Fudgy Chocolate Brownie Squares (Printable)
Rich, fudgy chocolate brownies with a crackly top and moist interior—pure chocolate indulgence in every bite.
# What You'll Need:
→ Wet Ingredients
01 - 10.5 oz unsalted butter
02 - 7 oz dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa), chopped
03 - 4.4 oz granulated sugar
04 - 3.5 oz light brown sugar
05 - 3 large eggs
06 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
07 - 3.2 oz all-purpose flour
08 - 1 oz unsweetened cocoa powder
09 - 1/2 tsp fine salt
→ Optional Add-Ins
10 - 2.1 oz chopped walnuts or pecans
11 - 2.6 oz dark chocolate chips
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal.
02 - Place butter and chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir gently until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
03 - Add granulated sugar and light brown sugar to the melted chocolate mixture. Whisk until fully combined and glossy.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition until the batter is smooth and emulsified. Stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Sift all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and fine salt together into a separate bowl. Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet batter using a spatula until just combined—avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.
06 - If desired, fold chopped walnuts or pecans and dark chocolate chips into the batter with a few gentle strokes.
07 - Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Smooth the surface with a spatula for a uniform finish.
08 - Bake on the center rack for 22–25 minutes, or until the top is set and glossy with a slight jiggle in the center. A toothpick inserted should come out with moist crumbs, not clean.
09 - Allow brownies to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once fully set, lift out using the parchment overhang and cut into 12 even squares.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- That crackly top shatters like thin glass and gives way to something impossibly fudgy underneath, a texture contrast that will ruin store bought brownies for you forever.
- The recipe uses one bowl and zero fancy techniques, so you can go from craving to eating in under an hour without breaking a sweat.
02 -
- Underbaking by just a minute or two is the single most important thing you can do for a fudgy center, because brownies continue cooking in the pan long after you pull them out.
- Tapping the pan firmly on the counter once when it comes out of the oven helps settle the crumb and produces a denser, more even texture throughout.
03 -
- Dusting the parchment paper lightly with cocoa powder instead of flour prevents any white residue from appearing on the edges of your brownies.
- Adding half a teaspoon of espresso powder to the dry ingredients makes the chocolate taste deeper and more intense without adding any coffee flavor at all.