How to Make Fudgy Brownies

You won’t find the secret to rich, fudgy chocolate brownies in a box: Make them from scratch for the best flavor and texture. This one-pot batter (fewer dishes to do!) comes together in minutes and requires no special equipment. And there’s a good chance that the ingredients are already in your kitchen: cocoa powder, sugar, flour, butter, and eggs. With the helpful tips below and this foolproof recipe, moist, dense brownies are about to become your specialty.

Need to Know

Cocoa choice This recipe calls for natural unsweetened cocoa powder, which has a much stronger chocolate flavor than melted bittersweet chocolate. (Cocoa powder is chocolate with most of its cocoa butter pressed out, hence its big chocolate punch.) Don’t substitute Dutch-processed cocoa; it has a milder flavor and so will your brownies.

Pan pick For brownies with sharp, clean edges, use a straight-sided rectangular metal baking pan and line it with aluminum foil for easy brownie removal. The foil also helps with cleanup.

Temp test Once you’ve combined the hot melted butter with the cocoa, sugar, and salt, check the batter with your fingertip before adding the eggs. It should be warm—not hot—or your eggs will cook and curdle. Set it aside to cool for a few minutes if necessary.

Cook's Tip

The key to brownies with a moist, fudgy interior is to bake them just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with small bits of brownie attached. Baking any longer will result in dry, overcooked brownies.