Perfect Fudge Brownies (2024)

expert baking tips

Weigh your ingredients:

My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did.Here is my favorite kitchen scale.

Mix the batter carefully:

When adding in the flour, only fold the mixture just until no flour streaks remain. Overmixing the dough leads to more gluten formation, which can make the brownies tough and chewy rather than fudgy.

The secret to crackled brownie tops:

The secret to getting those perfectly crackled tops in this small batch brownie recipe is all in the eggs, sugar, and chocolate. We’ll beat the eggs and sugar together vigorously for a few minutes so it gets nice, light, and foamy. This will add air into the batter, which will cause the brownies to rise, then fall while baking – leading to that perfectly crackled top. Also note that I’ve found that chocolate chips make a more prominent crackled top than chocolate bars.

How to get perfect brownie slices:

Brownies and bars can be annoying to cut, especially when they start dragging the batter and it seems like half of the brownies have ended up on your knife! To get perfect brownie cuts, get a clean knife and a tall glass of hot water. Dip the knife in the hot water, then make a slice in the brownies. Continue dipping and slicing to be left with perfectly cut brownie slices!

How to tell when brownies are done baking:

Fudge brownies are a little more difficult to tell when they’re done since they are essentially meant to be a little raw. For that reason, I definitely don’t recommend using the standard toothpick test. Instead, you’ll know that your brownies are done when the edges have fully set and the middle of the brownies just BARELY move when the pan is jiggled. I recommend against using glass pans, so please note that if you do use a glass pan, your baking time will increase. I highly recommend using an oven thermometer so you know if your oven is actually the temperature it claims to be!

How to make your chocolate more chocolatey:

The secret to getting more flavor out of your cocoa powder? Bloom it! Usually this is done with a hot liquid like espresso, but since we don’t want to add liquid into these brownies, we’ll do it by mixing the cocoa into the hot chocolate/butter mixture.

A note on oven temperature:

Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature and might not always actually be at the temperature they claim to be at. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.

perfect fudge brownies recipe q&a

Can I double this brownie recipe?

Of course – simply double all of the ingredients and bake the brownies in a 9×13″ pan, or bake them in two 8″ square pans. Be sure to keep an eye on the brownies if baking in a different sized pan, as the bake times may vary. If you’re looking for a smaller batch of these brownies, you can check out my small batch brownies here!

WHAT MAKES BROWNIES CAKEY VS FUDGY?

The amount of flour in the brownies is the main decider in if a brownie will be cakey or fudgy. Brownies that have more flour in them develop more gluten (structure) in the batter, which makes them cakier. These brownies use a small amount of flour relative to the other ingredients, which makes them fudgier. We also don’t use any baking powder or baking soda in these so that they stay super dense.

Do I need to use instant espresso?

Not if you don’t want to! The instant espresso is simply there to compliment and enrich the flavor of the chocolate, you can’t really taste it in them. However, if you are avoiding espresso for any reason you can definitely leave it out and you will still have delicious fudge brownies.

How to store fudge brownies

These brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Perfect Fudge Brownies

Thick and rich fudge brownies with perfectly crackled tops

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownieCalories: 293kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 3gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 105mgPotassium: 172mgFiber: 2gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 319IUCalcium: 23mgIron: 2mg