# Fudgy Brownies Recipe (Chewy, Shiny Crackly Top) Source: https://trevorfarias.com/recipes/brownies Author: Trevor Farias (Trevor's Kitchen) Published: 2026-09-13 · Updated: 2026-09-13 Category: Desserts · Cuisine: American > The fudgiest brownies use a high ratio of fat and chocolate to flour: melted butter and chopped dark chocolate, plus cocoa powder for depth, with only about 1/2 cup of flour. Whisking the eggs and sugar vigorously into the warm chocolate mixture for a full minute dissolves the sugar and creates the shiny, crackly top. Bake in a 9x9-inch pan at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, just until a toothpick shows moist crumbs, and cool completely before cutting. ## At a glance - Prep time: 15 minutes - Cook time: 28 minutes - Total time: 2 hours (Includes about 1 hour 15 minutes of cooling) - Yield: 16 brownies - Servings: 16 - Calories per serving: 190 ## Ingredients - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, 115 g - 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, 170 g, chopped, divided - 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 150 g - 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 50 g - 2 large eggs, room temperature - 1 large egg yolk, room temperature - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 65 g - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 20 g - 1/2 teaspoon fine salt - 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional ## Instructions 1. **Prepare the pan.** Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) with a rack in the center. Line a 9x9-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides, and lightly grease it. 2. **Melt the butter and chocolate.** Melt the butter and 4 ounces of the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Let cool for 2 minutes; it should be warm, not hot. 3. **Whisk in the sugar and eggs.** Whisk both sugars into the warm chocolate mixture. Add the eggs, egg yolk and vanilla and whisk vigorously for a full 1 minute, until the batter is thick, glossy and pulls away from the side of the bowl. _Tip: This vigorous whisking is what creates the shiny, crackly top. Do not skip it._ 4. **Fold in the dry ingredients.** Sift the flour, cocoa, salt and espresso powder over the batter and fold gently with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the remaining 2 ounces of chopped chocolate. 5. **Bake.** Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is shiny and set and a toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out with moist crumbs attached. The center will still look slightly underdone. 6. **Cool and cut.** Cool the brownies completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Lift out with the parchment and cut into 16 squares. ## Equipment - 9x9-inch metal baking pan - Parchment paper - Heatproof bowl - Whisk and rubber spatula - Large sharp knife ## Notes - Use chopped baking chocolate, not chips, for the melted portion. - Whisk the eggs and sugar vigorously for a full minute for a crackly top. - Bake until a toothpick shows moist crumbs, not clean. ## Why this recipe works - Using both melted chocolate and cocoa powder gives rich texture and deep chocolate flavor. - A high proportion of butter and chocolate to flour makes the brownies dense and fudgy rather than cakey. - Whisking the sugar and eggs into the warm butter until glossy dissolves the sugar, which forms the thin meringue-like crackly crust. - Pulling the pan while a toothpick still has moist crumbs keeps the center fudgy; the brownies finish setting as they cool. ## Ingredient notes Use a good bittersweet or semisweet baking bar with 60 to 70% cacao, chopped. Chocolate chips contain stabilizers that keep them from melting smoothly. Dutch-process or natural cocoa both work here since there is no baking soda. A little espresso powder strengthens the chocolate without tasting of coffee. Brown sugar adds chewiness and moisture; white sugar builds the crackly top. This recipe uses both. ## How to get clean-cut brownies Let the brownies cool completely in the pan, or chill them for 30 minutes. Lift them out using the parchment overhang and cut with a large, sharp knife, wiping it with a warm damp towel between cuts. Trim the edges first for perfectly square pieces, or save the chewy edges for yourself. ## Storage - Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. - Freeze individually wrapped brownies for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or eat straight from the freezer. ## Variations - Walnut brownies: fold in 3/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts or pecans. - Marshmallow brownies: scatter mini marshmallows or homemade marshmallows over the brownies for the last 5 minutes of baking. - Salted caramel: swirl 1/3 cup thick caramel sauce into the batter and sprinkle with flaky salt. - Double batch: double everything and bake in a 9x13-inch pan for 30 to 35 minutes. ## Frequently asked questions **How do I make brownies fudgy instead of cakey?** Use more butter and chocolate and less flour, skip baking powder, do not beat air into the batter after the flour goes in, and take them out of the oven while still moist in the center. **Why don't my brownies have a crackly top?** The sugar did not dissolve enough. Whisk the sugar into warm, melted butter and chocolate, then whisk with the eggs vigorously for a full minute until glossy. **Glass or metal pan for brownies?** Metal gives the best result with evenly baked, chewy edges. If using glass, lower the oven to 325°F and start checking a few minutes early. **How do I know when brownies are done?** The top will look shiny and set, and a toothpick an inch from the edge will come out with moist crumbs. A clean toothpick means over-baked, cakey brownies. ## Nutrition (per serving, estimated) - Calories: 190 - Fat: 11 g - Saturated fat: 6.5 g - Carbohydrates: 23 g - Fiber: 1 g - Sugar: 18 g - Protein: 2 g - Sodium: 80 mg - Cholesterol: 50 mg --- Recipe by Trevor Farias. Full page with photos: https://trevorfarias.com/recipes/brownies Structured data (JSON): https://trevorfarias.com/recipes/brownies/recipe.json