One Bowl Brownies Best Homemade Cocoa Brownies Wellplated Com

This brownie recipe is the product of a long, obsessive, chocolate-stained quest to find the perfect homemade fudge brownie recipe. Meet the winners! These from-scratch brownies are classic, supremely satisfying, and make my chocolate-loving heart (I submit my full collection of chocolate dessert recipes as evidence) go pitter-patter. Here’s why I love this recipe:

Ultra soft and chewy.Unapologetically fudgy and chocolaty (just like my irresistible Brownie Cookies and Brownie Bites!).Boasting that elusive, shiny, crackly top layer—boxed brownie devotees, you know the one.Quick and easy to prepare—as the name implies, this recipe requires just a single bowl, just like the incredible Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies in my cookbook. (If you’re okay with multi-bowl brownies, try these Guinness Brownies.)Endlessly customizable. In fact, I’ve included my favorite one bowl brownie mix-ins and toppings at the end of this post.

How to Make One Bowl Brownies

These soft, fudgy one bowl brownies with cocoa powder will become your new go-to recipe. Make them once and I promise, you’ll never reach for a box of brownie mix again.

The Ingredients

Cocoa Powder. This one-bowl brownie recipe uses cocoa powder, which I’ve actually come to prefer over brownie recipes that call for solid chocolate. Cocoa brownies are softer and chewier than their solid chocolate counterparts, and cocoa powder has a more intense chocolate flavor too.

Butter. For fudgy brownies like these, I’m a big proponent of butter which makes them rich, flavorful and decadent.

Granulated Sugar and Powder Sugar. A combo of both sugars was a recent discovery of mine, and now I don’t want to make brownies any other way. It makes these brownies tender, chewy and sweet.Espresso Powder. Optional, but so worth it if you have it in your pantry to deepen and enhance the chocolate flavor of the brownies.

Vanilla Extract. It may seem odd to add vanilla to such a chocolate-focused dessert, but the vanilla actually enhances and enriches the chocolate flavor.Eggs. Egg whites give the brownies structure while the egg yolks lend fat for richness.All-Purpose and Whole Wheat Flour. Don’t worry, the whole wheat flour isn’t detectable among all the rich, fudgy chocolate goodness.

Dark Chocolate Chips. Makes these brownies extra fudgy and extra chocolaty. No complaints!Flaky Sea Salt. Optional, but in all honesty, it has become an essential finishing touch to just about any brownie recipe I bake (even these Avocado Brownies).

The Directions

Storage Tips

To Store. Store leftover brownies in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.To Serve. I enjoyed my brownies best either right out of the refrigerator or warmed in the microwave for a few seconds.To Freeze. Freeze brownies in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 2 months.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

Nesting Mixing Bowls. I use this set almost daily in my kitchen.Favorite Spatula. Obsessed with this one! Easy to wash, sturdy, and perfect for folding in ingredients.

Canola oil for a mild taste that is the most similar to a boxed mix.Olive oil, which is my other favorite way to make this recipe, adds a distinct olive oil flavor that pairs beautifully with chocolate.

For Best Results: Unique Mix-in Ideas All of these should be chopped first, then folded into the batter just before baking.

Chocolate covered espresso beansOreos (and all of their derivative flavors)You favorite candy bar (Reeses peanut butter cups, Rolos, and Snickers are all winners)Freeze-dried raspberriesAndes mints (for you chocolate-mint lovers)

Delicious Brownie Topping Options

Caramel sauce (drizzle on after the brownies are baked.)Chopped pretzels (try combining with the caramel sauce. Heaven.)Mini marshmallows and chopped graham crackers (sprinkle over the baked brownies, then place the brownies in the oven for 2-4 minutes, until the marshmallows melt. Ta-dah!)Mocha cream cheese frosting (spread over cooled brownies.)

My current favorite one-bowl brownie variation: Mix chopped pecans into the batter, then top with caramel sauce and crushed pretzels. It’s salty-sweet seduction.