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stack of brownies

Recipes

,

Flavor

Fudgy Brownies

prep 10 minutes mins
cook 40 minutes mins
1 hour hr

My new and improved fudgy brownies have a rich, dark chocolate flavor, chewy edges, fudgy center and the perfect crinkly top.

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Fudgy Brownies

August 1, 2023
July 28, 2025

My new and improved fudgy brownies have a rich, dark chocolate flavor, chewy edges, fudgy center and the perfect crinkly top.

stack of brownies
Table of Contents
  • Why the new brownies
  • So what makes these brownies so much better?
  • Ingredients & Substitutions
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • When are brownies done baking?
  • How to get a thin crackly top for homemade brownies?
  • How to perfectly slice brownies?
  • How to store brownies?
  • Fudgy Brownie Recipe

Why the new brownies

Ok so once upon a time I developed a brownie recipe that I thought was quite perfect and I named her my PERFECT Fudge Brownies. Read that post to see why I loved them so much. Then fast forward like 5 years, after developing hundreds of new recipes, my standards have been raised. My sister so kindly brought to my attention that my brownies were sub-par *me choking*. 

So I set on a mission to make my brownies better for her. And then I realized it was for me because I couldn’t live with her saying boxed brownies were better than my brownies *blink blink*. I don’t know why it took me so long to make a better version of my brownies. 

If you do love my original brownies, I have some other variations as well like biscoff, oreo fudge and hot chocolate, and peppermint marshmallow, that I think you’ll love! 

You can also use this brownie recipe as the base to make ANY of my other flavors/versions. That’s definitely what I’ll be doing from now on.

fudgy brownies with crinkle tops

So what makes these brownies so much better?

  1. First off, they taste better and the texture is better. They have a richer chocolatey flavor and the texture is slightly less eggy and more fudgy. 
  2. They’re easier to make in my opinion. They follow the exact method of my other brownies, however, if you over-mix that one even slightly, you end up with a meringue on top (cuz of the extra egg) and then the center doesn’t bake well. So I would say these are more fool-proof.
  3. They get that PERFECT crackly top EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. without the fear of over-mixing.
  4. They’re fairly quick and super easy to make and ALWAYS a crowd pleaser. I’ve made them like five times last month alone lol. 
crinkly top of brownies

Ingredients & Substitutions

  • Butter: the butter gets melted so it doesn’t matter if it’s cold but it is quicker if the butter is already soft. I like salted butter but unsalted works too, just add an extra ¼ tsp of salt.
  • Chocolate: you can use milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate or dark chocolate. I prefer dark chocolate.
  • Eggs: always use large, room temperature eggs. Place them in hot water for 5-10 minutes if they’re cold.
  • Sugar: I use both brown sugar and granulated sugar in this recipe for the perfect flavor and texture combination. Light or dark brown sugar works fine.
  • Flour: I always use all-purpose flour and don’t recommend substituting. Should work fine with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend though.
    • ​​I also HIGHLY recommend using a digital scale, as flour is almost always over measured. 
  • Cocoa Powder: the better quality your cocoa powder is, the better your brownies will taste! My favorite is King Arthur Dutch Process Cocoa Powder or Rodelle Dutch Process Cocoa Powder. Don’t use sweetened cocoa powder though!
  • Salt: salt brings out the flavor in all baked goods and little flakey sea salt on top is what I live for. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Melt the butter with the chocolate chips and stir until they’re completely smooth.

butter and chocolate melted together

Step 2: Whisk the eggs with the sugars and cocoa powder aggressively for 2-3 minutes. 

eggs, sugar and cocoa powder whisked together

Step 3: Add the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and whisk again until it’s completely combined. 

chocolate and butter mixed into egg mixture

Step 4: Add the flour and salt and whisk just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. 

flour mixed into the brownie batter

Step 5: Spread the brownie batter in the pan and bake for about 45 minutes, remove and tap it on the counter. The brownies should level off if they’re baked. If they sink below the edge, put them back in the oven for a few minutes. 

Step 6: Allow to cool in the pan for 30-60 minutes before removing and slicing. 

brownie batter spread into pan
baked brownies

When are brownies done baking?

