Description

These BEST Chocolate Brownies are rich, fudgy, and irresistibly chocolatey. With a perfect balance of sweet and bitter notes enhanced by a hint of espresso, these brownies feature a moist texture and a crackly top, loaded with melty chocolate chips for extra indulgence. Perfect for any chocolate lover looking for a classic, homemade treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Mixture

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
1 cup salted butter (unsalted works too)
½ tsp instant espresso powder

Wet Ingredients

2 ½ cups sugar
4 eggs (at room temperature)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
½ tsp salt

Add-ins and Topping

½ cup milk chocolate chips plus some for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan to prevent sticking.
Melt chocolate and butter: In a saucepan over medium heat or using a microwave, melt the butter together with the chopped semi-sweet chocolate. Remove from heat, stir in the instant espresso powder, and let the mixture cool slightly to avoid cooking the eggs in the next step.
Beat eggs and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture becomes pale and thick, which usually takes about 5-7 minutes. This step adds air for a better texture.
Add vanilla and chocolate mixture: Mix the vanilla extract and the cooled butter-chocolate mixture into the egg and sugar batter until smooth and fully combined.
Sift and fold dry ingredients: Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt to avoid lumps and gently fold them into the wet mixture. Be careful not to overmix to maintain a tender crumb.
Fold in chocolate chips: Incorporate the ½ cup of milk chocolate chips into the batter for bursts of melty chocolate inside the brownies.
Bake and finish: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top, and bake for 30-35 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick; it should come out with moist crumbs but not wet batter. Allow to cool before slicing.

Notes

Room temperature eggs help achieve a lighter, more uniform batter.
Using espresso powder intensifies the chocolate flavor without adding a coffee taste.
Do not overbake to keep brownies fudgy rather than cakey.
You can substitute salted butter with unsalted butter, but you might want to adjust the salt in the recipe accordingly.
Store brownies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: chocolate brownies, fudgy brownies, homemade brownies, chocolate dessert, easy brownie recipe, espresso brownies