Yes that’s right, these chocolate fudge brownies rival the tried-and-true, the classic, the childhood (and adult) favorite box mix brownies. Dare I call these the best fudge brownies? They’re that perfect balance between not too cakey and not too fudgy with a silky smooth texture similar to boxed brownies…only BETTER!
What makes box brownies so good?
Seriously though, it’s a mysterious chocolate powder, oil, water, and eggs. Why is it so good??
The magic is in the texture. It has that paper thin crinkly top and a silky smooth texture. It’s not cakey, it’s not fudgy, it’s just in its own league. All that oil doesn’t hurt either.
When I was recipe testing these brownies, I did not intend on making them so similar to boxed brownies. But after one bite, I instantly recognized that texture. I ran to the store and picked up a box of brownie mix just to be sure!
What makes THESE the best brownies?
When comparing the two side by side, I was blown away. They were the exact same density, color, and texture. The only difference is the intensity of the chocolate and overall richness. For my recipe, it has a slightly deeper chocolate flavor due to the use of both real chocolate and cocoa powder.
My brownies also have that same airy quality to them as box mix brownies, but with a more dense texture. This is mainly due to two steps in this recipe:
- Whipping the sugar and eggs together to aerate the egg whites for a super smooth texture and crinkly top.
- Dropping the pan against the counter halfway through baking.
The whipped eggs create that light texture, while the pan banging condenses all of that down into a more dense consistency. Thus create a not too cakey, not too fudgy brownie!
How to make chocolate fudge brownies
For the longest time, I struggled with baking brownies. They were either too fluffy and cake-like or way too ooey gooey for my liking. Luckily, I discovered a couple tricks that totally changed my brownie game!
First, melt your chocolate, butter, and oil in a bowl over a pot of simmering water.
We’re using two different types of chocolate here, bittersweet and milk chocolate. The two create a very similar chocolate flavor to box mix brownies that’s slightly richer and deeper.
Next, sift together all of your dry ingredients (flour, salt, cocoa powder, and cornstarch). The cornstarch gives that tender chew that boxed brownies have.
The first game changing trick is to whip your eggs and sugar together. Whip them on high until light and fluffy. This is called the “ribbon” stage which gives your brownies a super silky texture and that paper thin crust on top. You’re essentially making a meringue to create that crackly layer.
Mix in your chocolate and then FOLD in the dry ingredients. Folding ensures you don’t overwork the batter, leading to tough brownies.
The most game changing brownie trick is to drop the brownie pan against the counter halfway through baking. This is how you get that not quite cakey, not quite fudgy texture.
Pan banging brownies
Lets elaborate on that last step because it’s a very important one! It’s to secret to getting a perfectly dense brownie, one that doesn’t puff up in the center or edges while baking.
While your brownies bake, you’ll notice the edges start to puff up. This is what leads to that cakey texture that we’re not going for here.
To get that density, take the brownies out of the oven halfway through baking. Drop the pan against the counter a couple times and you’ll see the entire tray deflate. And when I say drop, I mean to just life the brownies up a few inches off the counter and drop them down. It should only take about 5-7 drops before they’re completely leveled out.
If using a glass baking dish, make sure to drop it against a towel to prevent any cracking or breaking.
Pop the brownies back into the oven to finish baking and they’ll come out nice and even. It’s also how you get those pretty cracks on top!
Allowing the brownies to cool
Unlike box mix brownies, it’s important to allow these homemade brownies to cool completely before slicing into them. This goes for just about any brownie recipe because there are a few ingredients that need to settle and solidify before digging in.
If you try to cut these brownie when they’re still warm, it will be like digging to a lava cake…unless that’s what you’re going for! The brownies won’t hold their shape and you’ll likely have to eat them with a spoon.
Allowing the brownies to cool completely gives the butter and chocolate a chance to come up to room temp, returning back to a more solid consistency.
To test and see if they’re ready to slice, make sure the pan is no longer warm to the touch – including the bottom.
