One Bowl Brownies {BEST Brownie Recipe!} - Two Peas & Their Pod (2024)

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Quick Summary

Best Brownie Recipe-you only need ONE bowl to make these fudgy, chewy, gooey, chocolaty brownies with shiny crackly tops! This easy homemade brownie recipe will be your GO TO! You will never buy a boxed brownie mix again!

One Bowl Brownies {BEST Brownie Recipe!} - Two Peas & Their Pod (1)

Brownies are hands down one of my all-time favorite desserts. I love this brownie recipe, but the other day I needed a quick and EASY dessert because some friends stopped by unexpectedly and I wanted to serve them something sweet. I whipped up my One Bowl Brownies and everyone was dying over the deliciousness!

These easy homemade brownies taste similar to box brownies, in a good way, but even better! And I promise they are just as easy. You only need ONE bowl and you don’t even need a mixer! I guarantee they will be a family favorite dessert.

Best Brownie Recipe

These brownies are perfect in EVERY way! A few things I love about them:

They are EASY! You can’t beat a ONE bowl recipe!
They are chewy and GOOEY!
They are FUDGY!
They have shiny, CRACKLY tops!
They are rich and CHOCOLATY!

One Bowl Brownies {BEST Brownie Recipe!} - Two Peas & Their Pod (2)

Ingredients

I always have the ingredients on hand to make these brownies because you never know when a craving will strike or when friends might stop in for an impromptu dessert night! The ingredients are simple, but when they all come together you will be left with the most amazing pan of brownies.

Butter-Use unsalted butter. The butter needs to be melted and cooled slightly. You can melt the butter in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop.
Sugar AND Brown Sugar-use granulated sugar AND brown sugar. The brown sugar makes the brownies extra moist!
Eggs-choose large eggs and make sure they are at room temperature. I usually take the eggs out of the fridge 30 minutes before I start. If you forget, place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
Vanilla Extract–PURE vanilla extract is the way to go! I know it is pricey, but SO worth the extra cost.
Flour-You need all-purpose flour. If you need the brownies to be gluten-free you can use all-purpose gluten-free flour. I like Cup4Cup gluten-free flour.
Cocoa-I like to use Dutch processed cocoa but you can use unsweetened cocoa powder. Splurge and use a high quality cocoa for the best chocolate flavor. I like this Dutch processed cocoa or this one!
Espresso Powder-The espresso powder is optional but I like using it because it intensifies the chocolate flavor. I highly recommend using it for the best brownies. It really makes a difference.
Salt-Use kosher salt or sea salt.
Chocolate-I like to use semi-sweet chocolate chunks, but feel free to use chocolate chips. Guittard brand is my favorite!

Can I add Nuts?

Yes! If you like brownies with nuts you can stir in 1 cup of chopped nuts when you stir in the chocolate chunks. Walnuts, pecans, and almonds are all good options.

You need a 9×13-inch pan for this recipe. You can a metal or glass pan, but I prefer baking brownies in a metal pan, just make sure the pan isn’t too dark. When you use a metal pan, the brownie edges and corners get crispier and I am all about the brownie edges. I know some people like the middle and that is fine, but I want a brownie with a nice edge:) If you use a glass pan, you might have to bake the brownies for 5 more minutes. Check them to be sure!

If you want a thicker brownie, you can use a 7×11-inch pan or 8×12-inch pan, but you will need to bake the brownies for longer.

How to Make Brownies

Here are a few tips that will help you make the BEST brownies every single time!

Line your baking pan with parchment paper. Spray a 9×13″ baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line with parchment paper with an overhang on the sides and spray again. This will make it easy to lift the brownies out of the pan after baking.
In a large mixing bowl stir together the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.
Sift the flour and cocoa together to make sure you don’t have any cocoa clumps.
Don’t over mix the batter. If you over mix the brownies will turn out cakey and they won’t have a nice crackly top.
Don’t over bake. This one is REALLY important. If you over bake, your brownies won’t be fudgy and moist. They will keep baking in the pan while they are cooling so take them out when are just set. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. For fudge brownies, you want there to be a some crumbs stuck to the toothpick. Check at 25 minutes to be safe.
Let the brownies cool completely before cutting. Cut with a sharp knife or you can cut with a plastic knife. Yes, a plastic knife works wonders when cutting brownies. The crumbs don’t stick to the plastic. It’s amazing!

One Bowl Brownies {BEST Brownie Recipe!} - Two Peas & Their Pod (3)

How to Store

Uncut brownies that are stored in the pan and covered will keep on the counter for up to 4 days. If you cut the brownies, they will dry out faster. Wrap cut brownies in plastic wrap and keep on the counter for 1 to 2 days. Don’t store brownies in the refrigerator or they will dry out.

You can freeze brownies, they actually freeze really well. I always like having brownies tucked away in our freezer. Wrap brownies tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap again with foil or place in a freezer bag. Note-I don’t like to freeze brownie squares because they don’t keep as well.

I like to freeze a pan of brownies or at least a half pan at a time. Freeze the brownies for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw at room temperature before cutting into individual servings.

Best Party Dessert

This fudge brownie recipe is the perfect party dessert. The brownies are made in a 9×13 pan so they are perfect for feeding a crowd! You can easily take the pan of brownies to a party, I guarantee you will come home with an empty pan.

