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Fudgy Brownies are easy to make at home & taste better than a box mix! Brown butter enhances & compliments the rich chocolate flavor. A few easy tricks ensure a paper thin, shiny top every time, with the perfect fudgy texture. You’ll never make another brownie after tasting these!
I spent the past 1-2 years testing countless variations on this recipe, tweaking things over and over again until I was 1000% satisfied with the result. And, it was worth it! These undoubtedly rival any box mix (and I say that as a box mix brownie lover!) and are hardly any more work than making said box mix. Try them and see for yourself – I truly hope you love these brownies as much as I do!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love these Brown Butter Brownies:
- Ultra Fudgy – I spent over a year developing this recipe to ensure that it was perfectly fudgy, with that beautiful paper thin shiny crust on top every time.
- Better than Box Mix – These homemade brownies taste even better than your favorite box mix. I even had friends do a blind taste test comparison against a high-end box mix and these won!
- Paper Thin Crinkly Tops – Making sure your sugar is fully dissolved (this is easy to do, don’t fret!) and using melted chocolate are the tricks to getting that thin, crackly top we all go crazy for!
- Brown Butter – Browning your butter adds huge depth of flavor with minimal extra effort!
Ingredient Overview:
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Use the table of contents (back at the top, below the first image, to navigate).
- Butter – I always use salted butter because in my experience, it lends the best flavor, but feel free to use unsalted butter if that’s what you prefer.
- Vegetable Oil – Since vegetable oil remains a liquid at room temperature (unlike butter) it’s instrumental in keeping baked goods of all kinds tender & moist. I used to make brownies with all butter but trust me – swapping out some of the butter for oil gives huge payoff in the moisture department, without sacrificing on flavor!
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate – We’re using semi-sweet chocolate so the brownies won’t be too sweet. Looking for a cocoa powder only brownie recipe? Try my 5-Ingredient Brownies.
- Cocoa Powder – I like using cocoa powder with melted chocolate for extra depth of chocolate flavor!
- Eggs – Use large eggs, at room temperature.
- Sugars – Using a combination of granulated sugar and powdered sugar makes it easier for all the sugar to dissolve, which is key to achieving the paper thin, shiny crust!
- Vanilla – Use real vanilla extract for best results.
- Salt – A little salt is key to any recipe (savory or sweet!). It helps balance the sweetness and bring out the flavor.
- Espresso Powder – A pinch of espresso powder helps enhance the chocolate, without adding any coffee taste.
- All-purpose flour – Spoon your flour into the measuring cup, then level it with a flat utensil for best results, or use a scale. Scooping the measuring cup directly into your flour will lead to too much flour, and a potentially dry bake.
- Chocolate Chips – There’s nothing better than melty pockets of chocolate chips studding each square of fudgy goodness.
Recipe Substitutions & Variations:
- Gluten-free – I have not tested a gluten-free version of this recipe, but I do have a recipe for Fudgy Gluten-Free Brownies that can also be made dairy-free!
- Dairy-free – I haven’t tested these with dairy-free butter and chocolate, but I’m confident that the recipe will be equally delicious with them. However, I’m not 100% sure that you’ll achieve the same paper thin shiny crust on your brownies. I will be testing these dairy-free very soon and will report back!
- Chocolate Chips – If you don’t have any extra chocolate chips on hand, you can omit them from the recipe. However, don’t omit the melted chocolate from the base – the brownies need that!
How to Make Perfect Fudgy Brownies:
Step 1: Brown the Butter & Make the Chocolate Mixture. In a medium pot, melt the butter, then continue cooking, stirring lazily, until it turns a deep golden brown color. This takes about 4-6 minutes. Then, stir in the semi-sweet chocolate until melted, then whisk in the vegetable oil and cocoa powder. Set aside to cool slightly.
Step 2: Make the Batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar for about 1-2 minutes, or until you can no longer feel any granules of sugar.
Next, whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Then, whisk in the warm chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour, espresso powder, & chocolate chips.
Step 3: Bake. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake as directed in the recipe card below. Do not over bake!
Serving + Storing:
Allow brownies to cool in the pan for about 1 hour and 15 minutes before slicing. Enjoy once sliced! There’s nothing better than warm, fudgy brownies (except for my Brown Butter Brookies!).
Once the slices are completely cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. I highlyy recommend gently microwaving leftovers to regain that fresh-from-the-oven fudginess.
Expert Tips for the Best Brownies:
- Brown Butter – Be sure to brown your butter until it turns a deep, rich golden color. It will have a nutty aroma with brown bits swirling around (these are the milk solids – the process of browning toasts them, for a delicious caramely flavor!).
- Oven Thermometer – An oven thermometer will tell you if your oven is actually running at the temperature you set it to. Your oven may not be accurate. Accurate oven temperature is crucial for most bakes, so I leave an oven thermometer in at all times to keep an eye on my oven’s calibration.
- Kitchen Scale – A food scale is the best way to make sure your flour is at the proper weight, since amounts will vary SO widely based on how you measure it, as well as the measuring cup you use, as they are not standardized.
