Best Homemade Brownies - Love and Lemons (2023)

The BEST brownie recipe! With crispy edges, fudgy middles, and rich chocolate flavor, these homemade brownies will disappear in no time.

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Best Homemade Brownies - Love and Lemons (1)

Best Homemade Brownies - Love and Lemons (2)

For years, I couldn’t seem to find a recipe for brownies that met my standards. Anytime I made homemade brownies, I wanted them to be just like the ones I ate as a kid – super fudgy, moist, and chocolaty, with crispy edges and crackly tops. But the thing is, these brownies didn’t come from a recipe. We always made them from a box. Nowadays, I prefer to bake from scratch, but no brownie recipe I tried could live up to the chocolate brownies of my childhood.

So this fall, as I flipped through Michelle Lopez’s new book Weeknight Baking, her recipe for Boxed Mix Brownies, From Scratch caught my eye. Would I finally be able to make homemade brownies that would be just as delicious as the ones from a box?

The verdict: yes! I’ve had this brownie recipe on repeat since the first time I tried it. It calls for basic pantry ingredients, and it’s hardly more difficult than using a mix. As for the brownies, they’re true perfection – glossy, fudgy, and filled with rich chocolate flavor. Trust me, you’re going to want to make them ASAP!

Another thing you should do ASAP is check out Weeknight Baking! This book is packed with crave-worthy recipes that are meant for busy weeknights. Each one comes with fun variations (I have my eye on the matcha snickerdoodles) as well as tips for becoming a more efficient baker. After years of juggling a 9-to-5 job and running her blog, Hummingbird High, Michelle is full of wisdom on how to bake on a busy schedule. She writes, “We’re all doing the best we can with what we have. And I’m going to help you bake any night of the week that works for you.” If you love baking, you’ll love this book.

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Homemade Brownie Recipe Ingredients

Back to Michelle’s recipe for brownies! In order for it to turn out like (aka better than) the boxed mix, Michelle uses granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, salt, and chocolate chips. Then, she adds these key ingredients:

(Video) The Best Fudgy Brownie Recipe | Simple Way Of Making The Perfect Fudgy Brownie

  • 2 eggs + water – Michelle uses a bit of water with the eggs to achieve the moist, gooey texture of boxed mix brownies without any commercial emulsifiers. And because this recipe doesn’t contain any baking powder, eggs are essential for helping the brownies puff up in the oven.
  • Powdered sugar – The trick to making homemade brownies that are just like ones from a box! Powdered sugar contains cornstarch, which helps thicken the batter without the chemical additives you’d find in a mix.
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder – Michelle recommends using Hershey’s Special Dark Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I used Whole Foods’ 365 Cocoa Powder). Make sure to sift it if it’s lumpy!
  • Oil – While many recipes for brownies use unsalted butter, Michelle’s calls for canola oil, just like the boxed mix. I use olive oil because it’s what I keep on hand, and I love the rich flavor.
  • Vanilla Extract – 1/2 teaspoon vanilla really amps up the chocolate flavor.

That’s it! These fantastic homemade brownies are so easy.

Best Homemade Brownies - Love and Lemons (4)

How to Make Brownies from Scratch

First, mix together the dry and wet ingredients in two separate bowls.Combine the sugar, flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and salt in a medium bowl. Then, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, and water in a large one.

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Next, combine the wet and dry ingredients. Sprinkle the dry mixture over the wet one, and fold until just combined. The batter will be thick!

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Then, pour the batter into an 8×8 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Use a rubber spatula to spread it to all four sides of the pan and to smooth the top. The mixture will be very thick – that’s ok.

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Finally, bake!Transfer the pan to a 325-degree oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs attached. Allow the brownies to cool completely before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They also freeze well for up to a month. Last time I made these, I doubled the recipe and stored the second batch in the freezer. It was so fun to have them on hand for a quick and easy dessert or afternoon treat!

