Fudgy Dark Chocolate Brownies (Not Too Sweet!)

Zoha Malik

by Zoha Malik

Updated:

Rated 4.90 out of 5

235 Comments
Jump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links

Add Bake with Zoha as a preferred source on Google and find more of my tried-and-tested recipes.

Add to preferred sources

I am going to ask you to trust me on this: these are the BEST Fudgy Brownies for real chocolate lovers. They have a rich chocolatey flavor which isn’t overpowered by sugar – unlike most brownie recipes – and a very fudgy, gooey texture. They have both dark chocolate and cocoa powder in their batter, and use my favorite little trick of grinding the sugar to achieve a shiny, crinkly crust every single time. And the best part? They take only 40 minutes start to finish!

A close-up of chocolate brownies cut into squares on a round white plate. The brownies have a shiny, crackled top with chocolate chips and a fudgy texture. Some chocolate shavings are scattered around the plate.

Definitely the best fudgy brownies, and probably the only one without heaps of sugar. It gives a perfect chocolatey taste!
– Sana, ★★★★★

This recipe is probably my biggest labor of love (and obsession) ever. I’m a childhood brownie fanatic and have spent years perfecting them. In fact, I created a whole course on brownies with 30+ science experiments. And after far too many failed batches that were too sweet, too cakey, or not shiny enough – finally, came the *perfect* brownies. This recipe has millions of views and thousands of remakes, and most people agree these are the best brownies they’ve ever made!

@bakewithzoha

The literal best brownies I’ve ever had the pleasure to eat. Recipe coming soon. #brownies #chocolate #foodtok #foodvideo #yummy #foodie

♬ BORN FOR THIS – Foxxi
A close-up of a stack of rich, fudgy chocolate brownies with melted chocolate chips, showing gooey texture and a shiny, crackly top. More brownies are visible in the background on parchment paper.

What makes them different

In a sea of countless fudgy brownie recipes, here’s what makes these different (and better, in my opinion!):

  1. Less sugar, more chocolate: Most brownie recipes use more than a cup and a half of sugar, which completely overpowers the chocolate. This recipe uses only 3/4 cup, and lets the chocolate flavor shine. The result is a dessert that tastes rich, decadent and chocolatey – exactly how it should be
  2. Ground sugar to guarantee the shiny crust: This is a simple trick I swear by and also use in my chewy cocoa powder brownies. Grinding the sugar into a powder (not the same as powdered / icing sugar!) helps it dissolve much more easily into the eggs, and you get the quintessential shiny, crinkly crust on your brownies even when they’re not as sweet
Close-up of rich, fudgy chocolate brownies cut into squares, topped with melted chocolate chips and chunks, showing a glossy, textured surface.

My tips to perfect these brownies

Here are my 5 most important tips to help you bake the perfect batch of brownies:

  1. Use high quality ingredients. The two most important ingredients are the chocolate and the cocoa powder – your brownies will taste only as good as them. I recommend a quality dark chocolate between 55-65% cocoa, such as Ghirardelli, Valrhona or Callebaut, and using chocolate bars, not chips. For cocoa powder, I highly recommend Dutch Processed. It has a much smoother taste and imparts a richer color to the brownies. However, 100% unsweetened cocoa powder works, too
  2. Measure precisely with a scale. The ratios in this recipe have been meticulously tested, and messing with them will affect the outcome. If you stuff too much flour into a measuring cup, the brownies will be cakey. If you reduce sugar more, they won’t have a shine. If you reduce butter, they will be dry – and so on
  3. Don’t skip the sugar grinding step, even if you’re using granulated or caster sugar. You can do this in a food processor or grinder. Then whip it into eggs for 3-5 minutes until pale, thick and ribbony – and you should get a shiny crust!
  4. Use a light metal pan. This disperses heat evenly without causing the brownies to burn, and results in crispy edges and a gooey interior. Glass or ceramic pans bake brownies unevenly and take much longer
  5. Don’t overbake. When it comes to brownies, the difference between fudgy and dry comes down to minutes. This is why I bake at a lower temperature of 335F, and lean towards under-baking. Use a toothpick to test for doneness around the ~22 minute mark: it should come out with moist crumbs attached to it.
A stack of four gooey chocolate brownies with melted chocolate oozing out, placed on a parchment-lined wooden board

