These Ultimate Fudge Brownies are a chocolate lover’s dream, boasting a rich, fudgy texture that melts in your mouth with every bite. By combining premium cocoa powder with melted semi-sweet chocolate and a finishing touch of coarse sea salt, we’ve perfected a decadent treat that truly lives up to its name.
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🍫 The Ingredients
This recipe relies on a perfect balance of premium chocolate and classic pantry staples to achieve a deep, complex flavor and that signature dense, fudgy texture. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
📝 Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate: Use high-quality baking bars or chips for optimal melting; you can substitute with bittersweet chocolate if you prefer a less sweet, more intense cocoa flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: This allows you to control the salt content, but if you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt in the recipe by half.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Dutch-processed cocoa is ideal for a darker, richer color and a smoother chocolate taste, though natural cocoa powder will also work.
- Dark Brown Sugar: The molasses in dark brown sugar creates a superior fudgy texture; light brown sugar can be used as a substitute, though the brownies may be slightly less moist.
- Eggs: These must be at room temperature to ensure they emulsify properly into the fat, resulting in a smooth, even batter.
- Coarse Sea Salt: This provides a crunchy contrast to the rich chocolate; if you don’t have coarse salt, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt (like Maldon) is an excellent alternative.
Refer to the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
📌 Tips and Tricks for Perfect Brownies
- Don’t Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix just until the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing develops gluten, which can turn your fudgy brownies into a tough, cake-like texture.
- Use a Parchment “Sling”: Line your baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an inch or two of overhang on the sides. This allows you to lift the entire block of brownies out of the pan for easy, mess-free slicing once they have cooled.
- The Toothpick Test: To keep them fudgy, pull the brownies out of the oven when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. If the toothpick is completely clean, they are likely overbaked.
- Room Temperature Eggs Hack: If you forgot to take your eggs out of the fridge ahead of time, place them in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes to quickly bring them to the proper temperature.
- Wait to Slice: As tempting as it is to eat them warm, let the brownies cool completely in the pan. For the cleanest, most professional-looking squares, chill them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before slicing with a sharp knife.
- Quality Matters: Since chocolate is the star of the show, use the best quality baking bars or cocoa powder you can find; it makes a significant difference in the depth of flavor in the final result.
👩🏼🍳 How to Make the Ultimate Fudge Brownies
- Step 1: Melt 10 ounces of the chocolate and the butter in the microwave. Stir to combine.
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, and salt together. Stir the flour mixture into the butter/chocolate mixture. Stir until combined and smooth.
- Step 3: Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the vanilla.
- Step 4: Stir in the remaining chopped 2 ounces of chocolate.
- Step 5: Line a 9×13″ baking dish with parchment paper and then pour the batter into the dish.
- Step 6: Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from the pan and cut into squares. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt, if desired.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store any leftovers of these Ultimate Fudge Brownies?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days, or refrigerate them for up to a week to maintain their dense, moist texture.
What is the secret to ensuring these Ultimate Fudge Brownies stay fudgy instead of becoming cakey?
The key lies in using a higher ratio of fat and sugar to flour, while also avoiding chemical leaveners like baking powder or soda.
Can I freeze these Ultimate Fudge Brownies to enjoy later?
Yes, wrap individual squares tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag; they will stay fresh for up to three months and can be thawed easily at room temperature.
😋 More Brownies, Cookies, and Fudge Recipes
Ready to make the most delicious chocolate treat in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Ultimate Fudge Brownies
These Ultimate Fudge Brownies are the most fudgy, moist, succulent brownies you'll ever make. They are so easy and unbelievably yummy. You'll never go the boxed route again (even though, I know, the box version can be pretty good, too…but wait till you try these!)
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Servings: 8 people
Calories: 786kcal
Video
Equipment
- 9"x 13" baking dish, parchment paper
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 16 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 sticks
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate divided (10 oz. and 2 oz.)
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder we use Hershey's
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1½ cups sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar dark
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon sea salt coarse, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spray a 9"x13" baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the ends of the dish.Cooking spray
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and 10 oz. of the chocolate. Microwave on HIGH in 1-minute intervals until melted.16 tablespoon unsalted butter, 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate
- Meanwhile, in a separate medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.1½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- Stir in the sugar and brown sugar into the melted chocolate/butter mixture. Stir until sugars have dissolved.1½ cups sugar, ½ cup brown sugar
- Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla.5 large eggs, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir in the flour/cocoa mixture, stirring continuously until completely blended.
- Chop the remaining 2 oz. of chocolate with a large knife or food processor. Stir into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out dry (a little wetness is okay). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Sprinkle coarse sea salt over the top, if using.1 tablespoon sea salt
- Use your hands to carefully lift the overhanging parchment paper to raise the brownies out of the dish onto a cutting board.
- Cut the brownies into 12 bars.
Notes
NOTE: Watch the video in the recipe card for visual guidance.
Semisweet morsels can be used in place of block chocolate. You’ll need 2 cups.
We use our food processor to chop the 2 oz. of chocolate that gets stirred into the batter just before baking. If using morsels, this is half a cup (from the total 2 cups).
If the batter is crumbly or just barely wet, after inserting the toothpick, that’s okay. These brownies are very moist and will always leave a little of the gooey chocolate on the toothpick.
The brownies are delicious right out of the oven, but they will still be very gooey and pliable, and when you slice them, they will crumble quite a bit. We recommend letting them cool on a baking rack for at least an hour before slicing.
The brownies will keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or on the counter for several days. The brownies can be frozen for up to 2 months.
They are amazing when slightly reheated in the microwave and then served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
Nutrition
Calories: 786kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 180mg | Sodium: 1220mg | Potassium: 375mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 67g | Vitamin A: 900IU | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 5mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!
POST UPDATE: The recipe was originally published in February 2015, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe with new tips and photography, and a fabulous new video in August 2020!
Stacy Lynn Alexander says
Made these today. Huge hit! What’s not to love? Fudgy, chewy, moist, and chocolaty…..yum! I have been in search of a “best ever” brownie recipe for years, and I do believe I have found it.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Stacy!! Woo hoo!! That makes us so happy to hear!! Nothing much better than a yummy, fudgy chewy, moist, and chocolaty brownie! So glad you had such great success with them and thank you so much for letting us know and for the fabulous review! That means the world to us!! All the very best!! Kris & Wesley
Bren says
I m a chocolate addict. This recipe sounds sooooo delicious…. Can’t wait to try it.
Kris Longwell says
Hi Bren…it’s a chocolate lover’s dream, for sure! We make them all the time and they are sooooo good! Let us know if you make them and what you think!!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Marie says
Those Brownies are definitely wow, but I have to say the enthusiasm you both show about everything you cook always puts a huge smile on my face. Its like you are my twins! I do believe you love food and cooking every bit as much as I do! I eat to live, but more importantly I live to eat! Yes! Thanks for always brightening up my day!