Are you a homemade brownie lover, do you have a loyalty to a particular boxed mix, or do you just buy whatever is on sale? No judgement here either way for sure, but every since I made these Extra Thick and Fudgy Homemade Brownies, I am a homemade brownie convert. Let me tell you why.
All along, I’ve been buying a boxed brownie mix at the grocery store thinking I was saving myself some time when really, homemade brownies are just as convenient. They are so easy! You don’t have to break out the mixer at all. Plus, you probably already have all of the ingredients in your pantry, so you can save yourself a trip to the store! I like knowing all the ingredients that go into my baked goods rather than trying to read a label full of big words when I can. It makes me feel all warm and granola inside. You know that feeling?
The best way to make fudgy, moist homemade brownies is not over mixing the batter. It’s okay to leave a few little lumps of the dry ingredients in the batter for the sake of not over mixing. I promise, its okay!
And another trick is to add a little coffee extract. The brownies don’t taste like coffee, but it really helps enhance the chocolate flavor. I like using a combination of unsweetened cocoa powder and semi sweet chocolate chips.
So have I convinced you yet? If you give them a try let me know!
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #lovelylittlekitchen
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.- 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon coffee flavored extract (optional)
- 2/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9 by 9 inch baking pan by spraying with nonstick spray, and then lining with parchment paper leaving excess hanging over two sides of the pan.
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Remove from the heat. Stir in sugar and chocolate chips. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing between additions. Then add vanilla extract, and coffee extract (optional).
- In a separate bowl, mix cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the saucepan, and mix together. Do not over mix. When there are still a few small lumps of unmixed flour and cocoa powder visible, stop mixing.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 32-38 minutes. The top should look shiny and a little bit crackled.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely (this will take several hours), and then lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper. Cut into bars. A plastic knife if the best tool for cutting brownies!
I’ll take a homemade brownie over a boxed mix any day! These look so incredibly fudgy. Is it bad that I want one and it’s only 6:15a.m.?
It’s always a good time for brownies!
I just made these brownies and they are AMAZING!! Today us Valentine’s Day, so I decided to cut them into heart shapes, drizzle with some simple powdered sugar and milk icing and red sprinkles and serve them up with a scoop of ice cream later! So easy and decadent! Thanks so much Julie! Also, because I didn’t have anything coffee, I added a tsp. of pure vanilla and love them! So sweet and delicious with my dark chocolate chips!! Happy Valentine’s Day!! <3
I didn’t have coffee extract on hand so I used pure mint extract! They’re baking now! Thx for the recipe!
Well there is coffee extract in there.😊
Extra fudgy and thick brownies are definitely for me. They look so good:)
Thank you!
I am trying your recipe and there still in the oven and I am overly excited to try them!
Hope you enjoy Natasha!
These look delicious! Brownies are my favorite!
These brownies look like perfection.
Mmmm.. brownies are my favorite food of all time, and these look amazing!! 🙂 I used to be a box mix girl, but that was before I realized how easy it was to make the homemade kind! Now I’m all about the made from scratch kind! Can’t wait to try yours! 🙂
Thank you Anna! Hope you enjoy!
Homemade brownies are so much better than boxed. And since there are no scary ingredients in them I can eat more. Ha! These looks delicious!
That’s how I justify it too.
Homemade = Healthy
Thanks Allison!
I made these for a crowd at my house for dinner last weekend! Everyone loved them! Including my 2 year old sons! Couldn’t get enough!! Yummy, delicious and easy!
That’s great Tamara! Thanks for letting me know.
Do you have to use chocolate chips?
No, you do not have to use the chocolate chips. Thanks for your question!
I just made these today and they are amazing. They’re not cakey (usually my problem with brownies)…they’re moist and fudgy just like the description. Thanks for the recipe!!
I totally agree Lizzy, so glad they worked out well for you!
Just put them in the oven. They already smell sooo good! Can wait to try them!!!
Enjoy Kelly!
Can I just add walnuts too
Sure!
Can I replace the 1\2 cup of chocolate chips with Andys candies thin mints chopped?
Sure thing, sounds good!
I made this recipe, but dubled it and it won’t cook! They have been in the oven for almost an hour!
I have not tried doubling this recipe before, so I’m not sure how long it should need in the oven. They are already pretty thick, so I’m not surprised they are taking longer.
The same thing happened to me. I tried to double the recipie and split the batter into 2 separate 9×9in pans but it will not cook!:/
I just made this recipe and didn’t double it but it took a good hour, if not longer, to bake. They’re cooling as we speak!
ok i just made these today and doubled the recipe also and mine dont look like the picture shown. i am gonna make again in a single batch…i was careful to measure right and used 2 different pans….also it seems like alot of butter….ill let you know, i am commenting since i just read the other person doubled theirs and was having issues…
Hi! I have these in the oven now but I only had an 8×8 pan. They’ve been in 35 minutes at 350° but are still suuuuuuper runny. How much longer do you think they’ll need to be in there?
Hi Ashlee! Just keep them in until a toothpick an inch away from the center comes out mostly clean. Should be fine!
