Easy Homemade Brownies are an essential recipe to have. This best ever, go-to brownie recipe from scratch are quick and easy to make with a chewy crust, fudgy center, and crackly top layer.
I was raised in a large family with two mottos…There’s always room for one more on the couch, and there’s always room for dessert. In fact, as soon as our dinner forks were set down, dessert was being whipped out.
We are a conglomeration of dessert die hards so I’ve made, sampled, and critiqued my fair share of brownie recipes from scratch. Most recipes never got a second shake, and while some were revisited, I still felt as if my perfect brownie match was still out there.
Then I stumbled upon the MOTHER OF ALL BROWNIE RECIPES and immediately ceased my lifelong search. I could finally STOP LOOKING for the perfect EASY HOMEMADE BROWNIE RECIPE.
Why are the best homemade brownies in the world?
- Fudgy overload – If you want a cakey brownie, you’ve come to the wrong place.
- Crackly crust – Is there nothing better than a thick, gooey middle with a thin sheet of crackle on top?!
- They make a 9X13 pan. You can half the recipe for a 8X8 pan, but you need to take a hard look at why you’d want less brownies.
- This brownie recipe uses a reasonable amount of butter. Butter isn’t the cheapest ingredient and no one wants to break the bank on a recipe.
- Chances are you have the ingredients for this recipe right in your kitchen. No extra trip to the store required!
- Intense gooey, fudgy chocolate center with chewy edges
- They are crazy easy to make!
Interested in what makes brownies chewy, fudgy, or cakey? Check out this article!
How to tell when brownies are done
Brownies are difficult to tell by looks if they are done. However, you don’t want to overcook them to make sure. No one wants to eat hockey puck brownies.
It’s best to start checking brownies a few minutes before the recipe’s cooking time. Oven temperatures can vary and exact timing makes a difference while baking.
Edges will look and feel set before the middle cooks through. Therefore, stick a toothpick or wooden skewer in the middle to check the batter. If it comes out with wet, uncooked batter, stick them in for a few more minutes and check again. They are done when fudgy, cooked crumbs stick to the toothpick.
Can brownies be frozen?
Yes, and if you want to save yourself from eating the whole pan of these, I highly recommend it. If the brownies are cut and cooled, wrap each individually in plastic wrap and store in a ziplock freezer bag.
The whole pan can also be frozen. Make sure the cooked brownies are cooled completely and then wrap the pan in plastic wrap. It’s best to wrap it all the way around, like a present, to get a good airtight seal. Then cover the top with a layer of foil. Pull out the pan to thaw on the counter a few hours before serving.
Can these be made gluten free?
Yes, and they are still fantastic! In fact, no one will know they are gluten free.
The trick is to substitute a great all-purpose gluten free flour mix. My absolute go to is Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour. I substitute it in EVERYTHING and it always delivers with fabulous, tasty results.
How to Make Easy Homemade Brownies
- Melt together butter, sugar, and a bit of water. Once melted, remove from heat and add chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate melts completely.
- Cool chocolate slightly then add eggs and vanilla.
- Finally stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Pour in greased 9X13 pan and bake.
Variations to try
Turn them into a festive treat! Double the recipe and decorate as 4th of July brownies. Alternatively, use them as a base for Buckeye Turtle Brownies or Cookie Dough Brownies
More Bars and Brownies recipes
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Easy Homemade Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cups unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups flour, for gluten free substitute an all-purpose gluten free flour (I recommend Cup 4 Cup gluten free flour)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Grease a 9X13″ baking pan and preheat oven to 325ºF. TIP: I find baking brownies in a metal pan makes them fudgier with chewy crusts.
- In a large saucepan combine the sugar, cubed butter, and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Immediately remove from heat and stir in 2 cups chocolate chips until melted. Cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
- Whisk in eggs and vanilla vigorously into chocolate mixture.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt to the saucepan. Stir until combined. Mix in the extra cup of chocolate chips (leave out this extra cup if you are using brownies as a base for Buckeye Turtle Brownies.)
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few fudgy crumbs. Cool in pan on wire rack.
❉DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? DON’T FORGET TO GIVE IT A STAR RATING AND COMMENT BELOW!❉
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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Jennifer Rigney says
This is my go-to brownie recipe! They are amazing and no one even realizes they are GF!
Melissa Erdelac says
So glad to hear, Jennifer!
Best,
Melissa
Sarah says
I have made these several times over the last year plus and they always turn out amazing! This recipe is famous in my circle and people request them all the time! Thanks for sharing!
Melissa says
Hi Sarah,
I appreciate you taking the time to write and let me know! This makes so happy. I love having a good go-to brownie recipe. 🙂
Best,
Melissa
Anonymous says
Hi am wondering if you could substitute cocoa powder for the chocolate chips 😋 has anyone tried that
Melissa says
Hello,
I haven’t tried it, but if you wanted to give it a go, use 1/2 cup cocoa powder. Let me know how it works out!
Best,
Melissa
Rox says
Hi! I’ve made these gluten free and they are amazing, my friends ask for them at every pot luck. If I wanted to use normal flour, would I have to change anything in the recipe or the quantity of flour? Thanks!
