Best-Ever Fudgy (Shiny-Topped!) Homemade Brownies
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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”
Hi Ali – you asked in the newsletter about getting that flaky crust to your brownies. Stella Parks mentions this in her recipe on Serious Eats. Maybe this will do the trick for you.
https://www.seriouseats.com/bravetart-glossy-fudge-brownies
Thank you, Natasha! I am going to read right now 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hey Ali. In your recent newsletter you mentioned getting a shiny brownie top; I’ve always read that it making sure your eggs are super smooth when you mix everything up. You have to mix more than you think. I make a brownie peppermint cookie from Tasty that I love that has the crinkle top, and in addition to mixing the eggs well, you have to make sure to work quickly and not let your batter sit too long. Hope this helps!
OK! So helpful — someone else mentioned this lengthy mix time, so I am definitely going to give this a go next time around. Thank you for taking the time to write and share!
I may be mistaken but I believe the crackly crust has to do with how melted the sugar is, the more it is heated the cracklier the crust. Our house go to is the King Arthur Fudge brownie recipe (though I love these as well!!) and I believe they explain in their recipe that heating the sugar melts it a bit and then it crackles. So perhaps when you melt the butter add the sugar as well and warm both thoroughly (that is what their recipe asks for). Maybe in the past you’ve added the sugar when the butter was still warm from melting and that worked enough?
Yes, maybe! Tori, thank you for all of this! I am so looking forward to experimenting. I do think I need to melt the sugar better and I think I need to mix longer so the sugar and butter are very smooth… I will report back soon 🙂
This is my experience as well. Heat the sugar and the tops will be beautiful and shiny. I use Callebaut extra dark cocoa and the on the fence brownies, but I’ll try yours next time.
OK! Great to hear! I am so looking forward to experimenting.
WOW. I never knew that this was an issue with brownie. There’s a lot of debate as to the why.
I hope you find your answer Ali.
PS You might read up on the concerning Levels of Lead in Hershey’s Cocoa Powder and Milk Chocolate
Yikes! I had no idea about the lead… thank you for bringing this to my attention. Will read up on it for sure!
I did a little reading and CR has Hershey and Droste the two highest with lead. But after reading a few reports I don’t think I will worry too much. A couple of brownies or choc chip cookies or a cup of hot cocoa occasionally isn’t much of a threat. If someone is consuming those chocolate products every day maybe it’s time to rethink personally daily diets. Can these companies do a better job….of course they can and should find ways to reduce amounts but doubt all can be eliminated. Your brownies look delish 🙂
Dee… thank you! First: a few people emailed me that CR article, and I was so embarrassed that I hadn’t even checked Droste to compare — I just assumed bc Droste is a European brand it would have higher standards but clearly not. Second: After panicking briefly, I appreciate your perspective. When I did the math, it’s likely that there is about 4 grams of cocoa in each brownie, which can’t, as you say, be much of a threat. I am still going to experiment with other brands because if we can avoid it, why not, but in the meantime, I feel less stressed… thank you!!
Hi Ali.
well I’m not going to move the needle much on the “crackly topping” question, but I can tell you I swap out oil and butter in baking recipes and replace with applesauce and ALL of my baked goods end up with more of a moist, cake like texture and NO, ZERO, NADA crackly topping. My assumption has always been that I traded the gooey fudgey texture and crinkly top for the lower fat content. BUT….based on the comments you’ve received so far it could be anything- fat content, sugar, eggs, cocoa or the pan. YIKES! Guess we’ll just have to keep making more test batches until we get it right 🙂
I guess we will, Francesca! I appreciate you writing and sharing all of this regardless if it helps with the shiny-crust efforts — people write in all the time asking if they can replace the oil and butter with applesauce, and I’m never sure how to advise. No I do. Thank you 🙂
I think to get that crust, you need higher heat and shorter baking time. Maybe 375 and 20 minutes. I don’t bake til it tests dry Slightly sticky is better.
