The BEST brownie recipe! With crispy edges, fudgy middles, and rich chocolate flavor, these homemade brownies will disappear in no time.
For years, I couldn’t seem to find a recipe for brownies that met my standards. Anytime I made homemade brownies, I wanted them to be just like the ones I ate as a kid – super fudgy, moist, and chocolaty, with crispy edges and crackly tops. But the thing is, these brownies didn’t come from a recipe. We always made them from a box. Nowadays, I prefer to bake from scratch, but no brownie recipe I tried could live up to the chocolate brownies of my childhood.
So this fall, as I flipped through Michelle Lopez’s new book Weeknight Baking, her recipe for Boxed Mix Brownies, From Scratch caught my eye. Would I finally be able to make homemade brownies that would be just as delicious as the ones from a box?
The verdict: yes! I’ve had this brownie recipe on repeat since the first time I tried it. It calls for basic pantry ingredients, and it’s hardly more difficult than using a mix. As for the brownies, they’re true perfection – glossy, fudgy, and filled with rich chocolate flavor. Trust me, you’re going to want to make them ASAP!
Another thing you should do ASAP is check out Weeknight Baking! This book is packed with crave-worthy recipes that are meant for busy weeknights. Each one comes with fun variations (I have my eye on the matcha snickerdoodles) as well as tips for becoming a more efficient baker. After years of juggling a 9-to-5 job and running her blog, Hummingbird High, Michelle is full of wisdom on how to bake on a busy schedule. She writes, “We’re all doing the best we can with what we have. And I’m going to help you bake any night of the week that works for you.” If you love baking, you’ll love this book.
Homemade Brownie Recipe Ingredients
Back to Michelle’s recipe for brownies! In order for it to turn out like (aka better than) the boxed mix, Michelle uses granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, salt, and chocolate chips. Then, she adds these key ingredients:
- 2 eggs + water – Michelle uses a bit of water with the eggs to achieve the moist, gooey texture of boxed mix brownies without any commercial emulsifiers. And because this recipe doesn’t contain any baking powder, eggs are essential for helping the brownies puff up in the oven.
- Powdered sugar – The trick to making homemade brownies that are just like ones from a box! Powdered sugar contains cornstarch, which helps thicken the batter without the chemical additives you’d find in a mix.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Michelle recommends using Hershey’s Special Dark Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I used Whole Foods’ 365 Cocoa Powder). Make sure to sift it if it’s lumpy!
- Oil – While many recipes for brownies use unsalted butter, Michelle’s calls for canola oil, just like the boxed mix. I use olive oil because it’s what I keep on hand, and I love the rich flavor.
- Vanilla Extract – 1/2 teaspoon vanilla really amps up the chocolate flavor.
That’s it! These fantastic homemade brownies are so easy.
How to Make Brownies from Scratch
First, mix together the dry and wet ingredients in two separate bowls. Combine the sugar, flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and salt in a medium bowl. Then, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, and water in a large one.
Next, combine the wet and dry ingredients. Sprinkle the dry mixture over the wet one, and fold until just combined. The batter will be thick!
Then, pour the batter into an 8×8 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Use a rubber spatula to spread it to all four sides of the pan and to smooth the top. The mixture will be very thick – that’s ok.
Finally, bake! Transfer the pan to a 325-degree oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs attached. Allow the brownies to cool completely before slicing and serving. Enjoy!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They also freeze well for up to a month. Last time I made these, I doubled the recipe and stored the second batch in the freezer. It was so fun to have them on hand for a quick and easy dessert or afternoon treat!
Best Brownie Recipe Tips
- Better chocolate chips = better brownies. In her book, Michelle writes that one of the biggest secrets to making great brownies is using large, good-quality chocolate chips. She recommends Ghiradelli’s 60% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Chips, while I love Enjoy Life’s Dark Chocolate Morsels. Either brand would fantastic in this recipe!
- It’s better to pull them out too early than to leave them in too long. No one likes dry brownies, so err on the side of caution when you’re making this recipe. Bake them until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few crumbs attached. If you’re on the fence, go ahead and take them out of the oven. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool!
- Wait for them to cool. Try your best to resist eating these guys straight out of the oven. Letting them cool makes them gooier and fudgier, and they’ll be less likely to crumble when you slice them. Plus, they’ll have an even richer chocolate flavor. Trust me, it’s worth the wait!
More Favorite Desserts
If you love this brownie recipe, try one of these yummy treats next!
- Perfect Oatmeal Cookies
- Easy Sugar Cookies
- No-Bake Cookies
- Best Peanut Butter Cookies
- Orange Zest Shortbread Cookies
- Vegan Coconut Macaroons
Best Homemade Brownies
Equipment
- 8x8 Baking Dish (this is the one I use so they don't overcook)
- Cooking Spray (I love this avocado oil one from Chosen Foods)
- Parchment Paper (this makes it so much easier to remove the brownies from the pan)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar*
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 3/4 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup canola oil or extra-virgin olive oil**
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly spray an 8x8 baking dish (not a 9x9 dish or your brownies will overcook) with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, water, and vanilla.
