Best-Ever Fudgy (Shiny-Topped!) Homemade Brownies
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Made with cocoa powder, not melted chocolate, this chewy, fudgy brownie recipe truly is the best ever. The batter comes together in just about 10 minutes and the brownies emerge with a shiny, paper-thin crust extending from edge to edge.
I’ve been making this brownie recipe for over a decade for various occasions, often for birthdays studded with candles or, for extra fun, a few sparklers. From Fine Cooking Magazine, the recipe calls for cocoa powder alone — no melted chocolate — and produces the fudgiest, chewiest, most delicious brownie ever. It will ruin all other recipes for you. Sorry?
Recently I’ve been on a quest to ensure every batch of brownies emerges with that desirable shiny, paper-thin top layer. With the help of this Stella Parks article as well as a number of reader comments, I’ve finally created the brownie of my dreams. Read on for more details.
How To Achieve Shiny, Glossy-Topped Brownies
In sum, the key to achieving shiny-topped brownies is to vigorously mix the batter at its various phases and to bake the brownies in an aluminum cake pan or a metal pan. This is what has made the difference for me:
- Melt the butter and sugar sufficiently and beat the two together until they are nearly emulsified — the batter should look like wet sand. (I use my flat-bottomed whisk here.)
- Beat the eggs for about a minute (I again use my flat-bottomed whisk here) until they are foamy and slightly thick.
- Whisk the butter-sugar mixture really well into the eggs before adding the dry ingredients.
- Use an anodized aluminum pan. Stella Parks explains in this article that in an aluminum pan, “a well-whipped brownie batter will bake just fast enough, puffing beautifully along the way. The brownies will then settle as they cool, a transformation that creates their crinkly, flaky tops and fudgy middles.” One of you readers has also had success using this USA 8-inch metal pan.
She also recommends lining the pan with foil:
Bonus: While these brownies are delicious when freshly baked, they get better by the day, becoming richer and fudgier as they sit. So don’t be afraid to make them ahead of time.
The Best Cocoa for Brownies?
For years I used Hershey’s natural cocoa powder in these brownies. Recently, however, I switched to Droste Dutch Processed Cocoa, because one of you told me about the concerning levels of lead in Hershey’s cocoa powder. I’ve since learned that Droste has even higher levels of lead than Hershey’s.
All of this said, if you do the math, each brownie contains roughly 4 grams of cocoa powder. Still not ideal, and I will report back if I find a cocoa powder that works well and has lower levels of lead. Stay tuned! In the meantime, here are some recommendations from readers:
- Stella Park’s favorite: Cacao Barry Extra Brute (2 pack) | (1 pack)
- Navitas
- Viva Naturals Organic Cocoa
- Fry’s
- Rodelle
PS: My favorite soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies.
Fudgy, Chewy, Shiny-Topped Brownies: Step by Step
First, measure your dry ingredients. For best results here, use a scale to measure — it’s really hard to measure cocoa powder accurately without a scale.
Whisk together the dry ingredients, then set aside:
In another large bowl, place 3 eggs:
Then whisk vigorously for 60-90 seconds or until the eggs are foamy and slightly thick. I like to use my flat-bottomed whisk here. Set aside.
Meanwhile, place two sticks of butter in a pot.
Melt the butter then add the sugar:
Whisk the sugar and butter together very well here — this won’t take long but the mixture should look like wet sand when you’re done. Again, I like to use my flat-bottomed whisk here.
Whisk this butter-sugar mixture into the eggs very well, then add the vanilla and whisk again:
Add the dry ingredients to the wet:
Whisk until the batter is very smooth:
Pour into a foil-lined 9-inch pan (this one is great):
Bake for 37-40 minutes at 350ºF:
Let cool for 30 minutes, then remove the brownies from the pan. The shiny top layer looks like a sheet of paper you could peel away… a sight to behold!
Cut into squares:
Admire your work:
Celebrate with sparklers?
Or a tall glass of milk.
PrintBest-Ever Fudgy (Shiny-Topped!) Homemade Brownies
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 16
Description
Source: Fine Cooking
UPDATES: 1/23/2024: In an effort to achieve that shiny, crackly crust every time, I’ve made a few changes to the recipe, mostly to the method, which is reflected in the instructions below. I also now use 3 eggs as opposed to 4, 1 tablespoon vanilla as opposed to 1/2 teaspoon, and 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt as opposed to 1/2 teaspoon table salt.
