These better than boxed brownies are so chewy and fudgy with shiny crackly tops. You wouldn’t want to stop at one slice. They are ready in just 30 minutes and are very straightforward to make. You can also store them for longer storage and freeze leftovers. Chilled brownies taste even more delicious. These are the perfect treat to enjoy at any time of the year with friends and family. In summers you can also enjoy them with a scoop of vanilla icecream if desired.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Unsalted Butter: It is very important to have your butter at room temperature. You can ensure this by lightly pressing your finger on the block of butter. It should slightly leave an imprint. I also prefer to use unsalted butter because salted butters have varying amounts of salt content in them and it is always a good idea to add it on your own and avoid your bakes from being too salty.
- Oil: You can use either vegetable oil or canola oil. This is one of the secrets resulting in these brownies being ultra soft and chewy at the same time. Oil reduces the gluten formation in your batter, which makes them more moist as compared to using butter as a fat. I do not recommend using olive oil, as it adds a strong flavor of it’s own and changes the taste.
- Chocolate: I highly recommend using good quality couverture baking chocolate chips or chocolate bars (I use callebaut) to ensure the best flavor. Couverture chocolates are made of cocoa butter as compared to regular compound chocolates which are made of saturated fats like oil.
- Eggs: Use large eggs and bring them to room temperature before mixing in. Eggs strengthen the binding of your cake and also add moisture. Having your eggs at room temperature makes it easier to incorporate them and allow them to mix thoroughly in your cake batter. A good way of doing this is by letting them sit in a bowl filled with room temperature water for around 10 minutes or until they come down to room temperature.
- Sugars: You will need both granulated sugar and dark brown sugar to make this recipe. Sugars not only add to sweetness but also give baked goods a sturdy structure. Brown sugar adds to chewiness and better overall flavour as it has a higher content of molasses. Brown sugar helps to add moisture, softness & chewiness to the brownies. If you’re in a fix you can swap this for packed light brown sugar.
- All purpose flour: I highly recommend weighing all your ingredients using a kitchen scale for accurate recipe results. If you’re using cups, don’t scoop your cup into the flour. Spoon the flour into your cup and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Cocoa Powder: A good quality natural and unsweetened cocoa powder is the best (I use Van Houten and I love it). This can make a huge difference in the taste of chocolate in your baked goods. I highly recommend you use a dutch process cocoa powder which is natural and unsweetened.
- Espresso Powder: You will need espresso powder to make these brownies. This not only adds a distinct espresso flavour but also helps to enhance the flavour of chocolate in the brownies.
- Baking Powder: You will need baking powder to make these brownies.
FAQ
Gently melting the chocolate and butter over a double boiler, as well as using a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar creates the perfect shiny, crackly brownies. The fudgy texture of these brownie cookies is achieved by using far more chocolate than cocoa powder. Use a high quality semi-sweet chocolate and dutch process cocoa powder.
Not all pans are created equal when it comes to brownies. When you’re going for crispy, thick edges and chewy, gooey centers, the right pan can make all the difference. Some bakers use glass (pyrex) dishes but they have poor heat conduction and thus the brownies don’t bake evenly. Dark aluminum pans are a common choice but because the dark color of the pan absorbs more heat, it’s easy to over bake the brownies. Light color aluminum pans are my go-to for brownies. They are great heat conductors and they heat up fast and cool down quickly once removed from the oven. I use USA Pans for making brownies always.
1. If you want to use brownies over a long period, slice one piece at a time. However, if you want to use them up right away you can slice all pieces at once.
2. You can store brownies at room temperature in an air tight container covered with aluminium foil for upto 3 days or in the refrigerator for upto 5 days to last longer.
3. Frozen brownies never actually freeze all the way through and they take on an extra chewy, almost fudge-like texture when chilled that I find completely irresistible. To freeze the brownies, wrap them tightly in two layers of plastic wrap or foil and then store in a plastic bag or covered glass container. You can freeze brownies for upto 2 months. Be sure to add a date to your container.
Tips to make the best brownies:
-
Use high quality chocolate. Since this recipe calls for so few ingredients, you’ll want to use high quality chocolate and cocoa powder for the best flavor. I love Van Houten Dutch process cocoa powder and Callebaut chocolate chips. Now is not the time to skimp on the good stuff bakers!