- Sprinkle the dry mix over the wet mix and stir until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan (it'll be thick - that's ok) and use a spatula to smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 48 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs attached (note: it's better to pull the brownies out early than to leave them in too long). Cool completely before slicing.*** Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. These also freeze well!
Notes
Came out great! I cut the sugar down to 3/4 cup and used avocado oil instead of olive oil so it didn’t impact the taste. Love this and all your other recipes!
So glad you loved the brownies (and other recipes too), Aly!
Hi I tried this recipe and was very conscious not to over bake them. Strange texture – tough outside and really chewy base. Not sure what went wrong. Oven temperature was checked and it was fine. A little disappointed.
Hi Portia, just so I can help troubleshoot, did you change anything about the recipe?
It’s soooo chocolatey I love it
So glad you loved them, Sofie!
These are the best brownies I’ve EVER tasted. They are so rich and gooey. I also made a homemade chocolate frosting to put on top (because I love super rich desserts lol) and it was the cherry on top. I will continue to use this recipe when I make brownies! However, since it only makes 9 brownies, I’m going to try increasing the measurements to make more. I know it says to not use any larger of a pan or the brownies will be overcooked but I’ve never had that issue before, I just won’t cook them for as long. 9 is not enough if I’m going to bring these to family gatherings!
So glad you loved the recipe, Raya! Many readers have had success doubling the recipe and using a 9×13-inch pan.
Perfect outside crunch with an irresistible soft chewy center
So glad you loved the brownies, Abbi!
I keep coming back to this recipe and love it everytime. Don’t over bake, use the right pan, and expect a sweet fudgy brownie. They’re literal perfection!
So glad you love them, Kat!
Can you use coconut sugar in place of granulated sugar?
Hi Becky, it might work, but the brownies will have a slightly different flavor and grainier texture.
JUST PUT THESE IN THE OVEN!!! So far, they look good! I reduced the amount of granulated sugar from 1 1/2 cups to 1 cup, so hopefully that works. I reduced about 1-2 tablespoons of the cocoa powder, as I was almost out. Will be updating as soon as they are done baking and chilled 🙂
How does this recipe have 7.6k 5 star ratings? These are grainy with too much sugar and sickeningly sweet. They literally made my teeth hurt, this is not a metaphor.
Hi Em, if you prefer a less sweet brownie, you can reduce the granulated sugar to 1 cup!
I live in a high altitude. How much extra flour should I add?
I wish I had read reviews before making this. I was concerned at the prospect of using oil in brownies, but wanted to give this recipe a go just in case it was a hidden gem. I did cut back the granulated sugar as in recipe notes. It would have been too sweet for my family otherwise.
Unfortunately these brownies tasted quite flat. They didn’t have the rich and buttery note I am used to homemade brownies having. Their texture was fairly fudgy, but the taste is nothing special.
If I replaced the oil with butter or margarine I am certain this would be excellent. I may make try them that way. But as written it’s a no go for me.
Why do the brownies turn out slightly hard and crispy? The first time I used this recipe they turned out amazingly delicious, after that they never turned out the same.
It could depend on the pan you use. If you’re using a dark colored pan you need to reduce the temperature about 25 degrees. Also, ovens can vary so keep your eye on it, maybe take it out 5 minutes earlier if you’re having trouble with them being too dry.
Love it 🥰
love love LOVE this recipe, been using it for years!! over time i’ve made my own alterations to take it to the next level, i highly recommend mixing a teaspoon of instant coffee into the water, then adding it to the bowl to really bring out that chocolatey-ness, and using 1/4 cup coconut oil with 1/4 olive oil (instead of just 1/2cup olive/canola) to add to the depth of the brownies, i hate the taste of coconut but man it. 10/10 recipe and tastes amazing using GF flour!!!
Goodness, these are just heavenly!
How long do they last if frozen? And will they be okay after defrosting them at room temperature?
OMG these are ridiculously good. Someone come take them away before I eat them all!!!
I hated them, they taste gross
This was one of the easiest and BEST homemade baked goods I’ve ever made!! I omitted powdered sugar only bc I didn’t have any and I used semi sweet chocolate chips bc that’s all I had and it turned out amazing!! I’m so excited to have this recipe on hand! Thank you!
I rarely comment and felt compelled to do so after reading the comments. I made this today, it’s also my first time making brownies from scratch. I followed the directions and the result was amazing. I’ll be making this again for sure and will likely make it for future gatherings. I’ll probably also write the recipe in the back of my fave cook book with other gems I’ve collected. Thank you for sharing your recipe and clear directions.
I do not like these, I won’t be serving them to guests, back to the shop I go.