Ultra Fudgy Brown Butter Brownies Recipe

I perfected The Best Chocolate Brownies by browning the butter and applying a few simple tricks that give a paper-thin shiny top and reliably fudgy centers.

I never thought brownies could surprise me again until I browned butter and melted bittersweet chocolate together. The smell alone makes you pause and wonder what kind of magic is happening, and the result is honestly something you’d call The Best Chocolate Brownies even though I swear I was just experimenting.

It’s rich and fudgy, and yes it’s the kind of recipe people say is Gooey Brownies From Scratch, but easier. I’ll say there’s a tiny trick for that shiny thin top that’ll make you stop buying mixes.

Try it once, you’ll not go back, and you’ll want to hide the pan.

Ingredients

• Browned butter: nutty, toasty flavor, packs fat and aroma, makes brownies ultra fudgy
• Bittersweet chocolate: intense cocoa, some fiber and iron, cuts sweetness for balance
• Granulated and brown sugar: sweetness, moisture from brown sugar, mostly carbs and calories
• eggs: protein and structure, help set the fudgy interior, richer with extra yolk
• Flour and cocoa powder: give body, little fiber, cocoa adds chocolate punch and bitterness
• Salt and espresso: pinch of salt brightens, espresso deepens chocolate without tasting coffee
• Chocolate chunks: melty pockets, extra texture and sugar, adds pockets of gooey chocolate trust me

Ingredient Quantities

• Makes one 8×8 inch pan (about 9 to 12 brownies)
• Unsalted butter, browned: 170 g (3/4 cup / 12 tbsp)
• Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped: 170 g (6 oz)
• Granulated sugar: 200 g (1 cup)
• Light brown sugar, packed: 30 g (2 tbsp)
• Large eggs: 2 plus 1 large egg yolk
• Pure vanilla extract: 1 tsp
• All purpose flour: 65 g (1/2 cup)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: 15 g (2 tbsp)
• Fine sea salt: 1/2 tsp (plus flaky sea salt for sprinkling if you want)
• Chocolate chunks or chips (optional): 85 g (1/2 cup)
• Instant espresso powder (optional, to deepen chocolate flavor): 1/2 tsp

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment leaving an overhang so you can lift the brownies out later, and lightly butter or spray the parchment.

2. Brown the butter: cut 170 g (3/4 cup / 12 tbsp) unsalted butter into pieces and melt in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Swirl often, it will foam then the milk solids will turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat as soon as it smells toasty so it doesn’t burn.

3. Add 170 g (6 oz) chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate to the hot browned butter and stir until smooth. If using 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder add it now so it dissolves. Let this chocolate-butter mixture cool until warm but not hot, about 5 minutes.

4. In a medium bowl whisk together 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar, 30 g (2 tbsp) packed light brown sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla. Whisk until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture is shiny, about 30 to 60 seconds. This step helps give that paper thin, shiny top, so don’t skip it.

5. Temper the eggs: slowly pour about a quarter of the warm chocolate-butter into the egg-sugar mixture while whisking constantly, then pour the rest in and whisk until smooth. This keeps the eggs from scrambling.

6. Sift together 65 g (1/2 cup) all purpose flour, 15 g (2 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1/2 tsp fine sea salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture just until no streaks remain. Don’t overmix or you’ll lose fudginess.

7. Fold in 85 g (1/2 cup) chocolate chunks or chips if using. The batter will be thick, glossy and shiny. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top if you want.

8. Bake for about 20 to 26 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight jiggle. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not completely clean. Ovens vary, so start checking at 18 minutes.

9. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least
1.5 hours, so the brownies finish setting. For extra clean slices chill for 30 minutes before cutting. Use the parchment overhang to lift out and slice into 9 to 12 pieces.

10. Store brownies airtight at room temperature up to 3 days, or refrigerate for denser slices. Reheat briefly for that just-baked gooey hit. Enjoy, you’re gonna be hooked.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F)
2. 8×8 inch baking pan, lined with parchment and lightly buttered
3. Light-colored saucepan for browning butter
4. Digital kitchen scale or measuring cups and spoons
5. Medium mixing bowl
6. Whisk (for eggs and sugar)
7. Silicone spatula plus an offset spatula (for folding and smoothing)
8. Fine-mesh sieve or sifter (for flour and cocoa)
9. Sharp knife and cutting board (to chop chocolate)
10. Wire cooling rack

FAQ

Ultra Fudgy Brown Butter Brownies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Unsalted browned butter, 170 g: if you don’t want to brown butter use 170 g melted unsalted butter, it bakes the same though you lose that toasty nutty note. Or use 160 g ghee for a cleaner, slightly less milky finish.
• Bittersweet/semisweet chocolate, 170 g: swap with 170 g chocolate chips or another baking chocolate bar of similar cocoa percent (50 to 70%). If using darker 70% chocolate you might want a touch more sugar if you like it sweeter.
• Eggs (2 + 1 yolk): use 3 large whole eggs instead, keeps the fudgy texture and is the easiest swap. For vegan try 3/4 cup pureed silken tofu or 3 commercial egg-replacer “eggs”, but brownies will be slightly different.
• All purpose flour, 65 g: use 65 g cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend for a straight swap. Or use 65 g almond flour for an extra dense, super fudgy result, expect a bit more crumble though.

Pro Tips

– Watch the browned butter like a hawk. Once the milk solids turn golden and smell nutty, pull it off the heat and transfer to a cool bowl so it stops cooking. If the solids look too dark, strain them out so the flavor stays toasty not burned.

– Let the chocolate-butter mix cool until just warm before you add it to the eggs, and use room temp eggs to make tempering easier. Add the chocolate slowly while whisking so the eggs dont scramble and you keep that shiny top.

– Fold the dry ingredients in gently with a rubber spatula and stop as soon as streaks disappear. Overmixing will make the brownies cakier not fudgy.

– Start checking the bake at 18 minutes. You want set edges and a slight jiggle in the center; a toothpick should come out with moist crumbs. For neat slices chill 20 to 30 minutes before cutting.

– Use 1/2 tsp instant espresso to punch up the chocolate, and press a few extra chocolate chunks on top before baking for oozy pockets. Finish with flaky sea salt right out of the oven for contrast.