Homemade Brownies (Big Batch)

Name: Homemade Brownies (Big Batch)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 200 grams butter, roughly chopped; 250 grams (1 and 2/3 cups) dark chocolate (45-70% cocoa), roughly chopped; 4 large eggs; 300 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) caster sugar or granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 105 grams (3/4 cup) plain flour or all purpose flour, sifted; 40 grams (1/2 cup) cocoa powder, sifted; Pinch of salt; 150 grams (1 cup) chocolate chips; 100 grams (1 cup) walnuts, roughly chopped

By: Jessica Holmes

Posted: 2/14/21Updated: 2/14/21

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Hands down, the best Homemade Brownies I’ve ever had. Rich and chocolatey, this EASY recipe produces seriously fudgy brownies. Makes 24 brownies to easily feed a crowd. No mixer needed.

Close up of a pan of Homemade Brownies with a crinkly top

Let’s talk Brownies. They’re one of my all-time favourite things to make and eat.

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For me, the perfect brownie is delightfully rich in chocolate flavour, with a super fudgy centre and a shimmering brownie crinkle. And that is exactly what I was going for with this recipe.

One of my readers sent me a message on Instagram, asking me to please make a big batch brownie recipe for a 9 x 13 inch pan. All my brownie recipes call for an 8 or 9 inch square pan. But what happens when you want to make brownies for a dinner party or to feed hungry colleagues or a classroom? Well, you make these.

Why you will love this recipe

Fudgy texture: If you love a fudgy brownie with a crinkle top, you’ll love this classic brownie recipe.
Big batch: This recipe makes a giant pan of brownies, great for feeding a crowd or stocking up the freezer.
No mixer: You don’t need an electric mixer or any special equipment to make this recipe.
Adaptable: Whether you love walnuts, raspberries or chocolate chips in your brownies, you can customise this recipe to make it YOUR favourite brownie.

This recipe was amazing! Everybody in my house loves these! I will definitely be using this recipe again!
– Leni

Recipe testing

A white plate with three different brownies on a pink background

Even though I have many brownies recipes on my site, it still took a few tries to get this one just right. For the first attempt, I took inspiration from my favourite Chocolate Raspberry Brownie which makes a deliciously fudgy brownie using real chocolate, cocoa powder AND chocolate chips in the batter.

While the brownie was lovely, it turned out slightly too cakey – and I lost that all-important brownie crinkle. Next, I tried an all-cocoa version, like my favourite One Bowl Brownies and my popular Gluten Free Brownies. It also tasted good but it didn’t have the depth of chocolate flavour that I craved.

So in the end, I went back to version 1 but changed things up. I added a little more butter to help with the cakey-ness, took out the brown sugar and went with all caster sugar, and mixed the eggs and sugar separately. The result? Heaven. A truly fudgy brownie with a perfect crinkle and SO much chocolate flavour.

Close up of a stack of homemade Chocolate Brownies

How to make brownies from scratch

Melt together butter and dark chocolate until smooth. I prefer to do this in the microwave to make it quick and easy. Just be sure to stop and stir every 20 seconds to prevent it from burning or seizing.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Do this just using a hand whisk and only for about 30 seconds. It’s only to break up the egg yolks and combine the two ingredients. The mixture should be slightly creamy and yellow (see photo below in recipe card).
Sift together the flour, cocoa and salt. Add to the melted chocolate mixture, along with the eggs, and gently stir with a spatula just until combined. You should have a lovely thick brownie batter.
Add chocolate chips and walnuts. And then bake brownie until that beautiful crust forms and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out almost clean. Leave brownie to cool completely in cake pan before slicing.

Change it up

I’ve added walnuts to my recipe because I love the crunch they add to these traditional brownies. But you can change up the flavours if you like. Try adding a spoonful of peanut butter, almond butter or Biscoff cookie butter, adding pistachios or macadamia nuts, trying white chocolate chips or fresh berries or Oreos. This brownie recipe is the perfect base for you to get a little creative.

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A glass bowl filled with chocolate brownie batter

Frequently asked questions

What chocolate should I use?

I recommend a good quality dark chocolate, at least 45% cocoa. I use a block of chocolate that I break up into pieces by hand, rather than chocolate chips or melts.

Can I substitute the eggs?

Unfortunately, no. I don’t recommend using any egg substitutes as the eggs are important for texture (both for the fudgy centre and the crinkly top). If you are looking for an egg free brownie, try my popular Vegan Brownie recipe.

My brownie was too wet in the centre. What did I do wrong?

If you didn’t make any changes to the recipe, your brownie might have just been a little undercooked. Brownies also tend to be gooey and wet straight out of the oven so make sure you let them cool completely. If they are still too wet, pop the whole pan in the fridge for a few hours and they’ll firm right up.

Why was my brownie cakey?

If you followed this recipe and your browine was cakey, it’s likely you added to much flour/cocoa. The ratio of fat to flour is very important so make sure you measure the dry ingredients using a baking scale for accuracy. Try also baking the brownies for a few minutes less next time. Remember every oven is different, so use baking times as a guide only.

A stack of homemade Chocolate Brownies on a white plate

More brownie recipes to try

Nutella Brownies (so fudgy)
Oreo Brownies (for Oreo lovers only)
One Bowl Cocoa Brownies (deliciously easy)
Flourless Brownies (gluten free)

Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more amazing recipe ideas.

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