Classic Brownies
These fudgy homemade brownies may be basic, but they’re anything but boring.
What I love about brownies is how easily they come together. Even completely from-scratch, brownies take just a few minutes of prep. They’re my go-to for potlucks, dinner parties, and nights at home when we need a sweet treat. And really, who doesn’t like brownies?
In my recipe archives you can find all sorts of brownie variations— with frosting, packed with nuts, swirled with pumpkin, stuffed with candy bars, etc. But this right here is a classic no-frills recipe and the brownies are simple, but perfect. They’re rich, fudgy and oh so chocolaty.
baking tip:How to make brownies with a shiny crackly crust
There are two steps to making brownies with a shiny crackly crust:
- Follow a recipe that incorporates melted chocolate into the brownie batter. Brownies that use only cocoa powder often bake up with a dull matte finish.
- Once you add the eggs to the batter, beat the mixture for 2-3 minutes. Beating the eggs with the sugar already in the batter will incorporate air, which will rise to the surface during baking and create a thin, meringue-like layer.
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Classic Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick, 113 grams), cubed
- 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (85 grams), chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (90 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Optional add-ins: 1 cup chocolate chips (170 grams) or walnuts (113 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square pan or line with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate and butter. Heat until melted, stirring often.
- Remove from heat and stir in the sugar.
- Add the eggs one at a time, blending after each. Stir in vanilla.
- Add flour and salt and mix just until incorporated. Stir in the chips and/or walnuts, if using.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan dish and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published January 2010.
5 Comments on “Classic Brownies”
I didn't check your blog soon enough!! We were craving brownies last sunday, found one, and well I can say is "I've had better"! I should have checked out your blog, cause dang do those look good!!
hey girl- this looks so yummy!
I had a craving for brownies and got your email about these. They were so fudgy and delicious. I also used your shiny crackly crust technique. All in all, the best scratch brownies ever!
Yay! So happy to enjoyed them! 🙂
I am so glad to find this recipe – I used to make these brownies all the time from a recipe in a 1960’s ‘Encyclopedia of Cooking’ book – which is long gone. I recalled some of the recipe, but not all – yours is the authentic original! Thank you!