This Fudge Brownie Recipe is the best you’ll ever make. Period. Better than any boxed mix, it uses a handful of simple ingredients like semi-sweet chocolate and cocoa powder to create a decadently rich chocolate flavor and unbelievably gooey texture. If I’m being honest, you probably want to go ahead and make a double batch, because they always disappear immediately! 

The Best Fudge Brownie Recipe 

I’m not being dramatic when I tell you this is the only brownie recipe you’ll ever need. The brownies set perfectly on the top and may even look a little crackly. However, as soon as you sink your teeth in, your tastebuds are met with a soft, gooey texture and a bold chocolate flavor that will blow your mind. 

Don’t worry, though. There aren’t any fancy instructions or complicated steps. Just mix, bake, and serve! Before you know it, these brownies will become a staple in your dessert lineup. You’ll be making them for every party, holiday, and family gathering, and all your friends and family will literally be begging you for the recipe! 

What’s the Difference Between Brownies & Fudge Brownies? 

Regular brownies, or cake brownies, are slightly dryer and more cake-like in texture like a chocolate cake. On the other hand, fudgy brownies are softer, richer, and denser. Some versions have a cake-like crackly top, but they always remain soft and gooey in the center. 

More Delicious Brownie & Bar Recipes

• Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• S’mores Bars Recipe (Soft and Gooey)
• The Best 7 Layer Bars
• Banana Bars with Chocolate Chips

Ingredients You’ll Need for These Fudge Brownies

Butter: Melted butter adds flavor and moistness to the recipe. I recommend using unsalted butter to have better control over the amount of sodium in the recipe. However, if salted butter is all you have on hand, you can use it. Just omit the extra salt included. 

Chocolate: We’re using a chopped chocolate bar to enhance the fudgy flavor. I like to use semi-sweet chocolate for a smooth taste, but dark chocolate will also work if that’s your thing. 

Eggs: You’ll need 4 large eggs for these brownies. They provide structure to the brownies and contribute to the rich flavor. 

Espresso Powder: I promise this won’t make your brownies taste like coffee. The bold, bitter flavor pairs well with the chocolate, enhancing its taste. You can use decaf espresso powder if you want to limit caffeine. 

Salt: This is a requirement in any baked good! Without it, the flavor falls flat. Trust me. You don’t want to skip it. 

Sugar: Granulated sugar balances the bitterness of the chocolate and espresso. Do not substitute brown sugar or your fudgy brownies will be too moist. 

Flour: We are using all-purpose flour for the base of the batter. However, if you need this recipe to be gluten-free, you can use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour. KING ARTHUR and CUP 4 CUP are two great options.

Cocoa Powder: You can use regular cocoa powder or Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa will create a richer flavor and darker color, but both options taste great. Whatever you choose, make sure your cocoa is unsweetened. 

How to Make This Fudge Brownie Recipe

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Then, line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper, and lightly grease it with oil or cooking spray before setting it aside. 

Step 2: Cut the butter into small pieces, and heat it in a medium-sized pan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until melted. 

Step 3: Transfer the melted butter to a large bowl. Then, add the chopped chocolate, and whisk until the chocolate is melted and combined with the butter. 

Step 4: Add the granulated sugar and vanilla to the chocolate mixture. Then, whisk until the ingredients are well incorporated and smooth. 

Step 5: Add your eggs, and whisk again until fully incorporated. 

Step 6: In a separate medium bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Carefully mix the ingredients, making sure they’re well combined. 

Step 7: Add the flour mixture to the bowl of chocolate batter, and fold the flour into the wet ingredients until it’s just incorporated and no streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix! 

Step 8: Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared baking pan, and bake for 33-40 minutes or until the sides are set (every oven is different). Don’t overbake! Remember, the brownies will continue to set as they cool. (Pro tip: If you stick a toothpick into the brownies, you should still get some fudgy crumb on the end. If the toothpick comes out clean, the brownies are overbaked, and you’ll have a delicious chocolate cake instead.) 

