The ultimate Fudgy Brownie Recipe! These homemade brownies are decadent and stay moist for days. Plus, there’s a secret ingredient that makes them super chocolatey without being overly sweet.

Fudgy brownies stacked on a parchment paper

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Brownies Video Tutorial:

These brownies are unbelievably satisfying. Watch the video recipe and you’ll know why everyone loves this recipe!

The Only Brownie Recipe You’ll Need!

The inspiration for these brownies came from Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies in the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. We made them fudgier and supremely chocolatey. Here’s why these are the best homemade brownies:

  • Easy brownies – No fancy equipment or tools required. All you need is a saucepan, spatula, whisk, and a couple of bowls to make the batter.
  • No Room Temperature Ingredients Needed – you don’t have to plan ahead and can start making brownies as soon as the craving strikes.
  • Fudgiest Center – these literally stay moist and fudgy for days. I made the last batch on a Wednesday and ate the last piece on Sunday and it was still moist and satisfying.
  • Rich Chocolate Flavor – adding the cocoa powder and chocolate chips make these intensely chocolatey without being overly sweet.
  • Crackly Top – These brownies have that classic, irresistible crackly top.

The “Secret” Ingredient for Brownies:

Just like with our Chocolate Cake, adding coffee amps up the flavor of chocolate without tasting like coffee. We used Instant Coffee Granules. The rest of the ingredients are simple and will give you the perfect brownie texture.

Ingredients for brownie recipe with chocolate chips, egg, cocoa, flour, sugar, butter, coffee granules

How to Make the Best Brownies:

1. Melt Chocolate: In a saucepan over low heat, melt together 2 cups chocolate chips and butter. Set aside to cool 15 minutes.
2. Wet Ingredients: Whisk together eggs, sugar, instant coffee granules, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.

Step by step tutorial how to make brownies

3. Dry Ingredients: Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt then fold these dry ingredients into the chocolate batter until no streaks remain.
5. Pour and Bake: Spread brownie batter into prepared pan, sprinkle the top with the reserved 1/2 cup chocolate chips, and bake at 350˚F for 35-40 minutes.

how to make chocolate brownie batter step by step photos

How Long to Bake Brownies:

Fudgy Brownies – Bake for 35-37 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out fudgy.

Soft and Moist Brownies – Bake for 40 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs attached.

How to Store Brownies:

  • At Room Temperature – Brownies can be stored at room temperature in a low humidity environment. To keep them fresh and moist, cover with plastic wrap directly over the brownies and store in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
  • Freezer – brownies can be frozen for up to 3 months. To keep brownies moister, do not cut brownies until you are ready to eat them.

Baked brownies in baking pan sliced

How to Serve Brownies:

Our favorite way to serve brownies is to top with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can also try a dollop of whipped cream drizzled with chocolate, or top with fresh raspberries.

For Frosted Brownies: cover them with Chocolate Ganache or Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.

Brownie served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

What Mix-Ins Can I Add to Brownies?

Once you have a great brownie base like this one, you can change them up and make them your own.

  • Caramel – Drizzle the top of the brownies with Homemade Caramel and a sprinkle of kosher salt.
  • Walnuts or Pecans – chop 1 cup of walnuts and fold them in at the end, sprinkling a few over the top for walnut brownies.
  • Chocolate Chunks – fold in some chocolate chunks in addition to sprinkling them over the top.

Brownie slice on a spatula with chocolate chips added

Can I Bake these in a Different Pan?

For this brownie recipe, we used a 9×9 square pan. Using different sized baking pans will affect the bake times, and the recipe. These tips should help.

  • Bread Loaf Pan – Cut the recipe in half and bake as directed for a small batch of brownies.
  • 8×8 Pan – this smaller pan will result in taller brownies that require a longer baking time (40-48 minutes) minutes).
  • 12×9 Pan – this larger pan works, but the brownies will be flatter and will require less baking time (30-35 minutes).
  • 13×9 Pan – Make 1 1/2 times the recipe or the brownies will be pretty flat. Bake about 40 minutes, or to your desired doneness.

