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
I tried this once, and we loved it–so we just keep coming back to this recipe! No more boxed mix for our family! We like to swap with dark choc cocoa and tweaked salt to 1/2tsp. Yum!
I’m so glad you loved them!
I made these 2 times because I thought I had to have done something wrong the first round. Both times this recipe was a gooey mess- even after increasing the time to 55 minutes and letting them cool overnight they didn’t even hold their shape when cut- the outside was a lovely crisp and the inside just ran out like a thick fudgey lava. Maybe that was the point? Taste wise they are amazing, but the texture just isn’t it.
Excellent Brownies! The olive oil takes these to the next level!
NOTE: I didn’t have an 8 X 8 pan, but I had a 7 X 11 pan. I took a leftover large foil pan cover and converted into a 1 inch squared “log” and placed it on the side of the pan to reduce the SQ inch size to 66″. Worked well—didn’t burn the brownies.
I’m glad you enjoyed them!
Super Tasty & Super Easy
Thank you for this amazing brownie recipe, successful first attempt. I tweaked a little
– 1 cup brown sugar,
– 150 coconut oil instead of olive oil
– 80% dark chocolate chopped instead of chocolate chips
– added about 100g chopped walnuts
Thank you Phobe
I’m so glad you loved it!
Could the batter be stored in the fridge overnight before being cooked?
Hi Hollie, I haven’t tried so I’m not sure.
Is there a substitute for eggs, I am a vegetarian.
I suggest making our vegan brownie recipe instead: https://www.loveandlemons.com/vegan-brownies-recipe/
Eggs are vegetarian. They just aren’t vegan
I made these for the first time today for my Dad’s birthday. I did not like them, super dense and more like fudge than a brownie. Lucky my Dad likes fudge. I sent them home with him. I won’t make them again. Should emphasize this is fudge more than brownies.
Great brownies
I find recipes found randomly (or not) on the internet often are not the best, but this one is delicious and I am so glad to have found it!
We followed the recipe except for we didn’t have chocolate chips- but had Ghirardelli’s milk chocolate melting chocolate and cut them into “strips”. We also used Penseys’ natural cocoa and vegetable oil.
These brownies are fudge yet crispy. They are real chocolatey so you can’t eat a large brownie.
I am not a fudgy brownie person, but my family are- regardless we all liked them.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
I am glad that I tried this recipe because it was really easy to whip together. I enjoyed making it and it was practically mess free, LOL. Well I thought they would be delicious and perfect because when they came out of the oven that’s what they looked like. They had a rich color, a flaky top, and were thick. However, I was disappointed with the texture of the brownie and the taste. I wouldn’t recommend this recipe. I have tried a brownie recipe from King Arthur Baking and that was probably the best homeade brownie I’ve made. That one was actually better than the box… (In my own opinion). I don’t want to be to negative about this recipe so I’ll list my favorite things about it.
1. It was fun and easy to make, no mess and easy dishes!
2. The brownies rose and were true to cook time!
3. The color and look of these brownies was beautiful!!
So good! I couldn’t wait to dig in so I scooped out some brownie and topped it with vanilla ice cream. Yum! I’ve made several brownies recipes but never have any luck getting that flakey layer on top but these did! I followed directions to a T and they came out great. A bonus is that they were super easy to throw together.
I”m so glad you loved them!
So good, surprised my husband with these, he took one bite and said they were so good and his eyes widened with joy when I said they weren’t boxed but from scratch.
Soooooooooo good, I do recommend less sugar (1 cup granular and half powdered) but adding way more chocolate chips
Hi MJ, I’m so glad the brownies were a hit!
I’ve been using this recipe for years now. Had multiple people ask me for the recipe because they say my brownies are the best. If you follow this recipe to a T they are perfection.
Hi Liz, I’m so glad you love the recipe!
Looks delicious and the recipe is easy to follow,one question I have to ask as I am going to try the recipe.If you have an oven with 325 and you have one that is up to 180-270degrees Celsius would it be better to bake them at 180 or 270 thanks
Hi Jacqueline, 325 F is about 165 C. I would bake this recipe at 165 C if you can. If not, go with 180 and start checking the brownies early, after about 25 minutes.
Hi I’ve been making this recipe for a few years now and the only difference is I use less sugar. But all of a sudden the last few times I’ve made the recipe there’s a strange after taste and I can’t figure out what is causing it. Please help it’s driving me crazy
Hi Alex, The flavor of individual ingredients can vary depending on the brand/freshness. Have you started using a different brand of any of the ingredients in the recipe? Or used a different oil? Hope this helps!
just had to tell you guys, Lily’s is making sugar free chocolate chips for baking!!!!!
Did the recipe to a T and they were not good. Super oily and even cooked them for the full 48 mins and they were still super wet. I pulled them out and let them sit for the time suggested and they were very under cooked…
I am always sceptical of a recipe that says “best” but these truly are the best brownies I’ve ever had. I’ve made them twice and they’ve been a hit both times!
I’m so glad you loved them!
I made these and they tasted really good, I just should have left them in the oven a couple minutes longer
Hi Angela, so glad you enjoyed the flavor!
Can I use 1/2 cup of melted butter instead of the 1/2 cup canola oil or extra-virgin olive oil?
Hi Alicia, we haven’t tested this, so I can’t say for sure, but I think it would work fine!
I used 1/2 cup of melted butter and it worked perfectly fine! I think it tasted better with butter, but that’s just a personal preference. I didn’t use chocolate chips so I’m not sure how the melted butter would effect the chocolate chips, but overall, butter worked great!
I’m so glad you loved them!
I just made this recipie to suprise my boyfriend with some brownies by the time he wakes up. Of course I had to try it before I layed down. They aren’t groundbreakingly amazing, but they are REALLY good. I could eat the whole tray if I wasn’t too worried about the consequences. Except I am.
I had all the ingredients already, was short a little cocoa powder but I wouldn’t know the difference. We can’t afford to buy anything at the moment so, let me tell you, this recipe slaps.
Hi Nicole, I’m so glad you loved the brownies!