If you've ever bitten into a brownie that was dry or too cakey, you know how disappointing it can be. These Easy Fudgy Brownies are the exact opposite: rich, gooey, and loaded with chocolate flavor in every bite. The best part? They can be ready in 30 minutes with simple pantry ingredients and no fancy equipment.
This is the brownie recipe I reach for every single time. They're chewy at the edges, gooey in the middle, with shiny, crackly tops that make them look bakery-worthy! Loaded with melty chunks of chocolate and finished with a sprinkle of flaky salt, they're the kind of treat that makes you forget about store-bought brownie mixes!
If you love brownies as much as I do, make sure to check out my Cherry Brownies, Ferrero Rocher Brownies, or Skillet Brownie next!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- They have the perfect texture. These brownies are chewy at the edges, gooey in the middle, with shiny, crackly tops. These Cheesecake Swirled Brownies have a similar texture with some added creaminess!
- Fudgy brownies have a rich chocolate flavor that is complemented by the salt sprinkled on top. My Chocolate Filled Cookies give you that chocolate punch too!
- This quick brownie recipe can be ready in 30 minutes. Just like my Brownie Mix Cookies.
- They are made with simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand and are extremely beginner friendly. My Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread is great for beginners too!
What Makes Brownies Fudgy?
- More fat than flour. Using more butter than flour gives the brownies that extra gooey texutre.
- No leaveners. We're skipping the baking powder and baking soda, which would help the brownies to rise and make them cakey.
- Minimal mixing. You want to mix until everything is just combined so we create as little gluten as possible.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Cocoa powder and chocolate work together to give you maximum chocolate flavor. I also use both in my favorite Brownie Pie.
- Brown sugar adds moisture for fudgier, softer brownies while also adding more flavor than white sugar would. It use it in place of white sugar in my Banana Donuts too.
- Melted unsalted butter will add flavor, moisture, and give us those perfect shiny, crackly tops. This Skillet Brownie has the same shiny top.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- There are endless variations of brownies and you can find many of them in my brownie recipes!
- These brownies can be made dairy-free by substituting dairy-free butter or oil. I have a full dairy-free brownie recipe you can reference.
- Stir in some chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds for nutty brownies. I use pecans in these Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Swirl peanut butter into the batter before baking. PB is the star in my Peanut Butter Lava Cakes.
- Add instant espresso powder to the batter before baking to boost the chocolate flavor. I use the same technique in my Chocolate Black Bean Cupcakes.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Step-By-Step Instructions
STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick spray and then lay thick strips of parchment paper across the bottom of the pan in a cross shape.
STEP 2: In a medium bowl combine the melted butter and brown sugar. When fully combined add the eggs and vanilla. Beat until fully combined and light in color.
STEP 3: In a small bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk to combine and remove any lumps
STEP 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
STEP 5: Fold the chocolate into the mixture and pour it into the prepared baking dish.
STEP 6: Bake the brownies for 17-20 minutes. Bake for 5 minutes longer if you want the brownies to be more firm.
STEP 7: Remove the gooey fudgy brownies from oven and allow to cool.
Expert Tips
- Add chunks of chocolate on top before baking for gooey puddles of chocolate.
- Sprinkle the brownies with flaky sea salt before serving.
- Use an oven thermometer. Most ovens run either hot or cold.
- Weigh your ingredients for accuracy (especially flour).
- Don't over mix. You need to mix your batter until all of the ingredients are JUST combined, otherwise, you will make too much gluten and your brownies will be more like cake instead of fudgy.
Recipe FAQ's
A higher ratio of fat (the butter and chocolate) and minimal mixing. A cakier brownie uses more flour and usually a leavener.
You either added too much flour (this is why I recommend weighing your ingredients), over baked the brownies, or mixed them too much. It's important to only mix enough to incorporate the ingredients, otherwise too much gluten is created and it can make the brownies tough.
Room Temperature: The brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
Refrigerator: If stored correctly in an airtight container this Gooey Fudgy Brownies Recipe will last up to 1 week in the fridge.