OK, interesting, Donna! Thank you for taking the time to write. I will be experimenting shortly.
hi There fellow bakers. I’m addressing the issue of the shiny crackly crust. I prefer the darker,less reflective pan for brownies. The dark metal will cause the sides and bottom to set more quickly. This will provide the support needed for the batter to produce steam and cause the proteins of the eggs to rise a bit before baking. This will help produce a shiny crackle on top. I too use an old dark pan for brownies. However, a Parish pan also seems to do the trick!
Debbie this is so interesting! The old pan I used was dark metal… I’m not sure what I’ve done with it, which makes me sad. Thank you so much for writing and sharing this science. I am so excited to experiment in the next few days. More soon!
Ali & Debbie … Hi! This mention of the chemistry of the dark pan interacting with the ingredients reminds me of a wonder show — Lessons in Chemistry — based on a bestselling book. The show is wonderful — chemistry in the kitchen (eventually)! I won’t give it away. Meanwhile, here’s a link to a short video of the author & the actor doing some real-life interaction talking about & baking brownies. These are chocolate – peanut butter brownies & nothing to do with the shiny crinkly top conversation, but I adore Lessons in Chemistry and don’t want to pass up a chance to share it with you after what Debbie just shared!
I loved Lessons in Chemistry!! So good. I have never seen the show, but I loved the book 🙂
Love this recipe! In response to the email about achieving the shiny top, I’ve found beating the sugar and eggs with a mixer on medium to medium high speed for a good 4-5 minutes has given me the shine. I always do that as a first step now and it seems to work.
OK! So interesting, Derek. I am going to be experimenting in the next few days. Will give this a go!
Hi! I missed your initial email request for how to get that shiny crust! Hopefully this is still helpful to you, but I remember learning the answer to this question a while back with my own brownie research… The answer is combining the eggs and sugar first. Beat until foamy. Here is a resource of another blogger’s experiments: https://handletheheat.com/how-to-make-brownies-with-shiny-thin-crust/
Interesting!! Thanks for sending this, Sara.
This link is to the Stella Parks brownie recipe which addresses your question. Well-Beaten eggs for glossy top!
mhttps://www.seriouseats.com/bravetart-glossy-fudge-brownies?hid=84c3fbcdfc5e23445a1943a8e7d4995860aaf758&did=11909600-20240210&utm_source=seriouseats&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=serious-eats_newsletter&utm_content=021024&lctg=84c3fbcdfc5e23445a1943a8e7d4995860aaf758
Thank you!!
I’m going to give this recipe a go, thanks! I may add ~1/2t or so of instant expresso coffee as I love that flavor boost in my brownies:-)
Yes! Espresso + chocolate is never a bad idea 🙂
Here’s a tip: Use a stick blender on the eggs and sugar alone… until it looks almost white. Melt butter until it’s foamy just until it smells like it’s toasty. Cocoa only in a bowl and pour over 1/4 boiling water (microwave it), let it bloom for about 10 minutes, then add it to the mix. You might need to add a smidgen more flour in the recipe to get consistency right.
Love this idea, Jan! Thank you for sending. Definitely aligns with what others are saying.
While I have not yet made these brownies, I see that the shiny center extends farther to the top and bottom where the sling is. Might a double sling coax that shine to the left and right?? It could be that the metal pan is transmitting heat faster to the sides than the top and bottom, which may destroy the shine on the hotter parts. Maybe a more insulating pan (pyrex/ceramic) with a double sling would do the trick. You may have already tried all this, but just a thought. Love your site.
Very interesting thought, Jean! And so observant. I will try a double sling next time or maybe a different pan altogether. Thank you!
Hi Ali,
Before I used your recipe, I used Alice Medrich’s cocoa brownie recipe and had shiny crust across the top. I still like yours best. Also made Beacon Hill Brownies years ago (find the recipe online or I can send it) for a 9×13” pan with a shiny crust and fudgy texture. I used to cut those into hearts. We loved the leftover bits, too. Can’t imagine what’s causing your batter to fold in like that at the edges.
