American
Fudgy Double Chocolate Brownies
Dense, fudgy brownies with a shiny crackly top, made with both melted chocolate and cocoa and studded with dark chocolate chunks.
- Shiny crackly top
- Intensely fudgy center
- One bowl, easy cleanup
These are the brownies our test kitchen reaches for when we want pure chocolate intensity. Melted bittersweet chocolate gives fudginess, cocoa powder adds depth, and a little espresso powder makes the chocolate taste even more chocolatey without any coffee flavor. Whisking the batter hard after adding the eggs dissolves the sugar and creates that glossy, paper-thin crackly top. Pull them when a toothpick still shows moist crumbs for the perfect center.
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square metal baking pan with a parchment sling and lightly grease it.
Melt the butter and chopped bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. You can also microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder and salt. The mixture will look grainy. Cool for 5 minutes.
Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Whisk vigorously for 1 full minute after the last egg, until the batter is thick, glossy and pulls away from the bowl.
Fold in the flour with a spatula until no dry streaks remain, then fold in the dark chocolate chunks.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 26 to 30 minutes, until the edges pull away slightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. For the cleanest cuts, refrigerate for 30 minutes more.
Lift the brownies out using the parchment and cut into 16 squares with a hot knife, wiping it clean between cuts.
Test kitchen tips
- Do not overbake: brownies continue to set as they cool, and a clean toothpick means they will be cakey.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or wrap individually and freeze for up to 2 months.
- For a nutty twist, fold in 3/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts along with the chocolate chunks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250
- Protein
- 3g
- Carbs
- 30g
- Fat
- 14g
- Fiber
- 2g
- Sugar
- 23g
- Sodium
- 90mg
Nutrition values are estimates calculated per serving. See our disclaimer.
