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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!
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!
What makes them different
In a sea of countless fudgy brownie recipes, here’s what makes these different (and better, in my opinion!):
- 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
- 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
My tips to perfect these brownies
Here are my 5 most important tips to help you bake the perfect batch of brownies:
- 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
- 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
- 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!
- 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
- 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.
Step by step photos
Let’s quickly go over the steps with photos to help you visualize this recipe:
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.
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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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
Comments
Sana Fatima
Definitely the best fudgy brownies, and probably the only one without heaps of sugar. It gives a perfect chocolaty taste. Love it!
Zoha
Ah yes – had to make sure my recipe didn’t have 1.5 cups of sugar :p Thank you for trying it!
Hasna koppan
I swear they are the bestttt. It was so easy to make and really delicious. Im telling you if you try this recipe you wont search for any other recipe .you are amazing zoha?
Zoha
Aww, thank you Hasna! These brownies are definitely a staple in anyone’s repertoire.
Priyanka Paul
Best brownies ever!!
Ainne
I have tried your brownies recipe and let me tell you, its hands down best brownie recipe ever. I no longer fail at making them and they are gone before even i could get second piece of it… everyone at home loves them ☺️
Sinon
hi zoha I haven’t made this yet but I was wondering no baking soda?
Zoha
It’s not needed in brownies as we don’t need them to rise 🙂
Melissa
how long can we store them after baking on room temp and in fridge
Zaiba
Hey zoha no doubt amazing recipe I don’t know what went wrong the butter was too much and the brownie turned extremely fudgy and count even slice it .. pls do help
Zoha
:’) Makes me so happy to hear this. Thank you for trusting my recipe!
Zainab
hello Zoha, I have a question.
I don’t want my brownies to be Soo sweet. I do t want to add to much sugar. what should I do?
Param
Hi Zoha,
Question about the use of eggs. What is the equal replacement of eggs in most of your recipes like cakes, cookies and this brownie recipe? Your recipes are very tempting and i wana try them but i dont eat egg.
Zoha
HI Param. For any recipe in which you aren’t whipping eggs to add air, you can replace 1 egg with 1 tbsp flax seed mixed in 3 tbsp of water. However, in this recipe, the eggs are whipped, so that sadly won’t work
Maryam
Love these brownies, Zoha you are Baking Queen!
Dina
Hello
Could I do 1/2c sugar total?
Ananya Sahay
From the recipe:
Don’t mess with the butter, chocolate, and sugar ratio
I have tested the ratios of this recipe meticulously, so don’t try to reduce the butter or sugar and expect the same results.
Dina
Hello?
Zainab
if you reduce the sugar then you will not get the crinkle top . I have tried this.
Zoha Malik
Yup! But it’s not as important as flavor for some people 🙂
Zoha
Haha, thank you thank you!!!!
Mehreen
I love these brownies!