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    Home » Recipes » Bars & Brownie Recipes

    Published: Mar 27, 2021 by Paula Montenegro · Income from ads and affiliate links 1 Comment

    Best Homemade Brownies

    Jump to Recipe
    Pouring chocolate sauce on brownie squares on a white plate; brown white text overlay
    Close up of bitten fudgy brownie, pink brown text overlay

    Another wonderful brownie recipe, with a very deep chocolate flavor thanks to the combination of cocoa powder and melted chocolate. They are fudgy, easy to make, and can be frozen, which makes it a great last minute dessert with a scoop of ice cream on top.

    Pouring chocolate sauce over brownie squares on white plate on a wooden table

    I strongly believe one can never have too many brownie recipes. And it's my job to test them and share the best ones I find, lol. I love my job.

    This recipe is decadent and the result is gorgeous, especially if you do like me and pour both chocolate sauce and dulce de leche on top before serving them!

    Table of Contents Hide
    Why this recipe works
    Ingredients
    Easy steps
    My top tips
    Serving brownies
    Related recipes you might like:
    Simple Homemade Brownies

    Why this recipe works

    • Easy: even though this recipe is not one bowl like the Fudgy Brownies, these bars are easy to make with a hand whisk, no special appliance needed.
    • Deep flavor: using both melted semi sweet chocolate and cocoa powder guarantees a better chocolate flavor than using only one of them. A perfect synergy.
    • Make ahead: these keep well at room temperature for a few days, several days in the refrigerator and can be frozen. How's that for convenience?
    Hand holding bitten fudgy brownie

    Ingredients

    As with most brownie recipes, the ingredients are very similar, but the results are different. Comments about some of them:

    • Chocolate: use the best semi sweet one you can afford. I like to use 60% to 72%.
    • Cocoa powder: it should be unsweetened and the best you can afford.
    • Flavorings: I love vanilla paste together with a little pure almond extract. But feel free to use only the former if that's all you have.
    • Sugar: I use mostly white combined with a little brown. Use only granulated if that's all you have.
    White surface with bowls containing ingredients for brownies, including extracts, cocoa powder, chocolate and whole eggs

    Easy steps

    These are delicious and quite simple to make. A couple of bowls, a whisk and a brownie pan get you the fantastic results.

    Lining the pan: I like to butter or spray the pan and then take a piece of parchment paper (aluminum foil also works) that is wide as the pan and long enough to hang over, and line the bottom and two sides. The other sides are left only buttered or sprayed, and the paper will help when lifting the whole block of cooled brownies. So you can place it on a flat surface, peel off the paper, and cut them easily in as many squares as you like.

    The batter itself comes together in no time.


    Watch our video tutorials 👇🏻


    My top tips

    • Organization: read the recipe carefully and make sure the ingredients are at the temperature needed, the oven is pre-heated, you have the right size of pan, and any other details that will ensure the best results possible.
    • Chocolate: you can find my favorite brands and types of semisweet chocolate in the Notes in the recipe card. I like very dark chocolate, but you can use the ones that are on the sweeter side, between 50%-57%.
    • Sauces: as you can see in the image below, I use both chocolate and dulce de leche and make these one of the most decadent brownies/desserts ever! If you never tried these two flavors together you're in for a treat, of the best kind.
    • Resting: I find that most chocolate recipes are better the next day. So, if you can, let these rest in the fridge or at room temperature for 24hs.
    • Flavorings: besides the vanilla and almond that are used in the recipe, you can add some orange zest, a tablespoon of orange liquor or whisky, a pinch of ground cinnamon, or coffee powder or extract.
    Person with pink and beige apron beating chocolate sauce with plate of brownies below on wooden table

    Serving brownies

    • Plain: like most chocolate recipes that are fudgy and intense, a small piece goes a long way. I like them just cold enough but not straight from the refrigerator because I think the flavor is numbed a little by the cold.
    • Plated dessert: put a square on a plate and top with a scoop of ice cream (vanilla, dulce de leche, chocolate, even raspberry) or some whipped cream, and then pour some chocolate sauce if you're going all the way. This is great when you have one batch of brownies and many mouths to feed.
    • Over the top brownies: do like I did in these images and add chocolate ganache first, then dulce de leche and finally some chopped walnuts. They will be messy to eat with your hand, but then you have the bonus of licking them, lol.
    Pouring dulce de leche sauce from jar onto brownie squares with chocolate sauce on white plate
    Plate of chocolate and dulce de leche sauced brownies on white gold plate; hand holding one

    Related recipes you might like:

    • Fudgy Cocoa Brownies (easy recipe)
    • Dulce de Leche Brownies
    • Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies (with video!)
    • Cheesecake Brownies

    Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
    You might also consider subscribing to our FREE email series to Boost your Home Baking Skills! And our regular newsletter.
    And let's connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

    Print
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    Pouring chocolate sauce over brownie squares on white plate on a wooden table

    Simple Homemade Brownies

    Print Recipe
    Save Recipe Recipe Saved

    Another wonderful brownie recipe, with a very deep chocolate flavor thanks to the combination of cocoa powder and melted chocolate. They are fudgy, easy to make, and can be frozen.

    • Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
    • Yield: 9 squares

    Ingredients

    • ¾ cup (175g) unsalted butter
    • 3.5 ounces (100g) semisweet chocolate, in small pieces
    • 1 cup (200g) white granulated sugar
    • 2 tablespoons (30g) brown sugar
    • 3 eggs, at room temperature
    • ½ cup (65g) all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or paste
    • ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract (optional but recommeded)

    Toppings (optional):

    • Chocolate ganache, the same one I use for the Chocolate Bundt Cake, or your favorite store-bought chocolate sauce
    • Dulce de leche, homemade or you can buy it online (see Notes, below)
    • Chopped walnuts

    Instructions

    1. Turn the oven to 350°F/180°C.
    2. Grease or spray an 8-inch (20cm) square pan. Line with a strip of parchment paper wide as the pan, covering the bottom and two sides. This makes it easier to remove from the pan after it’s baked. 
    3. Melt butter in a bowl with the chocolate pieces. You can microwave it in 10 second spurts, mixing well between each one. Or do it in a double boiler making sure the bottom of the bowl is not touching the water. 
    4. Put both sugars in a bowl, add the eggs and mix well with a whisk until it’s frothy, about 1 minute. 
    5. Add the melted chocolate and mix. 
    6. Add vanilla, almond extract and then the sifted dry ingredients (flour, salt, and cocoa powder) in 2 parts. I have them measured and sift them directly over the chocolate mixture, but you can sift them in a different bowl first and then add them. 
    7. Mix well until you have a silky, smooth mixture. 
    8. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, until the edges are firm but the center still jiggles. It might take a few more minutes. But don’t bake them until the whole surface is firm because they won’t be fudgy. 
    9. Let cool on a wire rack. I recommend eating them the next day, but that’s hard, I know. So pop them in the fridge for an hour. 
    10. Eat them plain or top with chocolate ganache, dulce de leche and chopped walnuts before eating. 

    Notes

    Organization: read the recipe carefully and make sure the ingredients are at the temperature needed, the oven is pre-heated, you have the right size of pan, and any other details that will ensure the best results possible.

    Chocolate: my favorite ones are Green & Black's Organic 70% Chocolate, Ghirardelli Delight Intense Dark Chocolate, Ghirardelli Premium Baking Bar 60% cacao, Callebaut Belgian Dark Chocolate 54%. 

    Cocoa powder: it should be unsweetened and the best you can afford. I love Valrhona Pure Cocoa Powder, Ghirardelli 100% Unsweetened Ground Cocoa, and the very popular Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa. 

    Sauces: as you can see in the image below, I use both chocolate and dulce de leche and make these one of the most decadent brownies/desserts ever! If you never tried these two flavors together you're in for a treat, of the best kind.

    Resting: I find that most chocolate recipes are better the next day. So, if you can, let these rest in the fridge or at room temperature for 24hs.

    Flavorings: besides the vanilla and almond that are used in the recipe, you can add some orange zest, a tablespoon of orange liquor or whisky, a pinch of ground cinnamon, or coffee powder or extract.

    Commercial dulce de leche: you can buy it online. My favorite ones that are usually available are: Cachafaz Dulce de Leche, Havanna Argentina Dulce de Leche sauce, and DDL&Co. premium dulce de leche.

    Sugar: I use mostly white combined with a little brown. Use only granulated if that's all you have.

    Plain: like most chocolate recipes that are fudgy and intense, a small piece goes a long way. I like them just cold enough but not straight from the refrigerator because I think the flavor is numbed a little by the cold.

    Plated dessert: put a square on a plate and top with a scoop of ice cream (vanilla, dulce de leche, chocolate, even raspberry) or some whipped cream, and then pour some chocolate sauce if you're going all the way. This is great when you have one batch of brownies and many mouths to feed.

    • Author: Paula Montenegro
    • Prep Time: 15
    • Resting time: 120
    • Cook Time: 30
    • Category: Bars & Brownies
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: homemade brownies

    Did you make this recipe?

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    More Bar & Brownie Recipes

    • Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars
    • Walnut Brownie Recipe
    • Lemon Blondies
    • Walnut Squares

    About Paula Montenegro

    I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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    1. angiesrecipes says

      March 28, 2021 at 1:51 am

      So chocolatey, rich and absolutely irresistible!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Paula!

    A baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe finder, sharing the best ones on this blog, with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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