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!
PrintExtra Thick and Fudgy Homemade Brownies
Let me convince you that homemade brownies are better than boxed!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 9 large brownies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- 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!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Brownie
- Calories: 509
- Sugar: 50g
- Sodium: 340mg
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.8g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 2.1g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 137mg
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.
CAN’T WAIT TO MAKE THIS…HAVING FRIENDS OVER THE WEEKEND AND I DEFINITELY MAKE THIS
Enjoy, Rita!
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?
BwHahahaha just slap it on your thighs. 🤣
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!
I am in the process of making this now, but I was wondering somewhat the same thing. Am I supposed to add the eggs while the mixture is still warm and on the eye? Or am I supposed to remove the mixture from the eye, allow it to cool, and then add the eggs?
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!