Love Chocolate? More Chocolate Desserts:

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Fudgy Brownie Recipe

4.96 from 370 votes
Author: Natasha Kravchuk
fudgy brownies stacked on parchment paper
The ultimate Fudgy Brownie Recipe - super chocolatey without being overly sweet! These homemade brownies are decadent and stay moist for days.
Prep Time: 13 minutes
Cook Time: 37 minutes
Cooling Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 12 people
  • 1/2 lb unsalted butter, (softened or cut into pieces if cold for faster melting)
  • 16 oz semisweet chocolate chips, (2 1/2 cups by measuring cup), divided
  • 4 eggs, large
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp instant coffee granules, (6.2 grams)
  • 3 Tbsp light olive oil , or vegetable oil
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350˚F. Butter a 9x9 pan and line with parchment paper.
  • In a medium saucepan over low heat, Melt together 2 cups chocolate chips and butter while whisking then set aside to cool 15 minutes.
  • In a second large bowl, whisk together 4 eggs, 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar and 1 Tbsp coffee granules, 3 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp vanilla extract.
  • Stir cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt then use a spatula to fold mixture into the batter and fold just until combined. Do not over mix.
  • Transfer batter to prepared pan and sprinkle all over with remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 35-40 min depending on the desired doneness.* Cool until nearly at room temperature then cut into bars before serving.

Notes

*For fudgy brownies, bake 35-37 minutes and a toothpick should come out fudgy. For soft and moist brownies, bake 40 minutes and a toothpick should come out with moist crumbs attached. 

Nutrition Per Serving

526kcal Calories49g Carbs6g Protein35g Fat19g Saturated Fat97mg Cholesterol126mg Sodium379mg Potassium4g Fiber35g Sugar570IU Vitamin A69mg Calcium4mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Fudgy Brownie Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
526
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
35
g
54
%
Saturated Fat
 
19
g
119
%
Cholesterol
 
97
mg
32
%
Sodium
 
126
mg
5
%
Potassium
 
379
mg
11
%
Carbohydrates
 
49
g
16
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
35
g
39
%
Protein
 
6
g
12
%
Vitamin A
 
570
IU
11
%
Calcium
 
69
mg
7
%
Iron
 
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brownie recipe, fudgy brownies
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 526

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Odstarva
    March 16, 2024

    The perfect brownie!! Thank you tons, also I may have some advice for some who experienced sinking brownies. I was using baking “soda” instead of baking “powder”. After rechecking the recipe and following it proper it came out perfectly. Thanks again Natasha!!

    Reply

  • Nadha
    March 13, 2024

    Hi Natasha, Warm Greetings from Sunny Maldives! I have been following you since 5 years and have been making your recipes every now and then.. but don’t post anywhere to tag you 🙁 The best part is your recipes are 100% accurate and I trust you the most when it comes to recipes. Thank you for sharing and guiding and making cooking so much fun. It’s Ramadan and I want to make this brownie today. Can I use light brown sugar instead of white sugar? please do let me know 🙂 sending lots of love to your family >3

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      March 13, 2024

      Hi Nadha! I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying the recipes. Thank you for the wonderful Feedback. Using brown sugar can work but it will affect the taste/texture. They will have a caramel/molasses flavor and the texture can be more chewy and dense.

      Reply

  • Bob
    March 12, 2024

    Shear, I bake these brownies using self rising flour. I don’t have the taste issue and they turn out perfect nor do I have “grainy” brownies.

    Reply

  • Bob
    March 12, 2024

    I have made this recipe a couple of times. It turns out perfect every time. Unfortunately it only lasts about 4 or five days and then it has disappeared… and I’m the only one here. I wonder where it went?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 12, 2024

      These never last in our home either, Bob! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  • Kristen
    March 4, 2024

    I really did not enjoy these brownies. The texture was grainy. Practically inedible. I really wanted to like them. The smell was amazing.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 4, 2024

      Glad to hear that you enjoyed the Fudgy Brownies recipe!

      Reply

  • Sehar
    March 3, 2024

    Hello.ICan I skip baking powder in the brownie recipe.Will that affect the final result.As usually brownie recipes dont have baking powder in it.Thanks.I tried the recipe once it turned out good but the batter rose too high.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 4, 2024

      I haven’t experimented on that to advise.

      Reply

  • Nora
    March 3, 2024

    My oven was properly preheated. I baked for 40 minutes. It sunk in the middle, was not cooked nearly enough in the middle or even on the bottom half of the edge pieces. I think they would have been better off in a 9×12 pan. I’m baking all the cut edges and the middle for 10 minutes now. Probably won’t be serving these to guests. Disappointed because I LOVE your zucchini brownies…but I also learned to bake them for 60 minutes or more. I ldont mind fudgy but these were way to wet for me.