Freezer: If stored correctly in an airtight container they will last up to 2 months in the freezer.
More Recipes You'll Love
If you tried these Easy Fudgy Brownies or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I so appreciate hearing from you!
Recipe
Easy Fudgy Brownies
Ingredients
For Brownies:
- 12 tablespoons (170 grams) unsalted butter melted
- 1 ¼ cup (266 grams) brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (90 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (42 grams) cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (170 grams) chocolate chopped
Instructions
For Brownies:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick spray and then lay thick strips of parchment paper across the bottom of the pan in a cross shape. This will make it easier to lift the brownies out of the pan once cooled.
- In a medium bowl combine the melted butter and brown sugar. When fully combined add the eggs and vanilla. Beat until fully combined and light in color.
- In a small bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk to combine and remove any lumps.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Overmixing will create tough brownies.
- Fold the chocolate into the mixture and pour into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake the brownies for 17-20 minutes, longer if you would like a firmer brownie
- Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Notes
- The provided nutrition information is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.
- Add chunks of chocolate on top before baking. This will give you those incredible puddles of chocolate on top of the fudgy brownies.
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Clare says
amazingly surprised at how good this recipe was! the second time i made it though, i added 5 grams of baking powder for an extra height umph. thank you for sharing your recipe (and in grams too!!)!! hands down the best brownie recipe on the internet.
Ellie Haley says
You just made my day! So glad you enjoy these brownies as much as I do!
Dhruti says
Genuinely the best brownie recipe I've ever used. I'm a novice baker and from the first time I made these brownies I have Had to Bake them weekly for my kids and now even our relatives keep asking me to bake them for THEM!
I am so glad to have found this recipe, it is so simple to follow and gives amazing results
Kaleena says
These are the most perfect brownies ever! I am pretty sure my husband and I ate them all in like 2 days lol
Marissa says
LOVING these brownies!! Made them for Mothers Day and Im not sure i can or want to go back to boxed brownie mixes! Made some homemade peanut butter pudding to go with and everyone wanted seconds amd thirds!
Ena says
These are so amazing! I've tried different brownie recipes but this one is definitely one of the best! I loved it! Moist, chocolatey, Delicious – thank YOU Ellie <3
Sakina batool says
Today was my first time making something entirely on my own and since i was so inspired by this page and the stunning creations it showcased, i decided on maKing fudgy brownies using the recipe here. And i’m glad to say my family absolutely loved them! The PROPORTIONS were just right And they had the perFect Consistency. So grateful for the recipe, the inspiration and the Beautiful first tiMe expErience!
Jamie says
Excited to taste these once they cool but the top of my brownies aren't the gloss flaky kind like in your picture. IT looks more like cake batter. DOes this mean i over-mixed?
Ellie Haley says
It probably means they were over mixed or there was too much flour added!
Shelli says
I recently made these and they were amazing! I used a combo of bittersweet CHOCOLATE chunks and semisweet chips instead of the chopped CHOCOLATE and my baking pan was bigger so they TurNed out thinner and noT as pretty as Ellie’s but they Were stIll DELICIOUS!
Massiel says
I Followed elliE’s recipe and it turNed out to be the perFect brownies recIpe ever! We loved it! Thank you ellie, it was a huge SucceSs.
Afiqah says
What Did you do with the chopped chocolate? Its not written in the instructions. Luckily i checked because i thought its supposed to be melted together with butter.
Ellie Haley says
It is written in the instructions! You fold it into the batter after mixing the wet and dry ingredients together
Mandira Ravindranath says
Loved this recipe, made a few times now ♥️
Melanie Wong says
Made these today and they were a hiT absolutely loved them! I’ve tried many different brownie recipes and this one was The best.
Osman says
My wife made me brownies from this recipe. It was the best brownies ever had hands down! Love it! Mmmmmm so GOODD!!
Samah moid says
Not only is this recipe easy to follow, it is also the best brownie recipe I've tried. Thank you for sharing!
Ghulam Mohyudin says
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.