I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with Brownies. When they’re good, they’re irresistible. However, often times, I find the brownies that are sold at restaurants or in stores to be underwhelming. So I sought out to make the homemade brownies recipe that strikes the right balance of richness, chewiness and chocolate-y goodness. After countless hours of testing, this recipe for me hits the spot. I don’t even bother buying pre-made brownies or brownie mixes any more, because nothing can beat the taste of this easy recipe that’s entirely from scratch (and I think you’ll love it too!).
The History of Brownies
Brownies originated from the United States during the late 1800s. Unlike many other desserts with European roots, brownies are distinctly American. The first known recipes for brownies appeared around the turn of the 20th century, though their exact origin is debated.
One popular story credits their invention to a happy accident at the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago in 1893. Bertha Palmer, who was the wife of the hotel’s owner, asked the kitchen to come up with a new kind of dessert that she could serve the ladies who were attending the World’s Columbian Exposition. She wanted something smaller than a slice of cake but more elegant than a cookie—something that could also be included in boxed lunches. The result was a dense, chocolatey square topped with walnuts and an apricot glaze, which we now know as a Brownie. To this day, the Palmer House Hotel continues to serve their now famous Brownies to their guests.
By the 1920s, brownies had gained massive popularity across the USA, cemented by numerous community cookbooks and household adaptations. Unlike other pastries that required precision, brownies tend to be very forgiving—which makes them perfect for home bakers that struggle with more baking more complex desserts. Some recipes leans toward more of a cakey texture with more flour, while others tend to be denser and fudgier with less flour.
As the 20th century progressed, brownies became a cultural staple. They were easy to make, requiring just one pan, a handful of ingredients, and little effort. During the Great Depression and World War II, they remained affordable, accessible treats for families. And by mid-century, boxed brownie mixes began appearing on grocery shelves. Companies like Pillsbury and Betty Crocker capitalized on the dessert’s popularity, making it even simpler for home cooks to whip up a batch. Convenience mixed with nostalgia has ensured that brownies remain a fixture in American kitchens.
Key Ingredients for Rich and Chewy Brownies
The brownie batter is made from your standard brownie ingredients: Flour, Baking Soda, Table Salt, Sugar, Butter, and Vanilla Extract. That said, what makes this recipe stand out from the rest is the unconventional use of all Egg Yolks and Brown Sugar
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Melted butter: Melted butter produces the chewiest brownies. By creaming the melted butter with the sugar, this ensures that the sugar crystals are evenly distributed through the batter and there are no bland pockets. Using melted vs softened butter also limits the amount of air that is incorporated into the batter, which is essential for a dense brownie. However, it is critical that the butter is hot-to-touch when combining it with the other ingredients. As the batter will be quite thick, the hot butter will make it easier to handle.
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Complimenting white sugar with brown sugar: While most recipes only require the use of white granulated sugar, after testing out & tweaking this recipe quite a bit, I found that brown sugar really enhances the depth of the flavor profile in these brownies. For one reason, brown sugar is essentially the combination of white granulated sugar and molasses, and added moisture from the molasses helps to reinforce the chewiness of the brownies. But also, the acidity in the molasses will help to neutralize the metallic taste in the baking soda once it’s activated during the baking process in the oven. White granulated sugar is still necessary, though, as this is what gives brownies the crackly, shiny crust.
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Cornstarch: Why? For a couple reasons. The cornstarch helps to soften the proteins in the flour, which limits the development of gluten helps to keep the brownies tender as they bake. In addition, cornstarch does a great job at absorbing and holding liquid that would otherwise evaporate during the baking process, which helps the brownies to remain and keeps them from drying out.
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Egg yolks: While most recipe call for using all or predominately whole eggs, I tested out this recipe with just the use of egg yolks and ended up getting a desirable result. The thing about egg whites is that they’re mostly just protein, which has a tendency to dry out baked goods. In the baking process, most of the emulsifying properties and fat that we associated with a whole egg lies entirely within the egg yolk. So ultimately, there’s virtually nothing of value lost from excluding the egg whites from the brownies. In fact, just using egg yolks alone really helps to enhance the richness of the flavor and give it a velvety texture.
And again, I can’t stress this enough. Unlike cookie dough or even cake batter, the batter for this recipe *WILL* be on the thicker side due to the amount of flour used. However, this will not be a bad thing, as a thicker batter has a easier time firming up and holding its shape in the oven while it bakes. You will just have to pack a bit a patience while combining the wet + dry ingredient and add the batter to your cake pan. Trust the process!!!
Tips for Making this Recipe
Allow the brownies to cool for a minimum of 30 minutes after removing from oven. The inside of the brownies will continue to set and coagulate even after you remove them from the heat. If you attempt to cut into the brownies too soon while they’re still hot, you risk having them fall apart.
