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Deep, dark, decadent chocolate brownies are a treat for the whole family, and this recipe makes it easy. My Easy Homemade Brownies use unsweetened 100% cacao, along with some white chocolate to even things out.
High-Altitude Note: This recipe is developed and baked at roughly 6,000 ft in Denver — no adjustments needed. Brownies rely on eggs and melted chocolate for structure rather than baking powder, so altitude doesn’t affect them the way it does cakes.
Brownies are one of the first things I learned to bake as a kid, partly because the ingredients are almost always in the house. Eggs, flour, chocolate, sugar and salt, with a little vanilla, are all you need. It’s the tweaking of those ingredients that make some brownies better than others.
Always start with the best chocolate.
Because there are so few ingredients, the flavor of your chocolate is going to make-or-break your brownies. This is the time to splurge . . . or do like we do, and scour that markdown bin every visit to the store! We were able to pick up about 10 bars of good-quality 100% cacao for a little over a dollar each. Keep an eye out after all the major winter holidays for the best deals.
There are just a few tips to making sure your brownies come out perfect every time:
- Measure all your ingredients beforehand so that you don’t forget anything important.
- Use a cake pan cooling strip to keep the edges from getting overdone while the middle is cooking. (They will still be extra-chewy, but you don’t want them burned.)
- Melt the chocolate with the butter at the same time – and never add the butter after the chocolate has melted. Butter has a significant amount of water, and adding water to hot, melted chocolate is a big no-no! (But if your chocolate does seize-up, learn how to fix it in the video below.)
- I use a double-boiler, and not the microwave, for this recipe. Getting the 100% cacao too hot can cause it to develop a burned taste.
- Baking times vary with every oven. And with brownies, this is especially problematic. Without leavening, the usual tests (toothpick, finger) don’t work very well. I use a temperature probe and bake to an internal temp of 170F for fudgy brownies.
Easy Homemade Brownies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1 cup Nuts (your choice) I recommend walnuts
- 4 oz Unsweetened Chocolate 99% cacao
- 4 oz White Chocolate
- 3 tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 1/3 cups Sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
- 3/4 cup Flour
- 2 lg Eggs
- 1 dash Salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Grease a 9" X 9" baking pan, then line the bottom with parchment and give it a spray of non-stick baking spray.
- Toast the nuts. I use a small baking sheet in a toaster oven set to "Toast" for about 5 minutes, tossing them once halfway through. WATCH CAREFULLY – nuts are notoriously easy to burn!
- Heat water in a double boiler. Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place the chocolate and butter in the top pan. Stir constantly until just melted. Remove from the boiler.
- Add the cocoa and sugar to the chocolate and whisk thoroughly.
- Beat the eggs slightly, then add to the chocolate. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Add the flour and salt and turn until just moistened. Add the nuts and stir until all the nuts are coated with batter.
- Spread batter into prepared pan, mounding it a bit in the center, as brownies tend to sink a bit in the middle.
- Bake at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes. Test with a thermometer and remove when the internal temperature reaches 175°F. It will continue to rise for a bit after removing from the oven.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert on a rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
As you can see from the photo, these brownies turn out moist and chewy, with that delightful shiny, crunchy top. Everyone will love them.
Easy Homemade Brownies – Questions and Answers
Can I use all dark chocolate instead of half dark, half white?
Yes — swap the white chocolate for more dark or semi-sweet in equal amounts. You’ll lose a little of the flavor contrast, but the texture will still turn out fudgy.
How do I know when the brownies are done without a thermometer?
Use the toothpick test: insert one into the center — it should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, not wet batter. The recipe targets an internal temp of 175°F if you do have a probe, which is the more precise way to avoid over- or under-baking.
Can I leave out the walnuts or use a different nut?
Absolutely — pecans work well as a swap, or leave them out entirely for a completely smooth, nut-free brownie. No other changes needed.
How should I store these, and can I freeze them?
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze the cooled, cut squares for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Do I need to adjust this recipe for high altitude?
No — this recipe is developed and baked regularly at about 6,000 ft in Denver with no changes. Because it has no baking powder or baking soda, it isn’t affected by altitude the way leavened baked goods like cakes are — the structure here comes from eggs and melted chocolate instead.
Looking for more chocolate recipes? Try my Double Chocolate Cupcakes for a perfect Halloween treat. Or for something more decadent, try Double Chocolate Layer Cake.
For an extra chocolate punch, try using a more exotic cocoa powder, like this highly-rated ultra-dark Valrhona variety. You only need about 3 tablespoons, so a little goes a long way.
Hi Don… I am looking forward to making your brownies, but I do not see the eggs in your ingredient list. How many do you use? Thanks!
Oopsie! I fixed it now – but 2 EGGS. Sorry Glen! Enjoy!