 eggs (add one more for a cakier result)
• 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (70 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (to give them a nice crust - omit if you don't want that)
• 6 oz chopped semisweet chocolate or 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (180 g)

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Step 2: Prepare

Preheat oven to 350^oF (175^o C).

Melt butter in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with the paper from the butter.

Step 3: Measure

It's a real time saver to measure everything before you get started.  So get out that scale and a couple bowls, and let's get everything ready!

Turn on your scale, and place the bowl for your sugar on it.  Tare the scale so it reads 0g.  Pour in the sugar until it reaches 600g.  

Repeat for the flour and cocoa.  You can tare the scale again after adding the flour and before adding the cocoa, but I just added the numbers together to get the weight I'd need.  

Whisk flour and cocoa together with soda and salt.  

See, you never need to dirty up measuring cups again! 

Step 4: Add butter to sugar

Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl.

Mix!

Step 5: Add Eggs

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each, until thoroughly blended.

Step 6: Add flour mixture

Gradually stir in the flour and cocoa mixture on low speed.  

Step 7: Choclify

Toss the chocolate chips in a light dusting of flour, and stir into the mix with a spoon or spatula.

The flour will keep them suspended in the batter and prevent them from all sinking to the bottom!

Step 8: Bake

Pour into prepared pan.

Spread the batter in the pan, slightly mounding on the sides so it will all bake evenly (avoiding the typical mound you get in the middle after baking).

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Step 9: Nom

The brownies are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.  My batch initially crowned well over the pan, but later sunk back down into dense fudgey deliciousness.

Enjoy hot with a cool glass of milk or a la mode!

Comments

[Mongpoovian]

Thanks also for including the by-weight measurements! This one's getting printed out and going into the file!

[scoochmaroo]

Haha. I totally read that as "This one's getting printed out and going into the fire!" And I thought, geez, you really need to make such a point with it? Printing it out and all?

[platypusymphony]

I did the same thing - total doubletake

[Mongpoovian]

Man, that would have been a terrible thing to say! Just so that there's no confusion: Attention Instructables community! Cherish this brownie recipe. Hiding within this comprehensive documentation is a powderkeg of flavor, waiting to wage a shock-and-awe campaign against the nation of Tastebudistan. These brownies will not tire, will not falter, and will not fail to please your dinner guests.

[big-jamie]

well...i got the newsletter, seen it had brownies, immediately shouted my sister as she loves brownies, we raided the cupboards and found everything we needed....and as we speak...well...type...they are in the oven right now baking away =)

my sister managed to spill coloured sugar strands all over one corner...so wele see how that goes...i'll update you in 30 mins or so =D

[scoochmaroo]

Awesome! What a great comment!! And thanks for the follow-up :)

[adimapamida]

I read exactly the same thing! I'm very glad that I did not put this recipe into the fire! I just made it and it's great. I loved that you put the weight and C degrees, so I didn't have to do any conversions before I began. Thanks!

[mistletoe]

I made these with coconut palm sugar (substituted equal parts for sugar). Super-yummy, lower glycemic, and curb hunger afterward!!!

[TXBelle526]

Just made these while my boys (8 & 10) were out playing. They came in and took a deep breath and one said to the other "Oh my gosh, Mom's been in the kitchen and it smells like heaven."

[krysarenas]

Just made these for my boyfriend and his sisters and it was a hit! I left out the chocochips though. Very easy to make. I also added a bit of melted chocolate for a little kick but trust me its not needed. Definitely keeping this recipe.

[verybigjen]

yes, this recipe is all you want and more. This is the STUFF. I just made them and while I think I needed an even bigger pan I had an 8x10, not a 9x12, they came out incredible. Mine came out 3 inches thick! I also had to add 10 mins baking time, THREE TIMES! BUT.. they cameout perfect ooey gooey and a cripsy top! OMFG.

This recipe is a keeper. I did it EXACTLY as the recipe said to, no substiutions, but i did sprinkle on some pecans on top and they were perfect too. picture perfect.

I'm terribly impressed with myself.

[scoochmaroo]

Wow! This might be my favorite comment ever. Thank you!!

[verybigjen]

Girl you rock, this recipe is the bomb. Everyone in house raved. This ight be my go to take along. I was told to save this. So I linked it on pinterest!

okay, once i got a ruler - TWO inches thick! Still almost too big to get in my mouth, i ate two, TWO! I might not be able to sleep tonight either from sugar rush or just knowing they are still in the kitchen with a nearly full gallon of milk waiting for me.