Best Homemade Brownies - Love and Lemons (8)Best Homemade Brownies - Love and Lemons (9)

Best Brownie Recipe Tips

  • Better chocolate chips = better brownies.In her book, Michelle writes that one of the biggest secrets to making great brownies is using large, good-quality chocolate chips. She recommends Ghiradelli’s 60% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Chips, while I love Enjoy Life’s Dark Chocolate Morsels. Either brand would fantastic in this recipe!
  • It’s better to pull them out too early than to leave them in too long. No one likes dry brownies, so err on the side of caution when you’re making this recipe. Bake them until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few crumbs attached. If you’re on the fence, go ahead and take them out of the oven. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool!
  • Wait for them to cool.Try your best to resist eating these guys straight out of the oven. Letting them cool makes them gooier and fudgier, and they’ll be less likely to crumble when you slice them. Plus, they’ll have an even richer chocolate flavor. Trust me, it’s worth the wait!

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(Video) Easy Brownies Recipe

More Favorite Desserts

If you love this brownie recipe, try one of these yummy treats next!

  • Perfect Oatmeal Cookies
  • Easy Sugar Cookies
  • No-Bake Cookies
  • Best Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Orange Zest Shortbread Cookies
  • Vegan Coconut Macaroons

Best Homemade Brownies - Love and Lemons (11)

Best Homemade Brownies - Love and Lemons (12)

rate this recipe:

4.92 from 4717 votes

Prep Time: 5 mins

(Video) The Best Fudgy BROWNIES RECIPE I Ever Made

Cook Time: 45 mins

Serves 16 brownies

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The ultimate recipe for brownies! They're fudgy, moist, and super chocolaty, with perfect crispy edges. From Weeknight Baking by Michelle Lopez.

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly spray an 8x8 baking dish (not a 9x9 dish or your brownies will overcook) with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper.

  • In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, and salt.

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, olive oil, water, and vanilla.

  • Sprinkle the dry mix over the wet mix and stir until just combined.

  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan (it'll be thick - that's ok) and use a spatula to smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 48 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs attached (note: it's better to pull the brownies out early than to leave them in too long). Cool completely before slicing.*** Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. These also freeze well!

(Video) Easy Homemade Brownies

Notes

*If you'd like to reduce the sugar, I've had success with 1 cup granulated sugar instead of 1 1/2 cups.

**I like to use olive oil because it's what I keep on hand and I enjoy the pairing of olive oil with chocolate. Keep in mind that you will taste it here. For a more neutral flavor, use canola oil.

***When these brownies come out of the oven, they'll be super gooey in the middle. Allow them to cool completely, about 2 hours, before you slice into them to give them a chance to set up. They'll continue to firm up the longer they're out of the oven. If you still prefer a firmer brownie, store them in the fridge.

FAQs

Why are people posting recipe for brownies on Tiktok? ›

That's because users are spamming comment sections on videos with a brownie recipe. And the thing is, it's not exactly clear why people are doing, just that they are. Sometimes trends are trends just copycatting, and that seems to be what we're working with here. It's just annoying to do, so people are doing it.

How do you make brownies more moist? ›

Use milk instead of water.

Milk contains more fat and flavor than water so the brownies are even more moist, gooey, and delicious.

What does adding an extra egg to brownie Mix do? ›

However, you can add an additional egg yolk if you want to experiment. The additional egg yolk adds more fat, creating a fudgier brownie.

What age is edible for TikTok? ›

Officially, you must be 13 years old to use TikTok. However, to download the app on the Apple and Google Play stores, the age limit is set at 12, which can lead to confusion. To be on the safe side, you should only permit your child to create a TikTok account when they are at least 13 years old.

What is the most popular food on TikTok? ›

What Food Is Trending on TikTok?
  • cloud bread.
  • baked oats.
  • charcuterie boards.
  • pasta chips.
  • mug cake.
  • birria tacos.
  • pink sauce.
  • cinnamon rolls.
Jan 9, 2023

Is butter or oil better for box brownies? ›

Unsalted melted butter – Most box brownie recipes call for vegetable oil, but swapping it out with with melted butter helps create chewy, fudgy texture with rich bakery-style flavor.

Is milk or water better for box brownies? ›

Sticking with the theme of richer flavored brownies, using milk instead of water is an absolute MUST. The fat from the milk adds flavor and fudgy texture that water just can't achieve. If you want to add even more flavor, use one of your favorite flavored coffee creamers instead of water or milk.

Is Duncan Hines brownies better than Betty Crocker? ›

The great dense and fudgy vs.

For those looking for light and cakey brownies, Duncan Hines is likely the mix for you, while Pillsbury or Betty Crocker's mixes are better for fudge fans.

