Easy homemade chocolate brownies made with butter, cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips.
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After discovering my son’s food allergy a few years ago, I really dove into baking. I tried many recipes to come up with the “best-of” this or that treat, but it took a while to get that perfect brownie recipe down.
I wanted something as easy as a box mix, with a consistent turnout, the perfect chocolate flavor, and not too gooey but not cake like either. If I had to compare these to a box mix, I would say they are similar to Ghiradelli’s Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix.
Easy 30-minute brownie recipe
These easy homemade fudgy brownies are the result from all my experimenting. They have become one of my kids most requested treats. Whenever I bring a batch of these brownies somewhere to share they never last long!
I don’t serve dessert every day, but on Fridays I always like to bake a sweet treat to celebrate the end of the school and work week. This recipe is simple enough that your kids can help. It is not complicated and requires just a few dishes, which to me is just right for a Friday or weekend treat.
Ingredients you'll need
Make homemade brownies with just a few basic kitchen staples you likely have in your pantry and fridge.
- Butter – Unsalted butter melted and then cooled.
- Granulated Sugar – Precisely one cup. Too much and it will be too sweet, not enough and the brownies will not be sweet enough.
- Vanilla Extract – Adds flavor depth.
- Eggs – Two large eggs.
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- All-Purpose Flour - I prefer to bake with unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Cocoa Powder – I usually have Hershey’s or Nestle’s Cocoa Powder on hand.
- Dark Chocolate Chips – I really like using Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Chips in this recipe. They melt just the right amount. You can also use milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips. You want to use a chocolate chip that still tastes sweet.
- Please see recipe card at bottom of page for exact measurements and instructions!
How to make the perfect brownies
These chocolatey brownies are made in one-bowl and take less that 10 minutes to mix up. A simple brownie recipe that even beginner bakers can make.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9" X 9" metal baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Melt butter on the stove-top or in the microwave in 20 second intervals. Set butter aside to slightly cool.
- Whisk together melted butter, sugar and vanilla. Whisk in eggs, mixing until fully incorporated. Tip: Be sure butter mixture is not too hot before whisking in the eggs, otherwise you risk cooking the eggs.
- Add dry ingredients (baking soda, salt, cocoa powder and flour) to wet ingredients. Stir until incorporated into batter, avoid over stirring. Fold in chocolate chips to the brownie batter.
- Batter will be thick. Spread batter into prepared pan and bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes. Allow brownies to cool for 30 minutes before cutting into. Enjoy!
What kind of pan should I cook brownies in?
The type of pan that you use to bake the brownies actually does matter due to heat transfer and conductivity. Ideally, brownies should be baked in a metal pan. I prefer to use a dark pan coated with foil, a light colored baking pan is my second choice. Brownies will bake nicely whether you choose to use a dark or light colored metal baking pan.
Ceramic or glass pans are slower to conduct heat. It takes over three times as long for a glass pan to heat up compared to aluminum, although it will retain heat longer. This means that if you bake in glass cooking time will be longer which risks burnt edges. However, adjustments can be made to time and temperature if that is all you have.
I only have a glass pan, can I still make these brownies?
Yes! Reduce the heat to 325F and slightly increase the cooking time. Readers have commented that for a 9X9 pan of brownies in a glass pan cooking time was increased by 2-3 minutes.
For a double batch of brownies in a 9x13 glass pan, one reader said they took 45 minutes at 325F and turned out perfect.
How to tell when brownies are done?
The batter should be pulling away from the edges of the pan and the top of the brownies should be mostly set. A toothpick test may have some melted chocolate chips on it but should not be covered in batter. Brownies will continue to set as they cool.
Storage & Serving
Serve brownies at room temperature or slightly warm. Pairs well with a glass of ice cold milk. Serve brownie a’ la mode with a scoop of Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream for a real treat.
Store brownies on the counter at room temperature covered tightly with foil or in an airtight container for up to three days. To preserve freshness of brownies, transfer to airtight container in the fridge. Brownies tend to dry out after several days of storage.
How to freeze brownies
Wrap brownies in aluminum foil or individually in plastic wrap and then place them in freezer safe tin or ziploc bag.
📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup Butter melted and cooled
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 2 Eggs
- ¼ tsp. Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- ½ cup All-Purpose Flour
- ½ cup Cocoa Powder
- 1 ½ cup Chocolate Chips*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9”X9” square metal baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Melt butter and set aside till cool.