They are good served alone but if you want to go over the top, take a brownie square and add a scoop of ice cream and hot fudge sauce or salted caramel sauce. OH YEAH! Dessert doesn’t have to be fancy to be the BEST!

More Brownie Recipes:

Our Favorite Brownies
Zucchini Brownies
Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
Salted Caramel Pretzel Brownies
Almond Toffee Sea Salt Brownies

Brownies

One Bowl Brownies

You only need ONE bowl to make these fudgy, chewy, gooey, chocolaty brownies with shiny crackly tops! This easy homemade brownie recipe will be your GO TO! You will never buy a boxed brownie mix again!

4.46 from 1233 votes

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Review

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Cuisine American

Servings 24

Equipment

9 x 13 Baking Pan (This USA Pan gives the crispiest edges)
Parchment Paper (I find that this brand doesn't burn!)

Ingredients

1 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Dutch-processed or unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ¼ cups chopped chocolate, divided

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13" baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line with parchment paper with an overhang on the sides and spray again. This will make it easy to lift the brownies out of the pan after baking. Set the pan aside.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Add the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.
Sift in flour and cocoa. Add the salt and espresso powder, if using, and stir until just combined. Don't over mix. Fold in 1 cup of chopped chocolate. Spread evenly into prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chopped chocolate on top of the brownies.
Bake for 25-30 minutes on the middle rack in the oven until the brownies are just set to touch. Don't over bake the brownies. They will set up as they cool. Remove from oven and let cool before cutting into squares. You can sprinkle them with a little flaky sea salt, if desired.

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days

Nutrition

Calories: 225kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 179mg, Potassium: 136mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 280IU, Calcium: 25mg, Iron: 1.5mg

Keywords brownie recipe, easy, homemade

Have you tried this recipe?

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One Bowl Brownies {BEST Brownie Recipe!} - Two Peas & Their Pod (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to make brownies with butter or margarine? ›

These are two different fats. In my books butter is always better though a brownie recipe using margarine will most probably make a lighter brownie. For a richer, fuller brownie always use butter.

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Should you add baking powder to brownies? ›

Adding baking powder or baking soda lifts brownies up and creates a cakier result. But today, we all want a brownie so dense and fudgy that it's basically 1 step up from eating pure chocolate. You'll get a taste of how dense these brownies are when you're mixing up the batter. It's so thick and so fudgy.

What is the toothpick rule for brownies? ›

For cake-like brownies, take them out of the oven when they just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For fudgy brownies, bake within the time range stated in the recipe. For very moist brownies, take them out toward the minimum baking time.

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Why do my brownies always fall apart? ›

Various causes include overbaking, underbaking, cutting the brownies too quickly, and lacking oil and fluid contents in the recipe. Underbaked and overbaked brownies turn out to be crumbly. When cut sooner before cooling down can make the brownies crumb.

Should a toothpick come out clean when baking brownies? ›

For fudgy brownies, you'll want to see some moist crumbs attached to the toothpick when you pull it back out. If it looks like it's covered in brownie batter, the brownies will need to bake a bit longer. If the toothpick is totally clean, the brownies may already be over-baked.

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Should I put brownies in the fridge? ›

Do Brownies Need to Be Refrigerated? Brownies don't need to be refrigerated, but they'll hold up a few more days if they are. Unless your brownies include more perishable ingredients like fresh fruit or cream cheese frosting, they'll be fine at room temperature as long as they're stored in an airtight container.

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Can I bake brownies at 350 instead of 325? ›

Most recipes call for baking brownies at 350°. If a fudgy inside and crackly top is your goal, stick with that temperature. Brownies baked at 325° will take longer to bake and will become chewier in texture.

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Is it better to cut brownies hot or cold? ›

Wait until your brownies have completely cooled to room temperature. As brownies cool, they will solidify and set up, so slicing into them too early can result in brownie squares that fall apart or become a mess very quickly. Note: I don't recommend slicing baked brownies until just before you plan to serve them!

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Why are my brownies burnt on the edges raw in the middle? ›

If the middle is raw but the edges are burning, your oven is too hot. For a standard recipe, cooked in an 8 inch square tin, we'd look to cook the brownies low-and-slow - around 30 minutes at 160C.

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What happens if you use margarine instead of butter in brownies? ›

Brownies and other bar cookies suffer, too, though less noticeably. Again, it's a textural diff. And all baked goods taste "flat" when compared to those made with butter, because margarine itself has a very flat and not a "rounded" flavor.

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Is it okay to use margarine instead of butter for brownies? ›

Margarine can be used as a substitute for butter, and it is particularly useful in baking, since it gives baked goods a softer texture than butter, which some people prefer.

Does butter taste better in brownies? ›

Most boxed mixes call for vegetable oil, which gives brownies a lighter texture and more neutral flavor. To make them taste homemade, try substituting equal amounts of melted butter for the oil. This is my number one tip because the butter will add a richness both in flavor and texture.

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Does it matter if I use butter or margarine in baking? ›

Margarine often has a lower saturated fat content and higher water content than butter does causing it to be much softer when cold. Because of it softer property, margarine can cause cakes to be less tender and cookies will generally spread out more and be less crisp when compared to the same recipe using butter.

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