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My Chewy Fudgy Brownies have been in my family for over half a century. They always produce a satisfying chocolate bite of deliciousness.
Here are some delicious homemade ice creams you can pair with your brownies: Vanilla Ice Cream, Butter Pecan, and Affagato Chocolate Ice Cream.
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This is my favorite brownie recipe. As a kid, my dad would always whip up a fresh batch of homemade brownies and serve them warm with vanilla ice cream.
They were the best brownies I have ever had until I got my hands on the recipe and modified it just a little bit.
My dad did all the hard work developing these amazing, fudgy, chewy brownie recipes. I'm just blessed to inherit them and have been eating them all my life.
These brownies are so incredible. I had a friend who used to eat them frozen! Weird right?! But that's a testament to how great these brownies are.
I also remember my mom being too tired to make brownies from scratch, so she would take the easy way out and use Ducan Hine's chewy fudge brownie mix. I remember the texture being a more cake-like brownie, which wasn't my favorite.
Box mix brownies are delicious and come in handy when you're short on time, but they don't compare to homemade brownies.
I believe the best brownie recipe produces a gooey brownie center with a chewy texture. That's what I consider to be successful brownies every time.
Baking brownies shouldn't cause you a major headache. All you need is a little confidence.
Key Ingredients
Before you start whipping up these chewy brownies, look at this ingredient list to ensure you have everything you need.
Unsweetened Chocolate
I won't be incorporating cocoa powder in my recipe. Instead, I prefer using 100% cocoa dark chocolate bars for my brownies as they contribute a rich and intense chocolate flavor that I adore. Bittersweet chocolate comes as a close second in my list of favorites.
Unsalted Butter
For brownies, I always use unsalted butter. Salted butter's sodium amounts vary by brand without truly knowing how much is included.
Eggs
To make these fudgey brownies, you'll need 3 large eggs. I've noticed that brown eggs have a deeper orange color, which adds more flavor to the final product.
Sugar
To achieve the ultimate chewy and fudgy brownies, I prefer using granulated sugar for its sweetness and dark brown sugar for that delightful chewiness, moisture and added depth of flavor from the molasses.
Flour
I choose to use unbleached all-purpose flour for baking because the additional protein contributes to a delightful final texture. Moreover, I am mindful of providing my family with the best quality flour and avoid using bleached alternatives.
Baking Powder
This will give our brownies the perfect amount of rise but not too much to make them cakey.
Nuts
Given my Southern origins, it's not brownies without pecans.
How to Make Chewy Fudgy Brownies Recipe
This recipe will produce fudgy, chewy brownies with a shiny, crackly top and a dense texture with a fudgy consistency. You'll need a stand mixer or hand mixer for this recipe.
Preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C. Rip a piece of foil that’s longer than your pan, then fold it until you end up with a long strip.
Place it inside an 8 x 8 square pan to hang over; then spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Mix eggs, sugar, and dark brown sugar together in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment for 10 minutes until combined and frothy.
Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave. Add to egg mixture and mix until smooth.
Combine flour, ground coffee, kosher salt, and baking powder.
Add the flour mixture to the brownie batter until the flour is incorporated.
With a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and fold in chopped pecans and vanilla extract.
Pour the brownie batter into the baking, and bake brownies for 30 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out mostly clean.
Lift the brownies out of the pan onto the rack for 30 minutes or until cool. Place the brownies in the fridge for 1 hour for an easier and cleaner cut. Cut into 16 pieces and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
How To Store Fudgy Brownies
Fudgy brownies are best 2 days after baking but will be fresh for 7 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
I like to wrap each piece in plastic wrap individually, then freeze them in a freezer-safe container or storage bag for 3 months.
Reheat brownies by popping them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
Here are the best practices, techniques, substitutes, and flavor builders you'll need for my go-to brownie recipe.
- Measure your ingredients with a scale to get consistent results every time.
- Place a piece of parchment paper or foil in your brownie pan to make it easier to remove the brownies. You only need enough to hang over the pan by ½ inch.
- You can make these gluten-free brownies by swapping gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour. Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 flour.
- If you like, you can substitute walnuts for pecans, or you can simply choose not to add any nuts at all.
- Feel free to use bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate instead of the unsweetened chocolate bar. Be sure to use a high-quality baker's chocolate bar for the best quality. Ghirardelli is my go-to, but Bakers chocolate is great too!
- You can swap for light or dark brown sugar.
- If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer instead. Take breaks if necessary; I like to alternate between hands to avoid fatigue.
- If you only have salted butter for your homemade brownies, omit the salt in the recipe.