Step by step photos

Let’s quickly go over the steps with photos to help you visualize this recipe:

A glass bowl filled with chocolate mixture sits on a wooden surface. A red silicone spatula, coated in the mixture, rests inside the bowl.
Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave in 20 second increments.
A glass mixing bowl containing two raw eggs and a mound of white sugar, placed on a wooden surface.
Grind the sugar, then add it to a bowl with the eggs.
A glass bowl filled with pale, frothy egg and sugar batter sits on a wooden countertop. Some of the batter is splattered on the rim of the bowl.
Whisk for 3-5 minutes until the mixture becomes pale and thick, and nearly triples in volume.
A glass bowl filled with a pale yellow batter, topped with droplets of vanilla extract, sits on a wooden surface. Some batter is splattered on the sides of the bowl.
Pour in the chocolate mixture, along with coffee dissolved in water.
butter, chocolate, eggs and sugar whisked together in a glass bowl
Whisk on low speed until just combined.
A glass mixing bowl on a wooden surface contains sifted cocoa powder, sugar, and flour, with some ingredients clinging to the sides of the bowl.
Sift in the dry ingredients.
A glass bowl filled with thick brownie batter is being mixed with a red spatula, placed on a wooden surface.
Gently fold with a spatula until just combined.
A glass bowl filled with brownie batter and topped with dark and milk chocolate chips sits on a wooden surface. A red spatula is partially submerged in the mixture, ready for stirring.
Lastly, fold in chopped chocolate or chocolate chips of choice.

Spread the batter in a 9×9″ pan, and bake. Let the brownies rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing. These brownies also serve as a great based for more indulgent desserts. For example, you can turn them into Pecan Pie Brownies by adding a layer of pecan pie filling on top, or mix with cookie dough and upgrade them into thick and fudgy Brookies.

A round white plate with square-cut, best fudgy brownies topped with chocolate chips, arranged in a neat grid on a light textured background. Some crumbs are scattered around the plate.
Print
A close-up of four gooey, fudgy dark chocolate brownies stacked on top of each other, with melted chocolate visible on their surface. More brownies are blurred in the background on a wooden board.

Fudgy Dark Chocolate Brownies (Less Sweet!)

by Zoha Malik

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.90 stars from 69 reviews

Ultra fudgy brownies with a deep chocolatey flavor that’s not overpowered by sugar, and a simple trick to guarantee a shiny crinkly crust!

Yield:16 brownies

Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
40 mins

Ingredients

  • 4 oz high quality dark chocolate, between 55-65% cocoa (113g) – I use Callebaut*
  • 10 tbsp unsalted butter (140g)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g)
  • 2 large eggs, ideally at room temperature
  • 1 tsp instant coffee mixed with 1 tsp hot water
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour (65g)
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder (35g) – it is best to use dutch processed
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 2 to 4 oz chopped chocolate or chocolate chips to fold in at the end (56g to 113g) – I use a mixture of milk and dark; you can also add additional chocolate on top of the brownies at the end*

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat your oven to 335F (conventional) and line a 9×9” baking pan with parchment paper and a light coating of butter. I recommend letting the parchment paper rise to the top of the pan on the sides, so it can be used to lift the brownies out of the pan after they have cooled down
  2. Start by grinding the sugar. Measure it before grinding, then add to a food processor or grinder, and pulse for around 60 seconds, shaking in between, until the sugar looks more like a fine powder. This will be used in step 4 below
  3. Microwave the butter and 4oz dark chocolate in a heat safe bowl in 20 second increments, gently stirring in between, until fully melted and combined. Do not over-heat the mixture as that can cause the chocolate to seize 
  4. In the meanwhile, whisk the eggs and ground sugar using a stand mixer or hand mixer at medium-high speed for 3-5 minutes. You should achieve a very thick, pale and ribbony mixture that is at least triple in volume. This step is important in developing the shiny crust of the brownies 
  5. Pour the melted chocolate and butter mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Also add the instant coffee mixed in hot water. Whisk at low speed until the mixture is just combined 
  6. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet using a rubber spatula. Be careful not to knock out the air in the batter or over-mix
  7. Lastly, fold in the chopped chocolate or chocolate chips of your choice until just combined. The brownie batter will be thick, and will get thicker as the minutes pass; that’s completely normal
  8. Transfer the batter into the lined pan and spread it evenly using a spatula. The batter might feel thick – that’s just the chocolate starting to firm up.  Optionally, press in more chocolate chunks on the top to give the brownies a pretty look 
  9. Bake immediately in the pre-heated oven for 20-25 min until the brownies look set on the edges, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with moist crumbs on it (it should not be clean). This usually takes 22 minutes for me. The brownies will continue to cook as they cool down 
  10. Remove from the oven and let the brownies cool to room temperature (about 20 to 30 minutes). Then remove from the pan, cut with a sharp knife, and serve! 

