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These fudge brownies bake up with a thin, shiny, crackly top, chewy edges, and a soft, truffle‑like center that stays fudgy for days. They are designed for a simple 8‑inch (20 cm) pan, a hand whisk, and a basic OTG or oven. The single most important step: whisk the eggs and sugar until thick, pale, and glossy, then fold the flour in gently so you keep that structure and get that signature sheen.

This small‑batch recipe suits beginner to intermediate bakers who want café‑style brownies without special equipment. Cocoa plus real chocolate gives deep flavor without being cloyingly sweet, while brown sugar and a touch of oil keep them soft on day two and three. Egg‑free, dairy‑free, and gluten‑free options are included, along with simple scaling and freezing instructions.

Author: Sarah at Bake My Sweet — home baker specializing in small‑batch, freezer‑friendly desserts.

Why This Brownie Recipe Works

• Cocoa + chocolate combo
  Cocoa powder intensifies flavor and adds structure; melted dark or semi‑sweet chocolate adds fat, richness, and that fudgy bite.
• Sugar for shine, not just sweetness
  Whisking sugar with eggs until thick and ribbony helps sugar partially dissolve, which creates a shiny, crackly top and a moist, tender interior.
• Low flour, no baking powder
  Very little flour and no chemical leavening keep the texture dense and fudgy, not cakey. Gentle folding prevents tough gluten.
• Warm batter, controlled bake
  Working with warm chocolate and pulling the pan as soon as the center is just set gives a gooey middle that doesn’t dry out as it cools.

Ingredients

For one 8‑inch (20 cm) square pan (16 small or 9 large brownies):

• Unsalted butter — 115 g — ½ cup (1 stick)
  Purpose: Rich flavor and tenderness; helps dissolve sugar and bloom cocoa.
• Neutral oil (canola, sunflower, light olive) — 20 g — 1 ½ tbsp
  Purpose: Keeps brownies moist and fudgy after cooling.
• Dark or semi‑sweet chocolate, chopped (50–60% cocoa) — 90 g — about ½ cup chips / ¾ cup chopped
  Purpose: Deep chocolate flavor and fudge‑like center.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch‑process preferred) — 35 g — ⅓ cup
  Purpose: Dark color and intense chocolate taste; Dutch‑process gives smoother flavor.
• Granulated sugar — 150 g — ¾ cup
  Purpose: Sweetness, structure, shiny top.
• Light brown sugar, packed — 80 g — ⅓ cup
  Purpose: Chewiness and light caramel notes.
• Large eggs, room temperature — 2 (about 100 g without shells)
  Purpose: Structure, emulsification, and glossy top.
• Vanilla extract — 5 g — 1 tsp
  Purpose: Balances and rounds chocolate flavor.
• Fine sea salt — 3 g — ½ tsp
  Purpose: Balances sweetness, sharpens chocolate.
• All‑purpose flour — 70 g — ½ cup, leveled
  Purpose: Just enough structure; keeps brownies sliceable but fudgy.

Optional:

• Dark chocolate chips/chunks — 60–80 g — ⅓–½ cup
• Flaky sea salt for topping

Equipment

Required:

• 8‑inch (20 cm) square light‑colored metal pan
• Baking parchment
• Medium heatproof bowl
• Small saucepan or microwave‑safe bowl
• Balloon whisk, rubber spatula
• Kitchen scale or cups/spoons
• OTG or oven
• Toothpick or thin skewer

Nice to have:

• Offset spatula
• Fine mesh sieve
• Oven thermometer
• Cooling rack

Step‑by‑Step Instructions (With Visual Cues)

1. Prep the oven and pan

• Preheat oven to 175 °C (350 °F), top and bottom heat, no fan.
• Line pan with parchment, leaving overhang on two sides; lightly grease exposed metal.
  Visual cue: Parchment sits flat enough for batter to reach all corners.

2. Melt fats and chocolate

• Combine butter, oil, and chopped chocolate in a saucepan or microwave‑safe bowl.
• Heat gently, stirring often, until just melted and smooth.
  Visual cue: Glossy and fluid, no lumps; warm but not steaming.

3. Bloom the cocoa

• Whisk cocoa powder into the warm chocolate mixture until smooth.
  Visual cue: Thick, shiny chocolate paste with no dry cocoa pockets.

4. Whisk eggs and sugars (for shiny tops)

• In a medium bowl, whisk granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs.
• Whisk vigorously by hand for 2–3 minutes (or with a hand mixer on medium for about 2 minutes).
  Visual cue: Mixture becomes pale, thick, and glossy. A ribbon of batter should sit on the surface for 2–3 seconds before sinking.

5. Combine mixtures

• Slowly pour the warm chocolate‑cocoa mixture into the egg‑sugar mixture while whisking gently.
• Add vanilla and salt; whisk just until uniform.
  Visual cue: Deep, evenly colored, shiny batter that flows in a thick stream.

6. Fold in flour

• Sift flour over the bowl (or pre‑whisk it) and switch to a spatula.
• Fold gently until no flour streaks remain, scraping the bottom.
  Visual cue: Batter is thick and lava‑like, smooth and satiny. Stop mixing before it turns elastic or stretchy.