- Whisk together butter, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in eggs, stirring until fully incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients (baking soda, salt, flour and cocoa powder) to wet ingredients. Stir until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Batter will be thick.
- Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes before cutting.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Something Swanky.
FAQ
Can I use a different size pan?
Yes, if you don't have a 9" square pan and 8" square pan will work. It may just need to bake for a few extra minutes.
How can I tell when the brownies are done?
Look at the edges, they should be pulling away from the pan. The top should be set and not jiggly. If you stick a toothpick in the batter, it might have melted chocolate chip on it, but should not be covered in batter.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes, I have doubled and baked the brownies in a 9 X 13 metal pan. Cooking time will increase, I recommend doing the toothpick test to make sure they are fully cooked.
Can I leave out the chocolate chips?
No, this recipe will not turnout without the chocolate chips as they add to the texture of the final brownies.
I hope yall enjoy these homemade brownies. To me, there is just something that tastes better when you bake brownies from scratch. Maybe it’s the freshness and quality of the ingredients, or maybe it’s the time, effort and love that go into them.
Either way, I hope you family enjoys this simple brownie recipe!
Recipes you may also enjoy:
- 1886 Chocolate Buttermilk Cake
- Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Coconut Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Originally published in Aug 2022. Updated in Oct 2023 with additional FAQ and tips.
Liz
Awesome recipe!! I made this for my brothers and parent, as well as my bestfriend. They all loved them! Nice and thick, as well.
Alaine
Thank you! So glad everyone loved the brownies. I love how easy they are to make!
Shaddai
MMMmmm these were so good. I like these because they aren't super fudgy and you can taste the chocolate chips in every bite.
Madison
Is it unsweetened cocoa powder?
Alaine
Yes it is.
Troyce Denee Tucker
I doubled, added my vanilla cookie protein powder, homemade marshmallows and baked in a glass dish. It was delicious!!! The whole family loved them!
Alaine
Yum, Sounds really tasty! Thanks for sharing!
Gretchen B.
Can I add nut to this recipe or would it be to much texture?
edwina lucas
Delicious my husband loved them as well I had all the ingredients added walnuts for extra scrumptious gave in to my craving soon as found this recipe can't wait to share with my children and grandchildren Happy Holidays.
Alaine
Thank you Edwina! I bet they were tasty with walnuts. Merry Christmas to your family as well!
A.L.
First time making homemade brownies. They turned out ok, too much of a dark chocolate/bitter flavor for my taste. I even reduced the chips to 1/2 cup ( I used Ghirardelli mini chips). Not sure how to adjust the flavor..maybe more sugar or reduce cocoa to 1/3 cup? Otherwise brownies set well, had a good texture and I appreciate the simple ingredients.
Katrina
Maybe use milk chocolate chips versus the dark chocolate ones.
Danielle
Very good. Fyi making them without chocolate chips works great as well.
Laura
Absolutely delicious! I am an die hard boxed brownie fan, and I was hesitant to make from scratch. However, these turned out perfect and I will definitely make again!
Pam
This was the best brownie recipe from scratch I have ever made. I added walnuts and it put it over the top. So light! Delicious! I love the option to double or triple the ingredients for a larger batch.
Thank you!
Kathleen Y A
I am baking these right now. I added a teaspoon of espresso to the batter. Thanks so much smell wonderful.
Maddy
I don't usually write reviews but these are the best brownies I've ever made! The batter was extremely thick and hard to spread in the pan but they turned out perfect and are honestly even tastier the next day.
Vicki H
Absolutely easy to make and absolutely delicious!!!!
Robin WW
These are the best brownies I have ever made. I used 1 cup of Ghiradelli Semi Sweet chips and 1/2 cup of plain M&M’s. My family loved them and they are my new favorite dessert! Thank you for sharing your recipe 😃
Alaine
Sounds delish and so fun! I know my boys would love them with M&M's. Thank you!
Abigail
Tasted super good they were darker than picture. Other than that I loved them
Alaine
Dark cocoa powder will make the brownies darker :). I'm glad you loved them!
Rebecca
These brownies are delicious! I made them today and shared them with my neighbors, they all loved them, not 1 brownie was left, such a great recipe, thank you for sharing. This will be my go to recipe 😋
Alaine
Awesome to hear! Baking to share is the best. Thank you!