Brownies are by far the hardest thing for me to assess when they’re done baking. This is especially difficult when you have a meringue top instead of a thin crackle, because the top gets hard and crunchy so touching it with your finger doesn’t really help. That’s why I made this new recipe because it makes a beautiful, thin crackly top every time. 

When the top of your brownies have a thin little crackle on top instead of a thick meringue, you can press on it with your finger to see how firm the brownies are underneath. When you move the pan, if the batter jiggles, it’s definitely not done baking. 

You want to be able to push your finger on the top (in the center) and feel some resistance. It should feel like a brownie that’s a little “too gooey but almost perfect”. At this point, you’ll remove them from the oven and they will continue to bake as they’re cooling. If they’re firm when you remove them from the oven, they won’t be very gooey once they’re completely cooled.

Another thing I do to check for doneness is to tap the pan on the counter when I take it out of the oven. If the brownies level off perfectly, they’re done. If the center of the brownies sink below the edges, then put them back in the oven for a few minutes.

Look at the photo I have above, you can see how the center was just slightly shorter than the edge, those brownies were just slightly under-baked. I like them like that because once they cool completely to room temperature they are perfect. 

Can I just use the toothpick test?

Many people like to insert a toothpick into the center of baked goods to test for doneness. Usually if the toothpick is clean or if there are only a few moist crumbs on it then a cake is done baking. That doesn’t work for brownies. We want gooey, fudge brownies so when we remove them from the oven, they will still be a little undercooked and will finish baking as they cool. 

brownies stacked with with a glass of milk behind

How to get a thin crackly top for homemade brownies?

To get the perfect crackly top on these brownies you want to make sure you whisk the eggs with the sugar aggressively for 2-3 minutes. It helps if the eggs are at room temperature. 

Also the melted chocolate chips contribute to that crackly top so make sure not to skip anything in the recipe! 

How to perfectly slice brownies?

Ok I don’t know if it’s just me but if I’m not careful to take these extra steps, my brownies always end up looking like a pile of not so tasty brown stuff instead of a delicious pile of brownies. 

To get my brownies perfectly sliced it’s best to chill the brownies briefly. I froze them for about 20 minutes after they’ve cooled and then I ALWAYS run my large knife under hot water between every slice I cut. 

Yes, between every slice. Because they’re fudgy, some of the gooey chocolate gets stuck on the knife and if you just go to cut another slice it gets less and less pretty. 

brownies sliced and laid down

How to store brownies?

Once the brownies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container. They can stay at room temperature for a few days and in the refrigerator for 7-10 days. Make sure to bring them back to room temperature when serving. 

There are so many brownie recipes out there and I’m sure so many of them are amazing but I hope you give my new favorite brownie recipe a chance. 

If you make these new perfect brownies, make sure to leave a star review if you liked it. If not, please comment below and let me know what you think. 

As always, have a blessed day and happy baking!

Love, B

stack of brownies
Recipes
Flavor

Fudgy Brownie Recipe

4.71 from 113 votes
prep 10 minutes mins
cook 40 minutes mins
1 hour hr
total 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins
Serves 16 squares
My new and improved fudgy brownies have a rich, dark chocolate flavor, chewy edges, fudgy center and the perfect crinkly top.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe email recipe
Servings 16 squares
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Equipment

  • 1 large bowl
  • 1 medium heat proof bowl
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Rubber Spatula
  • 1 8 inch square pan

Ingredients

  • 170 grams salted butter, gets melted
  • 170 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips, (or dark)
  • 200 grams granulated sugar
  • 100 grams light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 40 grams Dutch-process cocoa powder, spooned and leveled
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 90 grams all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • pinch sea salt flakes, for topping