-
Do not over mix. Less is more when it comes to mixing brownie batter. Once you have added the dry ingredients, fold the batter together gently only until you see that the flour and cocoa powder are barely incorporated. Stop there and pour the batter directly into the prepared pan. Don’t miss out on tasting the batter, it’s gonna make the wait worth it!
-
Line the pan with parchment. Lining the bottom and sides of your brownie pan with parchment paper allows for easy release of the brownies once baked. And those clean, sharp edges are so satisfying!
-
Watch the oven. The best brownies are ever so slightly under baked so keep a close eye on your oven. Since all ovens are different, baking times will always slightly vary. Be sure to remove the brownies as soon as the edges are set and the center is baked through but still a bit fudgy. The brownies will continue to bake a bit once removed from the oven due to the residual heat from the pan. If a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out completely clean, the brownies are over baked. If it still has gooey batter attached to it, you’ll want to bake the brownies more. If your brownies are under baked, they will sink once cooled!
- Cool completely. There’s nothing like diving into a pan of warm fudgy brownies fresh from the oven. I say go for it! But if it’s clean cuts and perfectly sliced edges you’re after, wait for the brownies to cool completely before cutting with a clean, sharp knife. Wash the knife under warm water and wipe with a clean towel between each slice. Believe it or not, allowing the brownies to cool will yield a richer, chewier brownie. It’s worth the wait friends!
HOW TO GET THE BEST RESULTS FROM THIS RECIPE?
All of the recipes on the blog are thoroughly tested multiple times and carefully designed so that anyone can reproduce these delicious baked good in their own kitchen and enjoy them to the fullest. The only way to make this possible is when anyone can exactly replicate the measurements and temperatures.
- In order to standardise the way ingredients are measured, I highly recommend that you weigh them in grams. Volume measurements are nearly not as accurate and have a lot of scope for errors. To precisely be able to replicate the recipes, all you will need is a kitchen scale!
- Every oven heats up differently. Your oven might be over heating or under heating by around 50 degrees or more and you might not even know. In order to ensure that you are baking at the right temperatures, I highly recommend investing in an oven thermometer!
If you would still like to bake using volume measurements, I mentioned those below. However, I primarily test my recipes in grams and cannot promise the best results if you do so. Trust me, once you’ll start using these tools you’d never want to go back!
I hope you’ll enjoy these brownies and don’t forget to bookmark this recipe for later. These crackly tops brownies would make the perfect delight to share with your friends & family!
Happy Baking! x
Print
Better Than Boxed Brownies
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 brownies 1x
Description
These better than boxed brownies are so chewy and fudgy with shiny crackly tops. You wouldn’t want to stop at one slice. They are ready in just 30 minutes and are very straightforward to make.
Ingredients
- 56g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, cubed
- 60ml (¼ cup) neutral vegetable or canola oil
- 255g (1½ cups) dark chocolate, chopped
- 150g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 172g (¾ cup + 2 tablespoons) light or dark brown sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 77g (⅔ cup) all purpose flour
- 39g (6 tablespoons) dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC) and line a 8×8 metal baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Melt the butter, oil and chocolate in a double boiler in a heatproof bowl on the stove. To create a double boiler, fill a saucepan with 2-3 inches of water, and place a heatproof bowl over it. The bottom of the heatproof bowl should not touch the water in the saucepan. Gently heat the water (but don’t boil or simmer) and stir continuously. Remove from stove once the butter, oil and chocolate are completely melted.
- While the chocolate mixture is melting, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, thoroughly whisk together the eggs and sugar until light in color and airy in texture. Once the bowl of melted chocolate and butter is lukewarm (it should no longer be too hot to the touch), add it to the egg and sugar mixture
- Sift in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Scrape the batter into the greased pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
- Place the pan in the oven for 30-35 minutes and begin checking the brownies at 25 minutes. They are done when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (but not completely gooey batter) and the edges are starting to crisp up. If they start to brown more than desired, lightly cover them with an aluminium foil and continue baking.
- Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing them via the parchment paper. For sharp edges, cool completely before cutting with a sharp knife.
- Read FAQ section for how to slice and store brownies.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Brownies, Chocolate
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: better than box brownies, better than box mix brownies, easy brownies, better than boxed brownies
This looks amazing, but am I missing the measurement for the salt? Ingredients list has espresso powder, directions say salt. Can’t wait to try these!