Help! Why did my brownies not set?

This can happen if the powdered sugar is not measured properly. It should be measured the same as flour, by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off with a flat edge. If you scoop directly into the sugar with your measuring cup, this packs it down and adds way to much excess sugar to the batter. This is why I always recommend weighing your ingredients!

Can I use granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar?

You can, however, you won't get that paper thin cracky crust on top of the brownies. If you'd still like to use granulated sugar, you will only need 1 1/4 cup which is also 250g.

What does "spooned and leveled" mean?

If you don't use a scale when baking, it's important to know the proper way to measure certain ingredients. Spooned and leveled means that ingredients need to be spooned into your measuring cup and leveled off with a flat edge. Otherwise, if you scoop your cup directly into that ingredient, this can pack it down into the cup and leave you with way too much of that ingredient.

What does the mayonnaise do?

It adds extra richness to these brownies in ways that extra butter and eggs just can't! After making these brownies 10+ times, trust me, mayo makes all the difference.

Can these brownies me made gluten free?

Yes! Swap the all-purpose flour with 1/2 cup (65g) cup for cup gluten-free baking flour mixed with 2 tablespoons cornstarch. I like Bob's Red Mill (the blue bag) or King Arthur measure for measure.

Can these brownies be made dairy free?

Sure! Just use a plant-based butter. I really like Country Crock baking butter sticks. Also make sure your chocolate chips are dairy free.

Can I double the recipe to fill a 9x13 baking dish?

Yes, just expect the brownies to bake a little bit thicker and add about 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time. Look for the same doneness signs as instructed in the recipe.

How long do these brownies keep?

Store in a container at room temperature and they'll keep for about 3 days, but they are the absolute best the day of!

Easy Fudge Brownies - Butternut Bakery

Name: Easy Fudge Brownies
Prep time: 1 h 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter*, sliced; 2/3 cup (55g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder, spooned and leveled; 2 large eggs; 2 1/4 cups (250g) powdered sugar, spooned and leveled; 1/4 cup (50g) mayonnaise (just trust me); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/4 tsp kosher salt; 2/3 cup (85g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled *see notes for GF; 1/2 cup (90g) semisweet chocolate chips*

Description

Influenced by the rising cost of chocolate, this easy brownie recipe gets its chocolate richness from just cocoa powder. Along with a few pantry-staple ingredients, you likely already have everything you need to bake these! But don’t be fooled by the ease (and don’t be scared by the mayo), as these brownies are just as rich and fudgy as any made with expensive chocolate.

Ingredients

Easy Brownies

1/2 cup (112g) unsalted butter*, sliced
2/3 cup (55g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder, spooned and leveled
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cups (250g) powdered sugar, spooned and leveled
1/4 cup (50g) mayonnaise (just trust me)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2/3 cup (85g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled *see notes for GF
1/2 cup (90g) semisweet chocolate chips*

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Instructions

Easy Brownies

Preheat the oven to 325F and grease the inside of an 8×8 baking pan. Line with a sheet of parchment paper to cover the bottom and two sides with some overhang for easy removal.
In a 2 cup measuring glass, microwave the butter until melted. Mix in the cocoa powder until smooth, glossy and fudgy. Set aside.
In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the eggs and powdered sugar until completely smooth, about 1 minute (when measuring the powdered sugar, make sure to spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with a flat edge for a light and fluffy cup). Then whisk in the mayonnaise, vanilla, and salt.
Scrape in every last bit of the butter and cocoa mixture and whisk to combine. Switch to a silicone spatula and fold in the flour and chocolate chips.
Spread the batter in the pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the surface has that classic paper top and the center does not move when the pan is nudged.
Drop the pan against a hard surface when they’re fresh from the oven to deflate the brownies and further that fudgy consistency. Allow to cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 45 minutes.
Once cooled, lift the brownies out, slice, and enjoy!

Equipment

8×8 Baking Pan

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Offset Spatula

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Notes

*NOTE ON BUTTER – This recipe works with both basic American butter and rich European-style butter. Just use whatever you have on hand! If you only have salted butter, reduce the extra salt in this recipe to a modest pinch (or 1/8 tsp). This recipe also works with plant-based butter.

*GLUTEN FREE – Swap the flour with 1/2 cup (65g) of 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour plus 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. I like Bob’s Red Mill (the blue bag) or King Arthur measure for measure. Also make sure your mix-ins don’t contain any wheat ingredients. Certain chocolates can contain barley malt syrup or other malt ingredients so always check the label.

*MIX-INS – Use whatever you’ve got! Semisweet are classic, but dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, milk chocolate chips, chopped nuts, butterscotch chips, a chopped chocolate bar…the list goes on. I would just stay in the chip, chocolate, or nut territory and keep it to no more than 1/2 cup. PS: Trader Joe’s chocolate chips are my absolute favorite!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American