Just made these and they turned out great! Thank you so much for spending the time to post this recipe Julie! You are an unbelievably talented baker, Happy Holidays 🙂
Jackie, I’m so glad you like them and thank your for your kind words! Hope your holidays are cozy, warm, and wonderful!
Do we beat the batter or just mix everything ?
I tryed your recipe and it was wonderful, my new go to recipe thanks
So glad Rolf, thank you!
So easy to make and absolutely delicious…I will never make boxed brownies again..made these for the family over the holidays and of course they were a huge hit…
Teresa, that’s great! Glad you loved them too.
Will they turn out in a 9X13 pan?
Yes, they will just be thinner and may not take as long to bake.
I made these today. Ohhhh, they are absolutely wonderful. Thank you for the recipe… Definitely will be making them again!! They were a big hit!!
Lorri, that’s great! You are very welcome!
I made these tonight, and they are so delicious! My kids and husband raved over them! I used dark chocolate cocoa and dark chocolate chips and baked them in an 8×8 pan, which was the only size available. As expected, it took extra time to bake (about 50 minutes total), and I stalked the oven for that extra 15 minutes. Was so worth it! Thanks for the recipe!
Oh I love your dark chocolate additions! Glad you waited the extra 15 minutes!
Ok. On day one of making the brownies I was definitely not a convert. I even lamented my craving for the artificial flavor and high fructose syrup in boxed brownies. Today is day two….. My husband said these were the best brownies he’d had in 43years. I just ate one bite and………… Lord have mercy! Julie, you win. These are phenomenal and boxed brownies don’t come close. Thank you for showing me the light.
Tanisha, that’s awesome! Haha, thanks for making my day!
I agree. They taste much better the second day. At first we all thought they were just alright but now everyone says they’re the best brownies ever.
I found this recipe on Pinterest tonight, because my DH and I had a mad craving for brownies and no box mix in the house. And it’s freezing here so no way were we leaving to go get some. I turned to Pinterest, and lo and behold, we had everything to make these in my ‘baking things’ cupboard (and exactly 4 eggs in the fridge, it was meant to be!) so I decided to give it a whirl. I melted the chocolate chips into the butter after misreading the recipe, so the middle was extra fudgey. I used an 8×8 pan because it’s all I had, and ended up baking them for 55 minutes. They are a huge hit, though I’m not sure if it’s a good thing that they are so easy to make!
HOLY COW. I have one box mix I love, but hate the ingredients…now I can make it at home with my own organic, grass-fed, free-range, what-have-you ingredients. I love you. You are now my new favorite person. (oh, I subbed in brown sugar for half the sugar, which gives them that bit of chewy I like when they are cooled–not that I waited, mind you.)
Awesome!!!
Can I use regular cocoa?
Katie, I’m not quite sure what you mean by regular cocoa? This recipe calls for the type of cocoa you would find in the baking aisle.
Thank you for making my day! I would always buy box brownies from the store until I stumbled upon your brownie recipe! I feel silly for not realizing how easy they are to make and they taste so much better! Thank you!
Yay Krissy, that’s so awesome!
Do you have any idea what the nutritional information is?
Do you buy or make your own coffee extract?
I used McCormick’s coffee extract, but I think if you added a bit of strongly brewed coffee it would have the same effect.
I just add 1/4 tsp of instant coffee to the butter.
I made these last night and erroneously used a cup of cocoa instead of 2/3. They turned out delicious!! Further, I added a half teaspoon of cardamom which helped the rich flavor even more. I can’t wait to make them again!
I’m so glad to hear that Devon!
These are amazing!! I just made them. Best recipe I’ve found.
Oh that makes my day Becky!
Hi! love the recipe. Just a query should i use granulated sugar or castor sugar? also can i use semi sweet chocolate bar instead of choco chips? 🙂
Yes, you can use a chopped bar of chocolate and I used granulated sugar. Thank you for your questions.
These were great! I even reduced the butter by half and they were still fudge and delicious!
Wow Kim, good to know! Glad you liked them.
Hi, I want to try making these brownies today, but I don’t have coffee extract, just pure vanilla extract. Can I use that instead, or does it have to be coffee extract? Please let me know. Thank you
That’s fine Judy. The coffee extract just brings out the chocolate flavor even more.
I have used this recipe a dozen times since this past winter. Usually they turn out heavenly. My problem is sometimes they start to burn on the outside before they cook on the inside. I just can’t figure out where my inconsistency is. I always bake in the same 9×9 stone ware dish at 350°. Any idea why this is happening?
I’m not sure why that would be Amy, but maybe if you just cover the edges with pieces of foil, it’ll give the inside more time to bake. Wish I could help you know why though!
Perfection! Just like a bakery! Made in a 11 x 7 pan because I didn’t have 9 x 9. Thank you for the recipe!
So glad to hear that Jennifer!
I found this to be too much batter for a 9 by 9 pan… the outside over cooked while the middle is still too gooey… if I use this recipe again I would put it in a 9 by 13…
I am obsessed with brownies and I’ve been looking for the perfect recipe…I am happy to say my search is over! These were the most amazing brownies and they were so easy to make! I did have to bake them longer than the recipe said but they were well worth the wait! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Awesome!