How do you keep brownies soft and chewy? ›

Store brownies at room temperature by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap or foil, or by placing them in an airtight container, such as a lidded tray or Tupperware container. This will prevent your brownies from going stale and keep possible contaminants out.

Should you put brownies on the top or bottom in the oven? ›

The middle oven rack is the happy place where air is circulating, the heat sources are evenly distributed, and tops and bottoms aren't in danger of burning or browning too quickly. It's the perfect place for cakes, cookies, and brownies to stay and bake.

What makes a fudgy brownie? ›

Fudgy brownies have a higher fat-to-flour ratio than cakey ones. So add more fat -- in this case, butter and chocolate. A cakey batch has more flour and relies on baking powder for leavening. The amount of sugar and eggs does not change whether you're going fudgy or cakey.

Can I use 2 eggs instead of 3 for brownies? ›

Most brownie recipes call for two. So, how do brownies react to three eggs? They give brownies a lighter, drier, and more cake-like texture. If you prefer this over the chewy variety, then go ahead and crack in that additional egg.

What happens if you use extra large eggs instead of large? ›

In non-baking recipes, such as scrambled eggs, you can safely assume that one egg equals one egg and you won't notice the small difference in size. Hard-boiled eggs make take a little longer to cook if they're extra-large or jumbo.

How to make box brownies taste homemade? ›

  1. Add Extra Favor. Another way to make a boxed brownie mix taste homemade is to use an extract, adding a hint of additional flavor to your brownies without undermining the chocolate flavor. ...
  2. Add Strong Coffee. ...
  3. Check Your Pantry. ...
  4. Add a Swirl of Sauce. ...
  5. Add Some Salt.
Oct 21, 2022

Is TikTok inappropriate for 11 year olds? ›

TikTok is a video-sharing platform where you can watch and create videos, and livestream. The app has an age-rating of 13+.

Is there a TikTok for adults only? ›

TikTok has announced that it's expanding its audience controls feature, giving creators the ability to restrict their videos to adult viewers. Prior to this expansion, the adult-only audience controls feature was only available for TikTok Live. Now the company is bringing the feature to its short-form videos as well.

What does TikTok do if your under 13? ›

TikTok has different rules for different ages: Users under age 13 can't post videos or comment, and content is curated for a younger audience. For kids age 13 to 15, accounts are private by default. Only friends can comment on videos, and other users can't duet (explained below) with your videos.

What is the #1 food of 2022? ›

According to data sourced and parsed by Chiquito, the top food trend of 2022, at least on TikTok, belonged to cloud bread. The ultra-fluffy, super-easy three-ingredient recipe dominated everyone's For You feed in 2022. According to the data, users watched cloud bread-related videos 3.4 billion times in 2022. Want more?

What is the most liked food of all time? ›

Pizza is the topmost liked food in the world. Today you can find pizza in almost every corner of the world. This traditional Italian dish is made of flattened round dough topped with cheese, and tomatoes, and additionally garnished with basil, olives, and oregano.

What is the major food trend for 2022? ›

Spicy, umami flavours

Sales of gochujang, sriracha, Aleppo chilli, kimchi, fish sauce, miso and mushrooms all grew during the pandemic and look set to grow even further in 2022.

What oil tastes best in brownies? ›

Most brownie recipes call for some kind of oil — usually vegetable oil or canola oil. This oil acts as the primary fat in brownie batter, giving it that delicious, fudgy texture we all know and love.

Should I melt or soften butter for brownies? ›

Lesson three: melted butter

Because melted butter has already released much of its water content, it makes the finished treats soft and dense, as well as flavourful. Use it in loaves and brownies. Use it in: loaves and brownies.

Why do box brownies taste better than homemade? ›

Box brownie mixes call for vegetable oil as the shortening, which makes them nice and chewy. The chocolate comes from cocoa powder, which gives box brownies a lighter, less rich chocolate flavor than the homemade variety.

Is vanilla extract good in brownies? ›

Add vanilla extract to the brownie mix.

Add 1 tsp to 1 TBS vanilla when you are mixing all the ingredients together. This will bring out the chocolate flavor, and add a delicious vanilla taste to the brownies!

