Don’t let this easy Fudgy Brownies recipe fool you – these are not your basic brownies! They’re intensely chocolatey, with the perfect fudgy texture, and they’re truly a cinch to make. Skip the box mix and make these instead!
My family’s favorite brownies in all the world? It’s this easy Fudgy Brownies recipe. These are classic brownies at their very best, all gloriously chocolatey and perfectly fudgy. I’ve been asked for the recipe countless times over the years, so don’t hesitate to give them a try. And if you’re a fan of chocolate + mint, my mom’s Mint Chocolate Brownies are another family favorite!
❤️ Why This Is My Family’s Go-To Brownie Recipe
I’ve been enjoying these brownies since I was very young, thank-you-very-much-Mom. And now my own family calls them “Grandma Barb’s Brownies”, as our daughters associate them with their grandma. Whenever our family is craving brownies, this is the quick and easy recipe we turn to. In fact, we just served them with ice cream and Hot Fudge Sauce at our daughter Tessa’s high school graduation dinner in the backyard – this was her top dessert request. Here’s why we love these brownies so much:
- Fudgy but not under-baked. Some fudgy brownie recipes are simply under-baked — and they can be a bit of a mess to slice and eat. I love that my mom’s brownies have that fabulous fudgy texture, yet definitely taste like they’re properly baked. As you can see, they slice cleanly.
- Double the chocolate. This recipe uses cocoa powder and chocolate chips, which dot the top of the brownies to give you a little extra richness in every bite. (These chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are also a must for chocolate chip lovers!)
- Simple to make. If you can make brownies from a boxed mix, you can make this fudgy brownie recipe too! The ingredients are simple, the process is easy as can be, and there’s no fussing with double-boilers, melting butter (unless you want to swap out the oil for butter), or any of that.
“I’ve been making this recipe for Grandma Barb’s Brownies for a few years now. It is so fast, easy and good! There really is no reason to ever purchase a box mix again. This is just as simple and so much better!”
Amy / stcroixgirl
What You’ll Need
One of my favorite things about these fudgy brownies is that we always have the ingredients on hand! Scroll down to the printable recipe card to find the exact ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
- Sugar – Just your everyday white granulated sugar is what sweetens these brownies.
- Vegetable oil – The original recipe calls for vegetable oil, but you can also use melted and slightly cooled butter.
- Eggs – These bind the ingredients and give the brownies structure.
- Flour – All-purpose flour also provides structure.
- Cocoa powder – I find that Hershey’s brand gives that classic brownie flavor.
- Salt – Just a little salt enhances the sweetness and chocolate flavor. If you’d like, you can sprinkle some flaky sea salt over the tops of the brownies too.
- Vanilla extract – This adds depth and warmth to the chocolate flavor. Be sure to use pure vanilla extract for the very best flavor.
- Chocolate chips – I just adore adding the chocolate chips on top! When the brownies are warm, they’re melty, and when the brownies are room temperature, they give you a little bite. I like to use Guittard brand.
How to Make Fudgy Brownies
Follow these simple steps for the best fudgy brownies EVER!
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly coat a baking pan with non-stick spray.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Stir the sugar, oil, and eggs in a mixing bowl until evenly combined.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a second bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, and salt.
- Finish the batter. Stir the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients, then stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Add the batter to your prepared pan, then scatter chocolate chips over the top.
- Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake the brownies for 20 minutes. At this point, turn off the oven and leave the pan sit in there for another 15 minutes.
- Cool & slice. Take the brownies out of the oven and cool before slicing and serving.
Tips & Variations
I’ve got one very important tip and a couple variations to help make these fudgy brownies your favorite!
- Let the brownies cool completely. The thing with fudgy brownies is, you really do need to let them set up before slicing and snacking. If you can’t resist a warm brownie (it’s hard, I know!), go ahead and dig in. If you let them cool, you can warm them up in the microwave right before enjoying.
- Add nuts. If you’re a nuts-in-your-brownies person, fold chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter or sprinkle them on top, replacing a portion of the chocolate chips or along with the chocolate chips.
- Change up the chocolate. Milk chocolate chips or white chocolate chips can be swapped in for the more traditional semisweet, or use chocolate chunks or a chopped chocolate bar for a different texture.
Serving Suggestions
We most often eat these fudgy brownies as-is, but if you want to make them an all-out dessert experience, serve them with a scoop of Peanut Butter Ice Cream or Salted Caramel Ice Cream, add a generous pour of Chocolate Magic Shell or Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce, and sprinkle Candied Pecans over the top. Bliss!
How to Store
- Room temperature: Store your brownies in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: You can also store these in the fridge for up to 6 days in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Freeze brownies in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or heat in the microwave before enjoying.
More Recipes for Brownie Lovers
Fudgy Brownies
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup vegetable oil (or use 1 cup melted and cooled butter)
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 10 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, Guittard brand recommended (use a bit more if you like!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9”x13” pan lightly with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, oil, and eggs.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until evenly incorporated. Then stir in the vanilla.
- Spread brownie batter evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Then turn the oven heat off, leave pan in the oven, and bake 15 minutes more. Transfer pan to a cooling rack to cool completely.
I’ve been making this recipe for Grandma Barb’s Brownies for a few years now. It is so fast, easy and good! There really is no reason to ever purchase a box mix again. This is just as simple and so much better!
Your brownie recipe was very good! My family enjoyed eating them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I like that the recipe uses basic ingredients, that I always have on hand. I will make these again! They were still chewy on the second day!
My favorite brownies … I’m not looking any further or trying any more brownie recipes. Perfect texture and thickness, and not too sweet tasting. My whole family loved them, too. Thank you for sharing the recipe with this brownie lover.
I just got a new brownie pan so I am going to give this recipe a try at the weekend, it sounds very easy and they look yummy!