These Ultimate Fudgy, Chewy Brownies are dense, moist, and intensely chocolatey with a crackly top and puddles of molten chocolate. Somewhere between a rich truffle torte and a piece of fudge, their chewy texture is absolute perfection.
My family’s favorite chewy brownies
I’ve got a lot of brownie recipes up my sleeve, but these Fudgy, Chewy Brownies are always my family’s favorite. They’re fudgy without being overly gooey. They’re intensely chocolatey without being cloyingly sweet or rich.
Fudgy brownies vs. cakey brownies and what makes a brownie fudgy?
Fudgy brownies have a higher fat-to-flour ratio than cakey ones.
Brownie recipes follow a pretty simple ratio. The more fat (butter and chocolate) to flour, the fudgier the brownies. The less fat to flour, the cakier. For 1 cup of flour, a fudgy brownie can have as much as 3 sticks of melted butter and 32 ounces of melted chocolate (an 8.8 to 1 fat to flour ratio based on weight). That’s a pretty extreme brownie. Most fudgy brownies are in the 2-4 to 1 range. A cakey brownie can have as little as 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 ounces of chocolate per cup of flour (a .6 to 1 ratio). These Fudgy, Chewy Brownies have about a 2 to 1 fat to flour ratio, giving them the perfect balance between fudgy and chewy.
What makes a brownie chewy?
A chewy brownie is moist, but not quite as gooey as a fudgy one.
The chewiness comes from a little more all-purpose flour (that 2 to 1 fat to ratio flour), whose proteins provide “bite” and whole eggs, whose whites give structure and “set.” A pinch of baking powder gives them an ever-so-slight rise. They’re chewy, but not at all cakey. Just a little something that you can sink your teeth into.
How to make homemade fudgy, chewy brownies from scratch
These Fudgy, Chewy Brownies couldn’t be easier to make. While you could make them in one bowl, I like to make them in two. Overmixing the batter causes the gluten to develop, creating a tougher brownie. To make sure they are evenly combined without having to over mix them, whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl before adding them to the wet ingredients.
Sugar, eggs, and vanilla are whisked together in a bowl. The melted and cooled chocolate and butter are then whisked in until combined. The dry ingredients are folded in with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until there are no dry streaks.
If adding extra chocolate in and on top of the brownies, stir some in. Pour the batter into a prepared pan and sprinkle with chopped chocolate, if using.
How long do I bake the brownies?
It’s difficult to give an exact number of minutes. All ovens are different, with hot and cold spots. Some ovens run hotter, and some run cooler. No oven temperature is ever stable, it has to drop several degrees below the stated temperature before the heating element kicks in and blasts the temperature several degrees above the stated temperature. This happens over and over again. Ovens also go out of whack over time and need adjusting.
Brownies “carry-over bake” quite a bit (meaning that they’ll continue to cook after you take them out of the oven), and those with an extremely high quantity of chocolate will “set up” as they cool. Take the brownies out even a few minutes before you feel that they are fully done. And whatever you do, don’t overbake them.
When baking, think of timings as suggestions. I set my timer about 20 percent earlier than what the recipe states. If a recipe calls for 30 minutes, I check it after about 24 minutes. It’s better to see what’s going on early rather than too late.
To tell if the brownies are done, have a look at them. They will start to pull away from the sides somewhat. When the top is dry and set, give the pan a little jiggle. If it’s too wiggly, it’s still too raw underneath the surface.
I also like to start checking the brownies early with a toothpick. That way I can see the changes as they happen. The first toothpick shows that the batter is still raw. This was at about 20 minutes in my oven. The second toothpick has a little less batter on it, showing that they are setting up. The third toothpick shows even less batter and some crumb on it. That’s when I take it out of the oven. If the toothpick is clean, the brownies are overbaked.
Let the brownies cool for about an hour for neat slices. This allows the chocolate to set and chewiness to develop. The longer they cool, the neater the slices will be.
Ultimate Fudgy, Chewy Brownies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter melted and cooled (6oz, 170g)
- 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled (85g)
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (10.5oz, 298g)
- 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (4.7oz, 133g)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened alkalized cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6-8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks to taste (170-227g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare an 8 inch by 8 inch baking pan, see note, and spray the inside with cooking spray.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk eggs and sugar until blended.
- Add cooled melted butter and melted chocolate and whisk to combine.
- Combine dry ingredients in bowl and sift over chocolate mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until combined. Do not over mix.
- Add semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chunks and stir gently to combine.
- Pour into baking pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chunks on top.
- Bake in 350 degree F oven until set, about 28 minutes. Be careful not to overbake or the brownies will not be fudgy. They should be slightly underdone. See above for more details. A toothpick inserted into the center will come out streaked with some batter and maybe a crumb or two. If it comes out clean, they’re overbaked.
- Let the brownies cool for about an hour for neat slices. This allows the chocolate to set and chewiness to develop. The longer they cool, the neater the slices will be.
Notes
Enjoy, friends!
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Looks wonderful and easy to make. I am sure it will taste great.
They taste amazing! Thanks so much, Cookie Monster!
These brownies look entirely mouthwatering!! Such great tips on making sure they’re fudgy and knowing when they’re done – thank you!
I hate it when they’re overbaked so I wanted to give the best tips on how to avoid that. Thanks so much, Marissa!
It seems I found what I’ve been looking for 🙂 🙂
They’re amazing! Thanks so much, Davorka!