For the best results, use a non-stick cake pan. Besides the fact that they’re not as much of a hassle to clean, the brownies have a much easier time releasing from them due to the Teflon coating. I recommend against using a glass cake pan because they’re slower to heat (thus the cooking time & temp will be different) and they’re slower to cool once they do heat up.
Spoon + level your flour & cocoa powder. This will ensure you’re not using too much of either ingredients in your recipe, as it’s easy to get too much to settle in there if you opt to scoop it with a measuring cup. Alternatively, you can use a scale to measure these ingredients (the exact measurements are listed below in the ingredients). If you measure these ingredients these ingredients correctly, it could negatively effect the flavor/texture of the brownie.
Do not overbake the brownies. Unfortunately, brownies is one of those baked goods that’s not very forgiving if you cook it for even slightly longer than directed in this recipe. If 30 minutes have passed since the brownies were placed in the oven and you’re still uncertain about whether they’re done, you can always insert a toothpick inside of it to see if any wet batter comes out. If the toothpick comes out clean, it’s done.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you add Walnuts or Chocolate Chips to this recipe?
I’m personally not a fan of having these extra ingredients in my brownies (personal preference), which is why I officially excluded them from my recipe. That being said, if you prefer having these items in your brownies, you can certainly add them while combining the wet + dry ingredients.
Can you substitute the Unsweetened Cocoa Powder for Dutch Cocoa Powder?
Absolutely! The main difference you’ll see in the recipe is that the chocolate flavor will be much more intense, which is never a bad thing with brownies!
Can you substitute Oil for the Butter?
The answer to this question always gets tricky.
I do understand that not everyone is able to eat dairy products and that butter is simply not an option for such individuals. In such cases, you *COULD* replace the butter with a cooking oil, but with a couple of important caveats. For starters, while cooking oils and butter are both different type of fats that can be used in baked goods, their fat composition is not entirely equal. Cooking oils tend to have virtually no water in them (thus are 100% fat), whereas Butter typically has a water content of 20-25% (depending on the brand). So in the even you do attempt to substitute the butter for cooking oils, I’d advise only using 3/4 cups of the cooking oil.
The other caveat is that the use of cooking oils will change the flavor profile of the Brownies. Seed oils (I.E. Vegetable Oil, Canola Oil, etc.), are known to be neutral-tasting, meaning they have no flavor. So you will be losing the subtle nuttiness / sweetness in your brownies that Butter offer. But then you also have your non-seed oils such as Coconut, Avocado or Olive Oil. These oils are *NOT* neutral-tasting, which means if you use them, you may end up with Brownies that taste like Olives, Avocados or Coconuts, as the oils will overpower the favor of the chocolate.
All of that said, the short and sweet answer I can give you is I don’t recommend it. For a more detailed answer, see above.
Can you freeze the brownies? And if so, for how long?
You can definitely freeze these brownies! Once they’ve cooled completely and you’ve cut them into individual servings, place them in a freezer bag and they should maintain their freshness for at least 1 month. While they may still be safe ton eat for up to 3 months in the freezer, the brownies will gradually lose their flavor and texture after 1 month has passed. You can then reheat them in the microwave for either 10-20 seconds or in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 350*F.
How long can you store brownies without freezing?
As long as the brownies are stored in a airtight container or bag, they should be safe to eat for at least 3 days. After 3 days, they may begin to lose their flavor & texture. Once 5 days have passed, I would advise that you dispose of the brownies as they may no longer be edible.
For Chocolate Lovers, Try This Recipe
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Chocolate Pudding From Scratch
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Best Crispy & Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Best White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Best Brownies From Scratch
Equipment
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Plastic Spatula
- 2 Large Mixing Bowls
- Parchment Paper or Oil / Cooking Spray (to grease pan / skillet)
- 1 9x9 Cake Pan
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
- 1 Knife
Ingredients
- 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 TBSP Cornstarch
- 1/2 Cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Cup White Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 TSP Iodized Salt
- 1/2 TSP Baking Soda
- 1 Cup Melted Unsalted Butter (HOT)
- 1/2 TBSP Vanilla Extract
- 6 Extra Large Egg Yolks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350*F.
- Combine dry ingredients (Flour, Cocoa Powder, Baking Soda, Cornstarch and Salt) in large mixing bowl.
- Whisk dry ingredients until combined.
- Add Butter + Sugar in a separate large mixing bowl.
- Whisk Butter with Sugar until creamed (approx. 60 seconds).
- Add other wet ingredients (Eggs, Vanilla Extract) to creamed Butter + Sugar and whisk for 30 seconds each until combined.
- Add wet ingredients into bowl with dry ingredients and fold until just combined.
- Generously grease 9x9 cake pan with cooking spray, butter or oil.
- Add brownie batter to cake pan and spread until it forms even layer.
- Place cake pan in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes***.
- Allow brownies to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
Video
Notes