Kim
My family and I LOVE these brownies! It is my new go-to recipe. Wondering if I could make these in a sheet pan so I can make a larger batch that isn’t so thick for my son’s class? I assume I could but for a half sheet, would a double batch be enough or would I need more?
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe and your feedback. 🙂
Alaine
That's a great idea for a class. I think a double batch would work for a half sheet pan and the cooking time would be half or even less. For a full sheet pan, I would think it would need to be quadrupled. Sorry didn't see this for a few days, busy with all the end of season activities myself.
Anna
Can I double this recipe and use a bigger pan?
Alaine
Yes I have successfully doubled this recipe before. Increase the cooking time and I'd recommend watching it closely and covering with foil if it is browning too quickly.
Piper
Why is a glass pan not recommended?
That is all I have.
Alaine
It takes longer for the glass to heat up, which can lead to uneven baking, and it will definitely take longer to bake. Since glass is all you have, some things you can do would be to reduce the baking temperature by 25F, increase the time and cover with foil if they start to brown too much.
Ashley
I added almond extract as well. 1 tsp. Super good
Eng
Excellent recipe, this will be my brownie recipe for now on
Bailey
Can I add walnuts to the recipe?
Alaine
Yes you can add chopped nuts or sprinkle on top. If you mix them in the batter, I would start with just 1/4 c. as the batter is kind of thick.
Sue
Just made these brownies, I add walnuts and caramel sauce and swirled it on top and sprinkled mimi chocolate chips on top. A Valentine treat in heart shaped pan, yummy!
Alaine
Sounds divine! I bet someone really enjoyed that treat, thanks for sharing!
Amber Dial
So I made them and they came out in cake form I don’t know what I did wrong
Alaine
Did the chocolate chips possibly melt before baking? That is one of the only things I could think of.
ellen
i just made them and totally did it with baking powder instead of baking soda, wondering if it’ll make a difference and if that’s what maybe you did accidentally?
Mark talanca
I made these for my wife and she likes them very much thank you
Alaine
Thanks for letting me know, glad to hear she enjoyed them. You're welcome!
Malika
These brownies are FANTASTIC.
Any idea on how to adjust the recipe to fit a 9x13 pan? I tried it as is and it was almost not enough batter for the pan without doubling. Thanks!!
Alaine
Hi there, thank you! Yes, you would need to double the ingredients to make a 9X13. On the recipe card there is actually a button that says '2X' and if you hit that it will calculate it out for you. Cooking time will increase by 10 minutes or so.
Kathy Neff
Maybe she used a mixer and you should never use a mixer when making brownies otherwise they will turn out cake like.
Elissa Davis
Made these with my 12yr old daughter last night and they turned out WAY better than we expected! I have a horrible track record in the kitchen, making things for scratch, but this recipe was easy to follow and they were PERFECT!!! The only tweak we had to make was when we realized we were out of baking soda, so "Auntie Google" told us we can use 3X the amount of baking powder, then cut the salt in half.
Thank you for this recipe!! We'll be using it again and also we will be checking out your other recipes!
Alaine
Yay, so happy to hear! Thank you, I love messages like this 🙂 Hope y'all do check out some of my other recipes in the future!
lysz simmons
i was looking for a sweet treat and craving brownies! luckily i had all the ingredients for your recipe. they came out great and it was so easy! this is my new go-to homemade brownie recipe!!
Alaine
Awesome, so glad you enjoyed the brownies! Love to hear they will be your new go-to recipe, thank you!
Faith
The brownies can put perfect 🤩 they are amazing and I think my family will love it at the family potluck
Alaine
Yay! I hope your family enjoyed them! 🙂
Nina Lane
Great brownies!! These are so easy, and they come together quickly with stuff I had. Do you know if they work with gluten-free flour?
Alaine
Hi Nina - I checked and haven't had any readers tell me they have made the brownies with gluten free flour. Since the recipe just uses 1/2 cup of flour, I really think it would work. I need to try it out myself. Thank you!
Brooke
The recipe says they don’t turn out without chocolate chips, but I made them without the chocolate chips and the texture was perfect.
Alaine
Hi Brooke - thanks for letting me know they turned out! I'll have to update my post.
Brooke
No problem! Without the chocolate chips I baked them in a 8x8 pan on 350 for 25 minutes! Delicious!!
Michelle
Can I use semi sweet chocolate chips? Or eliminate or cut the amount in half?
