If you’ve clicked on this post hoping for cakey brownie instructions than there will be some in the tips section, but honestly fudgy brownies have got to be the only way to have them in my book.
The soft center is literally why weekend after weekend when after a run along the riverside a fudge brownie would be purchased and eaten on the walk home. It's all I would crave through the long work days where the weekend would bring a ray of brownie bite and this dish was one I've mastered with a lot of difficulty. What's your preference - fudgy or cakey? Make your case below in the comments friends!
Since my teens, I have tried and failed endlessly to make brownies. I've tried vegan ones and super buttery ones. Ones that required cocoa powder and chocolate. There have been recipes with walnuts or hazelnuts or completely without. Ones that were fail proof to others. I've heard the words "an idiot can make brownies" and "brownies are one of the easiest things to make."
Oh, yes, any idiot on the planet can make brownies in my condescending Mindy Lahiri voice, obviously I'm a hopeless idiot. Or at least I was until this weekend. Something happened, maybe pigs flew somewhere or the moon turned blue for a second...but these fudgy brownies worked. They worked!
Why you’ll love these
One bowl wonder
These are made in one bowl which makes clean up a breeze!
5 minute prep
One bowl and only 5 mintues needed to mix these together.
Super chocolatey
Despite relying completely on cocoa powder, these taste exactly what you hope for in a brownie with that chocolate flavor center stage!
How to prepare Fudgy Brownies
- Melt: Place the butter and sugar over a double boiler (or in a microwave) and heat through, whisking to melt evenly and help to dissolve the sugar.
- Add an egg: Add one egg and whisk to combine and repeat.
- Choc powder: Add in the flour, salt and cocoa powder and whisk to combine.
- Brownie tin: Pour into your prepared tin and smooth out.
- Bake: Bake until a skewer comes out clean on the edges, but fudge in the center…you should be able to smell the brownies from the oven.
- Cool and slice: Allow to cool fully and slice evenly.
- Serve: Grab one and dig in! Great served alongside a glass of milk.
Ingredients and substitutions Fudgy Brownies
- Butter: Butter helps create that silky texture we love about brownies whilst also helping them rise. You could sub with non dairy butter, though I have not tried this. I do not recommend subbing oil in equal measure as it will likely make your brownies denser.
- Brown sugar: The brown sugar helps to make the brownies fudgy, however, you could substitute in equal measure with superfine or caster sugar which will result in a chewier final brownie. This also helps give your topping a caramelized flavor that wouldn’t be the same with superfine or caster sugar.
- Eggs: As well as adding structure to the brownies, the eggs bind everything together so are essential. You could substitute with vegan ingredients such as chia eggs or apple sauce, however, they have not been tested so might impact the dense texture of the brownies.
- Plain flour: Plain flour or all purpose is best because it helps give the brownies their texture without making them cakey or firm like bread if you use cake or bread flour. You also don’t want to overwork the dough so you don’t make these too stiff so only mix until you can see no more dry portions in your bowl.
- Salt: Without salt the chocolate flavors will be dull so it is essential to adding dimension to the brownies. Sea salt is best, but rock or kosher salt also works well.
- Cocoa Powder: The star ingredient here so you’ll want a nice high quality cocoa powder for a truly chocolate packed flavor. I do not recommend substituting melted chocolate in equal measure here as this can be quite dense, however, chocolate chips or chunks would work well as an addition.
Equipment needed to make this
Greaseproof paper: Lining your baking tin will make getting those brownies out a breeze.
Small saucepan: To melt your butter you need a double boiler.
Sieve: Sifting the cocoa powder helps ensure your brownie batter is smooth without any lumps.
Whisk: It’s easiest to make your brownies with a large whisk to create a smooth batter.
Mixing bowl: A medium mixing bowl is needed for the brownie.
Square tin: A 18×18 cm or 7×7 inch square baking tin works well here, though a rectangle tin would also work well.
FAQ's for the best Fudgy Brownies
What weight are large eggs in baking?
Okay, so the key with these brownies is making sure the eggs are either large (weighing between 60-70 grams or 2.11-2.46 ounces in their shells), if your eggs are less than this, simply substitute with an additional small egg. This will ensure the brownies don’t taste eggy and that the butter is still the main wet ingredient which helps give these their fudge texture.
How can I make my brownies more cakey?
Quite honestly the easiest way to make any brownie recipe more cakey is to simply bake them longer. Instead of baking for the recommended timeframe below, leave for a further 5-7 minutes or until a knife or skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center instead of fudgy
How do I ensure my brownies are fudgy?
The key to these fudgy brownies is that they are only mixed until the flour is fully combined which helps to avoid activating the gluten in the flour as well as only baking for specified time as each minute longer will result in brownies that are more cakey than fudgy.
More chocolate recipes you'll enjoy
Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding
How to make:
Preheat your oven to 180C/350F and line a baking tin with greaseproof paper.
Place the butter and sugar in a double boiler on medium heat until the butter is beginning to melt.
Whisk to combine and help the sugar and butter mix evenly, continue whisking to help dissolve the sugar for at least 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes.
Add in one egg and whisk until well combined, repeat with the remaining egg until the mixture is smooth.
Whisk in flour, salt and cocoa powder until the brownie batter is combined and smooth.
Pour into prepared baking tin and bake for 30 minutes and you can smell it wafting from your oven.
Remove and allow to cool.
Slice.
Best served with a glass of milk.
Fudgy Brownies
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: Serves 16 1x
- Category: Bars & Slices
Description
The easiest one bowl brownies that result in the perfect fudgy consistency we know and love in our brownies, these are perfect as is or served with a scoop of ice cream for dessert.
Ingredients
200 grams / 7 ounces butter, cubed
275 grams / 1 cup + 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 large / 3 medium eggs
106 grams / ⅔ cup plain flour
83 grams / ¾ cup cocoa powder, sifted
½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C/350F and line a baking tin with greaseproof paper.
- Place the butter and sugar in a double boiler on medium heat until the butter is beginning to melt.
- Whisk to combine and help the sugar and butter mix evenly, continue whisking to help dissolve the sugar for at least 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 2 minutes.
- Add in one egg and whisk until well combined, repeat with the remaining egg until the mixture is smooth.
- Whisk in flour, salt and cocoa powder until the brownie batter is combined and smooth.
- Pour into prepared baking tin and bake for 30 minutes and you can smell it wafting from your oven.
- Remove and allow to cool.
- Slice.
- Best served with a glass of milk.
Notes
Recipe by Roamingtaste
Nutrition
- Calories: 202 calories per brownie
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