Notes:
- A digital scale is best for measuring flour and cocoa powder. This one is reasonably priced. Buy it! Baking by weight will change you forever. There’s no better time than right now.
- Cocoa Powder: For years I used Hershey’s natural cocoa powder. Recently, however, I switched to Droste Dutch Processed Cocoa, mostly because one of you told me there are concerning levels of lead in Hershey’s cocoa powder. But now I’ve learned that Droste has even higher levels of lead than Hershey’s. All of this said, if you do the math, each brownie likely contains roughly 4 grams of cocoa powder. Still not ideal, and I will report back if I find a cocoa powder that works well and has lower levels of lead. Stay tuned! In the meantime, here are some recommendations from readers:
- Stella Park’s recommendation: Cacao Barry Extra Brute (2 pack) | (1 pack)
- Navitas
- Viva Naturals Organic Cocoa
- Fry’s
- Rodelle
- The pan. For optimal results, Stella Parks recommends using an anodized aluminum pan, explaining that in an aluminum pan, “a well-whipped brownie batter will bake just fast enough, puffing beautifully along the way. The brownies will then settle as they cool, a transformation that creates their crinkly, flaky tops and fudgy middles.” She also recommends lining the pan with foil. One of you readers has also had success using this USA 8-inch metal pan.
Ingredients
- 72 g (¾ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder, see notes above
- 84 g (2/3 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher salt (or ½ teaspoon table salt or 1/2 teaspoon Morton kosher salt)
- 3 large eggs
- 227 g (1 cup or 2 sticks) salted or unsalted butter; plus more for the pan (I use Cabot salted)
- 432 g (a heaping 2 cups) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and position a rack in the center of the oven. Line a 9-inch square baking pan, preferably aluminum or metal, with aluminum foil (see notes above).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another large bowl, beat the eggs very well until foamy and thick — about 1 minute of vigorous whisking.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat — it should be hot and bubbling lightly. Add the sugar and whisk until well very combined — I like to use my flat-bottomed whisk here. The mixture should be nearly emulsified and should look like wet sand.
- Pour the melted butter-sugar mix into the eggs and whisk constantly until very well combined. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to extract any lingering sugar/butter. Add the vanilla to the egg-sugar mix, and whisk to incorporate.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and whisk until smooth.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 37-40 minutes. Insert a toothpick straight into the center. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, the brownies are done.
- Let cool completely in pan on rack (at least 30 minutes) before cutting. Brownies can be made two to three days in advance.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
253 Comments on “Best-Ever Fudgy (Shiny-Topped!) Homemade Brownies”
Happy Valentine’s Ali!!
I am sharing this Chefclub link with you because….
#1 it’s really cute and has cool ideas.
#2 while it looks fun, who’s got time for that?
This is why I’m more inclined to make the brownies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGcaU5GovKc
Enjoy your day!
I was on edge watching! A proposal! How nice 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for sending. It really is fun. But yes: who has time??? Happy Valentine’s Day Lisa!
Not your average brownie! Not only are these easy to make, they are delicious! Thanks, Ali, your recipes are always a hit!
So happy to hear this, Diane! I like them even better on day two. Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
These are delish!! Can you do a recipe for brownies with sourdough?
Oh yay! So happy to hear this. Regarding sourdough brownie … give me some time 🙂
Have you tried these in a 13×9 pan?
I haven’t but I think it would work beautifully … you were planning on doubling it, right?
I have never ever liked brownies whether made from scratch or a box. I LOVE these brownies for their taste and texture and easy ingredients. I’ve added espresso powder with the dry ingredients which is good.
So happy to hear this, Tina!
Sooo good! Really fudgy, especially on 2nd and 3rd day! I also love that they use cocoa powder (which I always have on hand) instead of blocks of chocolate (which I’d have to go and buy specially). Two thumbs up 🙂
Wonderful to hear this, Jenny!
