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.
Let’s talk Brownies.
They’re one of my all-time favourite things to make and eat. 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.
recipe testing
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.
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.
Frequently asked questions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Let’s Bake
Homemade Brownies (Big Batch)
Deliciously fudge Homemade Brownies made with real chocolate, chocolate chips and walnuts.
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
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Grease and line a 9 by 13 inch baking pan with baking or parchment paper.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, add butter and dark chocolate. Heat in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted and smooth.
- In a separate bowl, add eggs, sugar and vanilla. Whisk together by hand for 30 seconds or so, just until creamy and combined (see photo below).
- Add flour, cocoa powder and salt to melted butter mixture, along with the egg mixture. Stir gently using a spatula until a thick, smooth brownie batter forms. Gently stir through chocolate chips and walnuts.
- Pour brownie batter into prepared pan and smooth out into one even layer. Bake for approximately 35-40 minutes or until shiny on top. Brownie should no longer wobble in the middle and a toothpick inserted into the centre should come out almost clean.
- Leave brownie in pan to cool completely. Then cut into small squares to serve. You can store brownies at room temperature or in the fridge. They also freeze really well.
Pearla says
hi! can milk be added? and can I use sweetened milk?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi, no I don’t recommend adding any milk. That will change the texture.
Lulu says
Love all your recipes! But I agree with your instagram user – It would be super helpful to have the measurements for a standard brownie pan – currently you only have small batch and large batch recipes, but the vast majority of the time people are using a normal brownie pan, meaning they have to make one of your flavoured brownies or use a different baker’s recipe.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Lulu, are you after a recipe for an 8-inch square pan? You can find that brownie recipe here.
Michelle says
I used semi-sweet chips instead of dark chocolate because that’s what I had on hand and they turned out amazing. Definitely my go-to recipe from now on.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Brilliant! Love hearing that Michelle!
Jane Lowry says
Hi I am going to make these tomorrow. Can you tell me how many squares I should cut it into please
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Jane, you can really slice these as big or small as you like, but I usually get 20-24 brownies per batch!
Leni says
This recipe was amazing! Everybody I my house loves these I will definitely be using this recipe again!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Yes! So glad to hear that Leni!
Kat says
Was wondering if i was able to use oil instead
Jessica Holmes says
Yes you can Kat! It will change the final result slightly, and I do recommend a neutral-tasting oil if possible.
Lynn says
Fudgy, chewy, chocolatey goodness! Fantastic homemade brownies! Thank you for sharing your recipes!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Lynn!
Isabel says
This is the best brownie recipe of all time! I was wondering if i could cook these in cupcake cases to make brownie bites and still get the same texture as i would in a pan? Thanks xx
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you love it! Yes I think so!
Audrey says
If I use muffin tins ,how many will this receipe make?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Audrey, my guess would be about the same, 20-24 brownies.
Aishath says
Hi Jessica. I have tried several of your recipes and absolutely loved them . As for this recipe it’s no different. I love the fudginess of this brownie accompanied by the strong chocolate flavour.However I do want your advice on something . I weigh all my ingredients and have tried baking them for a bit more time as well. And I did make the recipe atleast 3 or 4 times now. My brownies do turn a little too wet to the point they stick to the baking paper. I mostly enjoy a warm brownie and do not like putting them into the fridge to firm the texture. Is there anything I can do a little differently with the dry ingredients or even adding something like baking powder? If so in what measurements ?
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Aishath, I’m so glad you enjoyed these brownies! If you want a less gooey brownie, my initial recommendations would be to bake them for a few extra minutes and place them in the fridge once baked. However, if you have tried both of those, you could consider adding an extra tablespoon or two of flour. That will make the texture less fudgy and slightly more cake-like. You might have to experiment a little with the amount of flour to get your exact preference.
Pam says
Great recipe! This is the third batch I’ve made and everyone loves them!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Yay! So happy to hear that Pam!
KC says
I love it. Been trying different brownie recipes and this is my family’s favorite by far. I am so happy that I achieved that crinkly top at last.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Yes! Love hearing that!!
Clair taylor says
Simply amazing
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad to hear that Clair!
Nicola says
Fudgy and delicious! Can not recommend this recipe enough.
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them Nicola!
Kimberley says
Amazing recipe and I’d love to try it for my shop. Only issue is my pans are 15” x 23” how could I adapt the recipe to suit that. Thanks
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Kimberley, to correctly adapt the recipe, you’ll need to work out the volume of each pan and do a little math. My guess is it would be around three times the size of the pan used here.
Me says
I love these
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you enjoyed them!