Video Tutorial

Notes

  • Dark chocolate in the brownie batter: This recipe originally had 1 oz semi sweet chocolate mixed with 3 oz of dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa) in the batter. I have now simplified it to 4 oz of dark chocolate (55-65% cocoa) as that achieves the same result. You can definitely tailor the cocoa percentage based on your preference, but ensure at least 55% overall for the best results
  • Chocolate mix in: There is more flexibility on the chocolate you fold into the batter. I recommend chopped chocolate or callets, but chips can also be used. You can use milk, dark, white, or a mixture based on the desire of sweetness you want, and also increase or decrease the quantity. However, I don’t recommend omitting it
  • Coffee: The small amount of added coffee helps enhance the chocolate flavor, you don’t taste it. But if you’re avoiding caffeine, you may skip it
  • Make ahead and storage: You can store these brownies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but they’re best eaten within 1 day

Leave a Rating and a Comment

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Unsubscribe anytime.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


Comments

  1. Saamiah

    We don’t get semi sweet choco chips In the UK, what can we substitute it for?

    1. Zoha

      just use more dark chocolate 🙂

  2. Vishaka Subramaniam

    hii can i make these in a 9×13 inch pan? if so how do i adjust the baking time? and i dont have a stand mixer, can i use a hand mixer instead?

    1. Zoha

      You will have to 1.5x all quantities for 9×13″ pan, same baking time. And yes hand mixer works!

  3. Maryam

    I made these ooey gooey fudgy brownies using this recipe and I’m a fan😍 Zoha’s recipes are always foolproof and i find myself coming back to this page for more. Appreciate all the effort and love you pour into your recipes Zoha ❤️

    1. Zoha

      Thank you so much, Maryam!

  4. Sana Mazhar

    Its the best brownie recipe ever, these came out perrfeccttt!! There is nothing that needs to be changed, just perfect! 🙃 thankU for such an incredible recipe ❤️

    1. Zoha

      Thank you so much, Sana!

  5. Nazreen

    Hi Zoha, I only have 8×8 inch pans. How should I adjust the baking time?

    1. Zoha

      Add ~2-3 minutes!

  6. Abigail

    Hi Zoha, my brownies always turn out too oily, what must be the reason? I always follow your recipe correctly but still and also they don’t come out neatly as your’s as shown in the pic and video. I absolutely love the taste b
    though but it feels too oily. Please do reply.
    It’s not easy to find caster sugar/fine sugar here in India, it’s expensive and granulated sugar that I get, has big granules. I have used powdered sugar in this recipe, does it make a difference? But please explain the oily part

    1. Zoha

      For sugar, you should get granulated sugar and grind it. Powdered sugar is different.
      For the oiliness – I am not sure, they shouldn’t be oily. What kind of butter and chocolate are you using?

  7. Naurin

    hey zoha , I am about to try this recipie, I wanted to know if its okay to add vanilla essence and also, will 3/4 tsp salt make it too salty?

    1. Zoha

      You can add vanilla if you like, and no, I don’t think 3/4 tsp is too salty. Feel free to reduce to 1/2 tsp to be safe, though!

  8. M

    Hi Zoha! Do you think it’ll taster better if we brown the butter first(on a stove) and then add chocolate to it

    1. Zoha

      You can def do that!!