Here’s the recipe I noted. Sorry I didn’t include it earlier.
BEACON HILL BROWNIES
Printed from COOKS.COMhttps://cooks.com/kv21g2ms
8 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 c. butter
5 eggs
3 c. sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. plain flour
2 c. nuts
Melt chocolate and butter on low heat. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla 10 minutes on high speed. Blend in chocolate on low speed then add flour and nuts. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes in a greased 13 x 9 inch pan.
Thank you for sending along this recipe and your notes, Leslie! The beating of the eggs and sugar for 10 minutes definitely aligns with what others are saying. I am looking forward to more experiments this week!
Hi Ali: My all-time brownie recipe has been from Canal House Cooking book volume 6. I think you may find it interesting. The girls use 4 oz. semisweet and 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate. chopped. They melt 4 tbsp butter and add the 2 c. sugar until it’s slushy and begins to bubble around the edges for 1-2 min. Take off the heat and add the chocolates,1 tsp. expresso powder, and 1/4 tsp.salt. Stir until choc.completely melts Put 4 eggs into mixing bowl and beat at med. speed. Gradually add the warm choc. mixture, 1/4 cup at a time until smooth. Stir in 2 tsp. vanilla. Add 1 cup flour and stir until just combined. 9-inch pan 45-60 min. Cool on rack. These have the paper-thin crust and are wonderfully moist. FYI Kathy
Kathy thank you for this! You know I love the Canal House girls, and I will definitely try this. I am in brownie-making mode, so it will be fun to compare and contrast. Their method definitely aligns with what others have said about achieving that paper-thin crust. Can’t wait to try!
From Consumer Reports on Instagram. Sorry!
Cocoa Powder
Cocoa powder is almost all cocoa solids, so you might expect that most would be too high in lead and cadmium, even in small amounts. But none of those we tested were high in cadmium, and only two had high levels of lead.
Most of the cocoa powders in our tests were natural-style—the kind most commonly available in the U.S.—and of those, a serving (1 tablespoon) of Hershey’s Cocoa Naturally Unsweetened 100% Cacao exceeded our lead limit.
Droste Cacao Powder was the only Dutch processed cocoa in our tests. This type of cocoa is alkalized to give it a less bitter taste. It was also the highest in lead of any product in our tests, supplying 324 percent of CR’s limit.
The best cocoa powder overall was Navitas Organics Organic Cacao Powder, which reached 77 percent of CR’s lead limit and 17 percent of the cadmium limit. Navitas has a third party test all finished products for heavy metals to ensure low levels, according to the company website.
I think Ghirardelli and Valrhona were ok.☹️
Neither Droste nor Hershey responded to a request for comment.
Leslie, thank you! A number of people emailed me the CR article, so I edited my cocoa notes above… so disappointing 🙁
I am going to order some Navitas Organics Organic Cacao Powder now and I will experiment as soon as it arrives. Appreciate you including this info here… thank you!!
I’m sorry to comment without having made this version, but I just wanted to say this is very similar to the Fry’s Cocoa Brownies I grew up with! Fry’s was the only Dutch processed cocoa available in Quebec in the 1980s. And we didn’t have Hersheys in Quebec. There are notable differences in the quantity of sugar (1 cup instead of 2), butter (1/2 cup instead of 1), and cocoa (only 1/2 cup). But you brought back fond memories with this recipe, since the only brownies I have ever liked are cocoa brownies! I will most certainly try yours!
I hope you love them, Marilou!!
I have made these brownies and they are great, but I was wondering if anyone has made these with a reduced amount of sugar. 2 heaping cups of sugar is a lot for an 8 x 8 pan. Just curious.
Hi Ali, I didn’t know about the % of lead in coco so I did a google search and found this…….
“ The Hershey’s Naturally Unsweetened 100% Cacao contained 125% lead and 18% cadmium, while Droste Cacao Powder contained 324% lead and 41% cadmium. In comparison, Navitas Organics tested 77% lead and 17% cadmium.Oct 25, 2023
Hershey’s product flagged by Consumer Reports for high …
PennLive.com
https://www.pennlive.com › life › 2023/10 › hersheys-pr…
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YIKES!
