Classic Brownies that are rich and chewy with a crackly crust are an easy pantry recipe (no chocolate chips even needed!) made from melted butter and cocoa powder in just 30 minutes!
If you’ve tried my recipes for Peanut Butter Brownies, S’Mores Brownies, and Cookie Dough Brownies and loved them, but want something a little more classic to serve at your next get together, try this classic, delicious Brownie recipe.
BROWNIES
They’re fudgy, chewy, gooey, chocolatey, cakey, moist, and pretty much any other word you can think of to describe the best Brownie ever.
The next time you have a craving for rich, delicious Brownies with a crackly top and gooey center, you should definitely try this recipe. The great thing about homemade Brownies versus the kind you pick up from the grocery store is that you can control exactly what goes in them and can customize them to fit the occasion. They also have a conveniently short cook time, which makes them easy to bake on a busy night.
Once you’ve mixed together everything for your batch of Brownies and they’ve developed that perfect crackly top, you should still test the middle to make sure that they’re cooked through. All you need to do this is an ordinary toothpick. Insert the toothpick into the center of the pan of Brownies and pull it back out again. If the toothpick is clean, then the inside of the Brownies is solid, and if the toothpick has batter stuck to it then you need to put it back into the oven for a few more minutes. Another handy trick to make your Brownies have a smooth top is to pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
HOW TO MAKE BROWNIES
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan.
- Mix melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
- Whisk in cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Spread batter into the baking pan evenly.
- Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.
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VARIATIONS ON BROWNIES
- Toppings and Add Ins: Try adding in some semi-sweet, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even peanut butter chocolate chips. You can also try some sliced nuts, like cashews or pecans. Try drizzling some chunks of fudge, melted chocolate, caramel sauce, brown sugar, confectioner’s sugar, or even espresso powder over the top of the Brownies to give them a whole new flavor palate.
- Serve with: Try serving up the Brownies with a scoop of Homemade Ice Cream or a dollop of Homemade Whipped Cream.
How Long are Brownies good?
- Serve: Brownies are good at room temperature for up to 2 days before they get stale. You can increase the shelf life by keeping them in plastic wrap or an airtight container.
- Store: Brownies will stay fresher in the fridge. Keep them wrapped up and they will last up to 3 days. They will also stay more moist and you can serve them chilled, straight out of the fridge.
- Freeze: Always let your Brownies cool down to room temperature before you store them. The Brownies will be good in the freezer for up to 3 months, and you can put layers of parchment paper in between them to keep the Brownies from fusing together.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray an 8x8 inch baking pan with baking spray.
- Whisk together melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Whisk in the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Spread batter evenly into greased baking pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Nutrition
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These brownies had a lovely, sweet taste but didn’t have the crackly crust and chewy texture as described. Did I do something wrong?
The secret to perfect, crinkly top brownies is to under-mix the batter once the eggs go in!
Thank you for asking, I will place this on my list of things to correct in the instructions!
Every time I reach for a comfort food item to make in my pinned recipes, I see Sabrina’s smiling face. This brownie recipe is so easy and delicious, why would anyone buy a box browned. Thanks Sabrina.
Awww, you’re welcome!
These brownies are so delicious! And easy too! I added walnuts!
Love this recipe!
I rarely bake anymore; honestly, we don’t need sweets, so I usually don’t have anything on hand to make them. I was really craving something, so I went looking. I did have everything I needed for this recipe and it didn’t make a huge amount. Made it tonight and they were really good. Hubby put Cool Whip on them, which also was good. Thank you for the recipe.
I loved the brownies. I made them exactly as the recipe and they came out perfect.
Delicious
This is the best chewy brownie recipe I’ve ever made!cit for an 8×8” pan bytbifhi need to make more I’ll don’t bar ths recipe.
Just made these brownies ! Such a great recipe! Defiantly one I will use from now on. I’ve tried several and this wins hands down!
Very nice thank you would recommend
I have come back to this recipe time and time again for about three years now. It is THE best homemade brownie recipe. It’ll be a family recipe at this point! Thank you for sharing! ?