You could also try and lift the brownies out of the pan by the parchment paper overhang. If they start to bend as you lift, they’re still too soft to cut into. Speed up the process by popping them in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
The best way to cleanly cut brownies
Once the brownies have cooled, grab the biggest knife you have, preferably one that’s the length of the entire pan of brownies. Cut straight down in one swift motion right down the center of the brownies, rather than dragging the knife through it. The dragging motion picks up crumbs along the way, preventing a nice and smooth cut.
Between each cut, wipe off your knife with a damp paper towel. Any remaining crumbs will grab onto the brownies as you’re cutting, leading to a messy edge.
Make one cut down the middle of the pan, then down the middle of each half. That’s the best way to ensure even brownie squares!
Another option is to use a pizza cutter. Give it a quick sprits with some nonstick spray and run it across the brownies. This is a great alternative if you don’t have a large enough knife.
How best to keep brownies fresh
Luckily for these brownies, their fudge texture helps keep them tasting fresh for days. But to ensure they stay just as delicious as day one, here are some tips to ensure they last:
- To really keep them fresh, refrain from cutting the entire pan and only slice off what you need. Keeping the rest of the pan in tact limits the amount of air entering the brownies. Cover the pan in plastic wrap and store at room temp.
- If sliced, they will keep in an air tight container at room temp for up to 3-4 days. Store them with a slice of bread to keep that moist texture!
- Store the sliced brownies in an air tight container in the fridge (without the bread) for up to 10 days.
But chances are, these brownies won’t stick around along!
For even more brownie recipes:
- Guinness Brownies
- Girl Scout Cookie Brownie Cups
- Skillet Brownies (GF/DF)
- Sweet Potato Brownies (GF/DF/RSF)
Make sure to tag me @butternutbakery on Instagram if you make these better than boxed chocolate fudge brownies. I love seeing my recipes come to life in YOUR kitchen! To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!
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Better Than Boxed Chocolate Fudge Brownies
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 brownies
Description
These homemade fudge brownies are like the gourmet version of box mix brownies, but with a richer texture and deeper chocolate flavor.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (70g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup (20g) dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 10 tbsp (140g) unsalted butter
- 3 oz bittersweet chocolate (chips or chopped)*
- 2 oz milk chocolate (chips or chopped)*
- 3 tsp any mild oil (vegetable, canola, melted coconut)
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and grease and line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Cut two strips the same width as the pan so that all sides of the pan are covered in parchment paper and it hangs over the edges for easy removal.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Place the butter, chocolate, and oil in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in 30 second intervals, mixing between each time, until melted. It shouldn’t take more than 60-90 seconds. If you don’t have a microwave, you can also melt the mixture in a bowl over a pot of simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water.
- Using a hand or stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk together the eggs and sugars on high until light and frothy. This will only take a couple minutes. *see picture in post for reference
- Making sure the chocolate isn’t too hot, turn the mixer down to low and pour in the chocolate in a slow and steady stream. Mix in the vanilla.
- Take the bowl off the mixer and fold in the dry ingredients using a rubber spatula – careful not to over mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. Then, take it out of the oven, close the door, and drop it against the counter a couple times (lift it just a couple inches off the counter and drop it back down 5-7 times). Place it back in the oven to bake for another 18-20 minutes.
- Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before removing and cutting. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Notes
*This is the best chocolate combination to get that not too sweet not too bitter flavor. I highly recommend using these two, but you can also use what you have on hand as it won’t make or break the recipe. As long as you use 5oz total.Â
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
Keywords: chocolate fudge brownies, homemade brownies, fudge brownies, chocolate brownies
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Can i reduce the sugar amount? Will the texture be the same?thanks
No unfortunately changing the sugar will change the brownies
I’ve made these several times but was challenged to make them without eggs for some of my wife’s coworker kids. Used applesauce instead of eggs, not sure if anyone else has tried them that way. I had to bake for an extra 10 minutes and came out super fudge’e(if that’s a word and still really good!!! Incase anyone needs to try without eggs for allergy reasons.
★★★★★
I love this! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Joe could u share how much applesauce u used to substitute for the eggs? Wanna make an eggless brownie too!