What can be added to brownie mix? ›

  1. Add more chocolate. It's easy to bring even more chocolatey goodness to brownies when you throw in a handful of chocolate chips. ...
  2. Mix in fruit and nuts. ...
  3. Use milk instead of water. ...
  4. Add coffee. ...
  5. Use a dash of vanilla. ...
  6. Give them a salty spin. ...
  7. Top them with something festive. ...
  8. Mix in candy.
May 5, 2021

Is it better to mix brownies by hand or with a mixer? ›

To help avoid overmixing, Taste of Home culinary assistant Mark Neufang recommends skipping the electric hand or stand mixer. Instead, he suggests using a whisk to combine the wet ingredients and then a silicone spatula to fold in the flour and other dry ingredients. Mix “just until the flour disappears,” Mark says.

Do brownies cook better in glass or metal pans? ›

Metal pans are better heat conductors than glass pans, meaning the food inside cooks more evenly. Most baking recipes for cakes, muffins, cupcakes, coffee cake, banana bread, and brownies call for metal bakeware.

Why are Ghirardelli brownies so good? ›

These fudgy brownies were packed with that Ghirardelli chocolate flavor that so many of us love. They tasted of rich cocoa and the generous amount of chocolate chips in the mix really make these brownies feel like a special treat.

Is brown or white sugar better for brownies? ›

Since white sugar is “dry” (with no molasses) it melts to create a chewier brownie. Brown sugar makes the brownies fudgy. The molasses in brown sugar melts to create a “wetter” batter that becomes fudgier when baked.

What are the three types of brownies? ›

Brownie textures fall into three general camps… Cakey, fudgy and chewy. Cakey brownies, like the name implies, are light, moist and airy, with a slightly fluffy, cake-like interior. Fudgy brownies are moist, dense and gooey, with almost the texture of fudge, but not quite as compact.

Should I cover brownies while baking? ›

Although not required for most brownie recipes, you can cover them with foil while baking if desired. This is an especially good trick to use if you are afraid of a gooey center, but burnt edges.

Do brownies taste better the next day? ›

Brownies taste better the next day. Cool in the pan then set aside, uncut, overnight in an airtight container or 2 layers of foil. To freeze, wrap uncut brownie in 2 layers of foil and 1 layer of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 4 months. Slice brownies just before serving, as cutting cracks the top.

Can I bake brownies at 350 instead of 325? ›

Most recipes call for baking brownies at 350°. If a fudgy inside and crackly top is your goal, stick with that temperature. Brownies baked at 325° will take longer to bake and will become chewier in texture.

Is it better to cut brownies hot or after they've cooled? ›

The single most important step in cutting brownies cleanly is to be sure they are completely cooled before you attempt to cut them. We have methods that will give you perfect brownies but none of them will work if you're impatient and cut hot or even warm brownies.

What temperature should brownies be baked at? ›

Temperature for Brownies

For moist fudgy brownies, the temperature should be between 180℉ (82℃)190 to 190℉ (88℃). For cake-like brownies, bake until they reach an internal temperature of 210℉ (99℃).

Can I use sour cream instead of oil in brownies? ›

Sour cream adds a rich flavor and texture to brownies and is often used to replace the oil found in traditional brownie recipes. Use full fat sour cream here.

Does the bread trick work on brownies? ›

Use Sliced Bread

The next day your hard brownies will be nice and soft once again. The science behind this method – the brownies absorb the moisture from the white bread, making them almost as soft and moist as when they were first baked.

What type of chocolate is best for brownies? ›

Unsweetened Chocolate

Also known as baking or bitter chocolate, this is chocolate in its simplest form. It's as bitter as chocolate can get since no sugars or flavorings are added. Definitely not for eating out of hand, this type is intended as an ingredient in rich brownies, cakes and cookies.

What happens if you put an extra egg in brownie mix? ›

Generally the more eggs you add to a brownie recipe, the cakier the brownie will be. That's why it's a good idea to stick with 2 eggs, which is typically the amount that the back of the box calls for. However, you can add an additional egg yolk if you want to experiment.

What does butter do in brownies? ›

Butter is the more flavorful choice, but it should be noted that butter contains milk solids and lactic acid, which react during leavening (particularly when a chemical leavener like baking powder is added) to aerate the batter, helping it rise. Essentially, this means that butter can help to produce a cakier brownie.

