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Fudgy Brownies Recipe

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35 minutes
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5 from 1 vote
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These Fudgy Brownies are the best homemade brownie recipe. They are so thick and rich, and definitely feed a crowd. The best part is the frosting that you pour on top, when the brownies are still hot, and they sink in to the rich brownie base. You will love these.
Fudgy Brownies Recipe

Our grandma passed away when our mom was a teenager.  We never met her, but we know we would have gotten along perfectly.

Our beautiful grandmother was known for these amazing, fudgy brownies.  She must have passed on her love for chocolate to all of us.

My mom has continued to make them over the years, and they are my favorite dessert to come home to. The best was walking in from school after a long day, and smelling these bad boys baking.

You knew your day was going to go from bad to good, just with a bite of these delicious Fudgy Brownies. They are so dense and almost cake-like. They are definitely our favorite brownies.

The frosting isn’t thick, but they don’t need a lot. The brownies are really moist, and the frosting is put on while the brownies are hot, so they sink into the chocolaty fudgy brownie nicely.

Want to see another way that we use these Fudgy Brownies? Check out our Homemade S’mores Brownies!

We use this recipe as a base and then top the brownies with toasted marshmallows, graham crackers, and melty chocolate!

How can you tell if your brownies are done baking?

This is an old trick I learned from my mother, years ago. It’s the good old toothpick trick and I still use it today.

The time and temperature on this recipe should be spot on, but if you want to double check to make sure your brownies are done, here is what to do:

  • Insert a wooden toothpick into the center of the brownies.
  • If the toothpick comes out clean (without any brownie batter on it), the brownies are done.
  • If the toothpick comes out with batter on it, they may need just a few more minutes.

What could I use instead of nuts in the batter?

The thing I love about this recipe are the little crunchy surprises. They add just the perfect amount of texture, and taste amazing. If you are looking for a quick and simple dessert recipe, this is the one for you.

If you don’t like nuts, or don’t have any on hand, here are a few other sweet morsels we recommend adding to your brownies:

  • Milk Chocolate Chips
  • Dark Chocolate Chips
  • Caramel Bits
  • Peanut Butter Chips
  • Butterscotch Chips
  • Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (chopped up)
  • Snickers Candy Bar (chopped up)
  • M & M Candies
  • Oreo Cookie Pieces
  • Mini Marshmallows
  • White Chocolate Chips

This recipe is so fun to add your own twist to. Whether it’s a different type of chip or morsel, or your favorite candy, everyone is going to love them.

They are also delicious as is. You really don’t even need to add any sweet morsel. They are delicious just as they are. The chocolate frosting is really all you need on these.

Steps to make the perfect fudgy brownies:

Step 1: Melt your butter, and stir in your cocoa powder with a hand mixer. You will want this to be smooth, or you will have lumps in your batter/brownies.

Step 2: Add in your sugar and eggs, and mix until smooth

Step 3: Add the remaining ingredients, and mix until fully incorporated.

Step 4: Pour your batter into your sprayed 9 x 13 inch pan. I used a butter based, non stick cooking spray, but you can also use an olive oil spray.

Step 5: Bake until the center is set, using the toothpick method, described above.

Step 6: While your brownies are baking, make the frosting by combining powdered sugar, margarine, cocoa powder, water and vanilla.

Step 7: Remove cooked brownies from oven and and frost while still warm. You can also let them cool and frost with chocolate buttercream frosting. We serve them both ways. If frosting the brownies while hot, the frosting seeps into the brownies for a glaze looking frosting.

Step 8: Enjoy with ice cream, or just as is. These are absolutely delicious.

Related Recipe: Our Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie Bars are the perfect combination of cookie and brownie.  Get the recipe HERE.

Watch how to make another favorite brownie recipe, here:

Did you know we have a Youtube Channel? We have hundreds of simple and delicious recipes, your family is going to love. We take you through each recipe, step by step, and show you exactly how to make them.

