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
Absolutely awful, it spent 3hrs in the oven ended up with a burnt bottom and a raw middle. Would not recommend to others. I wish I read the review before I made it.
OMG, These brownies are the best things I have ever made. They were so rich and fudgy with a beautiful chocolate flavor I have made these so many times they are a crowd please. I loves this recipe
I’m so glad you loved them!
Hi Bonnie, 3 hours in the oven is too long. As we mention in the notes, they’re gooey in the middle and they set up while they cool.
These were incredible! Very fudgy and dense. Made them with my 9-year-old for a parent coffee morning at school, and they were a big hit! We doubled the recipe and baked in a 9″x13″ glass pan for 40 min at 325 (but my in-oven thermometer always says it’s a bit low, so it could have actually been 300) on the middle rack. The toothpick came out with a slick of chocolate on it, but it still looked pretty set in the middle. We used the less sugar option (2 cups for a doubled recipe, instead of 3) and olive oil. They were not grainy or too salty, but you could definitely taste the salt, which I enjoy with chocolate, but if you don’t then lessen the salt a bit. I think the 72% cacao dark chocolate chips and unsweetened 100% cocoa powder (both Ghirardelli because that’s what we had) we’re key in getting a really rich chocolate flavor. Would definitely make again! Thank you for another fantastic recipe!
Hi Carly, aww, I’m so glad that you and your daughter enjoyed making these!
U R the best!!! The many recipes of yours that I have used are always so yummy!!! Especially my honey-bunny loves everything that I bake & he wanted brownies so here we are-brownies in the oven!!! Thanks!!!
I wish I read the reviews before making. I wanted to mix it up from my normal brownie recipe and I was wrong to try this one.
Definitely mix the sugar with the eggs and oil first because the texture was so gritty. They also need a baking soda or baking powder – I was shocked that wasn’t in the recipe but trusted the process. Don’t use olive oil – you can taste it after baked so use canola or vegetable oil. I’m so sad these was a huge miss.
2nd batch in and gotta say USE the dark chocolate nibs AND the dark cocoa powder for terribly rich taste. Used a dbl recipe in a 9×13 and those suckers were thick and chewy, juuuust how I like’em. I was confused by the consistency as it was NOT like the watery garbage from a box. But after a bit of pressing into corners and making level …. Maybe a couple minutes…into the oven, turned out to be 45+5 mins, toothpick tested, done and done. Into the freezer to quick cool so I could cut it up into 24- 2x2x1.5 squares later. Chefs kiss!!!
I’m glad you enjoyed them! Yes, the batter doesn’t resemble a boxed mix, we tried to indicate that in the photos.
delicious, fudgey, and super easy! i added half a teaspoon of espresso powder to help bring out the chocolate flavor 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
These brownies are so insanely sweet and taste more like olive oil than chocolate. The texture was pretty fudgy, so points for that, but this recipe is still so disappointing.
Honestly I don’t recommend much of the baking recipes on this site but the cooking ones are good.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy these.
I didn’t love this one. I sort of wondered if a little baking powder and maybe trying to mix the granulated sugar with the wet ingredients would make me like it more? They reminded me of a sweeter version of black bean brownies but a little gritty.
Hi Cindy, did you use the powdered sugar as well?
These were hands down the best brownies I ever made!!! chocolatey, gooey and so rich!!
Ill be saving this recipe and will definitely be making it again!
Mine burned from the top but was wet in the middle? I usually make brownies so this was new, idk what went wrong because I followed the instructions quite thoroughly, maybe it’s an issue in the oven setting I put?
Hi, it sounds like there could be an issue with your oven or maybe they were on too high of a rack? Did you cook them longer than the timing indicated? They should come out of the oven gooey.
One other question. How many grams of flour do you use per cup. I use a digital scale to weigh all ingredients in flour is the number one thing that should be weighed thank you.
I noticed there is no baking powder or baking soda in the brownies. Is that correct? Thank you.
One other question. How many grams of flour do you use per cup. I use a digital scale to weigh all ingredients in flour is the number one thing that should be weighed thank you.
yep, it’s correct. These aren’t cakey brownies, and the cocoa powder acts as the leavener in this case.
Way way way too much sugar absolutley inedible – and I love sugar!
Hi Eloise, we find that 1 cup of granulated sugar (instead of 1.5) works well for a less sweet brownie!
Can I substitute using vegetable oil, that’s all I have. And, I don’t have cocoa powder what else can I use?
Hi Yasminda, vegetable oil works! You need cocoa powder for this recipe though, there’s not really a good substitute.
I was so very hopeful that these would be the best brownies ever, since they were rated so highly. However, I was disappointed with the flavor and texture. They were somewhat gritty and did not have the immense chocolate taste I was expecting. The appearance and smell were on point.
Hi Tina, so sorry you were disappointed! For the grittiness, I find that using fine white granulated sugar (like Domino or similar) gives these the best texture vs a coarser cane sugar. You may have used dark chocolate chips, but if not, they would give the brownies a deeper chocolate flavor.
A receita é otima e o site repleto de maravilhas !!!
Parabens
So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
My favorite brownie recipe of al time!!
So glad you love it, Andrea!
Hi! I’m exclusively a “from-scratch” baker, but I confess to coveting my friend’s boxed brownies … until now! This recipe makes perfectly textured, yummy-tasting brownies with little more effort than the boxed type. Thank you for ending my search for the perfect homemade brownies!
Sent from my iPhone
So glad you loved the recipe, Sandy!
This batter does NOT pour lol it just a big blob . If you’re making this recipe , make sure to add oil ….this recipe made me waste ingredients….i wish i would have read the whole thing before mixing it up. I made them exactly to the letter of this recipe and cooked them exactly as instructed. Trash …the ingredients are not proportionate.
Hi, I’m sorry you had disappointing results! This recipe does have a very thick batter, but once baked it should set up.
These brownies are so good, I’m in 8th grade and brought some for my friends/teachers; they said they were the best brownies ever. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
Hi Sofia, I’m so glad they were a hit!!