Chewy and Fudgy Homemade Brownies from Scratch

Brownies are an easy, quick way to have a delicious chocolate dessert. Top them with powdered sugar for an extra little pop of flavor.

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Who doesn’t love good fudgy brownies? I mean, seriously. Chocolate. Sweet. Dessert. Top with powdered sugar and we have a winner! I love these brownies from scratch, no worries about what they put in that boxed stuff.

These are the best homemade brownies because they come out chewy and fudgy with the perfect moist crumbs falling off these cakey brownies when they are warm. 

Bonus: they are made from ingredients that I always have on hand. I can have the best brownie recipe ready in no time, which is especially helpful if we have surprise guests over. 

You could also easily make the perfect brownies dairy-safe by subbing in vegan butter and vegan chocolate chips. I have a friend who can’t have dairy, so I’ve been learning a lot about that dietary restriction since she’s over every month for our Harry Potter club!

The best brownies only take about 15 minutes to prepare, which is not that much longer than the boxed brownies. And you still only have one item to clean in addition to the baking dish. With the boxed brownie mix, it’s usually a bowl, with this easy brownie recipe, it’s a pot. 

Sometimes, I’ll buy regular chocolate chips instead of the semi-sweet if we really want a sweet taste. But most of the time, the semi-sweet are still perfect for this dessert. 

Servings Suggestions

• For a fuller flavor, switch the granulated sugar to brown sugar.
• Top the easy brownies with powdered sugar, hot fudge, caramel, or chocolate syrup.
• You can use any baking pan such as a metal pan or a glass pan, but the bake time may vary. I also prefer a square pan, but any shape will work if the batter isn’t too thin. 
• Make your perfect brownie recipe into “blondies” by substituting the chocolate with white chocolate chips. 
• Have brownies a la mode by topping a warm brownie with some vanilla ice cream.
• The rich chocolate flavor of these easy homemade brownies pairs really well with a cup of your favorite instant coffee.  

Simple Ingredients

Sugar

Regular granulated sugar works best for this recipe. You could also try it with brown sugar for a more rounded and fuller flavor. 

Unsalted Butter

​For most baking, unsalted butter works the best. You aren’t adding extra salt to the mix and it tends to melt a little bit better. 

Water

The water is needed to loosen the brownie batter a bit. Otherwise, you could also use olive oil or vegetable oil for a moister brownie. 

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

While I have a sweet tooth and love milk chocolate chips, I have found that semisweet chocolate works best in these brownies. Next time, I want to make these white chocolate brownies. Or, if you prefer a richer taste, you can make the brownies with dark chocolate chips or chocolate chunks. 

Eggs

For the best results, make sure your eggs are at room temperature. When the eggs are too cold and added to the hot mixture they could start to cook too quickly. 

Vanilla Extract

Adding a bit of vanilla gives the brownies the best flavor. 

​All-Purpose Flour

Flour is used to thicken up the batter and make it a delicious cake-like brownie. 

Baking Soda

A bit of baking soda is needed to help the brownies rise as they bake to get that delicious crinkly top. 

Brownies from Scratch Step by Step

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 325F and grease an 8×8 baking dish or line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil for easy cleanup. 

In a medium saucepan melt the butter.

Stir in the sugar and water then set the heat to medium and cook until it starts to boil, stirring frequently.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir the chocolate chips into the hot butter until they are melted and smooth.

Mix in the eggs and vanilla with the melted chocolate. The mixture may be a bit hard to stir, but it loosens up.

Sift the flour and baking soda into the chocolate mixture and stir until the dry ingredients are combined with the wet ingredients.

Spread the brownie batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30-45 minutes, until the brownies have set with a crackly top and a toothpick test comes out clean.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired and serve warm. 

Homemade Brownies Leftovers

Storage: Place cooled brownies in an airtight container or cover the pan of brownies with plastic wrap and keep them on the counter for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. 

Reheating: If you store your brownies in the refrigerator and want them warm, place them in the microwave for about 10 seconds. 

Recipe

Brownies

Brownies are an easy, quick way to have a delicious chocolate dessert. Top them with powdered sugar for an extra little pop of flavor.

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Course:

Dessert

Cuisine:

American

Diet

Vegetarian

Keyword:

brownies

|

chocolate

|

chocolate chips

|

dessert

|

sweet

|

vanilla extract

Dietary Needs:

Nut-Free

Servings: 9 brownies

5 from 7 votes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Recommended Equipment

• Glass Baking Dish
• Saucepan – Medium

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325F
• Grease an 8×8 baking dish
• In medium saucepan combine sugar, butter, and water
• Cook over medium heat until boiling
• Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and smooth
• Mix in the eggs and vanilla
• Combine the flour and baking soda and stir into the chocolate mixture
• Spread evenly into the baking dish
• Bake for 30-45 minutes or until brownies have set and toothpick comes out clean

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Nutrition Facts

Brownies

Amount Per Serving (1 brownie)

Calories 287 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 8g40%

Cholesterol 44mg15%

Sodium 74mg3%

Potassium 193mg6%

Carbohydrates 34g11%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 22g24%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 145IU3%

Calcium 25mg3%

Iron 2.5mg14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

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