The BEST Brownies
These brownies are rich and fudgy, featuring a glossy, crackled top and melty chocolate chips, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- ¾ cup butter (6 oz) Can use salted butter, adjust salt to taste.
- 1 ⅔ cup sugar (350 grams) – divided Use superfine sugar for faster dissolving or reduce total sugar by 10–15% for less sweetness.
- 3 large eggs Large eggs provide lift; beat thoroughly if using smaller eggs.
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder (65 grams) Natural unsweetened cocoa is standard.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 grams) Use gluten-free flour blend if needed, but expect a different crumb.
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips plus more for the top (170 grams) Use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, or use chopped baking chocolate for larger pockets.
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8x8 square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter with ⅔ cup of sugar, stirring frequently until the mixture is glossy and smooth. Cool slightly.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and the remaining 1 cup of sugar until slightly foamy.
- Gradually whisk the warm butter-sugar mixture into the egg-sugar mixture until smooth.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt over the batter, then fold gently until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and add more chocolate chips if desired.
Baking
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. The top should be set with a few cracks. Check with a toothpick for doneness; it should come out with a few moist crumbs.
Cooling and Serving
- Allow brownies to cool completely on a wire rack. Use the parchment paper to lift them out of the pan and cut into squares.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or let cool for a neat presentation.
Notes
Brownies keep well for up to 2-3 days at room temperature in an airtight container, or up to 5-7 days in the refrigerator. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.