It’s EXACTLY what I was looking for. This is identical to the America’s test kitchen “Bake Sale Brownies” but subbing cacao powder for the baking chocolate and decreasing the flour to 1/2 cup. And I KNOW their recipe is good. So, thanks!
Hi so I’ve tried this recipe three times. And everytime I follow everything to a t. But yet my brownies end up tar like completely melted and nasty I check on it at the 20 minute mark and it’s fine but then it turns in a split second to complete tar
Simple and delicious recipe. I used self-rising flour and omitted the salt and baking powder. Worked great! Topped with chocolate chips. We were planning to have family over for dinner and after I got home from shopping the day before, forgot that I hadn’t grabbed anything for dessert. I had everything already in my house to whip up these delicious brownies. We had them fresh out of the oven after dinner with some vanilla ice cream. They were a hit.
I tried this recipe twice, it was never fully cooked even after I baked for 30 minutes.
I forgot the baking powder and salt (to busy eating the batter). Still yummy! I wanted a simple brownie recipe and I finally found one. These are my first batch of brownies I have made from scratch,
These look delicious and I’d really like to try this recipe! But there are some inconsistencies between the cups and the metric measurements which are a little confusing to me (the affected ingredients are the baking powder, vanilla and the key ingredient: the cocoa powder). I usually use the metric system as I am from Europe. Shall I stick to the cups for this one? I just wanted to make sure to use the correct amounts of everything. Thank you in advance!
Hello, I see what you mean, feel free to convert yourself or use the cups/ounces/tsp measurements.
I was craving something sweet and quick so I picked this recipe to try. I was really surprised how good they were. Chocolaty and gooey. This is definitely a keeper and is now at the top of my “I need some chocolate” list.
Very easy and very good! They are almost as easy as boxed brownies but much better tasting! Thank you for sharing. I didn’t have unsalted butter so I just used salted instead. Everything else I did as directed with the exception that I added pecans to the top before putting in the oven. I will make again!
Kimberly, thank you so much. I’m so glad this recipe worked out for you. The pecans are a nice touch!
They came out beautiful and so delicious !!! Added in some chopped almonds on top. Making a second batch now for the family 🙂
Yay! so glad you enjoyed them so much! Thank you for your support and for trying my recipe.
These were delicious ?
I did not have any vanilla so I substituted maple syrup for it and added maybe 1/2 a cup of chocolate chips. Yummy!!
Even without the chocolate chips they would be delicious. I ate 4 too many. Next time I have to make a double batch because everyone wanted more than 2!! I just rubbed the pan down with some avocado oil and that worked perfectly.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
So happy the brownies were a hit! Thank you for your support!
It was really good but the flour stuck to my brownie
The flour from dusting the pan? If that’s the issue, consider replacing the flour with cocoa powder instead. Hope this helps.
Always perfect with 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 25 minutes in a 10” cast iron pan!
Sliced into pie wedges and served warm with vanilla yogurt and fruit! ?
Thanks for the 5 stars, Dee.
So fast to whip up, and so tasty! Thank you. We drizzled dulce de leche on top of the cooled brownies. Can’t wait to try other toppings and do mix-ins next time.
Yum!!
I’ve made these twice now and everyone in our family loves them. Super easy to make with just the cocoa powder and no melted chocolate chips. My husband won’t eat brownies that are either too chunky or too fudgy-these are the perfect combination of fudge-like and cake-like. This is the perfect brownie recipe! This is my go to recipe now!! Thank you !
Thanks, Mary. I’m honored to be the go-to recipe.
Can I reduce the sugar without it tasting too bitter? I made brownies once where I accidentally doubled to cocoa powder, so I don’t want to have such a bitter taste again. Thanks!
I’ve not tested it but if you decide to play around with the recipe, I’d love to know what worked for you. Good luck!
Quick, easy recipe, chewy, fudgey brownies. I recently doubled this recipe and swirled in some homemade fresh raspberry filling. Incredible!
Oooh, that sounds amazing! Thanks for the 5 star rating, Susan.
These Brownies are delicious. I will be making these again. I added Peanut butter chips and some Semi sweet chip. Came out great
Yum! Thanks for the 5 stars, Virginia.
