Are you team cakey or team fudgy? If you love rich, fudgy decadent brownies that will transport you to chocolate heaven then these are the brownies for you!

I’ve been making these brownies for years and slowly perfected the recipe. These brownies are my top requested dessert to make for friends and family. As an extra bonus, they are super quick to make and you only need one bowl!

Whenever I get a last-minute request to bring dessert these brownies are my go-to recipe. There’s always a good chance I have all the ingredients already waiting in my kitchen cupboard and it literally takes less than 15 minutes of hands-on time to make these! Minimum effort, minimum clean up, but maximum flavour! Once you try these brownies you’ll be hooked… 

Brownie Recipe Ingredients

To make these brownies you need only one bowl and there’s a good chance you already have all the ingredients in your pantry! Throw the ingredients together and you’ll have yourself a batch of freshly baked homemade brownies within one hour!

Here’s what you need to make these decadent fudgy brownies: 

• Butter: Unsalted butter makes these brownies super rich and flavourful. Using butter instead of oil helps to make these brownies fudgy and moist on the inside while giving the edges and top a delicate crispy layer. 
• Chocolate: Use good quality dark chocolate for these brownies. Even if you’re not a fan of dark chocolate you’ll still love these brownies, the dark chocolate gives an intense chocolatey flavour. My favourite chocolate for this recipe is “Callebaut 54.5% dark chocolate callets”. These Belgian chocolate callets are the perfect chocolate chips for all types of bakes and sweet treats! If you can’t find them then use your favourite type of dark chocolate chips or chop up a bar of dark chocolate. 
• White sugar: The most basic sugar to use in baking. It adds sweetness and texture to the brownies. It also helps keep the centre soft while the tops get a paper-thin crinkle. 
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar is white sugar mixed with molasses. That’s why brown sugar is a bit more moist (like wet sand) and has a deeper flavour. In this recipe, brown sugar helps make the brownies extra moist and fudgy, while also adding a depth of richness and complexity. 
• Flour: All-purpose flour works great for this recipe. We only use a minimal amount to bind all the ingredients together. More flour will create more cakey brownies.  
• Eggs: Eggs add richness and structure to keep it all together. Make sure you use medium-sized eggs. 
• Salt: A pinch of salt is always a necessary ingredient in most sweet baking recipes. It helps to balance out all the flavours.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds extra decadence to these brownies. Make sure to use real vanilla extract instead of artificial vanilla aroma. Here’s the recipe for my homemade vanilla extract that I used for these brownies!
• Pecans: Nuts add a delicious crunch and extra flavour to these brownies. I love adding pecans, but hazelnuts, walnuts or any other type of nut would also work just fine. Use your favourite! 

How to make Brownies from Scratch

Making these brownies from scratch couldn’t be easier! Trust me, it’s my all-time favourite recipe to whip up when I need a quick and easy recipe. 

First, get all your ingredients out and ready. I always like to measure out all my ingredients beforehand and line them up on my kitchen counter. That way, it will cost only about ten minutes to mix it all together and throw the brownie tray in the oven. 

Next, put the butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and let it all melt au bain marie style. Create a double boiler by placing a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Ensure the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Add the chocolate and butter to the bowl and allow them to melt together over medium heat. Stir occasionally to help the melting process and to combine the ingredients. Remove the bowl from the saucepan once the mixture is all melted. 

Then, mix in the other ingredients one by one. Start with both types of sugar and mix them in. Then add your flour and salt and mix until it’s all incorporated. Now stir in the eggs and vanilla extract until the mixture is thick and smooth. It will become very glossy. Lastly, mix in your chopped pecans and stir until well combined. 

Almost there! Now we pour the batter into a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Use a spatula to spread it equally all over the pan and to smooth out the top. 

Lastly, bake the brownies in a preheated oven. Transfer the baking tray to a 170 degrees Celsius (325 ℉) oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know the brownies are ready when the top gets a paper-thin flaky layer. Don’t overbake them, the edges will become hard and crunchy.

Best Brownie Baking Tips

How to tell if they are done baking:

‍This can be tricky, you don’t want them overbaked and rock solid, but you don’t want raw batter either. Each oven is slightly different so it’s always a good idea to also use your other senses to check the brownies for doneness. A telltale sign is when you start smelling the delicious chocolate aroma and see a thin crispy layer formed on top of the brownies. The inside will not be completely set yet, but it will continue to set while cooling off. 

Storage:

‍These brownies can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days in the fridge. Use a sheet of parchment paper in between layers of brownies when you store them in a container, this prevents them from sticking to each other. 

How to cut perfect squares:

The trick to cutting perfectly square brownies is twofold. First, make sure the tray of brownies is completely cool before cutting. Once cold the structure is more dense and less likely to crumble when cut. Second, make sure you cut the brownies with a large and wet knife, this prevents the knife from sticking to the fudgy inside of the brownies. My favourite method is to wet a paper towel and wipe off the knife in between cuts, this helps to make clean cuts.

Brownie size:

This recipe makes 21 brownies if you cut them as seen in the photos. They will be about 7 by 5 cm (3 by 2 inches) each. These brownies are very rich and fudgy so a smaller size also works great if you need them as a sweet finger food or sweet table addition. You can of course also cut them into bigger squares if you really need a chocolate fix!

Serving suggestion:

Serve them as they are or optionally sprinkle them with a dusting of icing sugar before serving. A scoop of vanilla ice cream combined with these brownies will complete your dessert heaven. 

Brownie Alternatives: 

Plain Chocolate Brownies: Leave out the pecans (or other nuts) and serve them as plain chocolate brownies. Perfect for those who don’t like pecans (or are allergic to nuts!). These brownies will still come out chewy, fudgy and super chocolatey!

Nutty variations: Change up the nuts. Use roasted hazelnuts for that classic hazelnut and chocolate combo or use a mix of your favourite nuts. 

Double Chocolate: Mix in extra chocolate chips before baking to make these brownies extra chocolatey. 

Are you looking for more sweet treats?

• If you love baking you probably use loads of vanilla extract. This Homemade Vanilla Extract is cheaper and tastes way better than most supermarket varieties. It’s also super easy to make with just 2 ingredients!
• Serve your brownies with this Homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte with real pumpkin puree, maple syrup and warming spices!
• Try these one-bowl Vegan Banana Cranberry Muffins, they are easy to make and healthy enough to have for breakfast!
• These Apple Rose Puff Pastries are the prettiest individual apple pies you'll ever see. They look like elegant roses and are perfect for a special occasion. 
• Sweet cranberry sauce, creamy brie cheese and flaky crescent rolls come together to create this delicious Cranberry Brie Wreath. This delicious holiday appetizer will steal the show on your brunch table. 
• Try this Eton Mess with Lemon Curd and Fresh Berries. It puts a zesty spin on this classic dessert that makes it perfect for spring and summer!
• Make these naturally Pink Ruby Chocolate Covered Dates for your next special occasion! The perfect sweet treat, all you need is 4 ingredients and 15 minutes.