But yes after 65 minutes (35 + 30 extra due to thickness) min in the oven they are STILL perfect. I'm not ruling out the smaller pan for WOW factor sometime... heheh nothing impresses like MASSIVE brownies right?

you are my hero!

[scoochmaroo]

Goodness! Yes, brownies take a ridiculously long time to bake. Glad they worked out for you, and now you know to plan for an hour's baking time next time. Thanks for the pin!!

[RickyBobby0205]

These are my new go to brownie recipe! I haven't had much luck with homemade brownie recipes in the past, and one night the kids and I had a hankering for brownies, but didn't have any brownie mix. I came upon this recipe and had all the ingredients already, so we made these and they are DELICIOUS!!! Good tip about the baking soda by the way. Also, I seem to have the opposite problem, my brownies always are higher on the sides, and thinner in the middle. And I only left these in the oven for 30 minutes, then let them sit until cooled, since we like our brownies on the fudgier side. These are, by far, the BEST homemade brownies I've ever had!

[blueangelical]

Mm?!? Any idea what happened to my batch. Followed exactly ingredients (halved amount of all as only had that amount) inside is like toffee, top is like thin ice. Not very pleasant at all :-(

[scoochmaroo]

Oh no! This looks like too much baking soda and an oven that got too hot. I'm so sorry this happened! I'm working on a new recipe I like even better.

[Tinker L]

These are amazing, but sometimes I just don't know when to stop! I cook these in a half sheet pan and then add topping: melt 3 c semi-sweet chips and 14 oz sweetened condensed milk over low heat. Remove, add 2 t vanilla and spread on brownies immediately. Excuse me, I have a birthday request to fulfill...

[hlord2]

I exchanged the regular cocoa for dark cocoa and left out the chips and vanilla (because I didn't have any ), and these still turned out amazingly.

[Kellyamr]

I have copied, pasted and made these browies adding black walnuts and chocolate chips and then topped with and icing. Hubby ate all but 2 in one night!! made them again today leaving out the chocolate chips and was just as big a hit. non left in one hour!

[gosphero]

#Sphero's sweet tooth is acting up.... May need to try!

[tinpie]

PERFECTION..I can tell just by the ingredients that they are superb...OMG they look fabulous...if I wasn't working on another entry for the pasta contest, I would make them right now...

[Iz D.]

These brownies were so fabulous! I took them for my lunch table and people keep begging me to bring more! Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe!

[livelifelikelina]

baking them as I type this... kinda forgot the baking soda though D: hope they turn out alright :P

[MonkiMan]

BEST BROWNIES EVER!!!

[AmbiBambi]

Why does it look a lighter shade in the pan after being cooked than it does on the plate??? I would want my brownies to look how they do on the plate...

[scoochmaroo]

Just the different lighting in my kitchen vs. living room at the time.

[kendram123]

How are the brownies ?

[krysarenas]

Just made these for my boyfriend and his sisters and it was s hit! I left out the chocochips though. Very easy to make. I also added a bit of melted chocolate for a little kick but trust me its not needed. Definitely keeping this recipe.

[krysarenas]

Oops. Meant to say "a hit" sooorryyy. The brownies were wonderful

[hannah12montanna]

it looks really nice nom nom nom

[cvelasquez2]

Can the cocoa powder be Nesquik?

[aarrnnoo]

I don't think that will be tasty or work, there are allot of other things in nesquik than cacao, like sugar and other stuff, better just go and buy some cacao

[Number 4]

instead of semi sweet chocolate chips, what chocolate bar would you suggest?

[TwisterL7]

Made these last week, but replaced the chocolate chips with m&ms... OMNOMNOM <3

[philerskine]

Just made these, they were delicious and very easy to make. I did reduce the sugar added though (only 2 cups), as the chocolate added made them sweet enough for me!

[jpplayball]

that looks so good

[fantomzed]

:|

[cad97]

Really cool scooch! :D Any idea how this would be without the chocolate chips, Im down here in Georgia, and my area's roads wont be thawed till like Saturday, because of all of this snow, so no runs to Kroger.

[Morphone]

This is probably a funny question, but is there a way I can make my brownies white colored instead of brown? I've always had this cool idea of making white brownies. I just think it would look cool. I assume using white chocolate chips would do, but what about in place of the Hershey cocoa powder? Is there something I could use in place of that, since that is what gives it it's brown look.