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Classic Fudgy Brownies

Fudgy Brownies with a crackly top are made in one bowl, without a mixer. Rich, chocolatey and deeply satisfying, these brownies are comfort food at it’s finest.

a stack of fudgy brownies

In the eternal battle of fudgy brownies versus cakey brownies, I vote 100% for fudgy brownies.

What makes a brownie fudgy versus cakey? It’s the amount of flour in the batter. With a mere 1/2 cup of flour in the recipe, these brownies are deliciously fudgy.

One other essential characteristic of a good brownie is the crackly top. There is a special technique that will help create that lovely crackly crust.

Scroll through the photos to see how to make Fudgy Brownies with a crackly crust:

butter and chocolate being weighed to make fudgy brownies
Combine the butter and chocolate in a large microwave-safe bowl. Mix the batter in the same bowl.
adding eggs to brownie batter
Stir the eggs into the batter until combined. Then stir vigorously for 30 seconds. This will incorporate air into the batter to help form the crackly crust on top.
before and after photos showing unbaked and baked fudgy brownies
Line the pan with parchment paper to make it easy to remove the brownies from the pan.

Tips for making and storing Fudgy Brownies:

  • The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9″x 13″ pan.
  • Butter the pan and line with parchment paper. This not only prevents sticking, it makes it much easier to lift the brownies out of the pan.
  • Stirring the batter vigorously after adding the eggs will incorporate air into the batter. This will help form a crackly crust on the top of the brownies. If you prefer a soft top on your brownies, you can skip that step.
  • Cool the brownies in the pan then use the parchment to transfer them to a cutting board.
  • If you like to frost your brownies, you can use Chocolate Ganache, Old Fashioned Chocolate Frosting or Malted Chocolate Frosting.
  • The Brownies will keep at room temperature for several days.
  • Iced or un-iced brownies can be frozen. If the brownies are iced, layer them with parchment paper or plastic wrap to prevent them from sticking together. They are delicious straight from the freezer.

You might like these other fabulous brownie recipes: Sourdough Brownies, Habanero Brownies, Chocolate Cherry Brownies, Malted Milk Brownies, Roasted Beet Brownies, and White Chocolate Raspberry Brownies.

You might also like these recipes for the brownies’ cousin, Butterscotch Ripple Blondies and Malted Milk Blondies

a stack of fudgy brownies
a hand holding a piece of a fudgy brownie

If you love this recipe as much as I do, I’d really appreciate a 5-star review.

Fudgy Brownies

Fudgy Brownies

Yield: 12 brownies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Fudgy Brownies with a crackly top are made in one bowl, without a mixer. Rich, chocolatey and deeply satisfying, these brownies are comfort food at it's finest.

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (140g) chopped
  • 8 tablespoons (4 oz, 112g) unsalted butter, cut into 1" chunks
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz, 112g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (2 oz, 56g) brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (2.5 oz, 70g) all purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8" or 9" square baking pan and line the pan in one direction with parchment paper.
  2. Combine the chopped chocolate and the butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, stir to combine. Microwave in 30 second increments (stirring between) until all the chocolate is melted.
  3. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt and vanilla, stir to combine. Add the eggs, stir until combined then stir vigorously for 30 seconds.
  4. Add the flour, stir just until combined. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
  5. Bake until the brownies puff up a bit and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (20-25 minutes).
  6. Cool in the pan to room temperature then refrigerate until the brownies are firm.
  7. Use the parchment paper to lift the brownies out of the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into 12 large or 16 small brownies.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Nancy

Monday 24th of May 2021

Wonderful recipe⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Judy

Sunday 14th of June 2020

5 stars! I think these brownies were the first thing I made from your cookbook. They truly are the fudgiest brownies ever. And so easy to make.

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