Lisa
See handletheheat.com or an extensive analysis of “How to Make Brownies with Shiny Thin Crust”- well done, extensive analysis (mostly getting sugar completely dissolved.
Will do! Thank you, John. This aligns with what others have said as well. Looking forward to reading the article.
Made this for my family and they loved it!
Great to hear, Karli! Thanks for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Stella uses Cacao Barry Extra Brute. It’s the only cacao I keep in the house now. Makes the best devil’s food cake! Available on Amazon.
Amazing! Great recommendation! Just ordered a bag. And I added it to the notes above. Thank you. Can’t wait to try it!!
I admire your tenacity! Long ago you commented on ATK with, ‘Gee, who knew we were making SO many mistakes in our cooking!’ I thought that was hilarious and can’t help but think of it when I’m reading or watching an ATK recipe. That said, we always followed the brownie recipe on the back of Hershey’s unsweetened chocolate bar (the one that would teach you forever how unsweetened chocolate tasted!). We used our mother’s large and low-sided ‘everything’ pan made of heavy steel. We greased the pan lightly first — with Crisco I recall – and that huge batch of brownies always came out beautiful brown, never too dark, and we fought over the crunchier edges. Just delicious. Don’t know if the steel, the lower sides, or no foil made a difference — darkening was just never a problem. And yes we beat everything in the stand mixer adding the next ingredient once the first was well mixed. But you have created a wonderful community of ”good cookers’ who ask, listen, and suggest. Just made me smile in ATK fashion.
🤣🤣🤣
Mary, I had forgotten about that! So funny. I love ATK so much but do always discover problems I never knew were problems 🙂 🙂 🙂 And I had forgotten about “good cooker” too. That little one is now 14 years old!
Your brownies sound delicious, and I’m sure they were. Thanks for sharing your notes. I do think mixing everything well makes a difference. Thanks for writing and thank you for your kind words.
Fat Daddy are my favorite pans. I have all sizes from bread pans to cake pans, mini to large. round to rectangle. They are many years old and look brand new.
I have two 6-inch round pans that I use for this birthday cake, and I LOVE them. Happy to have added this one to the arsenal!
OMG best brownies ever. I’ve been making brownies for 60 years, I’m now 72.5. Hands down the best ever and SO addictive. The kicker, I made them Gluten Free with flour I buy at our favourite GF bakery in St Catharines, Ontario. They are SOOOO good. I also use the same flour for your easy peasy bread with great success. I’m hoping there is a GF pizza dough recipe in our new Pizza cookbook
Thank you for all your great recipes
Hooray! Great to hear, Midge! Thanks for writing and sharing these notes — so helpful for others looking to make gluten-free brownies. If you have the brand of the gluten-free flour you are using and care to share, please do… people always ask 🙂 And yes, there is a gluten-free dough recipe in Pizza Night!!
Made these tonight after seeing the updates and OMG they are SO good! Wow! Fudgy, soft and just delicious. I wasn’t sure if they would have the shiny top since I couldn’t get the eggs to the right level, but I didn’t notice an impact. Ended up doing the full 40 minutes and they were perfect. Another incredible recipe!
Oh yay! Great to read all of this, Brian. I should probably add some better descriptors for the egg-beating step — I will soon. Hoping to add a video this week. Regardless, so glad they turned out well! Thank you for writing 🙂
I have to bring a 9×13 pan of brownies to a meeting. Do you think I should double this recipe? 1.5 times? Any thoughts? Thanks in advance
I think doubling is a good idea!
Thanks for the speedy reply. I think everyone will love these!
I buy my GF flour from Edible Options Bakery in St Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
Thank you!
Made these!! Fantastic melted the butter added the cocoa powder. Whisked eggs with sugar. Added dry. Excellent recipe. Thank you so much!