Hi Ali! Yesterday I went looking all around for an easy, delicious brownie recipe that I could make in a flash with all ingredients I had on hand. After spending too much time on Pinterest I realized that I could just come straight to my most trusted blogger friend and whaddaya know, here was the perfect recipe. Unbelievable that I had never made brownies from scratch before. This recipe is fantastic! Thanks for always being so reliable and such a great resource for all things baking! I hope you and your family are well! Xoxoxo
Oh Tracey, yay! This makes me so happy. It’s always so nice to see your name pop up here, too. Sending you lots of love 💕💕💕💕 xoxo
So excited to make these, we had the Ghirardelli mix from Costco, but just ran out. So will make this instead of buying those:) Do you recommend increasing the flour for high elevation? Thanks! Gentry
Hi Gentry! I don’t know how to advise regarding flour amount and elevation … what do you typically do? I don’t think you could hurt these by increasing the flour a little bit. Let me know what you do!
Can this be doubled? Then baked in a 9X13 or would you suggest just leaving it as is and baking in a 9×13 for thinner brownies?
Yes!
Tried this brownie recipe, it did not turn out well. Not sure if the butter and sugar mixture was suppose to be cooled before adding eggs. When i added the eggs it clumped together. Will try again.
Bummer to hear this! I do not cool the butter-sugar mixture, but it’s not piping hot either. If the eggs clumped, next time around, I would transfer the butter-sugar mixture to a bowl so that you can whisk in the eggs one by one more easily.
I absolutely love these brownies and have made them several times without a hitch. They’re so good, and surprising that they are so chocolatey and sense even without melted chocolate.
Have you ever tried browning the butter in the first step? Wondering if that would make these even more delicious than they already are.
Hi Alexa! So nice to hear this 🙂 🙂 🙂 I think browning the butter is a brilliant idea. I have never tried, but you are making me want to make a batch ASAP. Let me know if you give it a go!
This is the best brownie recipe and the only one you need!! My family goes crazy every time I make these! Thank you! I LOVE all your recipes and know that they will always be fabulous❤️
So nice to hear this, Sally! Thanks so much for writing. 🙂 🙂 🙂 I haven’t even looked at another brownie recipe since discovering this one.
These were absolutely wonderful..my hubby said the were “delectable”.. a word I never heard him use before 😉… thank you!
Love this, Claudia 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks for writing.
This recipe looks amazing in its simplicity and minimal ingredients! For those of us that unable to delight in regular flour, what are your thoughts on substituting gluten free flour, like cup4cup? Would the recipe need to be adjusted? Thank you for all your genius recipes and techniques!
Hi Caroline! My mother’s simple gf variation is to use almond flour in place of the ap flour. But! I think Cup4Cup or any gf flour mix would work great in this recipe. Go for it!
I made these for Valentine’s Day, Ali, but we waited a day per your recommendation. There are only two of us. I cut them small because there’s so much snow we can’t go for our Pandemic Walk every day. I’m happy to tell you that we love them! Even several days,later, we love the slightly crunchy edge that forms from storing them in a tin, and the fudgy interior which is pure heaven. I may transfer them to a more tightly sealed container or freeze a few. My previous favorite was Alice Medrich’s cocoa brownie. These are more decadent and will be made again. Thanks!
Wonderful to hear this, Leslie! I love them on day 2 and 3 and beyond, too 🙂 And definitely freeze any extras bc they freeze well, too. Thanks so much for writing!
Truly the BEST brownies!! Thank you Ali!!
So great to hear this, Dawn 🙂 🙂 🙂 These are my favorite. Always happy when others agree 💕💕💕💕💕
Could you swirl these with raspberry jam? Would you just need to bake a bit longe?
I would imagine you could, but I’ve never tried so I don’t know how to advise on the timing. I think 5 minutes extra would be about right.
I’ve made these twice now and they came out beautifully each time. Thank you, Ali, for yet another great recipe! Each time I make one of your recipes, they turn out amazing and become a new family favourite! You are just stellar. Thank you for all that you do.
Great to hear this, Natasha! And you are too kind. Thank you 🙂 🙂 🙂
These brownies are so easy to make and I receive so many compliments when I make them with people always asking for more.
So nice to hear, Terry! These are my favorite 🙂
I have been looking for a good brownie recipe for ages now. Every one I tried was either not fudgy enough or not sweet enough. There was always something that wasn’t quite right. I thought I would never find one untill I came across yours. when I took it out of the oven it made the house smell amazing and it tasted even better that it looked.
Thankyou so much for sharing this recipe and for stopping what I thought would be a lifelong quest for finding the best brownie recipe.
