These cocoa brownies always turn out perfect! Moist and fudgy, these brownies hit the perfect spot if you’re looking for a rich indulgence for dessert. No need for any fancy equipment, everything comes together in a bowl.

Brownies are everything I love in a rich, chocolatey dessert. It’s a flavour bomb packed into one deliciously sinful and blissful existence of a square.

And when the ocassion calls for an indulgent dessert, brownies served warmed with vanilla ice cream and a chocolate fudge sauce never disappoint! 

I’ve regularly found that brownies served this way make it almost impossible for guests to refuse, and well, kids just love ’em!

I’m all for whichever end of the brownie spectrum you’re on. Whether it’s the moist and cakey kind, or the fudgy bordering on super gooey ones, or the endless variations in between.

Moist and fudgy cocoa brownies

But when it comes to brownies, I do have my favourites! I gotta say, while I love anything and everything fudgy, I can’t have my brownies so gooey to the point where I feel like I’m eating sticky brownie dough.

Truth be told, I’m not a very adventurous brownie eater. In fact, the furthest I’ve ever ventured beyond these brownies were my really marvellous chocolate rum brownies.

moist and fudgy brownies, stacked

I love the most classic of brownies, which is where these moist and fudgy cocoa brownies come in.

This is a recipe I found on the AllRecipes website years ago, but it’s so good that I’ve never felt the need to tweak it. But I did prefer switching to a sugar mix of brown and white sugars, as I really wanted these brownies extra moist and with an extra rich flavour.

These cocoa brownies absolutely hit the spot for me. They’re perfectly cakey-fudgy. Dense with fudgy centres and a rich, intense, chocolatey flavour.

And they are so easy to make! You won’t need any fancy equipment, everything comes together quickly in a bowl.

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Ingredients you will need

Ingredients for making cocoa brownies
  • unsalted butter. You can use salted butter, just omit the salt in the recipe.
  • brown sugar. This is what makes these brownies extra moist. You can use light or dark brown sugar, or replace completely with white sugar.
  • white sugar. I use fine or caster sugar.
  • large eggs, 60 – 65 grams each
  • plain or all-purpose flour
  • Dutch-processed cocoa powder. While this recipe is meant for Dutch-processed cocoa powder, I have used natural unsweetened cocoa powder like Hershey’s, as well as black or super dark cocoa powder, and these brownies still turn out great. Whichever you use, make sure it’s a really good quality or premium cocoa powder that you have baked with, as it’s the cocoa flavour that makes these brownies sink or swim.
  • baking powder
  • salt. Please omit when using salted butter.
  • vanilla extract. I love pure vanilla extract, as it gives a much richer flavour. My favourite is Nielsen-Massey Extract Madagascar Vanilla.
  • optional – chocolate chips/nuts. This brownie recipe is a versatile base for you to play up with your favourite nuts, chocolate chips, or other ingredients. I didn’t use any, ‘cos I like my brownies simple, but included it in the ingredients list. If you’re using nuts, toast them for that extra nutty flavour before adding to the batter.
brownie batter whisked together in a glass mixing bowl by hand

Step-by-step: How to make cocoa brownies

Now, I bet you’ve been told that brownies are one of the easiest treats that you could bake up anytime of the day.

And you don’t even need any fancy equipment. Everything comes together quickly in a bowl or saucepan.

This brownie recipe makes enough batter for an 8-inch (20-cm) brownie tin or square cake pan. Here’s how:

  • Step 1: Melt butter in a heatproof bowl. Microwave on medium for 30 second intervals until fully melted and quite hot. Alternatively, you could also melt butter in a saucepan on a stove top.
  • Step 2: While the butter is still hot, tip in all the sugars and stir vigorously to melt the sugars.
  • Step 3: Keep stirring until you get a smooth and glossy mixture. If you want those shiny, crinkly brownie tops, add the sugars to the saucepan with the melted butter and heat until hot, but not boiling. Set the mixture aside to cool. Don’t add the eggs yet, otherwise you’re just going to end up cooking them.
  • Step 4: Meanwhile, break the eggs into a separate bowl. Give it a really good whisk and just have at it! You want the eggs as bubbly or foamy as possible, ‘cos this is what will these brownies a nice, thin crust. Gently mix it into the butter-sugar mixture (remember, it’s got to be cool enough).
  • Step 5: Stir in the vanilla extract until well combined.
  • Step 6: Tip in the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Give it a good stir. Mix it well, but do not over-stir! Once the batter becomes smooth and you don’t see any remaining specks of flour, it’s good. If you’re adding nuts or chocolate chips, gently fold into the batter here until well combined.
  • Step 7: Pour the batter into the prepared brownie or cake pan. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overcook (read tip #3 below for timing your bake perfectly).
  • Step 8: Once the brownies are done, let it cool completely in the pan. Do not be tempted to cut or slice it until it’s cooled, if you want really neat, clean slices.

Tips for making your best brownies

1. Always use good quality or premium cocoa powder

Use your best quality cocoa powder as it’s the cocoa flavour that makes these brownies sink or swim.

Dutch-processed cocoa powder is most often preferred because it bakes to a darker colour. Which is what makes cocoa desserts look super chocolatey! Flavour-wise, dutched cocoa is softer but deeper.

In some recipes, it’s really important to stick to the cocoa called for, i.e. dutched cocoa (which is alkaline) or natural cocoa (which is acidic), because there’s a lot of other interacting ingredients involved with the recipe.