    Reply

  • Lisa
    March 1, 2024

    The recipe was quite good and I enjoyed the chocolatey flavor. The only issue I had was mine tasted a bit grainy in texture and crumbled a lot when trying to eat. I noticed mine also rose quite high which I’ve never seen when I tried other brownie recipes so my new baking powder may have been overactive. I also baked for 35 minutes so maybe I’ll try a few minutes less next time so I can accomplish Natasha’s fudgy center 🙂 lastly, it was a tad too sweet for me so I’d probably reduce the sugar to 1 cup, but that’s just my personal preference. Hope this helps x

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      March 2, 2024

      Hi Lisa! Thanks for sharing your experience with the recipe. Let us know how it turns out next time with the modifications.

      Reply

  • Lisa
    February 29, 2024

    Hi,
    Is 1/2 lb butter equivalent to 2 sticks? I’ve only seen recipes call for cups (ex. 1/2 cup = 2 sticks) so I wasn’t sure how many sticks were needed in your recipe. Google gave me different answers – someone said 2 sticks and another said 4 so I wanted to confirm with you before testing this out. Thanks in advance!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 29, 2024

      Hi Lisa! I used 2 sticks in this recipe. Each stick is 1/2 cup so total it was 1 cup. It’s important to verify the label on your butter just to be sure since it can differ based on the brand or country that you’re located in.

      Reply

  • Lewis B.
    February 26, 2024

    The recipe itself is super tasty and lays out the techniques and ingredients well. The flavor was super chocolatey without being overtly sweet but they were still very rich. However, like other comments mentioned my brownies too sunk in the middle. Not a whole lot but still enough to hinder the presentation 🙁 yet I’m a bit confused why. I actually bought a 9×9 pan to reduce variability but they still sunk. Was my oven not preheated long enough or was the oven too hot? Some comments below mention both of these things. I also googled the issue and apparently technique when mixing the eggs/sugar can incorporate too much air which will cause the batter to inflate but then deflate as it cools.

    Also, I used some specialty instant coffee – a Single Origin Brazilian for these. That’s becoming a new trend with Specialty Coffee roasters, they’ll take their high quality beans, brew coffee with them and dehydrate for much better and vibrant instant than the cheap stuff at the grocery. The nutty coffee notes added a very nice contrast to the coffee without being overtly ‘coffee’ flavored. I’d recommend that. I only used 5 grams as that was the weight of the individualized packet it came in.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      February 26, 2024

      Thanks for sharing. Pre-heating your oven is of utmost important. If not, they can sink because they needed to bake longer. I highly encourage investing in an Internal oven thermometer . My oven will beep when it’s preheated but when I check the internal thermometer it still shows it needs to heat up about another 25 degrees. Also, the type of pan used can affect how the heat is distributed. I hope that helps.

      Reply

  • Tamara K.
    February 23, 2024

    Hi Natasha! This is a great recipe. I did have a question though. I’ve made these brownies four times. And two out of the four times, there are these little chewy bits in the brownies. It’s like a weird stringy bit of brownie that’s almost elastic in texture. I know nothing got in the batter, I’m wondering if that can happen due to overmixing? It’s only on the bottom of the brownies and only here and there.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      February 24, 2024

      HI Tamara, I haven’t had that happen so I had to do some research and this is what I found that might cause that: overmixing which develops more gluten, using too much flour, using ingredients like cake flour or bread flour or cake flour instead of all purpose. Also make sure to cool them before cutting. I hope that is helpful to you.

      Reply

      • Tamara K.
        February 24, 2024

        Okay, thank you! I’m also thinking that maybe I needed to let the chocolate mixture cool more before adding it. It may have cooked the egg slightly. Either way, I’ll just be extra cautious. Thank you for the help!

        Reply

  • Marci
    February 22, 2024

    I don’t have instant coffee. Can I substitute regular? Also am using an 8×8 pan
    What adjustments should i make

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 22, 2024

      Hi Marci! Instant coffee works best because it melts into the batter leaving behind flavor without effecting the texture. If you use ground coffee beans, it can have a grainy texture.

      Reply

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