- Glass vs. Metal Pan – Glass is a poor conductor of heat, making it a poor option for baking. It will bake the edges of your brownies faster than the center. Metal conducts heat faster and more evenly, making it the universal choice for bakers. A metal pan will produce perfectly fudgy, evenly-baked brownies every time.
- Don’t Over Bake – Do not over bake these brownies, or I will take away your baking license! I kid. But really – use the doneness indicators that I give in the recipe card, and don’t over bake. There’s nothing worse than biting into a dry brownie.
- Slicing Neat Squares – Use a plastic knife to slice clean squares – the brownies won’t stick to plastic!
Fudgy Brownies FAQs:
Yes! If cutting in half, bake in an 8×8 pan, starting with 15 minutes, and add a few minutes at a time until done based on the cues given in the recipe card below. If doubling, bake in a 9×13 pan, starting with 25 to 28 minutes, adding a few minutes at a time and checking for doneness as indicated in the recipe card.
You can, but I highly recommend it – it enhances the chocolate flavor beautifully! However, if skipping, start with 140 grams of butter or 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp.
You need two things to achieve this – the sugar needs to be fully dissolved, and you need melted chocolate in the batter. The sugar & eggs are whisked together without the butter, as sugar can’t fully dissolve in fat (butter is a fat), but it can dissolve with the help of the water in the egg whites. If you use this technique with cocoa powder only brownies, you won’t have the same effect, as melted chocolate also plays a role.
No, since they use semi-sweet chocolate and, of course, sugar. They are just the right amount of sweet – they’re not dark chocolatey, but not too sweet either.
Special Tools:
- Metal Pan – A metal 8×8 pan is ideal for this recipe.
More Fudgy Brownies to Love:
- Best-Ever 5 Ingredient Brownies (Cocoa powder only!)
- Biscoff Stuffed Brownies
- Buckeye Brownies
- Layered Mint Chocolate Brownies
- Decadent Turtle Brownies
- Fudgy M&M Brownies
- Fudgy Red Velvet Oreo Brownies
Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment & star rating!
Click the little stars in the header of the recipe card below to leave a comment & star rating, letting me know how you liked the recipe. I take all feedback seriously, & leaving a rating helps my small business immensely!
Fudgy Brown Butter Brownies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup salted butter, cubed, 170 grams before browning, 140 grams after
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped, Chocolate chips work, too. 113 grams
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 56 mL
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 63 grams
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar , 158 grams
- 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar , 174 grams
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour , 65 grams
- pinch of espresso powder, optional
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, You can omit this in a pinch, but it does create delightful pockets of melted chocolate in each brownie! 177 grams
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350℉. Spray an 8×8 metal pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper (this makes for easy removal & slicing later). Note: A 9×9 pan is fine, too. Start with about 6-7 minutes less bake time as the layer of brownie will be thinner.
- Brown the Butter: Add cubed butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter, stirring occasionally. Once it's melted, turn the heat to medium-low, and continue cooking the butter, stirring frequently. The butter will get foamy and bubbly, then turn a deep golden shade with a nutty, caramely aroma. (This will take about 3-6 minutes once the butter has melted.)Once the butter is browned, remove the pot from the heat and immediately stir in your semi-sweet chocolate until completely melted, then whisk in the vegetable oil and cocoa powder. Set aside to cool slightly.3/4 cup salted butter, cubed, 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- Make the Brownie Batter: In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs, egg yolk, and granulated sugar. Whisk for about 1-2 minutes, until the sugar is fully dissolved. (Feel the mixture between your fingers – if it's completely smooth, you're good! If you feel sugar granules, keep whisking.) Next, whisk in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt.3 large eggs, at room temperature , 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature , 3/4 cup granulated sugar , 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar , 2 tsp vanilla extract , 1/4 tsp salt
- Finish the Batter: Then, check that the chocolate mixture is no longer piping hot (it will be quite warm, though), and whisk it into the bowl of eggs/sugar/. Fold in the flour & espresso powder, then the chocolate chips. The brownie batter won't be very thick.1/2 cup all-purpose flour , pinch of espresso powder, 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Bake: Pour the batter into your prepared pan, and bake for 29 to 32 minutes. The center will have the *slightest* wobble when you move the pan, and the outer edges will appear set. The top will be shiny, and a toothpick inserted into the center will have some thick batter, with a smattering of moist crumbs. A toothpick inserted into the edge will be nearly clean. Don't over bake! I promise these will set up to the perfect fudgy (but not raw) texture as they cool. Note: If you're worried about under baked brownies, use an instant read thermometer to check that they're over 160℉. Anything over this temp is safe to eat as this is the temp at which flour & eggs become safe to eat.
- Serve & Store: Let the brownies cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 1 hour & 20 minutes before slicing and enjoying. Use a large, sharp knife & wipe it or run it under hot water between each slice for neat brownies! Store leftover brownies, cooled, in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. I highlyyy recommend warming leftover slices back up in the microwave.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Amazing everytime 🥰
Thank you so much, Kyana!
Best brownie recipe ever.
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Liz!