Fudgy Chocolate Brownies

If you’re anything like me, there are moments when only a rich, fudgy brownie will do. I’m talking about the kind of brownie that’s dense in the center, has a thin crackly top, and delivers a deep, intense chocolate flavor with every bite. Not the cakey kind—those are nice, but today’s recipe is all about gooey indulgence. These Fudgy Chocolate Brownies check all the boxes, and once you make them, I promise they’ll become your go-to chocolate fix.

I first made these brownies on a quiet Sunday afternoon when all I wanted was something sweet, comforting, and quick. I had all the ingredients in my pantry, and within an hour, I was savoring a warm brownie square topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was heaven in dessert form.

What I love most about this recipe is that it strikes that perfect balance—moist in the center with just enough chew at the edges. Plus, you can tweak it slightly depending on how intense you want your chocolate experience to be. Want it richer? Use darker chocolate. Need a crunch? Toss in some chopped walnuts or pecans. But even in its simplest form, these brownies are unbeatable.

So grab your mixing bowl—we’re about to dive into chocolatey bliss.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• ½ cup unsalted butter

• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• ¼ cup brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ½ cup chocolate chips or chunks (optional but highly recommended)

STEPS: Getting Started with the Brownie Base

1. Prep Your Pan and Preheat the Oven

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Leave a bit of overhang on the sides—this makes it so much easier to lift the brownies out once they’re cooled and ready to slice.

2. Melt the Butter and Chocolate Together

In a medium saucepan, add your butter and chopped semi-sweet chocolate. Use low heat and stir frequently as the mixture melts. You want it smooth, silky, and fully melted without scorching. Once it’s melted, pull it off the heat and let it sit for a couple of minutes. You don’t want it too hot when you mix in the eggs, or you’ll risk scrambling them.

3. Add the Sugars and Eggs

Now whisk in the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the slightly cooled chocolate mixture. Make sure it’s well combined and smooth. Next, crack in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each one. Stir in the vanilla extract. At this point, your mixture should be thick, shiny, and glossy—always a good sign with brownies!

Now that we’ve got our rich, chocolatey base ready to go, it’s time to pull everything together and transform that glossy batter into the ultimate fudgy brownies. This next part is where the magic really starts to happen—adding the dry ingredients, folding everything together just right, and baking them to perfection.

The beauty of this recipe is in its simplicity. It doesn’t call for any fancy equipment or complicated techniques. It’s just about using good-quality ingredients, mixing with care, and keeping a close eye on the bake time. Whether it’s your first time baking brownies from scratch or you’re a seasoned pro, these steps will get you to fudgy brownie bliss every time.

Let’s finish what we started and get those brownies in the oven.

STEPS: Folding, Baking, and Getting That Fudgy Finish

4. Add the Dry Ingredients

Grab a fine mesh sieve or a sifter and sift in the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt directly into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Sifting is important here because it prevents lumps and helps the cocoa powder mix evenly throughout the batter.

Now, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The key word here is gently. You don’t want to overmix, or you’ll end up with tough, dry brownies. Stop folding as soon as there are no more visible streaks of flour.

5. Fold in Chocolate Chips or Chunks (Optional, but Recommended)

If you’re going for maximum chocolate intensity—and honestly, why wouldn’t you?—add in ½ cup of chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. This adds extra gooey bits throughout the brownies and gives you little pockets of melty goodness in every bite.

You can also mix things up here if you’d like. Swap chocolate chips for white chocolate, caramel chips, or even nuts if you’re craving a bit of crunch. Totally optional, but a fun way to personalize the recipe.

6. Pour the Batter and Bake

Pour the batter into your prepared 8×8-inch pan, using a spatula to spread it evenly into all the corners. It’s a thick batter, so take your time smoothing it out so everything bakes evenly.

Slide the pan into the preheated 350°F oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. You’re looking for set edges and a slightly underdone center. When you insert a toothpick about 2 inches from the edge, it should come out with a few moist crumbs—not wet batter, but not completely clean either.

Here’s the trick: don’t overbake. These brownies will continue to cook a bit as they cool in the pan, so pulling them out when they’re just slightly underbaked is how you get that perfect fudgy center.

Tips for Perfect Fudgy Brownies Every Time

• Use good chocolate: Since chocolate is the star, choose a quality semi-sweet chocolate bar or chunks. It makes a huge difference in flavor and texture.

• Don’t overmix: Once the dry ingredients are in, fold just until everything is incorporated. Overmixing can lead to dry, cakey brownies.

• Slight underbake is key: For that gooey center, pull the brownies out of the oven when they’re just done. They’ll firm up as they cool.

• Let them cool completely: I know it’s hard to wait, but cooling in the pan helps set the texture. If you cut too early, you risk them falling apart.

• Even better the next day: These brownies taste even richer the next day once the flavors have had time to settle. Store them in an airtight container overnight, and you’ll be amazed by the difference.