The Best Homemade Brownie Recipe

Name: The Best Homemade Brownie Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup salted butter; 1/4 cup canola oil ( or vegetable oil); 4 oz. milk chocolate (chopped); 4 oz. dark chocolate (chopped); 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder; 2 cups granulated sugar; 4 eggs; 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour; 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips; 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

September 9, 2019 · 36 Comments

5 from 23 votes

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This Brownie Recipe is thick, chewy, and stays moist for days! They are also the best because it’s a one-pot recipe!

I love love love this Homemade Brownie Recipe for so many reasons and have been using this particular recipe for years. It’s a really simple 1-bowl recipe that yields brownies that bake up thick with lightly crispy edges and super soft centers.

Homemade Brownie Recipe

Can you believe these homemade brownies were originally posted in 2010 when I only had one kid? Yikes! After searching my site and realizing I didn’t have a go-to brownie recipe front and center, I thought it was about time I brought this one back from the dust.

Brownie Recipe

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this rich and decadent brownie recipe!

Butter and Oil – I use salted butter and canola oil, but feel free to use unsalted butter or vegetable oil! These are used for moisture.
Milk Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, Cocoa Powder, and Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – is this enough chocolate? YES.
Granulated Sugar – to sweeten.
Eggs – for structure.
Vanilla Extract – for flavor. I have found that vanilla brings out the chocolate flavors even more!
Baking Powder – this is our leavening agent.
Salt – to balance out all the sweet happening!
All-Purpose Flour – flour fills out the rest of this brownie recipe.

Love chocolate as much as my hubby does? Check out these recipes: The Best Chocolate Cake Recipe, Hot Pot Chocolate Cookies Recipe, Ultimate Double Chocolate Pie Recipe, Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe, and Molten Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe.

A note about Chocolate

I’d highly recommend seeking out the best baking chocolate you can find for this brownie recipe. The better the quality chocolate, the more decadent, richer, and more delicious these become. Also, I’m a big believer in GO BIG OR GO HOME. Ghirardelli and Scharffen Berger are great brands.

If you don’t have three kinds of chocolate and are in a pinch, you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips.

If you’ve never mastered the art of brownie making, good news! I gotcha covered. Give this recipe a try and revel in the glory that is a pan warm, homemade brownie.

Walnuts or no Walnuts?

Lots of ‘classic brownie recipes’ definitely call for chopped walnuts and even chocolate frosting. I like keeping mine plain but feel free to add in 1/2-1 cup of chopped walnuts if that is what you prefer. It’s an easy addition that changes the whole flavor of the dessert.

Also, if you are planning on frosting these, just be sure they have completely cooled.

Brownie Recipe Tips and Tricks

Thick. These bake up to be really thick and chewy, unlike the store-bought boxed version. I’m talking about an inch tall!
Chocolate. I use three different kinds of chocolate (two melted in, one stirred in) plus a little cocoa powder for a little extra insurance which makes these so so decadent and amazing!
Serving. Of course this brownie recipe tastes great warm or even with some whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, but is perfectly delicious as is.
Cutting. And, bonus! They cut really nicely if you let them cool completely. You’ll just have to use a sharp knife.
Parchment Paper. I like to remove my entire slab of brownies using the parchment paper I lined the pan with, cut off the crunchy edges, cut the remaining into bars, and then place them back into the pan so the edges stay moist over the course of the few days you have them.
Reheating. Microwave for a quick 10-second burst to experience the pleasure that is triple chocolate fudge brownies.

How to Make Homemade Brownies

This Brownie Recipe is the best because you melt chocolate and butter together and continue to stir the remaining ingredients in using the same pot. After 30-35 minutes in the oven, you have something pretty darn tasty. See the recipe card below for the full recipe!

Preheat oven. Line a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper and set aside.
In a large pot, melt butter, oil, chocolate, and cocoa together until fully melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
Pour in sugar and vanilla extract. Add in eggs, 1 at a time. Add in the remaining dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Do not over mix.
Fold in milk chocolate chips and walnuts if using, and pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth the top and bake. Cool before cutting and serving. Or, cool completely and frost with this recipe.

Leftover Brownies

This makes a 9×13 pan of thick and chewy from scratch, homemade brownies. If you can’t eat them all in a day or two, you’re really going to want to save these for another time. I like to cover the brownies in the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate. I find they stay moist for longer if you don’t cut them before storing, or cover all the edges that could possibly dry out.

Freezing Instructions

If you DO want to store these brownies for longer than a few days, cut each piece individually and wrap well in plastic wrap, store them all in a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat, simply microwave in 20-second bursts until warmed and melty.

Love Brownies? Try these other bar recipes:

If you loved this brownie recipe you’ll love my other bar recipes! Printable recipe card is below, enjoy!