Easy Fudgy Chocolate Brownies
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These easy chocolate brownies are intensely chocolatey with a rich, fudgy centre and that classic shiny, crackly top. Made from scratch with melted dark chocolate and cocoa powder, they’re simple to make but deliver seriously good bakery-style brownies every time.
If you’re in the mood for more chocolate baking, try my triple chocolate brownies or Nutella brownies next, or browse my baking recipes for more easy bakes.
Why this Recipe works
Ingredients required
- Dark chocolate: Use a good-quality dark chocolate for the deepest flavour and rich, fudgy texture. Chocolate around 70% cocoa solids works particularly well.
- Butter: Gives the brownies richness and helps create that dense, soft centre.
- Eggs: Provide structure while keeping the brownies moist. Whipping them well with the sugar also helps create the signature shiny, crackly top.
- Sugar: Sweetens the brownies, but it also plays an important role in their texture and glossy crust, so this isn’t an ingredient I’d reduce significantly.
- Plain (all-purpose) flour: Just enough flour gives the brownies structure without turning them cakey. Avoid overmixing once it’s added.
- Cocoa powder: Intensifies the chocolate flavour alongside the melted dark chocolate without adding extra sweetness.
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities and full instructions.
Here’s How to Make Fudgy Chocolate Brownies
- Prepare the ingredients. Add the eggs and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Place the chopped dark chocolate and butter in a separate heatproof bowl ready for melting.
- Sift the dry ingredients. Sift the plain flour and cocoa powder together into a bowl. This removes any lumps of cocoa and makes them easier to incorporate into the batter without overmixing.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar. Using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar until very pale, thick and increased considerably in volume. When you lift the beaters, the mixture should fall back in a thick ribbon that briefly sits on the surface.
- Add the melted chocolate. Gently melt the butter and dark chocolate together until smooth, then allow it to cool slightly. Pour it into the whipped egg mixture and gently fold together, taking care not to knock out too much of the air.
- Fold and transfer. Add the sifted flour and cocoa powder and gently fold until just combined and no dry streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and spread it evenly into the corners.
- Bake and cool. Bake according to the recipe-card timings, until the top is shiny and crackled and the edges are set while the centre remains slightly soft. Leave the brownies to cool completely in the tin before slicing; they’ll continue to set as they cool and develop their dense, fudgy texture.
Chef’s Guide: Expert Tips
Here are a few simple tips, drawn from my training and kitchen experience, to help you get the best results every time.
- Whip the eggs and sugar properly: This is key to that shiny, crackly brownie top. Whisk until the mixture is very pale, thick and falls from the beaters in a ribbon that briefly holds its shape on the surface.
- Let the chocolate cool slightly: The melted butter and chocolate should still be fluid but not piping hot when you add them to the eggs. If they’re too hot, you’ll lose some of the air you’ve worked into the mixture.
- Fold rather than whisk: Once the chocolate and dry ingredients go in, switch to a spatula and fold gently. Overmixing at this stage develops the gluten in the flour and knocks out air, giving you a tougher brownie.
- Don’t wait for a clean skewer: A completely clean skewer usually means a fudgy brownie has gone too far. The edges should be set, and the top crackled, but the centre should still be slightly soft when you take the tin from the oven.
- Cooling is part of the bake: Fresh from the oven, the centre will be too soft to slice neatly. As the brownies cool, the chocolate and butter firm up and the crumb settles into that dense, fudgy texture.
- For really clean slices: Let the brownies cool completely, then use a large sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts. For especially neat squares, chill the brownies briefly before slicing.
How to store these brownies
- Room temperature: Store the cooled brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Keeping them well covered prevents them from drying out and preserves their fudgy texture.
- Fridge: You can refrigerate the brownies for up to a week, although the chocolate and butter will firm up considerably when chilled. Let them come back to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- Freezer: These brownies freeze really well. Wrap individual brownies tightly and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before serving.
- For warm brownies: Microwave an individual brownie for about 10–15 seconds. This softens the centre and makes it particularly good served warm with ice cream.
FAQ’s
The edges should be set, and the top should have a shiny, crackled crust, while the centre remains slightly soft. The brownies will continue to set as they cool.
The most important step is whipping the eggs and sugar until very pale, thick and at the ribbon stage. This helps create the delicate meringue-like layer that forms the glossy crust. Make sure the melted chocolate isn’t too hot when you fold it in, either.
The most common causes are overbaking or adding too much flour. Weigh the flour rather than measuring by volume where possible, fold the batter only until combined, and remove the brownies from the oven while the centre is still slightly soft.
You can, but they’ll be much softer and messier. For neat squares and the best fudgy texture, allow the brownies to cool completely in the tin before slicing. The chocolate and butter need that cooling time to set properly.
