Every baker should have a "best homemade brownie recipe" in their arsenal. This recipe, the "World's Best" (more on that later) Rich and Fudgy Chocolate Brownies, is mine. It's a great recipe to just bookmark now or (better yet) print out and tape to your fridge, because you will make it over and over, again!

Rich and fudgy chocolate brownies, stacked.

why This Recipe Earned the Title "World's Best Chocolate Brownies"

Years ago, when I owned my bakery, we made multiple batches of these brownies every single day. No matter how many we made, they flew out the door well before closing time. People would order them by the dozen for parties. Some had a habit of polishing off one brownie at lunch then buying a second brownie to take home.

Eventually, customers started referring to these deeply rich treats as the "best chocolate brownies ever" or the "world's best brownie recipe." And the name stuck.

So, of course, we had to make shirts to commemorate the title:

Three Tips for Mastering My Best Chocolate Brownies Recipe

Line the pan: Lining the bottom and sides of the pan serves three purposes in this easy recipe. First, the overhang allows you to lift the finished brownies from the pan vs. having to flip them over. Second, a liner sprayed with nonstick spray is easier to peel away from brownies that may stick to a pan. Third, liners make cleanup so much faster!
Mix ingredients well: This recipe features simple ingredients, but each ingredient is important, so make sure that they are all well blended into the batter. Make sure that you sift the cocoa powder, flour, and salt together to avoid any bitter lumps in your batter. If you are mixing by hand, use a strong wooden or metal spoon vs. a rubber spatula, as the batter is fairly thick.
Watch for baking cues: Perfectly baked fudgy chocolate brownies will have a firm, crinkly top (see photo in Step by Step Photos, below.) A toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into the center should emerge with moist crumbs attached, as the batter will still firm up as it cools. Start to check the brownies for doneness on the low end of my bake time and every few minutes thereafter, as specific baking pans, altitude, and your oven can all affect this!

Ingredients and Special Equipment

See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for specific quanitites.

Ingredient notes

Chocolate: Cocoa brownies are given their chocolate flavor with cocoa powder only. These brownies are given a double punch of chocolate via both cocoa and chopped chocolate. To get the best chocolate flavor for these rich dark chocolate brownies, I use a bittersweet chocolate chopped from chocolate bars or bittersweet chocolate chunks. You can also use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but don't use unsweetened chocolate, as the result will be too bitter.
Butter: Use unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces.
Large eggs: This recipe calls for 6 whole eggs, as there is no other leavening agent. Room temperature eggs will mix easily into your batter.
Granulated sugar: Substituting some or all brown sugar will produce chewy brownies.
Cake flour: If you don't have cake flour, substitute 15 tablespoon all purpose flour whisked with 1 tablespoon cornstarch for every cup of flour needed.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: Choose a dutch-processed cocoa powder over a natural cocoa powder. Dutch-process cocoa will have a less acidic, smoother, more velvety chocolate taste and will produce the best brownies.
Salt

Recommended Special Equipment

Baking pan: A 9X13-inch pan with 2-inch sides is perfect for this recipe.
Aluminum foil or parchment paper: Either can be used to line the baking pan
Nonstick cooking or baking spray: Prevent the brownies from sticking to the pan and aluminum foil.
Large bowl: You can mix this easy brownie recipe by hand if you don't want to use an electric mixer. Mix it in either your large saucepan that was used to melt the butter and chocolate or in a large bowl.
Sharp knife: A sharp, sturdy knife makes it easy to cut brownies into neat squares.
Mesh sieve or sugar shaker: For sifting dry ingredients and sprinkling powdered sugar.

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Step By Step Photos and Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350℉. Spray a 9X13-inch glass or metal baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the pan with aluminum foil or parchment so that there is a 2-inch overhang (this will help to lift brownies from pan after baking.) Spray the foil or parchment with spray.
Melt the butter and the chocolate in a large saucepan over medium low heat, whisking constantly, until smooth.

3. At this point, you can either transfer the melted butter / melted chocolate mixture to a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or you can continue to prepare the batter in the large saucepan, mixing with a handheld electric mixer or by hand.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating or whisking quickly after each addition so as to not cook the eggs. After you add the 6th egg, continue to beat or whisk until the batter becomes thick, smooth, and glossy--almost a pudding-like texture.

5. Add the sugar, 1 cup sugar at a time, mixing until well blended.

Sifting cocoa powder and flour and salt.

Batter after flour mixture has been added.

6. Sift the dry ingredients ( flour, cocoa powder, and salt) over a medium bowl. Gradually add the flour mixture to the batter, mixing until blended and smooth (batter will be thick.)

Cake tester after checking for doneness.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake it in the middle of the preheated oven until the top is firm and a tester inserted into the center comes out with some moist crumbs adhering, 25-35 minutes.

8. Cool the pan completely on a wire rack. Cover the pan and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight) before cutting.

9. Use a very sharp knife to trim the edges from the fudge brownies. Cut into squares and dust the tops with confectioner's sugar (optional.)

Variations on my Chocolate Brownies

Chocolate variations: If you have an extra sweet tooth, try using sweeter milk chocolate chips to make fudgy milk chocolate brownies. Add a cup of chocolate chips or even white chocolate chips to the batter before spreading it into the pan to add an extra layer of chocolate and some texture.
Flavor variations: Mix a teaspoon or two of espresso powder into the batter along with some vanilla extract and Kahlua for mocha brownies. Add a few tablespoons of Grand Marnier, Chambord, or cherry brandy for an extra flavor kick. For nutty brownies, mix in chopped walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts or pecans.
Pan variations: Use a 9-inch square baking pan for thicker brownies or if you don't have a 9X13 inch pan (these are the perfect size to serve topped with vanilla ice cream for brownie sundaes!) For a larger batch, like we did at the bakery, double the recipe and bake it in a standard half-sheet pan (18x13 inches.)

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

Refrigeration: Fudge brownie recipes are the perfect brownie to make ahead, with their dense, moist texture. This brownies will keep well, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container and chilled, for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Wrap each brownie in plastic wrap, then foil, and place in an airtight freezer bag. To wrap the entire batch of brownies, chill the pan to firm up the brownies, then remove the brownie block and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil.

Troubleshooting and Frequently Asked Questions

Why are My Brownies Too Gooey in the Center?

Underbaking: An overly gooey center indicates that the brownies are underbaked. To get that perfectly fudgy texture, bake until the brownies have a firm, crackly top. When you insert a toothpick into the center it should not emerge coated with brownie batter, only moist crumbs.
Not enough resting/cooling time: Brownies are still very soft when they come out of the oven. The melted chocolate and butter start to solidify at room temperature. Let brownies cool in the tin for 2 hours, then refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Do I have to Trim The Edges of the Baked Brownies?

While a few of our bakery customers felt the best part or our favorite brownie recipe was the crispier, chewier, chocolate edges, the majority only wanted squares of pure fudgy decadence. If you don't want to waste the edges, cut them into pieces of "brownie brittle" and store them in a zip-top bag in the fridge!

More of my Favorite Recipes for Chocolate Lovers

Tried this recipe and loved it? Take a photo and tag me on Instagram or give it a review!