These brownies look decadent and incredibly delicious!
They really are! Thanks so much, Angie!
We just drooled a little on our keyboard. My word these are everything we are looking for in a brownie. Let us know if you need help polishing them off.
*droooooling* Seriously, fudgy brownies are my all time favorite dessert. These look AMAZING!!! I need the whole pan please! Also…I just can never wait for them to cool properly lol! Loved the pictures with the toothpicks – very informative! Awesome recipe! Happy Easter to you and your family 🙂
It’s so hard not to cut into them right out of the oven! Especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Thanks so much, Haylie! Have a Happy Easter!
Wow. This is by far the best post I’ve ever read on brownies and I’ve read a lot. So much great information and it really gives the tools to make ‘your own best brownie’ by knowing the science behind it. Not to mention how amazing those brownies look.
Aww thanks, Marie! When I look at brownie recipes I get my calculator out and start comparing ratios. It’s a pretty nifty indicator on how the texture of the brownie will turn out. Have a great weekend!
Amazing doesn’t even begin to cover it. Seriously, these look so rich and decadent — exactly how I love my brownies. Just pinned them to my “Chocolate” board. Have a delicious weekend. 🙂
They’re so good! Thanks so much, Valentina!
These brownies just draw you in! Love the photos. You’ve really highlighted how gooey and fudgy these brownies are! Now, if I could just reach through the screen and grab one, I’d be all set! 😉
Wouldn’t that be wonderful! Thanks so much, Leanne!
Oh yum, Kelly! These look soooo good. We have a chocolate brownie like tart called Kladdkaka that has a similar fat to flour ratio. But I’ve never thought of adding the chunks of chocolate. We’re having some friends over for our season opening BBQ and I’m going to use your recipe, but make it in a springform pan like we make Kladdkaka and see what they say. Thanks for the inspiration. I’ll let you know what they say, but I’m sure we’ll love it.
Ron, I googled Kladdkaka and it sounds wonderful! I love a gooey, chocolatey dessert, especially with a scoop of ice cream. Thanks so much and hope you enjoy it!
Well, Kelly, I fooled them. I baked up your Ultimate Fudgy, Chewy Brownies in an 8″ springform pan and sliced it just like we serve Kladdkaka. It was served with a dollop of whipped cream and a spoon full of raspberries. It was a smash! They all said it was the best Kladdkaka they have ever tasted. I printed and distributed your recipe after confessing that it was actually your American brownies. Thanks again for sharing.
Ron, I’m so glad they liked it! 🙂 You’ve just made my entire week! I’ll have to bake it up in a springform pan next time and serve it with cream and berries like Kladdkaka. It sounds so much more elegant! Thanks so much for sharing my recipe!
Seriously, what is not to love? I could use one right now… And it’s only 7 o’clock in the morning…
Yes! Chocolate for breakfast! Thanks so much, David.
These brownies look amazing, Kelly! Thanks for all the info as well – baking is definitely a science and all your tips and notes are really great! Looking forward to trying these – think I need to make these to bring it to work!
So glad you find it useful, Geraldine! Thank you very much!
Killing me softly with these ultimate fudgy chewy brownies Kelly! Those puddles of chocolate have my heart! <3
🙂 I know where you’re coming from, Kim! Thanks so much!
Ok, Kelly! Your photos are UNREAL. These look SOOO good – I”m dying! I am definitely a brownie person. I want to sink my teeth into one! Next time I’m making brownies, I’m making your recipe! XO
Aw, thanks so much for your kind words, Katherine! They really are amazing!
I love all the information you give in this post, especially about oven times/temps! The visuals with the toothpick is perfect! I agree, so many differences in ovens it’s important to test a couple times to get it just right. And these brownies look absolutely perfect!Pinning!
So glad you found it useful, Laura! No quicker way to ruin a brownie than to over cook it. Thanks so much!
Brownies are so good! Maybe one of the best chocolate desserts going. Your recipe looks terrific, and really interesting discussion of the process of making brownies — learned a few things. Thanks!
I agree with you on that one, John! So glad you found it useful. Thank you very much!
These brownies look and sound incredible, the puddles make me want to jump into the screen! 🙂
I know right! The puddles are mesmerizing! Thanks so much, Nicole!
oh yum oh yum kelly these have me drooling all over the keyboard. i like ’em really fudgey!
Haha! Me too! Thanks so much, Sherry!
Oh these look amazing! I’ve never been able to resist a brownie and all that extra chocolate makes these extra special!
They are impossible to resist! Thanks so much, Kathy!
Absolutely wow! Love these decadent brownies.
They’re amazing! Thanks so much!
This is the best brownies recipe i’ve ever tried. Thanks for sharing 🙂
These look decadant!!! I wonder if u could help me with an eggless version for the same so I could try these brownies!!!
Sorry, Priyanka, I haven’t done any eggless baking, but that’s a great question!
I didn’t know alkalized cocoa was “Dutch process cocoa” and it would probably be good to add that note as well as the substitute for those of us who never have Dutch cocoa on hand, I do intend to make these soon with Hershey’s cocoa and the extra soda.
What can I use if I don’t have Dutch-processed cocoa?
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder and Baking Soda
Replace the Dutch-processed cocoa powder called for in your recipe with an equal amount of unsweetened cocoa powder. Then, knock back the acidity by adding 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda for every 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder used
Thanks for the tip, Pat!