Hi Jenna, these turned out super fudgy and dense like I wanted! But maybe a tad dry, do you know where I may have gone wrong? For context, when I dropped the pan, it didn’t “deflate” and I baked for a total of 38 minutes (20 + 18). Also no crackly top. Thanks!
★★★★★
It could be that too much flour and cocoa was added to the brownies. Make sure to spoon it into the cup and level it off 🙂
Made them today- they taste AMAZING!!! …but cutting them was a bit of a mess ;D (although i let them cool down )
Thx for the recipe! 🙂
ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!!!
Another perfect recipe Jenna, thank you so much, you are a gift !
★★★★★
This is by far the best brownie recipe I’ve used! Definitely found the perfect recipe🥰
★★★★★
Aw yay! So happy to hear!
Hi Jess, can I use a 9×9 round cake pan to bake these instead of a square pan?
Yes that should be ok!
Thank you for this lovely recipe, these were a real treat! I made these tonight and enjoyed them with vanilla icecream and raspberries.
Yay! That sounds delicious!
I used coconut sugar instead of regular white sugar and I stuck with the same measurement that the recipe called for on the brown sugar. Stuck with recipe otherwise and they came out really well. Great texture. Love the cracked top texture a lot. Oh and I also threw a small handful of dark chocolate chips on top before baking and I loved it.
★★★★★
Oh yay! So happy it turned out!
Made these tonight and they absolutely knocked my socks off. I’m a pretty fierce judge of brownies and never feel like they’re good flavor and texture. These are seriously perfect. They are everything I love about boxed brownies without the questionable ingredients. I used King Arthur 1 for 1 Gluten Free flour and they came out moist and gooey and incredible and delicious. This is hands down my new and ONLY brownie recipe.
★★★★★
Thanks so much for sharing!!
I made these tonight and they were SOOO GOOD…they were so fudgy and nice, guess this is the brownie recipe I will make from now on.
★★★★★
Yay so happy to hear this!
I made these yesterday and they’re gone already! Incredible brownie recipe. Do you think that I could put Carmel in them? And how would I do this if possible?
★★★★★
Yes absolutely! Just drizzle it on after they’re baked. Cut this recipe in half and it should be enough: homemade salted caramel
Hi there! I baked the brownie today and it is by far the best brownie ever! However, my brownie does not seem to have a shiny top, any recommendations or feedbacks on this? Thanks!!
Make sure to really whip together the sugar and eggs! That’s how you get the crust on top.
These brownies were wonderful! Next time I need to make a double batch. What size pan and how long do I bake them for?
★★★★★
Oh yay! A 9×13 pan should be good
Hey, do you have a substitute for eggs?
No I haven’t tested these without eggs
My family has always said, “why make homemade brownies the box mix is so good” I made these brownies and my father ate his words. They are truly the best homemade brownies I have ever had!
★★★★★
Hahah love this! Thanks for sharing!
These look amazing and I’m going to try the soon.
I love fudgy brownies, but I really don’t like the crackly top that always comes with a fudgy brownie. Is there any way to make these without a crackly top?
Thanks!
Hi Jeffrey – whipping the eggs and sugar gives you the crackly top. I haven’t tried these without doing so, so you could skip that step to see if it would get rid of that top.
They are very good ! But I think I will reduce baking time next time. Also, it is way to sweet ! I reduced the total sugar amount from 250 to 150 grams. Because my tooth is a little delicate. Also added some nuts because, why not ?
Very good, tender and the top is “crunchy” so the combo of the 2 textures is LIT !
Thank you Jenna 🙂 Cheer up !
★★★★
Best Brownies ever!! All my friends gave me many compliments, and I got a 10/10 on texture 😛
Thank you for the recipe!
★★★★★
Got a question: I SWEAR I put in the right amount of salt! They came out salty. I used semi sweet, milk, and a couple chunks of bittersweet chocolate. Are these brownies supposed to be a little more savory or is there something else I could have done completely wrong?? Thank you and love literally everything I bake of yours!
★★★★★