How To Make Brownies

Why Use Vanilla In Chocolate Brownies?

I love using vanilla in my chocolate baked goods.

Vanilla is a fantastic flavor-enhancer, and it helps to bring out the chocolate flavor in brownies (or cake or cookies).

What Makes Brownies Fudgy (VS Cakey)?

Cakey brownies have a greater ratio flour to fat and often using a leavening agent like baking powder in the recipe.

Fudgy brownies have a greater amount of fat to flour in the recipe.

How To Make Homemade Chewy Fudge Brownies

Here are step-by-step photos showing how to make the fudge brownie recipe below.

The butter and chocolate should be just melted. You don’t want the mixture to be too hot.

Once the sugars are mixed in, the batter will look grainy. That’s ok!

Once the eggs and vanilla are whisked in, the batter should look smooth and well-combined.

Whisking in the dry ingredients will give you a thick, smooth batter.

The batter should be thick and smooth and glossy.

Tips To Make Perfect Chewy Fudge Brownies

There are some keys techniques for perfect fudge brownies.

• First, mix the batter by hand.
  • I like to mix the batter by hand because it’s easy and because it keeps it from getting over-worked.
  • Overworking the batter means that you’ve developed gluten which is not what you want in a brownie.

• Second, don’t over-bake! More on this below.
• Third, don’t cut into hot brownies.
  • This tip and the next tip are the hardest parts of making great brownies.
  • Letting the brownies cool before cutting into them helps to improve the texture.

• Fourth, chill your brownies.
  • Ok, stay with me on this one. I read this tip years and years ago, and I’ve never been sorry when I’ve let my brownies rest in the fridge.
  • That time chilling really helps to transform the brownies into the perfect fudgy/chewy bars.

If you’re looking for brownies that are fudgy (without being chewy), check out this fudgy brownie recipe instead.

Do I Need Baking Powder To Make Brownies?

Nope! Baking soda and baking powder are leavening agents.

The brownies don’t rise or expand the way that cakes, muffins, and cookies will.

Some recipes will call for baking powder, and that’s ok. It just isn’t necessary in every recipe.

When Are Brownies Done?

One of the keys to making great brownies is to avoid over-baking.

They are finished baking when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few fudgy crumbs.

If the toothpick comes out clean, they will end up being dry or even crumbly once cool.

How To Cut Brownies

I like to use a bench scraper to cut my brownies.

It has the perfect sharp edge that gives me clean cuts.

How To Store Brownies

I cover them with plastic wrap and put them right back into the fridge. I think it helps to keep them fresh, too.

My brownies keep for 3 days (they never last longer than that in our house) and still taste fresh when they’re stored in the fridge.

Can I Freeze Brownies?

Absolutely! Unfrosted brownies freeze well for later.

How To Freeze Brownies

You can freeze them as a whole pan or in individual pieces.

• To freeze an entire pan, let the brownies cool to room temperature, wrap well in plastic wrap, and then freeze.
  • If freezing an entire pan, you can either bake the brownies in a disposable pan or line the baking pan with parchment paper. The parchment paper will allow you to easily lift the entire pan of brownies out.
• To freeze in pieces, wrap cut brownies well in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag.