Dark Chocolate Brownies
Brownies are a popular dessert typically made from chocolate, sugar, flour, eggs, and butter. Recipes for brownies are in plenty. Learn about how to make the BEST EVER dark chocolate brownies here.
Chocolate brownies can seem difficult to make, but with the right recipe, a simple bowl, and a little time, you can make these rich, delicious treats for yourself and the ones you love.
These are a staple at bake sales and bakeshops all over the country. Most brownies are prepared as a baking mix that is then baked and cut. Some brownies are prepared from scratch, from start to finish, as we are going to do here.
These brownies are moist, dense, fudgy, and chocolaty. And, using both chocolate and cocoa powder adds a rich chocolate taste. Ideally, you need no excuse to make these, but take them with you for your next party invitation and everybody will beg you for the recipe. They are so good!
Why make these brownies
- And, a good brownie should have a little crisp crust on the top with a soft, sweet, fudgy almost, melt in your mouth center. And, that’s what this one is.
- I have tried and tested this recipe for so many years. It’s like a winning formula that works as a base for my other brownie recipes.
- All the ingredients in this recipe are easy to find or pantry staples.
- The process for mixing the brownies is as little as 10 minutes with baking for 30 minutes.
- You don’t need any electric mixers or stand mixers. Just a large bowl and whisk works just fine.
- I am using the microwave to melt the butter and chocolate but you can also make a double boiler with a saucepan over a pot of simmering water.
- These do stay well so make a big batch (double batch) and save some for later. Leftovers can also be frozen in the freezer for up to a month.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Chocolate – You know how I feel about my chocolate. If you are going to bake with chocolate, use the best quality dark chocolate for the best chocolate flavor. Please do not use baking chocolate. Nothing is worse than baking a beautiful recipe and realizing you didn’t take it to its ultimate luxury. You can also use dark chocolate chips,
- Sugar – The white sugar adds a bit of crisp skin to the top. You can replace half the sugar with brown sugar for a fudgy texture as it keeps it deliciously soft and moist with that distinct taste from the molasses.
- Eggs – Large eggs work as a leavening agent here. Notice we don’t have any baking powder or baking soda in this recipe.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – I use Dutch process cocoa powder. It’s what gives the brownies that dense dark chocolate color and texture.
- Flour – Adds stability to the brownie. To make it gluten-free you can use almond or coconut flour too.
- Coffee – 1 tsp is not much. You can add more if you like. I prefer a subtle hint of coffee that does not take away from my distinct brownie taste.
Dark chocolate brownies
- Preheat oven 350°F/ 177°C/ Gas Mark 4.
- Prep pans – Line a 13 x 9 baking with cooking spray, parchment paper, or aluminum foil. (I used a 9 x 9 square baking pan in the video)
Pro tip – make sure to leave an overhang of parchment paper along the edges so you can pick the baked brownie out for easy slicing.
- Dry ingredients – In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa, and salt. Use a whisk to ensure everything is well combined.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl add the butter and chocolate. Melt it on high at one-minute intervals until smooth.
Pro tip – Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in a saucepan over low heat.
- Wet ingredients – Add sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture and stir until the mixture is almost cooled. Then, add the eggs one at a time making sure each one is well incorporated before adding the next. Then, add the vanilla extract and brewed coffee.
Pro tip – combine the sugar well so it cools the chocolate mixture otherwise it will curdle the eggs. - Combine dry to wet – Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips. Combine well until no dry flour is seen.
- Bake – Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.
Pro tip – brownies are best undercooked rather than overcooked so make sure not to overcook the brownies.
- Cool – Place the baking pan on the wire rack for a few minutes. Then pick the whole slab of brownies out of the pan with the help of the parchment overhang and cool further. Then, cut into 16 squares.
Variations
- Chocolate Brownies – use semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate chips. In fact, the dark the chocolate the less sweet the brownies will be.
- Pecan Brownies – You can also play with the choice of nuts. For example, I usually like pecans. In fact, try my Pecan Pie Brownies.
- Walnut brownies – And yet, walnuts also make a perfect match with chocolate, as I have in my Chocolate Walnut Brownies.
- Chocolate chip brownies – try white chips to make a chocolate chip brownie.
- Fudge sauce – Make these brownies and top with the most delicious fudge sauce made with condensed milk – try my Chocolate Fudge Brownies as well as my
- Strawberry chocolate brownies – bake the chocolate brownies halfway then top with strawberry filling and bake further to make the most deliciously moist Strawberry Chocolate Brownies.