Easy Fudgy Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 225 g (1 5/7 cups) caster sugar
- 225 g (1 cup) butter
- 225 g (8 oz) dark chocolate, chopped
- 60 g (½ cup) plain flour
- 45 g (½ cup) cocoa powder
Instructions
- Prepare the tin. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan (325°F). Line a 23cm (9-inch) square metal baking tin with nonstick baking paper.
- Melt the chocolate and butter. Place the butter and dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water and stir until smooth. Alternatively, microwave on medium power in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one. Set aside to cool until barely warm.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar. Add the eggs and caster sugar to a large mixing bowl. Using an electric hand whisk or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk on high until very pale, thick and increased considerably in volume. The mixture should fall from the whisk in a thick ribbon that briefly sits on the surface.
- Add the chocolate. Pour the barely warm chocolate and butter mixture into the whipped eggs and sugar. Gently fold together until evenly incorporated, taking care not to knock out too much of the air.
- Add the dry ingredients. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the chocolate mixture and gently fold until just combined. Stop as soon as no dry streaks remain.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread it evenly. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the tin, then bake for another 6–8 minutes. The top should look shiny and crackled and the edges should be set, while the centre remains slightly soft.
- Cool. Remove from the oven and leave the brownies to cool completely in the tin for at least 1 hour before slicing into 16 squares.
Notes
- Doneness: Don’t wait for a completely clean skewer. For fudgy brownies, a skewer inserted into the centre should have moist crumbs attached. The brownies will continue to set as they cool.
- For clean slices: Allow the brownies to cool completely. Use a large sharp knife and wipe the blade clean between each cut. For particularly neat squares, chill the brownies briefly before slicing.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Bring chilled brownies back to room temperature before serving for the best fudgy texture.
- Freezing: Wrap individual brownies well and freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before serving.
- To serve warm: Microwave an individual brownie for about 10–15 seconds and serve with vanilla ice cream for an easy dessert.
Nutrition
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Meet the Chef!
Hi, I’m Debs, a Cordon Bleu-trained chef dedicated to helping you create unforgettable meals on a budget. Discover more about my journey and dive into a world of foolproof recipes designed for those who love to eat well without overspending.
Hi Deborah,
I would like to make this chocolate brownies with my 12 year old grandson, the only thing is, we are in Turkey and l have only milk Lindt chocolate and l am wondering it it will work?
He loves baking !
It seems to me as it’s great recipe!
Please let me know.
Many thanks
Francesca
Hi Francesca! Absolutely that will work. Milk chocolate is sweeter than dark chocolate but that may not be a problem for your grandson if he has a real sweet-tooth! If you are at all concerned about the sweetness then you can do a couple of things- 1. sprinkle the top with some sea salt before you bake them. 2. Add in an extra tablespoon or two of cocoa powder, but no more than that as it will change the texture of the brownies, of you can do both!
Hope that helps. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Made this for my boyfriend’s birthday and for a first timer it turned out better than I expected. The top was crusty and the inside layer was so fudgey and delicious. Thank you for making this recipe so simple to follow!
So happy that they are a hit! These brownies are such a great birthday treat! And thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. It’s very much appreciated! 🙂
Oh my word! These are insanely good brownies! Thank you for another great recipe!
These are one of my faves too! Happy you liked them. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It’s much appreciated! 🙂
In the oven now, they look and smell amazing!! is the nutritional info per 100g? Thanks!
I hope you love them! Just did a quick calculation and it’s a guestimate but roughly 317 calories, 12.4g fat, 24g carbs. Hope that helps. Let me know how they turn out! 🙂
Absolutely loved this recipe. The best brownies I have ever made. 10/10!
So happy you loved them. 🙂
Hi is it 160C fan / 180C standard please? Thanks!
Hi Susie! This recipe is really forgiving and it is 160c fan, but for conventional, I would go for 170c rather than 180c just so the brownies don’t dry out.
What an inspirational website you have! Just made these, they’re tasty but a bit dry! What did I do wrong? After checking people’s comments and questions, you said 160 fan was fine, so I did that. Took them out after 25 mins. Am determined to get them as good as other people say they are……any advice? Thanks.
Hi Kath! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. It sounds like maybe the brownies are just slightly overbaked. Maybe take them out after 20 minutes. Let them cool completely in the tin and slice them with a hot knife and wipe the knife between each cut. You could also pop them in the fridge for a few hours before baking them too. That way they’ll be really dense and fudgy with the perfect amount of chewiness. These brownies are definitely better if you take them out of the oven about 5 minutes too soon rather than 1 minute too late! But they are so worth it! Keep me posted how you get on. 🙂
Absolutely stunning, I added some white chocolate chips too, honestly one of the best batches of brownies i’ve made. Thank you!! Will definitely be looking out for more delish recipes!
I’m so happy that you love this recipe. Sounds amazing with the white chocolate too. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review and a rating. It’s so appreciated!