These Rocky Road Brownies are incredibly easy to make and full of fudgy marshmallow flavor. They come together quickly, and are sure to be a huge hit. Watch how easy they are to make, here:

Looking for more delicious brownie recipes? Here are a few of our favorites:

Fudgy Brownies Recipe

5 from 1 vote
These Fudgy Brownies are the best homemade brownie recipe. They are so thick and rich, and definitely feed a crowd. 
Serving24
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 8 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, (or margarine - our grandma liked to do 1/2 cup of each)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2½ cups flour
  • 1 cup nuts, optional
  • pinch salt

Frosting:

  • 1 pound powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup butter, softened
  • 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup hot water
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. In a mixing bowl, melt butter or margarine, and then stir in cocoa. 
  3. Add in sugar and eggs to the mixing bowl and stir together. 
  4. Add in vanilla, flour, nuts and salt and beat together well. 
  5. Spoon batter into the prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
  6. Mix the frosting ingredients together and spread over the hot brownies and serve.
  7. You can also let the brownies cool and then frost. This way the frosting is thicker.

Notes

Brownies should be wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing to maintain their freshness and prevent freezer burn. You can also tuck them in an airtight container and slide them into the fridge. Consume within 3 to 4 days, if you choose not to freeze them.
You can turn these into marshmallow brownies. After removing cooked brownies from the oven, place mini marshmallows over the top of the whole pan then stick back into the oven for about 2 1/2 - 3 minutes until marshmallows are puffy. 
Remove from oven and let cool. Then we frost the marshmallow version of these brownies with chocolate butter cream frosting. https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/chocolate-buttercream-frosting/

Nutrition

Calories: 322 kcal · Carbohydrates: 48 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 14 g · Saturated Fat: 7 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 5 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 53 mg · Sodium: 30 mg · Potassium: 99 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 35 g · Vitamin A: 336 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 16 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.

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Published: April 19, 2019Updated: April 9, 2024

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Questions & Reviews

  1. mickeyrenee says:
    Mmmm....Fudgy brownies are my favorite! My grandmother was well known for her fudgy brownies as well; unfortunately, she passed away with out giving her secret recipe up. Thanks for sharing your grandma's recipe. :)
  2. Rochelle says:
    I see salt in the directions but not the amount in the recipe. But the picture makes me want to eat my computer
  3. Sunshine says:
    I am going to try these!

    www.CANCERINTHECITY.COM
  4. Kátia says:
    I love it! Hugs from Brazil!
  5. b3designs says:
    This looks like and reads very similar to Texas Sheet Cake. YUM
  6. Cheryl says:
    These have great flavor but seem a little dry. Maybe less flour? Or add some water? Not sure. Is the recipe complete? I added 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp of salt, too.
  7. Jen says:
    There is margarine in the directions also, but not in the ingredients list???
  8. awine says:
    Made the brownies yesterday. Soo disappointed. It's missing something. They are way too dry. :(
  9. Six Sisters says:
    Hi!

    I am so sorry. We made a mistake on the recipe that has now been changed. The original recipe calls for margarine rather than butter, which makes a big difference in how moist they are. I am so sorry about that!
  10. Six Sisters says:
    Hi Jen!

    Sorry about that! We have fixed it. :)
  11. Six Sisters says:
    Hi Cheryl!

    Sorry about that. The original recipe calls for margarine rather than butter which makes them much more moist. We have updated the recipe. Thanks!
  12. Six Sisters says:
    Hi Rochelle!

