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.
  • Zucchini – if you want to sneak in some veggies, try our Zucchini Brownies

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:

Fudgy Brownie Recipe

4.94 from 404 votes
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

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

Filed Under

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

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4.94 from 404 votes (227 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Julia
    September 22, 2023

    YUM!
    THis might be my fave brownie recipe ever! Sooooo rich. I”m glad I made the small batch (bread pan), I only need a small little brownie because these are just so rich. Wow, thanks for the recipe

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      September 22, 2023

      You’re very welcome, Julia! So glad you loved it.

      Reply

  • Vince
    September 22, 2023

    9×9 is too small, normally brownies don’t have baking powder, it made it rise and now it’s all over the bottom of my oven, skip the baking powder it’s not a brownie ingredient what a waste of chocolate and butter and what a mess I have to deal with in my oven now. Come on…

    Reply

    • Natasha
      September 22, 2023

      HI Vince, that sounds like a bummer for sure. 9×9 is accurate for this recipe and based on your feedback – I suspect maybe you used baking soda instead of baking powder. Soda is 4x more powerful than baking powder and could possibly make it overflow in a 9×9 (I haven’t tested this with soda but it could happen). Double check that you are using baking powder and also that you are measuring in teaspoons and not Tablespoons. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  • CHELSEA FERNANDES
    September 22, 2023

    If I were to omit the instant coffee entirely, how would it affect this recipe? Do you think the brownies would still turn out okay? Thanks and love your recipes!!!!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      September 22, 2023

      Hi Chelsea. The coffee elevates and brings out the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee but it would be fine without too.

      Reply

  • Kizzie
    September 13, 2023

    Just made these today and it was a hit. I followed the directions and I must say they are the best that I’ve made so far. Definitely will keep this recipe around.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      September 13, 2023

      I’m so glad to hear that, Kizzie! Thank you for sharing.

      Reply

  • Geraldyn
    August 26, 2023

    Hello Nastasha. This is my second try to make your fudge brownies. I follow your recipes but mine ended up ugly. The center always collapsed. What did I do wrong?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 26, 2023

      Hi Geraldyn, did you possibly you a different pan size? It could be due to using a different sized pan. I found that the 9×9 always gives the vest results.

      Reply

  • Heidi
    August 15, 2023

    If I have 1 stick of unsalted and 1 stick of salted, can I just omit the salt?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      August 15, 2023

      Hi Heidi, if using salted butter yes, you will need to either omit or adjust the salt.

      Reply

  • Sophia
    August 11, 2023

    Hi Natasha I baked these brownies and they were the best it was a fudgy and the top was crinkly and I love that, I also put big chocolate chunks in the batter and added chocolate chips on top, it was so fudgy!
    thank you for such an amazing recipe

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 11, 2023

      You’re so very welcome, Sophia! Thank you for testing the recipe!

      Reply

  • Crystal
    August 10, 2023

    Awesome brownies! Incredibly fudgy, but best after being in the fridge!
    Any chance I could sub coconut oil for butter?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      August 10, 2023

      Hi Crystal, thanks for the review! I have not used coconut oil to advise. If you do an experiment, we’d love to know how it goes!

      Reply

  • arleen giarla
    August 1, 2023

    can you replace expresso powder for the instant coffee and if so how much? Love your recipes

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      August 1, 2023

      Hi Arleen! Yes, I think that would be fine. I haven’t tested it myself but from my knowledge, espresso is more concentrated so you may try to use less.

      Reply

  • Linda
    July 31, 2023

    I love watching your video and always cook what you have shown. Delicious many thanks
    Linda

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      July 31, 2023

      Hi Linda! I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you for the feedback.

      Reply

  • Aleksandra
    July 10, 2023

    The best brownies I have ever had! A great dessert for chocolate lovers. Have you tried baking with raspberries or strawberries on top?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      July 10, 2023

      That’s so heartwarming, thank you! I haven’t tried that but I bet that will be a great experiment!

      Reply

  • Brittany
    July 4, 2023

    So delicious… I tried this recipe out last month. I didn’t put chocolate chips on top, but I added toasted walnuts to the batter. Definitely going to make again when the weather cools down in the fall. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      July 4, 2023

      Hi Brittany! Thank you for sharing.

      Reply

  • Ann
    July 3, 2023

    I tried this recipe, for some reason I and my family was disappointed with the taste, the bitterness was a bit too much for our liking. I tried this seeing the reviews but it turned out to a little disappointing compared to the ones I usually bake. It was not as fudgy but more to the cake like (I used the correct amount of baking powder). The top came out perfect on the plus side. A little bit more sugar may do it.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 4, 2023

      Hi Ann, they shouldn’t be bitter – did you possibly use a different type of cocoa powder or too much cocoa powder? Also, over-baking can make brownies more cake like. I remove them before they seem fully done (see recipe for tips on when they are done baking). Also, make sure to use a conventional oven and not convection which would require a modification in bake time or temperature.

      Reply

  • Sheena
    June 21, 2023

    Very experienced baker here! Followed this recipe exactly and did not get fudge brownies. Moist but crumbly. Flavor was okay but a bit much. Everyone in my house is very disappointed. But not as much as me. Waste of ingredients and effort!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 21, 2023

      Hi Sheena! I’m sorry to hear that. We love these brownies and have great results with the recipe. I have a tutorial on how to measure ingredients here. Overbaking, underbaking, cutting the brownies too quickly before having a chance to cool down can all cause that.

      Reply

  • Vanessa Naidoo
    June 20, 2023

    I have tried and love many recipes.
    I tried the brownie recipe and after baking it seems abit oily.
    Can you explain why this happened

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 20, 2023

      Hi Vanessa! Did you change anything in the process or make any substitutions? Letting them cool a bit may help but generally, if they are oily after baking it could be due to the way the ingredients were mixed, the quality of the butter or chocolate used, or possibly even baking them at too high of a temperate if your oven runs hot. I love using my internal oven thermometer to check the temperature of my oven when I bake. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  • Lhec Floro
    June 8, 2023

    My family loves this recipe. I’ve been using this for a couple of years now. I also use this as gifts to my family and friends. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      June 8, 2023

      That’s a wonderful idea! So glad you love the recipe. Thank you for the feedback.

      Reply

  • Kelly
    May 22, 2023

    Hi! My son is requesting brownies for his graduation party- I need 200! I’m wondering if I can freeze these as I make them in batches. Thank you!
    P.S. We love your recipes and videos!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 23, 2023

      Hi Kelly, I imagine that will work. We’d love to know how it goes if you try that out.

      Reply

  • Benny
    May 11, 2023

    These are actually pretty good. The inside gets a little too soft, but they are great!

    Reply

  • JV
    April 2, 2023

    These are still in the oven. Smell delicious!!!! The recipe says 1/2lb (32tbs) of butter but the video only mentioned 16tbs to melt. We’re the other 16tbs for the pan?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      April 2, 2023

      Hi JV. It’s 1/2 pound of butter which is 1 cup or 223g, so in total it us 16 Tbsp.

      Reply

  • Eline
    March 27, 2023

    I searched up a hack on YouTube on how to make a 9×13 pan smaller (9″) using tin foil. It worked! These brownies are so rich and decadent, definitely for chocoholics out there!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      March 27, 2023

      I’m so glad it all worked out and you loved this recipe, Eline!

      Reply

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