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Irresistibly fudgy crinkly top brownies come together in one bowl. This is our family’s hands-down favorite brownie recipe, and I hope it’ll soon be yours, too.
Why we love this recipe & why it works
It took me a while — like 45 years — to perfect these fudgy crinkly top brownies. It was worth it. I’m fussy about my brownies, which makes me feel a little bit hypocritical because one of the criteria is that the brownies themselves can’t be fussy. Weirdly enough, these gorgeous specimens are modeled after the boxed mix I grew up making. That’s unusual for me in all sorts of ways, but once in a while the corporate giants get it right.
This recipe is:
- Simple and reliable and quick
- A one-bowl wonder
- Dense and fudgy, but with an excellent crumb
- Sweet but not too sweet
- Abundantly chocolatey, but not to the point that you can’t take more than one bite
- Crowned with a thin, shiny, crackly top (an absolute must in my book)
The dreamy texture comes from the perfect ingredient ratios and your willingness to pull them out of the oven at the first viable moment. The crackly crust comes from the mixing method and from folding in some chocolate chips at the last minute.
I first published this recipe here back in 2016. I’ve since updated the post for clarity and made a few gentle tweaks to the recipe itself.
What you’ll need
Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe.
- Good-quality semisweet chocolate chips play two roles in this recipe. You’ll melt most of them with the butter in the very first step and reserve some to stir into the batter intact in the last step.
- Granulated sugar contributes to the formation of the crackly crust, while brown sugar creates a bit of chewiness and well-rounded flavor.
- A splash of brewed coffee is optional but great for deepening the chocolate flavor.
- There’s just a little bit of baking powder in this recipe, so it rises a touch without getting cakey.
- You can use any natural, unsweetened cocoa powder, but the better it is, the better the result.
- If you like, you can fold in some chopped walnuts or pecans with the chocolate chips at the end.
How to make them
Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make a perfect batch of fudgy crinkly top brownies. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- First you’ll heat the butter and most of the chocolate together until just melted.
- Add the sugars and beat with an electric mixer for a full minute. Add the eggs, coffee, vanilla, and salt, and beat for another minute.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder, and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon just until incorporated.
- Stir in the remaining chocolate chips, along with nuts if using. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes. That’s it!
Expert tips and FAQs
It takes a bit of trust to know when a pan of brownies is ready to come out of the oven, but your bravery will be rewarded. It’s always better to leave them a little underdone than to overbake them. Know that they will firm up substantially as they cool.
I give 30 minutes as a guide, but it depends on three factors.
1. Ovens vary. You probably know how yours handles typical recipe timing, so use your knowledge.
2. Brownies will bake a bit faster in a metal baking pan than in a glass one.
3. You surely have a personal preference about doneness. Know thyself.
Visual cues to abide: Brownies will be set around the edges, topped with a shiny, crackly layer, and not show any signs of sloshiness. Don’t bother inserting a tester, because it definitely won’t come out clean.
Yes! Crinkly top brownies need at least 30 minutes to cool before cutting and will be at their best for about 24 hours after baking. Once cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature. Leftovers will keep well for two to three days or can be wrapped well and frozen for up to a year.
Variation: Brownie sundaes
Brownies are perfect as-is, but they’re also fun to use as the base for an even more indulgent dessert. You can make easy, crowd-pleasing brownie sundaes by topping each one with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a drizzle of bourbon caramel sauce, and some whipped cream.
More classic bars and cookies
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Fudgy Crinkly Top Brownies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ounces (283 grams) good-quality semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided
- 8 tablespoons 1 stick (112 grams) butter, cut into small pieces
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (107 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) brewed coffee (optional but good)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons, (105 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (10 grams) excellent-quality natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the center.
- Use cooking spray or butter to lightly grease an 8-inch x 8-inch baking pan, then line it with a piece of parchment that extends enough on two opposite sides to form handles. (You'll use these later to lift the brownies out of the pan.)
- Place one generous cup (7 ounces) of the chocolate chips and the butter into a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat on half power until just melted — chips may retain their shape until stirred. This takes about 2 minutes in my microwave, but your mileage may vary. Alternatively, you can set the bowl over a pot filled with an inch of simmering water.
- Stir until completely smooth.
- Add the sugar and brown sugar and beat with an electric mixer for one full minute.
- Crack the eggs into the bowl, add the coffee, vanilla, and salt, and beat for another full minute.
- Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder into the bowl. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir gently until incorporated.
- Stir in remaining chocolate chips, along with nuts, if using.
- Scrape batter into prepared pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Batter will be set on top and around the sides, but a tester will not come out clean.
- Let cool in the pan set over a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
- Run a knife carefully around the edges of the pan, and use the parchment handles to lift the brownies out of the pan and onto a cutting board.
- Cut into 16 squares to serve.
Notes
Testing for doneness
It takes a bit of trust to know when a pan of brownies is ready to come out of the oven, but your bravery will be rewarded. It's always better to leave them a little underdone than to overbake them. Know that they will firm up substantially as they cool. I give 30 minutes as a guide, but it depends on three factors.- Ovens vary. You probably know how yours handles typical recipe timing, so use your knowledge.
- Brownies will bake a bit faster in a metal baking pan than in a glass one.
- You surely have a personal preference about doneness. Know thyself.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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