    We have fixed the recipe. It calls for just a pinch of salt. Thanks!
  13. Cheryl says:
    Thanks. That could be the difference. The flavor was great!
  14. Taylor says:
    I think there's still an issue...made them today and I think it has about twice as much flour as it needs. The brownies were pale and incredibly dry.
  15. Julianne says:
    I think there's a missing ingredient. Baking soda or baking powder? They didn't turn out right for me either.
  16. Cyd says:
    No baking soda or baking powder. Don't know what could have gone wrong. We have made these for years and years. So sorry!
  17. Denise says:
    Don't be sorry! It means the mystique of the recipe is your gramma's touch. I have a friend, an extraordinary baker, who freely shares her recipes........only, my attempts never quite measure up, even though I am above average at producing yummy desserts myself. :)
  18. Deb says:
    Just made these... totally amazing!!! First time making brownies from scratch and from ingredients already on hand was awesome! Only had enough to make half the frosting but still tasted GREAT! A big hit with my sweets loving son :)
  19. Tam H. says:
    Just baked the brownies and was so disappointed because they were so dense, and dry...maybe that's the reason for the frosting? Sorry sister's won't be making these again...will stick with my Hershey's recipe. P.S. Way too much sugar and flour...I think!
  20. Magda says:
    This is great I will make this recipe. Thanks
  21. Margie says:
    You might want to edit the ingredients list to say "margarine" instead of "butter or margarine." I just made a batch and obviously started off wrong by using butter, but didn't see that margarine was the better choice until reading the comments.
  22. Margie says:
    Just a follow up: After the brownies sat overnight covered in plastic wrap, they are absolutely perfect - butter and all! Thank you for this recipe :)
  23. Mike Thorsrud says:
    Regarding the icing ~ I've made this icing for YEARS ~ it was my mother's and needs a little more instruction, I would say. It's SO simple if you heat the butter (I've always used butter) and water almost to a boil, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar. If I'm making a large batch, I make it in my Kitchen Aid bowl over the stove, and set it on and off the heat as it "sets up" through cooling. Add the vanilla after the icing is made, as the volatile ingredients can be lost through heating. SUCH a rich, delicious frosting! I can't wait to try the different recipes it goes with (the Turtles sound incredible!!)
  24. Jacqueline says:
    How do I mix the frosting. In the instructions it says to pour over the frosting. Does that mean I make the frosting in a saucepan and heat thru? Do I cool the frosting? Thank you,
  25. Cyd says:
    Mix all of the frosting ingredients together and spread over warm brownies. Look further down in the post and you'll see the recipe ingredients and directions. Or Steps 6 & 7 will explain. Hope this helps.
  26. Holl says:
    I'm really confused by how much frosting to use. There is sooooo much h if I follow the recipe. I end up with several cups left over. Am I doing something wrong? The picture shows it as very thing, but if I use it all, it's an inch thick
  27. Holly says:
    I'm really confused by how much frosting to use. There is sooooo much if I follow the recipe. I end up with a lot left over. Am I doing something wrong? The picture shows it as very thing, but if I use it all, it's an inch thick. Do you put it on the hot brownies or warm?
  28. Cyd says:
    You put it on warm brownies. We also like to frost these with a delicious chocolate buttercream frosting. When frosting with buttercream frosting - be sure the brownies are cooled.
  29. Lisa says:
    I made these to share with my family and neighbors. I've never made brownies from scratch. We aren't big chocolate eaters but once in a while enjoy a rich chocolate dessert. Man was this the recipe for us! Everybody I have them to raved about them! I had a couple of questions though. Can you use a hand mixer on every step or do you need to hand mix any of the steps? Also I either did my frosting a little won't or too soon. My brownies weren't out of the oven yet and the frosting looked good. When I took the brownies out, I realized as I poured frosting on that it must have seized up or it should have been made when the brownies were just about out of the oven. I scooped some on the brownies, but it was thick and kind of grainy. I took as much off as I could and mixed a spoonful of really hot water in and stirred it until it thinned out. Then I frosted but the areas that had already had frosting stick to them didn't look near as pretty. They all tasted great; some spots just weren't the same. What do you think I did wrong? But the way, I love your recipes! I have at least 6-8 of your cookbooks and they've helped me become a confident cook in the kitchen for me and my husband and to share with others! Thank you for sharing your family recipes and for making them approachable! You've really helped me out! My extended family love the Mandarin orange jello and pudding fluff salad and really any of your recipes! I just made the sausage, egg and hash browns casserole for I didn't even remember how many times. Everything is great!

    5 stars

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