Homemade Fudgy Chewy Brownies
These fudgy chewy brownies taste exactly like a box mix, but better because they are homemade! An easy cleanup 1 bowl recipe, no stand mixer needed.
Shawn and I spent 3 of our college years separated. Well, technically 3 years and 1 quarter. Shawn went to school at UC Santa Barbara, and it was so hard being apart he took WAY more classes than a full load and graduated 2 quarters early. He moved home a week before Christmas in 2008, and it was one of the best weeks of my life.
While he was down south, I was here at home going to San Francisco State full time while waitressing. I would take the train (yes, old school Amtrak train) from San Jose to Santa Barbara to visit him about once a month. It would take about 8 hours, but it only cost $32 round trip and I could get lots of studying done.
On the weekends when I couldn’t visit him, I would mail him little care packages. Sometimes they would include a mix CD full of my favorite songs that I would illegally download off Kazaa or Limewire (remember those?). Sometimes I would send him a new movie since the poor guy didn’t have cable. But one thing these care packages would always include were brownies. I would stack them up in a big tupperware container and write him a note on the lid with a Sharpie. He still has those lids. Every. Single. One.
And I wouldn’t send him just any brownies, but these homemade fudgy chewy brownies. A box mix just wouldn’t show how much I care. Anyone could buy a box mix and add eggs and oil. No no no. It was only the best, homemade brownies for my guy.
I actually like box mix brownies. Until I made this recipe, box mix brownies were the best I had eaten. Mostly because of their dense chewy texture. Previous homemade brownie recipes I had made were too cakey, which is not what I want when I am craving brownies. This homemade brownie recipe gives you everything you love about box mix brownies, plus the unbelievable flavor that comes with homemade.
Plus, these brownies are embarrassingly easy to make. Just 1 bowl, 1 spoon, and 1 baking pan. No need to break out the mixer, or melt chocolate using a double boiler. It takes just a few more minutes to make than a box mix, but tastes oh so much better. You can taste the love.
Homemade Fudgy Chewy Brownies
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 10 tablespoons boiling water
- 2 ounces high quality unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 10 tablespoons cup avocado oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees with the tray in the bottom rack. Cut 2 pieces of parchement paper to fit inside a 9x13 baking dish, 1 piece to fit vertically and the other piece to fit horizontally. Spray with non-stick spray, and I like to clap 2 of the edges down with large paper clips. Makes it easier when pouring in the brownie batter.
- In a large mixing bowl, add cocoa powder, then boiling water. Whisk to combine. Then add finely chopped unsweetened chocolate. Whisk until melted. Add in melted butter and vegetable oil. Whisk to combine. Mixture may look "broken" or "curdled" at this point, that's ok. Add in the eggs and egg yolks. Whisk to combine. Add in vanilla and salt, whisk to combine. Add in sugar, whisk to combine. Last, add in all purpose flour and gently fold the flour using a spatula until just combined.
- Pour brownie batter into baking dish, making sure to spread it to be an even layer. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out with a few fine crumbs. Remove from oven, and allow to cool in baking dish for 10 minutes. Then remove the brownies from the baking dish by lifting the parchement paper out, this will avoid overcooking the brownies. Allow to cool for at least 1 hour before cutting in to brownies.
26 Comments on “Homemade Fudgy Chewy Brownies”
Tasted better than my favorite box mix, but way healthier ingredients!
Yes! Exactly! Love this so much!
Hi so I just made these. But the top doesn’t have that crispy texture. It all seems fishy and undone. So I left in the oven.  I’m not sure what to do. Any ideas?
Well shoot! So sorry the brownies didn’t turn out well for you Tiffani. Do you mean they taste like actual fish? Hmm…can’t imagine what that would be. The only thing I can think of is something could have been rancid like the cocoa powder or oil? Also I’m not sure why they didn’t firm up. I know how frustrating it is to try a new recipe and have it not work. I’ve made these so many times and never had an issue so I am stumped.
I just discovered your blog via Pinterest and let me say, I AM IN LOVE! I can’t wait to try your recipes. I will definitely be trying these out this weekend. We have a friend that I would love to make these for too but he’s on a gluten free diet. Just wondering, has anyone made these with gluten free flour? I’m wondering if they would turn out the same.
Hi Lauren! Thanks so much for your nice words! Gave me a big smile on my face for this Monday morning. Hugs to you!
I haven’t tried making this with gluten free flour yet so I can’t attest to how they texture will be, but I’ve had the best luck with the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour. Just substitute it in the same proportions as regular flour. Hope it works for you. Let me know how it turns out if you make it!