7. Add chocolate chunks (optional)

• Fold in chocolate chips/chunks.
  Visual cue: Even distribution without overworking the batter.

8. Bake

• Pour batter into the pan and smooth the top.
• Tap the pan once on the counter to pop big air bubbles.
• Place pan on middle rack and bake at 175 °C (350 °F) for 22–28 minutes. Start checking at 20 minutes.

Doneness checks:

• Edges: Set, slightly pulled from the sides, and matte.
• Center: Still a bit shiny and soft but not liquid‑jiggly.
• Toothpick: 2–3 cm from the edge should have moist crumbs, not wet batter. A toothpick in the center can have thicker, sticky crumbs for extra fudgy brownies.
• Optional internal temp: around 88–93 °C (190–200 °F) in the center.

9. Cool and slice

• Cool pan on a rack for at least 1–1½ hours until fully set.
  Visual cue: Top may sink slightly as it cools — this is normal for fudgy brownies.
• Lift using parchment. Slice into 9 or 16 squares with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts.
  Pro tip: For ultra‑clean edges, chill the slab 30–45 minutes, slice, then bring pieces back to room temperature.

Troubleshooting (Quick Fix Guide)

• Cakey, not fudgy
  Too much flour, leavening, or overbaking. Weigh flour, skip baking powder, and pull brownies when toothpick shows moist crumbs.
• Sunken center
  Underbaked middle, too‑hot oven, or over‑aerated batter. Bake until edges are set and center just set; avoid aggressive mixing after flour; verify oven temp.
• Dry and crumbly
  Overbaked or low fat. Shorten bake time by 3–5 minutes and avoid reducing butter or oil.
• Greasy layer
  Too much fat or slicing while very warm. Stick to ingredient amounts and let brownies cool fully before cutting.
• No shiny top
  Eggs and sugar not beaten enough or batter too cold. Whisk to a thick ribbon and combine with warm (not hot) chocolate; bake right away.
• Gummy center
  Often from glass/dark pans, inaccurate temperature, or cutting when hot. Prefer light metal pans, check oven temp, and cool completely.

Substitutions and Variations

Egg‑free (very fudgy)

• Replace 2 eggs with:
  • 60 g (¼ cup) thick plain/Greek yogurt, room temp
  • 40 g (about 3 tbsp) unsweetened applesauce
• Add 10 g (about 1 tbsp) extra flour.
• Bake 3–5 minutes longer. Texture will be dense and fudgy; cool fully before slicing.

Dairy‑free

• Swap butter for 115 g (½ cup) dairy‑free baking margarine or refined coconut oil.
• Use dairy‑free dark chocolate.
• Expect a slight flavor shift (coconut, if using coconut oil); keep brownies a bit cooler for best structure.

Gluten‑free

• Replace 70 g flour with 70 g 1:1 gluten‑free baking blend that includes xanthan gum.
• Rest batter 5–10 minutes before baking.
• Chill before slicing for cleaner cuts.

Flavor twists

• Mocha: Add 1–2 tsp instant espresso powder with cocoa.
• Orange: Add 1–2 tsp finely grated orange zest with sugar.
• Peanut butter swirl: Marble 3–4 tbsp warmed peanut butter over the top before baking.
• Extra dark: Use 70% chocolate and increase sugar by 20–30 g if you like similar sweetness.

Scaling the Recipe

Base: 8‑inch (20 cm) square pan.

• 9‑inch square: start checking from about 24 minutes.
• 9×13‑inch: bake roughly 26–32 minutes.

Storage, Make‑Ahead & Freezing

• Room temperature:
  Store cooled, uncut brownies tightly wrapped in parchment and foil or an airtight container for 3–4 days. Slice as needed to keep the interior moist.
• Fridge:
  Store cut brownies in an airtight container up to 5 days. Let sit at room temperature 20–30 minutes or microwave 10–15 seconds to soften.
• Freezer:
  Wrap individual pieces in parchment, then foil, and place in a freezer bag. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw wrapped at room temperature for 1–2 hours or overnight in the fridge.
• Refresh:
  Warm at 160 °C (320 °F) for 5–7 minutes for a just‑baked feel. Avoid freezing brownies topped with whipped cream or fresh fruit.

Serving Ideas

• Slightly warm with vanilla, coffee, or salted caramel ice cream and a pinch of flaky salt.
• Cut into small bites for dessert boards with berries and whipped cream.
• Reheat and top with chocolate sauce or a quick ganache for a plated dessert.

Nutrition & Disclaimer

Very rough estimate per brownie (1 of 16): around 190–220 calories, with modest protein and fat and a higher carbohydrate content from sugar and flour. Exact values will vary with brands, add‑ins, and portion size; use your own calculator if you need precise numbers.

Values are estimates only. Adjust for your ingredients and follow safe food‑handling and storage practices.