Does 3 large eggs equal 2 extra-large eggs? ›

Three large eggs: To match the amount of three large eggs, use two jumbo eggs, three extra-large or medium eggs or four small eggs. Four large eggs: When the recipe calls for four large eggs and you don't have the right size at hand, use other egg size equivalents with confidence.

HOW MANY eggs equal 3 extra-large eggs? ›

Egg Size Equivalents - Small to Jumbo
Number of Large Eggs:13
Medium Eggs13
Large Eggs13
Extra Large Eggs13
Jumbo Eggs12
1 more row
Dec 17, 2022

Does 3 medium eggs equal 2 large eggs? ›

If a recipe calls for 2 large eggs you can use 3 medium eggs instead if you prefer.

Does the toothpick trick work for brownies? ›

For cake-like brownies, take them out of the oven when they just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For fudgy brownies, bake within the time range stated in the recipe. For very moist brownies, take them out toward the minimum baking time.

What does adding milk instead of water do to brownies? ›

Sticking with the theme of richer flavored brownies, using milk instead of water is an absolute MUST. The fat from the milk adds flavor and fudgy texture that water just can't achieve. If you want to add even more flavor, use one of your favorite flavored coffee creamers instead of water or milk.

Why is everyone saying here's the recipe for brownies? ›

The brownie recipe trend has no apparent reason behind it

But instead of being posted as a TikTok, the recipe for the chocolate dessert has gone viral just by being copy-pasted in the comments of TikTok videos. And even as the trend grows, the biggest question surrounding it has remained unanswered.

What is the new posted thing on TikTok? ›

In 2022, the app added a 'repost' feature which allows users to share the videos they like the most with their followers. Here's everything you need to know about the 'repost' feature on TikTok.

What is the new food trend on TikTok? ›

These are the top 10 TikTok food trends for 2022, in order: Cloud bread, with 3.4 billion views. Baked oats: 1.3 billion views. Charcuterie boards: 1.2 billion views.

Why are people selling things on TikTok? ›

Selling on TikTok Shop allows you to reach a much wider audience than if you just stuck to selling through your own website or other retailers. This is thanks to TikTok's one billion active users, most of whom are aged 18-24– the age demographic that is mostly likely to purchase products online.

What is the key to fudgy brownies? ›

Fudgy brownies benefit from less cocoa powder and the addition of chopped chocolate, which gets melted with the butter to create a thick, molten base. Pulling them out of the oven before a toothpick comes out clean also ensures the center stays fudge-like and gooey.

What is the new TikTok editing hack? ›

What is the TikTok photo editing hack? The TikTok iPhone photo editing hack is an iPhone trick that involves turning the brightness and contrast up, doing your editing, and then turning them back down. The end result is a warm, sun-kissed, golden-hour photo that looks like it was taken on a professional camera.

What does it mean when a TikTok is reposted? ›

What does “repost” mean on TikTok? In sum, the repost button on TikTok allows you to share a video that another user has uploaded. This is similar to functions on other social networks.

What does the new TikTok symbol mean? ›

Meaning of TikTok logo

The unnamed designer of the popular logo created an emblem that symbolized the excitement of a music concert along with highlighting the talented users of the video-sharing platform. The centerpiece of the logo design is the letter “d,” designed to mirror a musical note.

What is the food trend in 2022? ›

LAB MEAT AND FAKE MEAT

Long promised but still stumbling to make a major impact here, 2022 is the year! Expect to see everything from honey and dairy to even coffee grown this way.

Why do TikTokers get paid? ›

The bulk of income for most successful TikTokers comes from partnerships with brands. Brands and creators work together to create sponsored videos. This is where follower count and engagement rate really come into play. Creators with more followers and higher engagement can negotiate for higher pay.

How is TikTok shop so cheap? ›

Often, products on the platform are sold with a large discount directly from the manufacturers. Influencers are then paid for making a certain number of sales.

How does TikTok pay its customers? ›

The Creator Fund will pay you based on video views and engagement. You can only get paid for videos that meet TikTok's Community Guidelines and Terms of Service. Once you start getting paid, the money will appear in a Creator Fund Dashboard. From here, you can withdraw money to a payment platform like PayPal.

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