- Caramel brownies – generously drizzle caramel sauce over the brownie batter before and after baking.
- Chocolate brownie cake – additional flour with a little bit of sour cream makes a wonderful chocolate brownie cake with a soft crumb.
Tips for Success
- Use good quality chocolate – Chocolate is the star of the show in brownies, so use good quality chocolate that you like to eat. No compound chocolate, baking chocolate, or imitations. I like to use between 60 to 70% Coverture chocolate (Callebaut, Laubeca, Ghiradelli, and Godiva are my favorite brands).
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. This will prevent overmixing, as well as the proper combining of all ingredients.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper so the brownies won’t stick. If possible leave an overhang so you can take the whole slab off the pan to cut into squares. It’s always easier to cut when it is outside the tin as compared to inside the tin.
- Know your preference – If you like soft, fudgy brownies take them off when the batter is baked but still quite moist. If you like them dense, then let them bake until just set. Remember they will continue to bake as they cool.
- Timing is key – It’s always best to underbake brownies rather than overbake, so keep a close eye at the end of baking time.
- Let the brownies cool – This is difficult but so necessary. If you let the brownies cool, you will be able to cut them into nice defined squares. If not, they are too soft and tend to fall apart.
More chocolate recipes
If stored properly, these dark chocolate brownies will last for about 3 to 4 days at room temperature or in the fridge for up to a week. Store them in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out. You can even freeze them for over a month.
These can be baked up to 3 to 4 days ahead of time. However, if you are making them for a bake sale or to give as gifts, it is best to make them no more than a day ahead, so people will also have some storage time.
Brownies are similar to cakes and you test them with a toothpick or skewer inserted in the center. However, unlike cake, you do want brownies to still be moist and wet in the center. Hence, it’s better to underbake rather than overbake brownies.
If too much air is incorporated into the mixture during mixing, the brownies batter the brownies can sink in the middle. Therefore, it’s best to not over mix especially when adding the eggs.
Can you see that thin layer of crust? And look at how moist that center looks. The secret? Never overbake brownies. My mom’s first rule to baking brownies – err on the side of under-baked rather than over-baked. Why? No one ever complains about moist brownies, and yet no one will forget if you give them dry chocolate brownies. Agree?
The secret to chewy brownies lies in the recipe’s ingredients and baking technique. Here are some tips to achieve that desired chewy texture:
– Use a combination of melted chocolate and cocoa powder in the recipe. This helps to create a denser, fudgier texture.
– Use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar. Brown sugar contains more moisture than white sugar, which helps to keep the brownies moist and chewy.
– Use melted butter instead of softened butter. Melted butter adds more moisture to the brownies, resulting in a chewier texture.
Don’t overmix the batter. Mix the ingredients until just combined, as overmixing can lead to a cakey texture.
– Bake the brownies at a lower temperature for a longer time. This will help to create a crispy crust on the outside and a chewy texture on the inside.
Once the brownies are baked, allow them to cool completely in the pan before cutting them. This will help the brownies set and develop their chewy texture.
Dark Chocolate Brownies
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Video
Ingredients
- 8 oz (200 g) Chocolate (dark, bittersweet chocolate chips, or semi-sweet chocolate)
- 6 oz (170 g) Unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup (220 g) Sugar
- 3 large Eggs
- ⅔ cup (80 g) All purpose flour (or gluten-free flour)
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp (15 g) Cocoa powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 4 oz (110 g) Chocolate chips
Optional
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Brewed coffee (or 1/2 tsp espresso powder )
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350°F/ 177°C/ Gas Mark 4.
- Prep pans – Line a 13 x 9 baking with cooking spray, parchment paper, or aluminum foil. (I used a 9 x 9 square baking pan in the video)Pro tip – make sure to leave an overhang of parchment paper along the edges so you can pick the baked brownie out for easy slicing.