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 325F/163C convection and grease and line an 8×8” pan with baking spray and parchment paper (leaving an overhang to easily remove them). 
  2. Place the butter and chocolate in a medium, heat proof bowl and microwave for 1 minute, remove and stir until the chocolate and butter is melted and combined. 
    170 grams salted butter gets melted, 170 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips (or dark)
  3. In a large bowl, place the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and eggs. Whisk them together aggressively for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture is completely smooth. 
    200 grams granulated sugar, 100 grams light brown sugar lightly packed, 3 large eggs room temperature, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 40 grams Dutch-process cocoa powder spooned and leveled
  4. Add in the melted chocolate and butter and whisk until the mixture is fully combined.
  5. Add in the flour and salt and whisk just until there’s only a few streaks of flour left. 
    90 grams all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  6. Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 45ish minutes. The top should be thin and crackly and puffed in the enter.
  7. Tap it against the counter a couple of times, it should deflate a little but not be jiggly at all. When you press on it, it should feel soft underneath but not liquid-y.
  8. Allow to cool in the pan for 30-60 minutes. Top with a pinch of sea salt flakes and serve warm or cooled.
    pinch sea salt flakes for topping

Nutrition

Calories: 257kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 158mgPotassium: 136mgFiber: 2gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 322IUCalcium: 25mgIron: 2mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brownies, fudge brownies, fudgy brownies

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What did you think?




  1. Donna
    28.09.2025

    5 stars
    I don’t have any Dutch Process Cocoa Powder! Will regular cocoa powder work and if so, would I need to do anything different??

    Reply
    1. Bernice Baran
      29.09.2025

      Regular cocoa powder works fine! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Zerø
    27.09.2025

    5 stars
    My favorite brownie recipe!! Honestly it might be one of my top 5 favorite recipes of all time. The texture is perfect and the taste is addictive. They’re so good that I daydream about them sometimes. (Warning: it’s very hard to stop eating the raw batter)

    Reply
    1. Bernice Baran
      27.09.2025

      Thank you!! I’m so glad you like them 🙂

      Reply
  3. Jane
    09.09.2025

    2 stars
    Just made these. Super easy. Texture was AMAZING! Taste was unimpressive. Not sweet at all. Didn’t taste a strong chocolate flavor. Used high quality baking chocolate bar and followed instructions exactly as written. I’d like to try again if you have a recipe that is sweeter and more chocolatey.

    Reply
  4. Fatima Rida
    11.07.2025

    Can i substitute butter with oil

    Reply
  5. Elise
    05.07.2025

    5 stars
    Amazing! These brownies had a crackly top that I had been looking for a while. This was genuinely maybe one of the easiest and cleanest recipes I have ever done! I’ve read some reviews about how melting the butter with the chocolate was better to do on the stove, but personally I believe it was actually a genius and more easier way to melt it in the microwave. I also accidentally melted the butter first without the chocolate, so I just added the chocolate to the melted butter mixture and it still melted it and turned out perfect! after I topped it with flaky sea salt I tried it and OMG, it was the most fudgy tasting brownies ever. Honestly, it also wasn’t overpoweringly sweet, which is pretty rare to find in a brownie. I totally recommend this!

    Reply
    1. Bernice Baran
      05.07.2025

      Hi Elise, thank you so much for the kind review, I’m so glad you liked the brownies!! <333

      Reply
  6. Dallas
    28.05.2025

    5 stars
    Tasted amazing and not as hard as I thought to make them as a beginner baker. One thing I will say is that it took longer than 45 minutes to bake at 325. It took around 55 minutes to be fully baked.

    Reply
    1. Briana
      27.07.2025

      agree with this comment! I baked at 325 for closer to an hour.

      Reply
  7. Danise
    21.05.2025

    Can we add chocolate chunks in this recipe?

    Reply
    1. Bernice Baran
      21.05.2025

      Yes

      Reply
  8. Haku
    07.05.2025

    5 stars
    They are so scrumptious! Highly recommend making these! And I will continue to make them until I am sick of it xD

    One note I have however, is that I had to increase the temperature on my oven to 180°C instead of 160° since most of the dough on my first try was still fully liquid. Might just be my oven tho. But now on the second try, everything worked out as it should and is delicious~

    Reply
  9. Harry Neal
    14.04.2025

    5 stars
    Swapped out a 1/4 cup of the butter for coconut oil and they just as advertised, fudgy but not underbaked with a deep rich chocolate flavor. These are PDG.

    Reply
  10. Jessica
    26.03.2025

    5 stars
    Genuinely the best brownies recipe me or my family has ever had, and it’s really simple and easy! Would 100% recommend!

    Reply
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