The Best Fudge Brownie Recipe (Shiny Tops, Gooey Centers)

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy, Medium

Servings

9

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

25

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

2

hours 

10

minutes

Cooling Time: 60–90 minutes

Thick, ultra‑fudgy brownies with a thin, shiny crackly top, chewy edges, and a soft, truffle‑like center. Made in one bowl with cocoa and real chocolate, no baking powder, and plenty of tips for getting that café‑style texture at home.

Ingredients

For the brownies (8‑inch / 20 cm square pan)

• 115 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces (½ cup / 1 stick)

• 20 g neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower (1 ½ tbsp)

• 90 g dark or semi‑sweet chocolate, 50–60% cocoa, chopped or chips (about ½ cup chips or ¾ cup chopped)

• 35 g unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch‑process preferred (⅓ cup)

• 150 g granulated sugar (¾ cup)

• 80 g light brown sugar, packed (⅓ cup)

• 2 large eggs, room temperature (about 100 g without shells)

• 5 g vanilla extract (1 tsp)

• 3 g fine sea salt (½ tsp)

• 70 g all‑purpose flour (½ cup, leveled)

• Optional add‑ins and topping

• 60–80 g dark chocolate chips or chunks (⅓–½ cup)

• Pinch of flaky sea salt for sprinkling after baking

Directions

• Prep the pan and oven
  Preheat oven to 175 °C (350 °F), top and bottom heat, no fan.
  Line an 8‑inch (20 cm) light‑colored metal square pan with parchment, leaving overhang on two opposite sides to lift the brownies out later. Lightly grease any exposed metal.
• Melt butter, oil, and chocolate
  Place butter, oil, and chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
  Gently melt over a saucepan of barely simmering water, or in the microwave in 20–30 second bursts, stirring after each burst, until just melted and smooth.
  The mixture should be glossy, fluid, and warm but not very hot.
• Bloom the cocoa
  Whisk cocoa powder into the warm chocolate mixture until completely smooth and lump‑free.
  Set aside to stay warm while you prepare the eggs and sugar.
• Whisk eggs and sugars (for shiny tops)
  In a medium mixing bowl, combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs.
  Whisk vigorously by hand for 2–3 minutes, or use a hand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until the mixture turns paler, thick, and glossy.
  When you lift the whisk, it should fall back in a ribbon that briefly sits on the surface before sinking.
• Combine chocolate base with egg mixture
  Slowly pour the warm chocolate–cocoa mixture into the whipped eggs and sugars while whisking gently.
  Add vanilla extract and fine sea salt.
  Whisk just until everything looks evenly combined and shiny. Do not over‑beat here.
• Fold in the flour
  Sift flour over the bowl (or whisk flour first to remove lumps, then add).
  Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold the flour into the batter until no dry streaks remain, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
  The batter should look thick, smooth, and lava‑like, not stiff or stretchy.
• Add optional chocolate chunks
  If using, fold in chocolate chips or chunks just until evenly distributed.
• Pan and bake
  Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
  Tap the pan once on the counter to release any large air bubbles.
  Place the pan on the middle oven rack and bake at 175 °C (350 °F) for 22–28 minutes.
  Doneness cues:
  Edges look set, slightly pulled away from the pan, and matte.
  Center still looks slightly shiny and soft, but not liquid‑jiggly.
  A toothpick inserted 2–3 cm from the edge comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter. A toothpick in the very center can have thicker, sticky crumbs for extra‑fudgy brownies.
  Optional: internal temperature in the center is around 88–93 °C (190–200 °F).
• Cool completely
  Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the brownies cool in the pan for at least 60–90 minutes, until fully set.
  The top may sink slightly as it cools — this is normal for fudgy brownies.
  If using, sprinkle a small pinch of flaky sea salt over the surface while still just warm.
• Slice and serve
  Use the parchment overhang to lift the slab out onto a cutting board.
  Slice into 9 large squares or 16 smaller ones with a long, sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between cuts for neat edges.
  For ultra‑clean slices, chill the brownies for 30–45 minutes before cutting, then let the pieces come back to room temperature for serving.

Notes

• Storage & Make‑Ahead
  Room temperature:
  Store uncut brownies tightly wrapped in parchment and foil, or in an airtight container, at cool room temperature for 3–4 days. Slice as needed to keep the interior moist.
  Refrigerator:
  Store sliced brownies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Let sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, or warm individual pieces in the microwave for 10–15 seconds before serving.
  Freezer:
  Wrap individual squares in parchment and then foil, place in a freezer‑safe bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw wrapped at room temperature for 1–2 hours or overnight in the fridge. Refresh in a 160 °C (320 °F) oven for 5–7 minutes if you want a just‑baked feel.
• Optional Variations (Match the Post)
  Mocha brownies: Add 1–2 tsp instant espresso powder along with the cocoa powder.
  Orange brownies: Add 1–2 tsp finely grated orange zest with the sugar.
  Peanut butter swirl: Warm 3–4 tbsp peanut butter, dollop over the batter in the pan, and gently swirl with a knife before baking.
• Quick Nutrition Note
  Estimated nutrition per serving (1 of 16): ~210 kcal, with moderate fat and sugar and lower protein and fiber. This is a rough estimate only; use your own nutrition calculator and specific ingredient brands for precise values.