Fudgy One Bowl Brownies
This is an easy brownie recipe for simple, fudgy brownies, the ones to have frozen for last-minute snacks or desserts. They're gooey and full of chocolate flavor and can hold add-ins or toppings wonderfully without compromising their texture.
Servings 12 medium squares
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate coarsely chopped
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or paste
- ½ teaspoon coffee extract or 1 teaspoon instant coffee (dissolve it in the vanilla), optional
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract optional
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Butter or spray a 9-inch (20x20cm) square baking pan and line it with a strip of parchment paper. See Notes below.
- In a large bowl, melt ¾ cup unsalted butter and 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, see Notes below for methods. Add 1 cup white sugar and mix for 30 seconds.
- Add 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or paste, ½ teaspoon coffee extract and ½ teaspoon pure almond extract, if using, and mix well.
- Add 3 large eggs and beat by hand until very well mixed.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients: ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, and ½ teaspoon salt). Fold or whisk well until the batter is shiny and smooth. Don't overmix.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, until slightly jiggly in the middle.
- Let cool for about 30 minutes on a wire rack.
- Run a smooth-bladed knife along the edges and lift the parchment paper to transfer the brownies to a rack to cool completely before cutting. You can pop them into the fridge for a few hours to make cutting them easier.
- They are better the next day, in my opinion. They keep for a few days and can be frozen for up to a month, well wrapped.
Notes
Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend keeping track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
How to melt chocolate and butter
Microwave: this is the easiest and fastest way to do it. Simply put both ingredients in a microwave-proof bowl and microwave in 15-second spurts, whisking well after each time. This last part is very important as the chocolate sometimes holds its shape but is melted inside. You don't want to overdo it and chance scorching the chocolate.
Stovetop: you can use a small saucepan with water where the bowl with the chocolate fits on top but doesn't touch the water. The butter and chocolate will melt with the vapor from the water. This is a safer way because it's harder to scorch chocolate this way, but it takes much longer. How to line the pan: measure the width of the pan you're using and cut a strip the same size. The length of the strip is given by the width of the parchment paper you bought. Butter or spray the pan and add the strip of parchment paper, allowing the grease to act as glue. Add the brownie batter, bake it, and after it's cooled down, run a smooth-bladed knife along the sides. Now you can aid yourself by lifting the two pieces of paper to remove the whole block of brownies from the pan.
Microwave: this is the easiest and fastest way to do it. Simply put both ingredients in a microwave-proof bowl and microwave in 15-second spurts, whisking well after each time. This last part is very important as the chocolate sometimes holds its shape but is melted inside. You don't want to overdo it and chance scorching the chocolate.
Stovetop: you can use a small saucepan with water where the bowl with the chocolate fits on top but doesn't touch the water. The butter and chocolate will melt with the vapor from the water. This is a safer way because it's harder to scorch chocolate this way, but it takes much longer. How to line the pan: measure the width of the pan you're using and cut a strip the same size. The length of the strip is given by the width of the parchment paper you bought. Butter or spray the pan and add the strip of parchment paper, allowing the grease to act as glue. Add the brownie batter, bake it, and after it's cooled down, run a smooth-bladed knife along the sides. Now you can aid yourself by lifting the two pieces of paper to remove the whole block of brownies from the pan.
