Bake

Super Fudgy Brownies

November 10, 2014
4.8
8 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 1 hour
  • Makes 1 dozen brownies
Author Notes

This is one of many mistake-proof recipes from Dana Cowin's latest book, Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen. —Merrill Stubbs

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate (60 to 70% cacao), finely chopped
  • 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs, at room tempature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup cocoa nibs (optional)
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 350° F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving a 2 -inch overhang on two opposite sides. This will make it easy to remove the brownies once they're baked.
  2. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk well and set aside.
  3. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil, then turn the heat down to low. Put the chocolate and butter in a medium stainless steel bowl and set it over the pan, being sure not to let the bowl touch the water. Stir the butter and chocolate together until they're completely melted, 3 to 5 minutes.
  4. Remove the bowl from the heat and place it on a kitchen towel to capture any condensation. Whisk in the sugar. Let the chocolate mixture cool slightly, then whisk in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.
  5. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour mixture. Fold in the cocoa nibs if you're using them.
  6. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Tap the baking pan on the work surface to release air bubbles. Bake, rotating the baking pan halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with some fudgy crumbs attached (you don't want it to come out clean—that means you've overcooked your brownies!), 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the brownie to cool completely on a cooling rack.
  7. Lift the slab of brownies out the pan by the overhanging foil and cut into 12 squares.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Judy
    Judy
  • Melissa Case
    Melissa Case
  • Mat McDermott
    Mat McDermott
  • Abbie C
    Abbie C
  • stephanieRD
    stephanieRD

17 Reviews

Judy September 29, 2023
Excellent brownie recipe- and I have made many!!!
 
brothercadfael December 27, 2021
The weights, bake time and rest period to get the fudgy but cooked final product needs to be reviewed. The other comments reflect this too.
 
cynthiamdrs February 21, 2021
I just made it and the brownies are delicious! Definitely the best recipe of brownies I tried during lockdown, it will now be my go-to brownie recipe.
 
Rebecca R. April 23, 2020
What if I only have salted butter? (Outsourced shopping duties...)
 
Melissa C. July 27, 2019
These are THE BEST brownies I have ever had in my life. I haven't run into issues with baking time, as I've made a double batch (for extra-thick brownies) every time. They always come out decadently fudgy and chewy. Just sent off a batch to my son at camp for a little mid-summer pick-me-up. They are GREAT.
 
Mat M. June 27, 2018
Good taste and texture, but as others have pointed out the cooking time was literally half what the recipe indicates it would be.
 
witloof January 27, 2018
Can Food52 please start including weight measures for ALL the baking recipes?
 
witloof December 29, 2017
I made these for a potluck and they were gone in a flash!
 
Amina July 14, 2016
Can i use vanilla beans in place of the extract?
 
clahr February 12, 2016
Strangely I followed the recipe and it only took 20 mins and turned out pretty cakey. I'm going to wait and see if they get fudgey like another reader commented!
 
witloof December 25, 2017
Mine were done after 25 minutes!
 
Sara P. January 18, 2016
These brownies were amazing!!!! The recipe is very simple and the instructions were easy to follow. I keep finding myself making more and more of your stuff.
 
Abbie C. October 17, 2015
This has become my go-to brownie recipe! So much so, that I had to go-to it twice this week :) So fudgy, so delicious, and dangerously easy to make!
 
PickleNoodle September 30, 2015
I made these the other night. We couldn't wait the advised time until the brownies had completely cooled and cut off a couple of pieces while it was still warm. The result was more cakey than fudgy and I have to admit I was left disappointed and wondering what all the fuss was about. We set them aside in the refrigerator overnight and marked them off as a failure. The next day, however, I dug another out unable to resist the chocolatey temptation, cakey or no, and lo they had transformed entirely into lush, dense, fudgy squares of deliciousness. Great recipe and will certainly make again (this time ensuring the day's rest).
 
stephanieRD November 14, 2014
YUM! Made these last night to kick my utterly intense brownie cravings, and boy this was fudgy as promised!
 
Joy B. November 12, 2014
I'm so excited to make these, Merrill!!! xo
 
Lesley T. November 12, 2014
does it matter what type of cocoa powder you use in the recipe?