Wow this recipe is great! I’ve always had trouble with brownie recipes, but this one was simple and easy to put together! I made sure that the brown sugar was well dissolved before moving onto the next step because apparently that makes great brownie skin. Then I sifted the cocoa powder and flour, and folded all the dry ingredients until it was just together. Even though I used a 12 x 6 pan, I put it in for 30mins, and it turned out with a great texture and really nice brownie skin 😀 The only negative thing was that it was a little too sweet, but the skin may not have formed if there wasn’t enough sugar so it’s all good with me. Thanks for the recipe!
I don’t usually comment on recipes BUT THIS RECIPE IS SO GOOD. I’ve been making it forever and every time it comes out amazing. The only changes I made were that I sifted the dry ingredients in, and added chocolate chips at the end! They are the perfect balance between crunchy and chewy. Thank you so much for this recipe!!
Yay! I’m glad to know you love them so much you wanted to leave a comment. Thanks for the 5 stars, Anne.
I kept searching hard for a simple no choc chips recipe, thank goodness I found yours. I had all the other ingredients plus a bag of walnuts! I used a glass temp, reduced the temp and BAM! They were so good and this will be my only brownie recipe forever.
Love to hear this Lori!
Very good recipe. Super chewy and crunchy on the edges. Next time I make them I will definitely be adding some peppermint extract to give them some minty flavor.
I just made these. They taste good but they are very thin. They didn’t rise at all. Maybe that’s how they are supposed to be but the surface couldn’t crack since they didn’t push up. I followed the recipe exactly. Is 1/4 teaspoon of BP really enough?
I am so sorry, I am just seeing this tonight. I am sure the recipe has long been cooked/or not but I still want to try to help.
Sorry about that, yes the 1/4 teaspoon was too low and the recipe has been fixed. Sorry about that!
Can I add chopped Rolos to this recipe to create rolo brownies?
Sure! Just make sure not to overwhelm it otherwise they might not keep their shape. I have this brownie recipe that might satisfy your sweet tooth too.
https://dinnerthendessert.com/salted-caramel-brownies/
I personally loved the recipe, I’ve made a couple different brownie recipes throughout the last couple of months (including out of a box lol) and this was by far the best one yet. The only change I made was mixing in crushed pecans mmmm!
Thanks, Kris!
Is the temperature good for both aluminum pans and glass pans? I have a glass one and didn’t want to mess it up.
If you’re using a glass pan, drop the temperature by 25 degrees. Enjoy!
Love this recipe. So simple my son made the last batch. Simple chocolate lovers desert.
I’m glad you all enjoy it so much! Thanks for the 5 stars, Nora.
My son wanted to make something, so here we are – with everything on hand – except a pan. We just moved and I guess I haven’t unpacked it yet. We are doing in paper lined muffin tin. Going to check at 19 minutes… Will let you know!
I just made these, even my mom who hates brownies said they tasted great!!!
Yay!! Glad we could change her opinion.
If I put the batter in a 13×9 pan, what is the cooking time difference?
You’d be making the batter 1/2 as thick, so those brownies would not come out chewy. I suggest doubling the batter for this sized pan. I hope that helps! If already baking, probably 15 minutes to maybe 18 minutes? Happy Thanksgiving!
Excellent recipe. Added pecans and just love the brownies.
Sabrina,
I made these classic brownies this afternoon and they were absolutely delicious! I had read a posted comment where someone had asked you if they could use brown sugar vs granulated white. You said sure. that it would make them deeper in richness. I decided to use 1/2 light brown & 1/2 white sugar. Yummy! Thank you!
You’re welcome!
Made exactly as directed. They turned out moist and delicious. I love how easy these were to make and how the recipe calls for simple ingredients.
I’m glad you enjoyed them, Heather.
These are so good!
Simple ingredients that I had in the house.
Hi! may I know if I can substitute the sugar with half a cup of brown and half a cup of white?
Sure 🙂 It’ll give it a richer, deeper flavor.
These are awful. Not enough cocoa and if you add more, they don’t hold together. Way to sweet.
Just made these for the first time. They are terrific and so easy. Thanks for sharing them.
Thanks for coming back to let me know how much you enjoyed them.
