Better Than Boxed Brownies

Better than boxed brownies, and almost as easy to make! These better than boxed brownies are super rich, chocolatey and strike the perfect balance of chewy and fudgy.

I will be the first to tell you that I love a boxed brownie. No shame here. BUT I will also be the first to tell you that there is nothing quite like a homemade, made from scratch, put-a-little-love-into-it batch of brownies. Chewy, fudgy, rich, chocolatey, and that unmistakable shiny, crackly top. All things good in life can be found in a homemade brownie. Let’s be honest with ourselves and admit that even though boxed brownies are in fact delicious, there’s just something about homemade brownies that you can’t beat. And that is exactly why I’m sharing this brownie recipe with you. It’s the best of all the brownie worlds. This recipe is almost as simple as a boxed brownie mix, but you get all the perks of homemade brownies.

I use cocoa powder and chocolate chips instead of melted chocolate to make these super simple. No chopping and melting chocolate over a double boiler. And before you tell me that they won’t be as chocolatey without chopped chocolate, I will politely inform you that that’s just not true. Bake these up and you’ll have blissful, chocolatey evidence. For extra rich, chocolatey flavor I use Dutch process cocoa powder in these brownies, but feel free to use natural unsweetened cocoa powder if that’s what you have on hand!

Now let’s talk about brownie texture. These brownies strike the perfect balance of chewy and fudgy. They’re not too dense, but not cakey in the least. They’re thick and gooey, but still maintain that bit of chewiness. And I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the shiny, crackly top. Because I’m not sure you can call it a brownie if it doesn’t have the shiny, crackly top. Am I right, or am I right?

Ditch the boxed brownie (not forever) and give this simple recipe a go! Unless you’re not into the whole ultra-chocolatey, chewy, fudgy, out-of-this-world-delicious brownie thing.

What you’ll need to make these brownies:

Butter: Using melted butter in these brownies adds flavor, moisture, and makes them extra decadent.

Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness and flavor, but also plays a big role in getting those paper-thin tops. I’ve found that the key to getting those shiny, crackly tops is vigorously whisking the hot, melted butter together with the granulated sugar.

Eggs: For moisture and binding. Using an extra egg yolk makes these even more decadent and rich. For best results, use cold eggs straight from the fridge.

Vanilla extract: For added flavor.

Vegetable oil: a tiny bit of vegetable oil in this recipe creates a chewy texture that’s reminiscent of a boxed brownie.

Cocoa powder: I used cocoa powder in this recipe to make these reminiscent of a boxed brownie. It also makes this recipe really simple. You get all the chocolate flavor without the fuss of chopping and melting chocolate! For a richer, deeper chocolate flavor, I use Dutch process cocoa powder in these brownies. But feel free to use natural unsweetened cocoa powder if that’s what you have on hand!

Flour: For structure. For best results, be sure to measure your flour correctly, either by weight or by using the spoon and level method.

Baking soda: Just a tiny bit of baking soda is added for leavening power. This makes these brownies rise just enough to make them thick and tall, but without being cakey or dry.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch gives these brownies a really soft texture and also contributes to the shiny tops.

Espresso powder: Espresso powder won’t make these brownies taste like coffee, I promise! Instead, the espresso powder enhances and deepens the flavor of the cocoa powder to give you a richer, more chocolatey brownie.

Kosher salt: For balance.

Chocolate chips: Because more chocolate is always a good idea. I use semisweet chocolate chips in these brownies, but dark chocolate would be great too!

FAQs:

Why is this recipe primarily listed in grams? I develop my recipes in grams because weighing your ingredients is the best, most accurate way to bake. Baking is a science and precision is key to success! Measuring cups are not standardized, and what’s more, the way each baker uses them varies drastically, which ultimately gives you inconsistent (and sometimes negative) results. For instance, did you know that scooping flour out of a cannister can give you 50% more flour than what’s called for in the recipe? By weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups, you can confidently know that you are using the correct amount of each ingredient, giving you greater success & delicious results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, like this one when you bake. Plus, it makes clean up a lot easier!

How will I know these are done? Be careful not to overbake these. These are ready to come out of the oven when a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out with a few moist crumbs.

How do you cut these into neat squares? The trick here is to let the brownies cool before you remove them from the pan and cut them into squares. If you really want to get clean lines, you can pop the brownies in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes before cutting.

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