Alaine
Yes, you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips. I would not reduce or eliminate the amount of chocolate chips or it will result in really dry brownies. In this particular recipe, they melt and help add some texture.
Dana Castiglione
10/10 on this recipe!! Easy and simple with a phenomenal outcome!! I used a 9x9 metal pan and cooked 25 minutes next time will check at 20 min we like it a little gooey over here!! Thanks for the amazing recipe will continue to use! 🙂
Zach
I just made these brownies and they turned out great thank you for the wonderful recipe 10 out of 10
Alaine
You're welcome! Glad you enjoyed the brownies.
Debra B
I was thinking about making these with chopped Andes mints instead of chocolate chips to make them mint brownies. Do you think that would work ok?
Alaine
That sounds delicious and now I want to try it too! I think it would most likely work, but since I haven't tested it, I can't say for certain. Thank you for the comment and I will be adding it to my recipe testing docket. Would love to know if you do go ahead and try it.
Lucy
Ma’am!!!!! These brownies hit every craving I had, not only were they delicious but super easy to make. I literally have every ingredient in my pantry at all times. I will make for my family, my friends, and even my employees. Chocolate heaven!!!!!
Alaine
Haha awesome, thank you! I keep all ingredients on hand for these brownies too. Never know when you'll get the urge to whip up a batch! Glad you enjoyed!
V.A.
I make healthy choices mostly, but sometimes, you just need something good and chocolatey. These were quick to pull together and so tasty! I only had mini chocolate chips on hand, so that made a tiny texture difference, but the rich taste was so good! Thanks for sharing!
Alaine
Life is all about balance! Thank you! Happy to hear you enjoyed the brownies.
Mike
Really easy to make and they tasted great! I was looking for an easy go to recipe, after I tried a couple others that didn’t turn out great. Definitely going to use this going forward. Thanks!
Alaine
Glad to hear! Thank you!
Layra
It says just 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup cocoa. Is that enough for the recipe?
Alaine
Hi! Yes that's correct - just 1/2 c. of flour and 1/2 c. of cocoa powder.
Caitlin LaMare
Awful, tasted horrible and the batter curdled in the oven. Not fudge at all!
Alaine
Hey there - it sounds like your eggs got "scrambled" in the batter. This can happen if you add an ingredient that's too temperature hot (in this case possibly the butter) just FYI.
Maggie
Absolutely DELICIOUS. I questioned the amount of flour and the melting of the butter etc etc. it barely filled up my 9x9 pan and when I took them out after 24 minutes they looked dry and overcooked.
BUT
I have never tasted a better brownie I was so impressed, I will never buy another boxed brownie mix in my life. These are my go to forever!
Alaine
Wow, I feel honored by your comment! And I love your honesty haha I get quite a few messages asking if it's really just 1/2 c. of this and that. Hopefully this feedback will help others too, thank you!
Johana Tedesco
The best brownies! I made them today for my husband and my son, and they absolutely loved them!
Alaine
Yay, love to hear this! Thank you for sharing!
Allison
These are truly the best brownies I've ever made!
The recipe was simple. I used a ceramic baking dish (ie not metal) and the baking time was very similar (maybe 2 minutes more than the recipe stated).
I added chopped walnuts to half of the batch (pressed in after depositing into the pan) as my partner loves them (and others in the family do not).
So very good!
Thanks for this recipe!
Alaine
Yay love to hear that! And thanks for sharing the cooking time in a ceramic pan. The addition of nuts sounds delish!
Brittany
I made them in a cast-iron skillet for 20 minutes, came out perfect.
Alaine
So glad to hear, thank you for the review!
Emilliana
They were great!! I loved the moistness and the consistency and it was so easy. I was so surprised it was all without milk/water. Thanks.
Jordan L.
I was craving some brownies and found this recipe and they were phenomenal! Although I didn’t have a metal 9 x 9 pan, I did have a round 8 1/2 inch cake pan that I used instead lol! It did take about 30 minutes, but came out beautifully! I also used about a cup of the Ghirardelli, dark chocolate chips because it was all I had left!
Alaine
Love a cake pan of brownies 🙂 Thank you!
Carrie
I wanted to try a homemade brownie recipe and found this one. It was easy and they taste absolutely delicious! I love brownies that are a little soft on the inside and little crispy on the outside and these are just that.
Ro
This is the perfect brownie recipe! SO good and couldn’t be easier! I will only make these from now on! Thank you!
