Bakery Style Brownies Recipe

I finally perfected One Bowl Brownies with crisp edges, a glossy crackle top, and an almost shockingly fudgy center that made me rethink everything I thought a brownie could be.

I’ve chased the perfect bakery style brownie for years and these thick, fudgy ones finally shut me up. Crisp edges, a crackle top and a center so dense and chocolatey it makes you pause before each bite.

Unsalted butter and bittersweet chocolate together hit like pure nostalgia and turn a normal craving into obsession. I wrote about Fudge Topped Brownies before but this version is what I keep coming back to, and every time I post How To Make Fudgy Brownies people freak out.

If you like big chocolate hits you’re gonna want to try these.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter: gives rich, glossy texture, high calories and saturated fat, makes brownies fudgy.
• Chocolate: intense cocoa flavor, adds antioxidants but it’s calorie dense, makes them deeply chocolatey.
• Sugar: provides sweetness, mostly simple carbs, helps with structure and glossy top.
• Eggs: add protein, help bind and lift, make crumb tender, yolks add richness.
• Flour: supplies carbs and gluten, gives body and chew, too much makes cakey.
• Cocoa powder: boosts chocolate intensity, low fat, adds bitter notes, affects color and lift.
• Chips or nuts optional: add texture, some protein or healthy fats, makes bites more interesting.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 8 oz (225 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped or chips
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar yeah it’s a lot but needed
• 3 large eggs room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (95 g) all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch process)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder or finely ground instant coffee (optional to deepen chocolate)
• 1/2 cup (85 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped walnuts, optional
• Flaky sea salt for sprinkling, optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C). Line an 8 by 8 inch baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang to lift the brownies out later, and lightly grease the sides so the paper sticks.

2. Melt the butter and chopped bittersweet chocolate together until smooth either in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in the microwave in 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring between each burst. Let the chocolate butter mix cool until just warm, not hot.

3. In a large bowl whisk the granulated sugar and the room temp eggs vigorously until the mixture is shiny and a bit thick and ribbony, about 2 to 4 minutes by hand or 3 to 5 with a mixer. Add the vanilla and the instant espresso powder if using and mix a few more seconds. This step helps make that crackle top so dont skip it.

4. Temper the warm chocolate into the egg mixture by adding a few tablespoons at first while whisking, then pour the rest in and fold until uniform. If the chocolate is too hot it will cook the eggs so go slow.

5. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and the fine sea salt, then gently fold the dry mix into the wet chocolate mixture until just combined. Dont overmix or youll lose fudginess.

6. Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips or chopped walnuts if using, scraping the bowl so everything gets evenly distributed.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and sprinkle flaky sea salt if you want that bakery hit. Tap the pan once on the counter to remove big air bubbles.

8. Bake 22 to 28 minutes. The edges should be set and the center still a little jiggle with moist crumbs on a toothpick. If you like extra fudgy go for the lower time, for slightly more set but still dense go longer. Watch closely because ovens vary.

9. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack so the brownies set up, at least 1 hour, or chill 30 minutes for easier slicing. Use the parchment overhang to lift them out, cut with a sharp knife wiped clean between slices, and enjoy.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350 F)
2. 8 x 8 inch baking pan, lined with parchment paper and lightly greased
3. Heatproof bowl or microwave-safe bowl for melting chocolate
4. Small saucepan for a simmering water bath if you melt chocolate on the stove
5. Large mixing bowl for the egg and sugar whisking step
6. Whisk (helps get that shiny, crackly top)
7. Rubber or silicone spatula for folding and scraping the batter
8. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for flour and cocoa
9. Measuring cups and spoons (or a kitchen scale if you prefer weighing)
10. Wire cooling rack and a sharp knife for slicing after the brownies set

FAQ

Bakery Style Brownies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Butter: swap 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter for 1 cup (226 g) neutral oil like canola or grapeseed for fudgier, denser brownies. Or use melted coconut oil same weight but expect a faint coconut flavor, it’s fine if you’re ok with that.
• Granulated sugar: replace 1 1/2 cups granulated with 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar for more chew and caramel notes, or use coconut sugar 1:1 for a less refined taste, note the color and flavor will be deeper.
• Eggs: for a vegan swap use flax “eggs” 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg (so 3 tbsp flax + 9 tbsp water total), stir and let gel for a few minutes before mixing. Applesauce also works at 1/4 cup per egg (3/4 cup total) but the brownies will be a bit cakier.
• All purpose flour: swap 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (95 g) AP flour with a cup for cup gluten free baking blend 1:1 if you need GF, or use whole wheat pastry flour 1:1 for nuttier flavor though they might be slightly denser.

Pro Tips

1. Keep the melted chocolate and butter only warm not hot. if it feels too warm on the back of your hand let it cool a bit, and if it ever seizes up add a teaspoon of warm butter or a splash of cream and stir it back to smoothness. This saves you from ruined texture and scrambled egg bits.

2. Want that shiny crackly top? Whisk the eggs and sugar longer than you think, until the mix looks thicker and ribbon-y. also, give the batter a minute to calm down so big air bubbles rise and pop, otherwise you get holes in the top.

3. Pan choice and oven tricks matter. A metal pan gives crispier edges, glass pans bake slower so check earlier or add a few minutes, and always use an oven thermometer if you can because temps lie. rotate the pan half way through if your oven has hot spots.

4. For clean slices and best texture chill the brownies until set, then wipe a chef knife under hot water and dry it between cuts for neat edges. store airtight at room temp for a day, or in the fridge if you like them extra dense; let chilled brownies sit a few minutes before eating so the chocolate relaxes.