I’ve never met anyone that doesn’t love chocolatey, chewy fudge brownies. My friends, you are just 7 ingredients away from the goodness that is my favorite fudge brownie recipe!

Why this recipe works

No complicated ingredients, just simple pantry items for this easy fudge brownie recipe. Butter, chocolate chips, eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, flour, and some vanilla. Mmm I can taste them now!

We’re somewhat of brownies fiends around here. This recipe is our go-to for multiple variations of brownies we’ve shared. Fudge brownies with peanut butter frosting, pecan pie brownies, and at Halloweenm our Monster Brownies, just to name a few!

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

ingredients needed to make fudge brownies

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

CHOCOLATE CHIPS – I prefer to use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can easily substitute with dark chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter chips, or milk chocolate. Go with your favorite!

FLOUR – It’s best to measure your flour using a kitchen scale, that way, you end up with perfect brownies every time. If you don’t own a scale, use the spoon and sweep method. Aerate the flour with a spoon, then spoon it into a measuring cup until overflowing. Gently level off the top with the back end of a butter knife. Never pack down your flour in a measuring cup, and avoid scooping directly from the bag. This usually results in too much flour.

ADDITIONS – Optionally add chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans to your brownie batter. I would suggest keeping it to about 1/2 cup of additional mix-ins.

How to Make Fudge Brownies

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper. Allow parchment to hang over the side to use as handles later.
Pour melted butter over chocolate chips in a bowl and allow to sit for a minute to soften chocolate. Stir with rubber spatula.
Add eggs, cocoa, sugar and vanilla and stir.
Stir in the flour just until no more traces of flour remain.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow brownies to cool in pan for at least five minutes. Use the parchment handles to lift the brownies out and onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Why are my brownies crumbly?

Dry, crumbly brownies are often a sign that too much flour was used. It’s important to measure your flour using a kitchen scale for the most accurate results. Measuring flour can be tricky, too much flour equals dry brownies, whereas too little flour can result in overly gooey brownies. If you don’t own a scale, use the spoon and sweep method. Scoop the flour into a measuring cup using a spoon until overflowing. Then, level it off gently with the back end of a butter knife. Never pack your flour into the measuring cup, this is a surefire way of overmeasuring.

How do you store homemade fudge brownies?

Store any cooled leftover brownies in an airtight container kept at room temperature for up to 4 days. Be sure to keep them tightly sealed so they don’t dry out!

Why are my brownies cakey and not fudgey?

Overmixing brownie batter is the most common reason why brownies end up cakey instead of fudgey. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon instead of a hand mixer and only stir until all dry traces are gone.

Can I use an 8×8 pan instead of 9×9?

Yes, if you only have an 8×8 pan, you will need to add about 5-7 minutes (do the toothpick test). The only difference is that your brownies will be taller.

How do you know when brownies are done baking?

Oven temperatures can easily vary. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies at the 30 minute mark. The toothpick should have a few moist crumbs, but it should not be wet.

Serving Suggestions

These amazing chocolate fudge brownies are a regular thing around this house. I bet you will love them too! I know it’s really hard to resist, but brownies really need to cool before cutting them. You can always warm up a piece in the microwave!

More Brownie Recipes

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This post originally appeared here on Mar 18, 2014.