May I know if the temperature is in celcius
Fahrenheit 🙂
The top was perfectly cracked but they were too fudgy to be cut into squares. I’m unsure if I’m at fault 🙁
Hi Sabrina,
I love that this recipe has only cocoa powder and not chocolate chips.
Can I reduce the sugar to 1/3 cup instead of 1 cup. I like desserts that are very mildly sweet? If it may compromise the moisture or texture, then can I add something else in place for the reduced sugar amount?
I haven’t played around with it to test it but I would start by reducing it by 25% (only use 3/4 cup of sugar) and go from there. If you reduce anymore, you may need to add an extra egg to help with the moisture. If you decide to play around with it, I’d love to know what ended up working for you. Good luck!
PERFECTION on a plate. These came together so quickly and I used Ghiradelli cocoa. Must be something wrong with my dish because they disappeared ;-).
Haha! That definitely sounds like a winner!
This is my new go to brownie recipe! I will *never* used boxed brownies again. The difference in taste is astounding. Make a double batch and keep them in the freezer for “later”!?
Yay!! Thanks for the 5 stars, Shannon.
Can I double this for a 9X13? Also, I have an abundance of coconut oil so I’m going to try it in place of the butter. Brownies are one of my favorite food groups! LOL
I don’t blame you! Your brownies may be a little thicker in a 9×13 but it’s close enough to use for doubling. Enjoy!
This is such an easy recipe, and now it’s my favorite. I added about 1/2 tsp. of espresso powder to enrich the chocolate flavor – delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Yay!! Thanks for the 5 stars, Kitty.
how do you print
There is a print button the recipe card or you can print from your browser too.
AMAZING!!!! Thank you!!
Sheltering in place with my hungry teenage boys and trying out lots of recipes using ingredients that are already in my kitchen. This recipe was by far the best!
Will try other recipes on your site.
THANK YOU!!!!!
Yay!! You just made my day, Olga!!
Just took mine out of the oven and they smell so good, but they didn’t crackle on top. Any ideas why? Lol. Can’t wait to try a few 🙂
It’s possible they could’ve stayed in the oven just a bit longer. Was the middle cooked all the way through when you took them out? I hope you enjoyed them!
When doubling the recipe should I do 4 eggs?
Yes double the whole recipe. Sorry was away cooking, back now if you’re still working on these.
The BEST brownies we have ever made!!
Thanks so much, Pam!
I forgot how good homemade brownies are. I will never use a by a mix again, these were
absolutely delicious.
Woohoo!! Thanks for the 5 stars, Gloria.
This recipe is AWESOME!!
Even though the recipe said “no chocolate chips needed” I still added about 1/4 c as well as a 1/2 tsp vegetable oil and approximately 1/2 c of chopped walnuts to the batter. I cut the brownies in small squares (about 16) and served with a small scoop of ice cream and it was PERFECT!!
Sounds perfect!
Thanks for all your fabulous recipes Sabrina! I’ve made several and am a huge fan. I’ve been looking at your brownie and chocolate cookie recipes and wondering how to adapt one to become caramel marshmallow brownies/cookies. Do you have any suggestions? I even wondered about making your Buckeye Brownie cookies and replacing the peanut butter with marshmallow creme. Too drippy? What might I do? THANK YOU!!! (P.S. my husband loves your pot roast).
Oooh, now you’ve got me thinking. I’ll have to add that to my research list and start working on. Thanks for the suggestions. I’m so glad you both enjoy the recipes so much.
Great tasting, moist delicious brownies. Finally an excellent recipe I can use with the cocoa powder .
So glad you enjoyed them, Delores. I appreciate the 5 stars.
Great
There is nothing better than brownies! I like the simple ingredients too, thanks!
Those look great and have such pure, simple ingredients. In fact, I have everything to make them right now!
Love the rubber spatula trick! I’ll be trying these with espresso powder for sure
WOW..these brownies look perfect..that stack stole my heart!
These are so moist and flavorful! I love the crackled top and thanks for the tip for checking doneness!
Hi Sabrina
Making this brownie recipe calls for 1/2 c flour is that correct?
Think I was expecting more flour in the recipe.
Thks Landra
Yes, that’s correct. 🙂 Let me know how you like them!