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
Hubby said these are the best brownies he has ever had!
Absolutely amazing recipe , they do taste heavenly.
Just had one question I had a hard time slicing them they were very sticky. Any tips for that ?
They’re easier to slice once they’re completely cooled and set up. Once they’re somewhat cooled, you can pop them in the fridge for a bit to speed that up.
What size pan should I use if I want to double the recipe?
Other readers have had success with a 9×13 baking pan – the batter will be thicker in the pan so you might have to bake them a little longer.
loved it
tastes great, chewy on the inside and crackly on the out
THIS IS INCREDIBLE
These turned out amazing! Definitely a go-to from now on.
We couldn’t wait til they set up after making these, they smelled so good! I sprinkled a little sea salt on top of these and it made them that much better – amazing!
Had one of those killer chocolate cravings and wanted brownies so I went with the most reviewed recipe and I’m glad I did. Nothing I would change (although I did use canola oil instead of olive- I love olive but I guess I’m just not that adventurous!) The brownies came out fudgy and gooey after 42min. This recipe is perfect and will make again. Taste even better next day. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Hi would I be able to use melted butter instead of the oil?
The best recipe I have ever used, tho I often swap the water for milk and it makes it taste chef kiss
I’m glad you’ve enjoyed it!
I love making this recipe anytime I have a chocolate craving. The brownies come out so soft with a rich flavor. Best brownie recipe I’ve ever made!
I’m so happy to hear that!
These are absolutely the BEST brownies I’ve ever baked, myself and my family of 5 loved them! Will most definitely be using this recipe from now on.
I’m so glad you loved them!
Making them for a second time today because they are AMAZING. Used coconut oil as I usually do when baking, followed directions to include a lot of patience while cooling and they came out great! We will NEVER buy boxed brownie mix again!
Hi Nat, I’m so glad you loved them!
I just made these last night and oh my goodness. The best brownies. I cut the sugar a little and added walnuts. They came out so gooey and chocolaty. They held up so well in the fridge too. Will be making these for the rest of my life!
Hi Heather, I’m glad you loved them so much!
These are my new favorite brownies to bake, and I’ve been baking brownies for 40+ years! I cut the granulated sugar to a scant 1 cup, which the recipe says you may successfully do. Delicious!
Hi Kathy, I’m so happy you loved them!
I rarely review recipes but came here for this recipe, which I have made several times, because I plan to bring brownies to a Superbowl party. These brownies are delicious and I have gotten many compliments on them. I always use canola oil so can’t speak for how they would turn out with olive oil. Also, I always cut the sugar back to 1 cup or even a little less and they are plenty sweet. Please don’t be scared off from this recipe due to a couple negative reviews. These are so good, I have not even considered looking for a different brownie recipe since the first time I made them.
Forgot to click on the stars but definitely a 5!
thanks Donna!
Hi Donna, I’m glad they’ve become your go-to brownie! Thank you for taking the time to comment.
I just made these for a Super Bowl party tomorrow. Thought homemade would be a nice treat. I followed the directions, used canola oil. These are absolutely horrible. Too sweet. And, like sludge. I let them cool as directed. Outside of the outer edge, they stick to my spatula. You can’t pick them up to eat them. Maybe a very small amount with vanilla ice cream would be ok. What a huge disappointment. Waste of ingredients and time.
I don’t know what went wrong for you, but I just made these and they are absolutely the best brownies I have ever tasted. I used sunflower oil, as olive oil sounds weird to me for something like this. Baked for 45 minutes at 325F in an 8″x8″ pan, and tested with a toothpick to make sure they were cooked through (you have to check, as ovens can be off). Kids are absolutely raving about them.
Hi Maria, I’m sorry these weren’t for you.
I ended up using espresso instead of water for an extra kick, ended up really good
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
I promise theyre not auto generated, they were really amazing! Maybe you added too much oil or you just dont like that oil. Either way, I reccomend trying it with whatever other oil you have to see if you like them better.
Hi Belle, I’m glad you enjoyed them!