Tammy
I want to ship to my son. How long can they stay out? How best to store and enjoy daily?
Thank you
Alaine
They are best out at room temperature for 3-4 days. Any longer than that and I would recommend to freeze or store in the fridge.
For shipping, let them cool completely and then wrap them really tightly with plastic wrap and maybe even a layer of foil. Vacuum sealing would also work. Then put them in a tin or airtight container. I've shipped cookies and we always put a couple marshmallows or a slice of bread in with it to help them stay fresher, I think it would work for brownies too. Hope that helps, thank you!
Esther
Yay, I think I found my go-to brownie!! (bye bye box brownies...) I was craving them (badly) today and this recipe seemed hassle-free (number one priority when the cravings call.) I did leave out the chocolate chips due to not having any on hand, and even then, they were still delicious so I imagine next time when I add them I'll be in heaven. I baked them at 350 with an 8x8 and 35 minutes was the perfect time for my brownies. They were moist on the inside and crispy on the outside, and the chocolate-y-ness was exactly what I was looking for.
Alaine
Yay, so glad you enjoyed the brownies! So much better than boxed brownies 🙂
Ruth
I have't made them yet because I don't have chocolate chips so thank you for letting us know you made them without the choc chips and they still turned out good
Jenna
These are SO good!! Way better than a box mix! My son who loves brownies as much as I do agrees 😂 I used a metal 9 inch pan with parchment and it took about 34 minutes for them to be perfect- crispy on top and edges but still gooey in the middle. I had 3/4 cup Belgian chocolate chunks so I used those and then a mix of milk chocolate and semi sweet chocolate chips for the other 3/4 cup. Delicious!!
Alaine
OMG the mixture of chocolate you used sounds so delicious! So happy you and your son loved the brownies 🙂
Gina
Just made these brownies tonight for my husband since I was craving something chocolate. I always made brownies out of a box but this time I wanted to try a home made recipe and boy are these good! I made everything the way it says except I just used a cup of mini chocolate chips and they came out perfect! I can’t wait to make these again! This is going in my recipe collection book.
Grace
I would say this recipe is a 10 out of 10 for flavor. I would touch on the fact that if you use these proportions, you will have a very small brownie so I would suggest doubling the proportions when making the recipe if you’re trying to feed more than a 6x8 ish tray.
Felicia
Hello!
I followed your recipe, but my brownies turned out to have more of a cake texture?
When I melted the butter, I may have not let it cool off long enough due to being impatient? I'm not sure if that was the reason.
Regardless of that, they were still very tasty!
Laura
These are the best brownies I have ever made and they’re so easy!
Nikki
Super yummy and comforting! Been craving brownies. Made in a glass pan just fine. Followed the suggestions from another post and dropped the temperature to 325° and baked for 50 minutes. Will be making again.
Ashley
I substituted half of the butter with unrefined virgin coconut oil, and a splash of coconut extract. They taste like an almond joy! So good!!
Paige
Not a good recipe to follow. Only three of the ingredients had measurements so didn’t know how much for the other ingredients. Next time put the measurements.
Alaine
Hi - The recipe card is at the bottom of the page with full ingredient measurements and instructions. Added a note by ingredients so no one else would get confused by that.
Marilee
Super duper yummy! I was a little scared at first bc they seemed to not be cooking right at first and I had never made brownies from scratch! After all, they were delicious and really easy to make!! Definitely recommended for a quick, easy, super yummy dessert!
Lucy
Easy to follow and VERY strong chocolate flavor. Was a small batch I would suggest doubling the recipe if you are bringing it to any sort of gathering!
Samantha
Omigoodness...I wasnt sure if I was going to like this recipe once I discovered chocolate chips were crucial to getting the desired finished product. However, I wasn't disappointed. I actually had a "boxed" brownie mix that I gave away [because I wanted to make this recipe.] So glad I did. And I can pronounce EVERY ingredient that went into it. I added walnuts and wha-la. These were perfect!!
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Kelsey
These came out perfect! Way better than store bought brownies, and my kids love them! I don’t have a metal pan/dish for baking, so I used a glass 9x13 (since I doubled the recipe) lined with parchment paper and baked at 325 for 45 mins.
Malika B
These are phenomenal! Stupid question but how would the recipe be adjusted for a 7”x11” pan? Thank you for your help and the wonderful recipe!
Lisaaaaaaaa
OMG THESE BROWNIES ARE SOO GOOD!!!