Oh yay! I’m so happy to hear this, Megan 🙂 🙂 🙂 To me, these are perfect, not just the perfect brownie, but the perfect dessert. There’s really nothing else that compares if you ask me. Thanks so much for writing!
THIS RECIPE IS SO GOOD!! the brownies were so fudgy and delicious💁🏻♀️
Yay 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 This is my fave recipe 🙂 🙂 🙂
Loved this recipe! I needed to add on an additional 5 minutes to the suggested 37-40 minutes, may have been my oven though. They turned out moist inside with a perfect chewy exterior. Delish! Can I use this recipe as is and add either nuts, chocolate chips or caramel chips?
Great to hear Nick! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes re timing. Definitely add nuts, chips, etc., without making any other adjustments to the recipe.
The first time I made these I decided they were the BEST brownies I ever had! Have made this recipe 2x since and they turned out with a more caked texture. Could you please tell me why?
Thank you.
Hi Karen! Interesting… did you make any changes? Either with how you mixed the batter or the type of flour? Are you using a scale to measure?
I have been making brownies for over 50 years. These are incredible – nothing else comes
close to these. And , on top of that, SO EASY! I love all your recipes (and I love all your
videos) but these are beyond wonderful! Keep those recipes coming!
So wonderful to hear this 🙂 🙂 🙂 These are my fave, too. Thanks for writing!
Ali, if I use spelt flour, would it be the same amount as the AP?
Yes! 🙂 🙂 🙂
These really are the BEST BROWNIES I’VE EVER MADE and believe me I’ve made my share of homemade brownies over the years. Ali’s recipes are always so simple and delicious but these are “Desert Island” Brownies…(if you were dropped onto a deserted island and you only had 5 things with you….)…haha!
I sprinkle walnuts in and they are a great addition if you are a nut lover. I like them both ways.
My next door neighbor just had a new baby. I am making dinner for her and these will be the
dessert. I think we will be friends forever:)
Interested in making this. Just wondering if you’re gonna make a video for this recipe. I feel much more assured that I’m following the recipe right if there’s a video. Also, question the part where you put the beaten eggs, we are to wait for the butter to cool down first right? Thanks.
Hi Alexine! I likely won’t be able to get a video done for these anytime soon, but I can assure you they are incredibly delicious… the only brownie recipe I make. I melt the butter and sugar over low heat, and honestly I never really let it cool down before adding the eggs, and it always works out just fine. Go for it!!
These brownies were a big hit at my work holiday party. thank you! I will be surely making it again soon.
Great to hear, Alicia! Thanks so much for writing 🙂
Used my USA BROWNIE PAN. Batter a bit runny -used a cookie scoop- but still a bit of a mess. Baked 20 minutes- cooled in pan 12 min. Popped out and on rack for 2 hours- dusted w powdered sugar, for freezer- but not before I tasted 3. Chewy, buttery, fudgy, wonderfulness. Made these for upcoming dessert of little hot fudge sundaes which will be adorable and irresistable. Thank you again. Good recipe
Great to hear, Teresa! Thanks for writing and sharing your notes 🙂 🙂 🙂
I’m so glad I found this recipe! These were the best brownies I’ve had, chocolatey and chewy, but not too rich. I used a glass 8×8 pan and the cooking time was a bit longer for me, but they still turned out so good and kept well for a few days!
Great to hear, Alison 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing.
Hi Ali! I come from the part of the world which uses grams. I’d love to use this recipe but please could I confirm the weight for the cocoa powder and flour.
According to conversion charts,
# 3/4 cup of cocoa powder should equal 6 oz or 177g but your recipe states 2 1/2 oz.
# 2/3 cup of flour should equal 5 1/2 oz or 158g but your recipe states 3 oz.
If it’s not convenient to confirm the weight in grams, which unit of measurement do you use when you measure your flour and cocoa powder so I can follow just that to produce a lovely brownie as it should be.
Thanks very much!
Hi! I would use the ounce measurements or the gram conversions:
2.5 ounces = 70 grams
3 ounces = 85 grams
Have been making these brownies for several years. Family favorite! The last several times I’ve made them I’m not getting the shiny, flaky crust. Looks a bit dull with some small holes. Don’t feel like I’m doing anything differently…any ideas? Thank you!
Hi! Are you using the same cocoa powder you always use?