  9. Sundus Shakeel

    Hands down these are the best brownies I’ve ever made and eaten. 🙌🏻 This is really a full proof recipe that I’ve tried this multiple times and it was never a fail. And I’m not even exaggerating when I say this. Simple thankyou for existing girl and bringing the best dessert recipes our way. 😍♥️

    1. Zoha

      Awwww thank you So SO SO much, Sundus!! God bless you!

  10. Madeeha Adeel

    Best recipe

    1. Zoha

      Thank you!

  11. Hammadah

    Hi Zoha! You know what, this recipe is da bomb! I am not a fan of brownies, but this one is exceptional. Tried so many recipes, but this one is the best. No words needed. Btw, may I know is it possible if we keep the batter overnight and bake on the next day? Thanks! Lots of love from Malaysia

    1. Zoha

      Awww, you totally made my day, Hammadah! Thank you so so much!!! I recommend baking straight away for the best results 🙂

  12. Shehnaz Shaik

    I’ve already tried several other recipes of yours and I know for a fact that your recipes come with 200% taste guaranteed. I am a fan! The brownies are perfect. I used Ghirardelli chocolate and in the end added chopped walnuts instead of chocolate chips. It comes together perfectly and I’m worried I might finish them off by myself. You’re the best Zoha❤️

    1. Zoha

      Aww thank you SO much, Shehnaz! Your kind support means the world to me 🙂

  13. Ramla Zulfiqar

    zoha if we bake these brownies in gas oven which is not conventional. it has no fan, at which temperature should we bake and for how many mins and will it give the same result?

    1. Zoha

      no fan is the same as conventional 🙂 So the same as my oven!

  14. Reena

    I added 1TBSP more coffee, just because I love how coffee brings out the chocolate flavour. These brownies came out so darn good! Just the right amount of gooey and flaky. This will definitely be my go to brownie recipe! Thank you Zoha!! 🙂

    1. Zoha

      YAYYY thank you so much, Reena!!!

  15. Zainab

    Hi, Zoha! The brownies turned out amazing.
    However, I was wondering if we can replace some white sugar with brown sugar in this recipe? As I usually add some brown sugar in my brownies and wanted to ask how it would turn out in this recipe.

    1. Zoha

      You can replace half of the white sugar with brown if you want to try it out!

    2. M

      Same question. The brown sugar gives it that chewy texture so can we add half brown sugar and half white sugar

      1. Zoha

        You can definitely make that swap – I don’t think it makes a huge different

      2. Zainab

        Hi. So I tried these today by adding some brown sugar and here’s what I did:
        1. Replaced 1/4th quantity of white sugar with brown sugar
        2. The taste was amazing however, there wasn’t much of a difference
        3. This batter baked quickly. I am not sure about the science behind it but my brownies were done in 15 minutes.

        Overall. I would prefer sticking to the original recipe because it is perfect! You can try adding brown sugar but it’s not worth the effort imo.

        1. Zoha

          So helpful! Thanks for sharing, Zainab

  16. Faiza

    Best best best!

    1. Zoha

      Thank you!!

  17. Karen

    This looks fantastic. Can we bake it a day ahead? How would you suggest we store it?

    1. Zoha

      I think brownies are best fresh! Otherwise keep at room temp in an airtight container.

  18. Shadma

    Mine turned out very bad. Too bitter to eat. There was no fudge aswell.

  19. Ams

    I’m not much of a baker and I’ve tried making brownies before and never got it right. This was the best and easiest brownies ever and I was over the moon about the flakey top. I’ve baked this 3 times already since Eid and plan on baking it again this weekend for my husband’s work and I’m quite excited about it. Thanks Zoha!

    I tried your one serve chocolate cake and that was a hit too!!

    1. Zoha

      Thank you SO SO SO much!! Really glad that you like this recipe <3

  20. Andrea

    Hi Zoha!!!
    My first time to bake brownies and this recipe never failed me!! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.
    I just want to know if I can add nuts on top or mixed with the chocolate batter?
    Im excited to try your other recipes!!

    1. Zoha

      Aww, thank you Andrea! You can definitely mix in nuts – i recommend toasting them first for the best flavor

Get Notified When New Recipes Drop

Subscribe to get all of my latest recipes in your inbox.


Chocolate chip cookies on a white background

You might also like