Step 9: Let the brownies cool completely in the pan (if you can). Then, slice them into squares, and enjoy! 

Tips and Tricks for the Best Results

• Measure the flour accurately. For the best results, use a food scale to measure the flour. Or, use a dry measuring cup, fluff the flour in the bag, and scoop it into the cup with a spoon. Then, level it off with a flat edge like the back of a knife. 
• Avoid overmixing the batter. Stir the ingredients just until the batter is smooth. Continuing to mix will overwork the gluten, creating a dense, tough dessert. 
• Don’t overbake the fudge brownies. Every oven bakes a little differently. So, be sure to keep a close eye on your brownies, and begin checking for doneness around the 30-minute mark. Pull them out of the oven as soon as the edges are set. It’s okay if they look a little underdone. They’ll continue to bake slightly as they cool! What we don’t want is to overbake the brownies and end up with a dry, cake-like consistency. 

More Decadent Chocolate Desserts

• Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
• The Best Chocolate Chess Pie
• S’mores Cookies
• The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

I hope you love this Fudge Brownie Recipe! It’s absolutely delicious and decadent. If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @‌butterloveandsalt on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support Butter, Love & Salt and make it possible for me to continue to create delicious recipes.

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The Best Fudge Brownie Recipe

4.84 from 6 votes

Prep Time :15 minutes mins

Cook Time :33 minutes mins

Total Time :48 minutes mins

Serves: 16

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Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter
• ▢ 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped
• ▢ 4 eggs room temperature
• ▢ 1 tsp espresso powder
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 cup all purpose flour
• ▢ 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla extract

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 8X8 baking dish with parchment paper and lightly grease. Set aside.
• Cut the butter in small pieces and heat the butter in a medium-sized pan on medium-low, stirring frequently, until butter is melted. Then, transfer the butter to a large bowl. Add chopped chocolate to the hot butter and whisk until the chocolate is melted.
• Next, add the granulated sugar and vanilla to the chocolate batter. Whisk until ingredients are well incorporated. Then, add your eggs and whisk until fully incorporated.
• In a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Carefully mix ingredients. Then, add flour mixture to the chocolate batter and fold the flour mixture into the chocolate batter until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
• Bake in the oven for 33-40 minutes or until the sides are set (every oven is different). Don't over bake. The brownies will continue to set as they cool. Pro tip: if you stick a toothpick in the brownies, you should still get some very fudgy crumbs on the end (it’ll set trust me). If the toothpick comes out clean, you over baked them and you'll have chocolate cake.
• Once done, take the brownies out and let them cool completely (if you can) before cutting into squares.
• Once cooled, enjoy and feel free to add a comment on my blog! Also, be sure to share your photo on instagram and tag @butterloveandsalt! We would love to see how your brownies come out!

Notes

• Measure the flour accurately per the tips in the blog post.
• Use brown butter instead of melted butter for a caramel-like flavor.
• To achieve a crackly top, vigorously whisk the eggs into the wet ingredients until well combined. 
• For a fudgier brownie, adjust the measurements to 3/4 cup (255g) cocoa powder and 3/4 cup (255g) all purpose flour. 
• Once you add the dry ingredients, be careful not to over mix. 
• Be sure not to overbake! A toothpick should not come out clean — you should have some fudgy crumbs on the tip of the toothpick.
• The bake time in this recipe is for a 8X8 pan. If you’re using a bigger pan, reduce your bake time to ensure you don’t overbake your brownies. 

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1gCalories: 290kcal (15%)Carbohydrates: 36g (12%)Protein: 3g (6%)Fat: 16g (25%)Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 72mg (24%)Sodium: 164mg (7%)Potassium: 111mg (3%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 28g (31%)Vitamin A: 417IU (8%)Calcium: 19mg (2%)Iron: 1mg (6%)

Recipe by: Chavez Adams / Butter, Love & Salt | Photography by: Meg McKeehan