But with these brownies, I have used both interchangeably with equally great results.

You won’t need to fuss with swapping baking powder for baking soda, or vice versa.

2. Shiny, crinkly, paper thin brownie tops

I don’t often do this but I know how brownie fans are crazy about getting a shiny, crinkly brownie top.

The tip is to fully dissolve the sugars by heating it with the melted butter. When using a microwave or a saucepan on the stove, add the sugars to the melted butter.

Continue to microwave or heat briefly. You’ll want the mixture hot but not bubbling. It will become shiny as you stir it.

Heating the mixture to this point dissolves the sugar, which imparts that shiny surface crust on your brownies.

3. Use light-coloured metal pans for even baking

I have used both non-stick coated and aluminium pans for the same recipe, and the results are always better with the latter.

Dark-coated pans tend to end up with unevenly baked brownies. The sides are likely to get over-baked by the time the centre is just where you want it.

Light-coloured metal or aluminium pans conduct heat more uniformly throughout the batter, so you’ll get even baking on your brownies.

Which means, a consistent texture or crumb throughout your brownie slices, whether from the edges or the middle.

4. Know when to pull your brownies out of the oven

Making brownies is simple, but getting the bake time perfect can be a little tricky. The done-ness of a brownie goes by a different yardstick compared to batter-type cakes.

When using a toothpick or skewer, you don’t actually want it to come out clean, as that would be a sign of an over-baked brownie.

You’ll end up with a dry and crumbly brownie – not good, and in my opinion, worse than an under-baked brownie.

When the toothpick or skewer has wet, thin and shiny coating of batter sticking to it, then it’s still not quite there yet. You would want to check every 2 to 3 minutes, if near the end of the suggested baking time.

If you yank the pan out of the oven too soon, the brownie will be under-baked. Its texture will be more gooey than fudgy even after it’s cooled.

So, the perfect state is to have some moist, sticky crumbs of batter sticking to the toothpick or skewer. The crumbs should be more clumpy than runny.

However, please note that if you’ve added chocolate chips, it will be harder to tell as melted chips can be mistaken for runny batter. In this case, you’ll want to prick in a few places just to be sure.

Moist and fudgy brownie slice with paper thin top crust

5. Make-ahead brownies have so much more flavour

I know this is a hard one to stick to, ‘cos if you’re like me, I’m so impatient!

But, believe me, your brownies are always going to taste so much nicer once all that delicious flavour has had time to set in.

So these brownies are great as a make-ahead treat, and an overnight chill will do wonders, flavour-wise!

6. Cooled brownies make picture-perfect slices

I hate to say it, guys, but the not-so-secret secret to picture-perfect, clean brownie edges – PATIENCE!

Again, if you simply can’t wait like me, at least hold off for 30 minutes after your brownies are out of the oven and cooling in the pan.

On this, I do have a simple tip for you – ditch the knife and use a bench scraper.

Slice into the brownie straight down, starting from one edge towards the same point on the opposite end, essentially dividing the brownies into columns.

Then, repeat on the uncut side so you get those awesome looking, neat squares.

Here are more awesome sweet treats to inspire your next bake:

Tried this recipe? I’d love to see! Remember to share your pics on Instagram and tag @foodelicacy or #foodelicacy.

Moist and Fudgy Cocoa Brownies Pinterest Image

Moist and Fudgy Brownies

4.7 from 6 reviews
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 16
These brownies always turn out perfect! Moist and fudgy, these brownies hit the perfect spot if you're looking for a rich indulgence for dessert.

Ingredients

  • 227 g unsalted butter cubed
  • 200 g brown sugar
  • 200 g white sugar
  • 4 large eggs 60 – 65 g each
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 70 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder or natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 140 g plain or all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt

Optional:

  • 200 g chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and line the base of an 8-inch (20-cm) brownie pan or square cake pan with overhanging baking paper.
  • Place butter in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with a small plate. Microwave at medium or 50% power for 30 second intervals until fully melted and hot. Alternatively, you can melt butter in a saucepan over low heat on a stove top.
  • While the butter is still hot, tip in the brown and white sugars and stir vigorously to melt. If using a saucepan, add the sugars to the melted butter and heat until hot, but not bubbling. The mixture should look shiny as you stir. Set aside to cool.
  • Meanwhile, break the eggs into a separate bowl. Whisk or beat until foamy.
  • Gently fold into the butter-sugar mixture (remember, it’s got to be cool enough) until well incorporated
  • Stir in the vanilla extract until well combined.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Give it a good stir until the batter is smooth and there aren’t remaining specks of flour. Mix just enough, do not over-stir! If adding nuts or chocolate chips, gently fold into the batter here.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared brownie or cake pan. Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overcook. Check by inserting a toothpick into the centre. If it comes out with moist sticky crumbs, it’s perfect. If the toothpick comes out coated with wet, shiny dough clinging to it, continue to bake for longer.
  • Once the brownies are out of the oven, immediately run a knife around the edges to prevent the brownies from sinking in the centre. Let it cool completely in the pan. Remove from the pan by lifting the overhang.
  • Once cool, slice into 16 squares or as desired.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 267kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 77mg, Sodium: 111mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 25g
Cuisine: Western
Course: Brownie & Bar Recipes
Author: Celia Lim
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a review in the section below, and tag @foodelicacy on Instagram and hashtag it #foodelicacy so I can see!