Melissa says
Hi Rox,
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe (and your friends 🙂 )! No, you don’t have to change anything to use regular flour, but they probably won’t take as long to bake. Start checking about 5 minutes before baking time ends.
Best,
Melissa
Diane says
They turned out horrible!!! Made them to the tee!!! They rose extremely high in the oven then deflated like a balloon!!! What did I do wrong??
Melissa says
Hi Diane,
I am terribly sorry to hear this! I’m not exactly sure what went wrong, however if they rose that high maybe too much baking soda was used? Did you use regular or gluten free flour?
Best,
Melissa
Mei says
This is the best homemade brownie recipe ever. Thanks!
Melissa says
I agree! I’ve made these hundreds of times and they never fail me! So glad you enjoyed them as well!
Best,
Melissa
Tricia says
Yummy yummy yummy is all I have to say!! These are the best brownies! And so easy.
Melissa says
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ve made these brownies WAY too many time times, but they never disappoint!
Nancy says
Can you please advise if this recipe can successfully be cut in half? Thank you
Melissa says
Hi Nancy,
You can of half the recipe for 8×8 pan. On the recipe notes there are baking instructions. Enjoy!
Heather says
I made this recipe and was completely blown away by how awesome they were! I will never use a brownie mix again. I’m wondering if it’s possible to use unsalted butter instead of regular butter though…. would that change the taste/texture at all?
Thank you!
Melissa says
Hi Heather, Thanks for taking the time to let me know how much you loved them. I just made them the other day too. I do love this recipe! Not specifying unsalted butter was an oversight by me. I went ahead and amended the recipe. Generally, with baking, if you use salted butter leave out the salt in the recipe. So you can adapt it either way
Julie says
I just made these as the base for the Buckeye Turtle Brownie recipe and they did not turn out. I was a cup short on chocolate chips, so I used 2 Tbs. cocoa powder instead. They are way too dry (seems like 4 cups flour is too much), they rose very high in the glass pan (at least twice the batter height), and just didn’t have a very rich flavor. Probably my substitions and the fact I live at 6,000 ft. I also may not have beat the eggs well enough or dissolved the sugar all the way as you mentioned (wish I’d read the comments before making). I’m bummed, because I was so excited to make the Buckeye recipe, which still turned out okay despite the brownie failure. I will definitely make again, just using the Giradelli triple chocolate brownie mix that I love to ensure they turn out great.
Julie says
Ok, I just reread the recipe and see that it calls for 1.5 cups flour. I feel so silly! I confused the Cup 4 Cup brand you recommended for 4 cups if flour! So sorry. I’ll have to try again sometime to get it right.
Melissa says
Hi Julie,
Thanks for following up. Don’t feel silly at all! I’ve had other readers confused about the Cup 4 Cup brand name. I’ve always thought it’s a silly name because people are going to use it for baking and it’s confusing when writing a recipe. I changed some wording in the recipe so hopefully other readers don’t accidentally use 4 cups of flour. 👍
betty b says
Melissa, I used a glass pan. I will try metal for my third time. hahahah. I’m not giving up!! You seem to know your brownies like I do, so I know I will get this right!! keep your fingers crossed! hahahaha
betty b says
Hi there. I am a brownie fanatic and when I stumbled upon your recipe, I knew I had to try it. I made these last night. Although they did indeed come out decadent and dense, I didn’t get that crunchy crackly crust that you did. My crust was the paper thin shiny crust. How long did you beat your eggs? I cant wait to make these again, but I want the crust as shown in your picture. thank you!!!
Melissa says
Hello,
I’m glad you enjoyed them! I agree the crust of the brownies is pretty essential for having a great brownie. First of all, I would make sure the sugar has been dissolved with the butter. Then, a crackly crust is made by beating the eggs really well, till frothy. You can beat it again when you add the cooled chocolate. Hopefully that helps! Best, Melissa
betty b says
thank you Melissa. do you know that I have tried over 47 brownie recipes trying to recreate my favorite recipe that I lost years ago? Ok well, I shall try your recipe again. thank you for responding!!
Anonymous says
ok, well, I just made another batch. they looked so beautiful when I took them out of the oven. They had that nice crust just like yours. Now, 15 minutes later, the crunchy crust has turned into a thin flaky crust. Ughhhh. I’m wondering since its so humid right now, if that has anything to do with it.
Melissa says
I am so bummed my recipe is not turning out to be the 48th winning brownie for you. I mean, it was named for people like you (and me)! I hear you, though. I never made the same brownie recipe twice because I was never 100% satisfied. Now this one is my absolute go to, but they have always turned out for me and I love the texture and taste 🙁
I’m stumped why the crust turned. Like you said, it is quite possible if they were sitting out in lots of humidity. Did you use a metal baking pan? I feel like that gives a better result than glass. You have no idea how much I wanted this recipe to hit it out of the park for you. Don’t give up!
Best,
Melissa
betty b says
ok, well, I just made another batch. they looked so beautiful when I took them out of the oven. They had that nice crust just like yours. Now, 15 minutes later, the crunchy crust has turned into a thin flaky crust. Ughhhh. I’m wondering since its so humid right now, if that has anything to do with it.