- Dry ingredients – In a medium bowl combine the flour, cocoa, and salt. Use a whisk to ensure everything is well combined.⅔ cup All purpose flour, 2 tbsp Cocoa powder, ¼ tsp Salt
- In a large microwave-safe bowl add the butter and chocolate. Melt it on high at one-minute intervals until smooth. Pro tip – Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in a saucepan over low heat.8 oz Chocolate, 6 oz Unsalted butter
- Wet ingredients – Add sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture and stir until the mixture is almost cooled. Then, add the eggs one at a time making sure each one is well incorporated before adding the next. Then, add the vanilla extract and brewed coffee. Pro tip – combine the sugar well so it cools the chocolate mixture otherwise it will curdle the eggs.1 cup Sugar, 3 large Eggs, 1 tsp Vanilla extract, ¼ cup Brewed coffee
- Combine dry to wet – Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips. Combine well until no dry flour is seen.4 oz Chocolate chips
- Bake – Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Pro tip – brownies are best undercooked rather than overcooked so make sure not to overcook the brownies.
- Cool – Place the baking pan on the wire rack for a few minutes. Then pick the whole slab of brownies out of the pan with the help of the parchment overhang and cool further. Then, cut into 16 squares.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Use good quality chocolate – Chocolate is the star of the show in brownies, so use good quality chocolate that you like to eat. No compound chocolate, baking chocolate, or imitations. I like to use between 60 to 70% Coverture chocolate (Callebaut, Laubeca, Ghiradelli, Godiva are my favorite brands).
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature. This will prevent overmixing, as well as the proper combining of all ingredients.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper so the brownies won’t stick. If possible leave an overhang so you can take the whole slab off the pan to cut into squares. It’s always easier to cut when it is outside the tin as compared to inside the tin.
- Know your preference – If you like soft, fudgy brownies take them off when the batter is baked but still quite moist. If you like them dense, then let them bake until just set. Remember they will continue to bake as they cool.
- Timing is key – It’s always best to underbake brownies rather than overbake, so keep a close eye at the end of baking time.
- Let the brownies cool – This is difficult but so necessary. If you let the brownies cool, you will be able to cut them into nice defined squares. If not, they are too soft so tend to fall apart.
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
I made this recipe minus the coffee. I agree with Joy 200 g of butter seen
med a bit much. Actually 200 grams of butter is equal to about 1.76 sticks of butter. Sticks of Butter In the United States, butter is commonly sold in sticks that are 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) in size, weighing 4 ounces, or about 113 grams.
So understand why some peoples brownies came out very rich.
Mine came out good by using 1 and 3/4 sticks of butter.
the only reason I didn’t give a5 star rating is because I really didn’t get to taste them. I ran into a problem when I went to cut them. They crumbled. I know I didn’t over bake them since I didn’t cook them for the full time. The toothpick came out moist. I let them sit for several hours but they were a big disappointment. I don’t know what I did wrong. Do you have any idea? I haven’t made up my mind if I want to make the walnut! brownies or the fudge brownies with the chocolate glaze. I don’t want to waste my chocolate again. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Maureen, they can only be crumbly if they had no moisture in them! which usually happens when cakes and brownies are overbaked.
If moist then the moisture would ensure they do not fall apart. Overbaked brownies are a disappointment. I’m sorry.
Veena, did you really mean to use TWO whole sticks of butter? Your recipe calls for 8 ounces of butter, and each stick is 4 ounces, meaning two sticks. Shouldn’t that have been 8 tablespoons, or ONE stick? I had a very small window of time to make my husband’s valentine brownies and unfortunately used this recipe which of course turned out to be a big fatty mess.
hey Joy. The recipe is correct. I do use 200 g (8 oz) of butter in this brownie. it is rich and fudgy. It should not be a problem. I make it all the time.
Hello i wanted to ask for the optional coffee brewed. You mean its optional to put coffee but i will have to put hot water or i can omit completely. Sorry if i sound stupid. Thank you!
You can omit the coffee as well Mariam. Thanks
Just so I understand that too, I will omit the coffee & the 60.ml of water too. So it’s no coffee or water? Thanks, will make these today so hopefully will hear back from you!
Yes, Bea, You can omit the coffee and water too!
Ill be making 150 brownies for a christening and since its impossibke to bake all of them in one day can i freeze the batter so that i can make a cheese frosting on top before baking? If can be done do i bake straight from freeze or not? Thank you very much your recipe rocks !!!
Hey Nicoletta.
Yes, baked brownies can be frozen for up to a month. Pack them well in freeze-safe bags.
Also, brownie batter has no leavening so it is one batter that can be chilled or frozen in freezer-safe bags.
Make sure to thaw in the fridge overnight and at least for 20 minutes before you serve.