Made these brownies on a typical rainy british day..but with rolos!! They taste amazing added an extra 5 minutes due to cooking in a microwave oven! They came out perfect! Thank you for this beautiful recipe! ?
These brownies with rolos sound absolutely stunning! You may see this variation pop up on the website!
Hello,
Please help, I was hoping your brownie recipe could break my disastrous brownie streak. I’ve attempted them a few times and they always end up jiggly. I checked on them at the time you stated and they didn’t seem.done so gave them another 10 and still like liquid. I know it’s me who’s doing something wrong but what I’ve no clue ha.
I set it to gas mark 3. Could it be that it wasn’t cooking chocolate I used ?
I’ve stuck it in the fridge to see if that’ll salvage it some how 🙈
I’m determined to make a good brownie
Thankyou in advance
Hi Chantelle! We are absolutely going to get you the brownie of your dreams! From what you’ve described, my best guess is that the oven is responsible for the jiggly brownies. Often with gas ovens the temperature isn’t quite consistent and the oven will often have hot spots. I think in this instance if would be safe to turn the oven up to gas mark 4. While a lower temperature will result in a soft, fudgy and dense brownie, if the temperature is too low then the brownie will take soo long to bake (our problem here) and once it finally does set, it will have been in the oven for so long it will have dried out. Leaving you with a crumbly brownie. The trick is to find the happy balance of a low enough temperature for the brownies to stay fudgy, but hot enough that they set in a timely fashion. So I would say gas mark 4 and see how that goes. You can also get an oven thermometer from Amazon (https://amzn.to/3LCLtIq) I have this one and it’s great. Cheap and accurate is all you need. From everything that you’ve mentioned, I suspect this is an oven temperature issue and seeing as you’ve had a few attempts that haven’t worked out it must be an issue that every recipe would have in common- the oven. I hope you try this recipe again. You could also start the oven on gas mark 4 for the first 10 minutes then turn it down to mark 3 for the remaining time and bake them a little bit longer. Let me know how it goes. And if you have more questions, do pop them here and I’ll get right back to you. You deserve incredible brownies and I’m determined that you get them! 🙂
And the current batch you have in the fridge should most definitely set up and make them incredible! Keep me posted!
Made these with my 8 year old grandson. He loves to bake. It was a really easy recipe and a little egg shell added crunch! A change of t-shirt, shower and he was good to go. Above all it was fun, easy to make and they taste delicious
So happy that it was a fun baking project with your grandson! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating!
THE BEST
Thanks so much!
Love this recipe and so easy to make. We added chunks of Cadbury’s caramel bar and white chocolate….gooey and delicious. Making more at the weekend!
Thanks so much, Sam!!! And thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. I love the sound of your additions and making more always means it’s a hit! 🙂
Me and my teenage son made this today better than other recipes I’ve tried. Yummy ?
That means the absolute world to me! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating! Enjoy every last bite of those brownies! 🙂
Hi Deborah, can I put chopped walnuts into the mixture?
Thank you. Jean.
Hi Jean. Absolutely you can! Mix them through right at the very end of making the batter. A quick couple of mixes with a wooden spoon are all you’ll need, just so that the brownie batter doesn’t get over mixed. Let me know how it goes! And Happy Easter!
Hi there, do I use medium or large eggs.. Also what Icing do you use. Thank you.
Hi Valerie. Medium or large will work here. The size difference isn’t enough to make a difference in this recipe. And I’ve never frosted these brownies, but a simple frosting of butter, icing sugar and cocoa powder would be great here. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
I’ve just made this brownie with dairy free chocolate and gluten free flour, tastes devine!
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave this comment. It’s super helpful for anyone else looking to make the recipe allergen-free. Enjoy every last crumb!
My family thought the brownies were awesome
Fantastic recipe, very easy and made the best brownies. Thanks, will be looking at your other recipes now
Amazing! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a review!
Can you use cooking chocolate for this recipe or does it have to be eating chocolate xx
Hi Sally. Yeah. Cooking chocolate works too. Just make sure that it’s dark chocolate. Just had a look at the Aldi website and the dark cooking chocolate is 54% cocoa solids which is perfect. It’ll work like a dream. Dark chocolate is really important here because it helps create the structure of the brownie. Enjoy!
Just made this and used Terry’s Plain Chocolate Orange – delicious
Oh! That sounds amazing. So happy you love the recipe!
Oh my gosh, best brownie recipe ever, although I did cut back 50 grams of sugar and used a mixture of soft dark brown and caster.
Love hearing this! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a review!
160 on fan or reduce to 140? Please x
Hi Jo. 160 on fan and you’re good to go. Enjoy!
Just made these, amazing. Followed the exact recipe, bar adding some chopped glace cherries (sucker for dark chocolate and cherry). Thank you for the wonderful recipe … and result:)
Ooohh! I love a chocolate cherry situation! Sounds amazing! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating. It’s much appreciated!