- Adding 1 teaspoon of espresso powder to your brownies is incredibly tasty! You can substitute espresso powder for ground coffee.
- Pop your finished brownies in the fridge for 1 hour to make them easier to cut.
FAQ
Here are the top questions readers have about making chewy fudge brownies.
What makes brownies chewy?
For chewier brownies, use brown sugar and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to your batter.
What is the difference between fudgy, chewy, and cakey brownies?
The main difference between fudgy, chewy, and cakey brownies is the batter's moisture. Fudgy brownies have a higher proportion of chocolate than flour, making them dense and rich.
Chewy brownies use brown sugar, making them moister and their signature texture.
Cakey brownies have more leaving agents (baking powder and baking soda), which makes them have a cake-like texture.
How can you make brownies without vanilla?
You can omit using vanilla extract in any recipe that calls for it.
How do you keep brownies soft and chewy?
To keep brownies soft and chewy, follow these simple steps: don't overbake (30 minutes is the sweet spot), use brown sugar for added moisture, add an extra egg yolk for a richer texture, and store them properly in an airtight container. Keep a close eye on your brownies while baking for the best results.
Why do the edges of my brownies get hard?
Brownies bake from the outside in. So your edges will be finished before the center is, make sure you do not overbake your brownies.
More Brownie Recipes
This list of recipes is for my brownie lovers!
- Sea Salt Caramel Brownies
- Triple Chocolate Brownies
- Peppermint Fudge Brownies
- Fudge Brownie Ice Cream
- Chocolate Fudge Brownie Sundae
Before You Begin
Here are my steps for getting organized and moving fast in the kitchen.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F before pulling the tools and ingredients out.
Step 2: Put everything measured into individual bowls.
Step 3: We don't want any surprises, so use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is heating to the correct temperature.
Step 4: Start following the recipe and get ready for the best brownies you've ever enjoyed.
I hope you give my fudgy brownies a try. They've always been a hit in my family; hopefully, they'll do the same for yours. After you make them, leave me a comment below and a 5-star rating.
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📖 Recipe
Chewy Fudgy Brownies
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 4 oz. 100% cacao unsweetened chocolate broke into pieces
- 1 stick unsalted butter cut into tablespoons
- ¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground coffee
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, mix eggs, sugar, and dark brown sugar together for 2 minutes on low speed, then on medium for 8 minutes until combined and frothy.
- Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave for 1 minute until both are melted and smooth. Add melted chocolate and mix on low speed for 30 seconds until incorporated.
- In a medium bowl, blend the flour, ground coffee, salt, and baking powder. Add to the brownie batter, and mix on low speed for 30-60 sec until flour is incorporated. Scrape the bowl down, and fold in the chopped pecans and vanilla extract.
- Rip a piece of foil that's longer than your pan, then fold it until you end up with a long strip. Place it inside an 8 x 8 square pan to hang over; then spray with non-stick cooking spray. Pour in the batter, tap gently on the counter a few times, and bake for 30 minutes until an inserted toothpick is clean.
- Cool on a cooling rack for 30 minutes or until cool. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap.
- Fudgy brownies are easier to slice when cold. I usually place the pan of brownies in the fridge for an hour before cutting and serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Measure your ingredients with a scale to get consistent results every time.
- Place a piece of parchment paper or foil in your brownie pan to make it easier to remove the brownies. You only need enough to hang over the pan by ½ inch.
- You can make these gluten-free brownies by swapping gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour. Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 flour.
- If you like, you can substitute walnuts for pecans, or you can simply choose not to add any nuts at all.
- Add chocolate chips to make brownies even better! Semi-sweet chocolate chips are my favorite.
- You can swap for light or dark brown sugar.
- Feel free to use bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate instead of the unsweetened chocolate bar. Be sure to use a high-quality baker's chocolate bar for the best quality. Ghirardelli is my go-to, but Bakers chocolate is great too!
- If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer instead. Take breaks if necessary; I like to alternate between hands to avoid fatigue.
- If you only have salted butter for your homemade brownies, omit the salt in the recipe.
- Adding 1 teaspoon of espresso powder to your brownies is incredibly tasty! You can substitute espresso powder for ground coffee.
- Pop your finished brownies in the fridge for 1 hour to make them easier to cut.
NickiDE says
While the taste was delicious, my "crackly top" peeled right off of the brownies. Just impossible to cut through it. I ended up throwing the top out. I'm wondering why and if anyone else had this problem. Thank you.
Kenneth Temple says
Hi Nicki! Sorry, that happened. This can happen when you incorporate too much air into the batter. After you pour the brownie batter into the pan, tap in gently a few times on the counter to release any extra air.