This may be a silly question, but do I mix the eggs, vanilla extract, coffee after adding them to the butter/sugar mixture or AFTER adding the mixed dry ingredients? I mixed the egg/coffee/vanilla mixture then I mixed everything again, once I added the mixed dry ingredients. I hope this makes sense. They turned out great, but there was a bit of egg remaining once we ate them. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it, or perhaps, I didn’t allow the butter/sugar mixture to cool enough before adding the eggs, etc. Either way, they tasted great. I just want to clarify for the next time.
Amber, that’s a really good question! I have had the same thing happen. I think you are right – if the butter/sugar mixture is too hot the egg will “scramble” and you’ll have little bits of chewy egg you can taste in some of the brownies. So I think the order is fine, just make sure the butter mixture is cooled. So glad you liked them!
Well, I’m up to 50 minutes baking and still going. Toothpick is still a bit gooey.
Toothpick came out nearly clean at 52/53 minutes
Hi Ben – You are not the only one who has noted that these take longer than expected to bake. I’m not sure why some people say they turned out great as written and other’s say they need more time. Planning to make these again and adjust baking time as needed. Thank you for your feedback. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Julie
I am a bit perplexed as to how these can bake in about 30 min.
Best results (for me) was about 53 min. baking time at 350F.
Anyway, they turned out great and everyone liked them, even my wife who is very picky. She wanted frosting I said no. Ha ha
I did make a few small changes.
I did add 1 cup of walnuts, eliminated the chocolate chips and the coffee, but added 1 tsp of espresso powder.
I also didn’t use parchment paper (didn’t have any on hand).
I used foil instead. Worked fine.
I absolutely will make these again. Very tasty.
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Ben
Hey.. I had no idea that a recipe THIS easy could be THIS good.. Wow! Loved it.. although I didn’t have a 9×9 pan…I had an 8 x13.. but they are just perfect.. didn’t have any coffee extract so added 1/4 cup of strongly brewed coffee and I’m sure we’ll be making these over and over again! Love from Pakistan! Thank you!
So happy to hear that Marissa, thanks so much for saying hello!
I cant have dairy and was wondering what I could sub the butter for… would olive oil work?
Thanks for the recipe, it was delicious!
For all those who cant have dairy:
Forget using hydrogenated oil or whatever it is, because its bad for you.
Use 3/4 cups olive oil in place of the 1 cup butter. I still heated the oil until it was before bubbling and it tastes great!
Also it took close to 40min to bake using a 9×9 pan, but it was a thick ceramic one so i suggest baking for 30min and then adding 5min untill its ready.
Thanks so much for posting those substitutions Scarlett. So glad it worked out for you!
try coconut oil
I made these briwnies for w family function. Everyone loved them. So now this is the only brownie recipe i use. Im making some tomorrow for my son’s birthday party. Thanks for this recipe.
LOVE this recipe!! Thanks so much for sharing. I used a 7×11 pan and baked for an hour…perfection. My hubby thought they were amazing. I cut the brownies into smaller portions, and I am freezing half of the brownies for another day 😀
Thanks again!
You are so welcome Gina!
Hi im willing to do the recepie today but i just want to know on wich rack i have to put the pan!!!! Usualy that makes me confused while baking sweet 😊
Hi Carla, generally I would say place the oven rack in the center position unless otherwise noted. Hope you enjoy!
I baked these brownies and they turned out so good and fudgy. They are exactly the kind of brownies I had been looking for. However in my oven they took almost an hour to bake on 350 degrees. Maybe that’s because I increased the amount of chocolate chips.
Thank you!
Hi there! I’ve loved my great-grandmother’s brownie recipe all my life, but your recipe is actually better. The flavor and texture are perfect, the only thing is, these take much longer to bake than the 28-33 minutes stated. Both times I’ve made these, I have had to bake them for between 50 and 60 minutes to get the toothpick to come out clean an inch from the center.
Thanks for that feedback Jen. Glad you liked them!
These truly are the BEST BROWNIES!!! I am usually not a huge brownie lover, but these are so yummy!
Thanks so much!
Do you think these would work well for little brownie bites?
I think you could definitely make as directed and then cut them into little cubes. Plastic knives cut brownies very cleanly!
My hubby wanted brownies and we didn’t have any mix so I went searching for an easy recipe found this one it was very easy to make my son helped me and they were very good will be making again
Awesome Mandi! Love when that brownie craving it brought to justice!
It is my first brownie and i just loved it.
Happy to hear that Elora!
i am 13 years old and have tried and tested many brownie batters that was just to cakey and didn’t have a crinkly top until i stumbled over this recipe. Mine’s are in the oven right now but based on how the batter taste these brownies may be a winner. I can’t wait to try them!
Hi! It’s all about that elusive crinkly top, right?!? I hope you love these as much as we do. Thanks for saying hi!
I made these last night for our picnic today. Whipped up a small batch of chocolate frosting for them. They are decadent, fudgy, thick and delicious!! Great job Julie!
Thank you Julie!