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These chocolate gooey brownies are the height of happiness in this world. They're everything a chocolate brownie should be: dense, soft, fudgy, barely holding itself together, melty, quick, amazing. If you're a cakey brownie type person, that's fine, but this is not the recipe for you. Carry on.
This recipe is also phenomenal because it's so dang easy. It's one bowl, you don't have to melt any chocolate chips, and it makes a full 9x13" pan full. If you're like me, you don't see any reason to make brownies in a smaller pan, amirite? What's the point?
These ooey gooey chocolate brownies are soft, chewy and fudgy with rich flavor. Everything a brownie should be.
I've made a lot (A LOT) of brownie recipes over the years - and this one (my mom's, actually) is the best.
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Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your taste, but yes! Some people prefer the soft, fudgy texture of a gooey brownie, while others prefer a more spongy, cake-like brownie.
One of the hallmarks of gooey brownies is that they are always just cooked - or even slightly undercooked. The CDC says that as long as the brownies have reached an internal temperature of 160F, you're good to go.
Luckily, it's pretty easy! It differs slightly depending on the recipe, but for this one, all you need is a mixing bowl, the ingredients and a whisk, no stand mixer or hand mixer needed.
This depends on your personal taste, but using any cocoa is fine. Ghirardelli is a delicious option though if you're looking for one.
Why You'll Love These Brownies
- First of all, they're BROWNIES. What's not to love already?
- Secondly, they're made from scratch, but they're almost as easy as from a store-bought mix!
- Third: the texture is unbeatable. Soft, gooey, fudgy, perfection.
- Fourth: THEY COME WITH FROSTING. Listen, total respect if you prefer your brownies without frosting, but in this particular instance, the chocolate gooey brownies are so soft that you can't tell where the brownie stops and the frosting starts. That's my version of heaven right there.
Ingredients
Honestly, the ingredients I think are pretty standard. The key to making these super gooey is melting the butter first (which I think makes it easier to deal with anyway). Here's what you're going to need:
- Melted butter
- Cocoa powder
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Salt
For the Icing:
- Melted butter
- cocoa powder
- water
- powdered sugar
How to Make Chocolate Gooey Brownies
Let's do it step by step!
First, melt your butter in a large microwave safe dish. Whisk in your cocoa powder.
Whisk in the sugar until well combined.
Next, beat in your eggs, one at a time (note, this recipe uses a lot of eggs for a gooey recipe. I can't explain it really. It just works).
Add your vanilla and mix.
Whisk in the flour gently, along with your salt. Do not over mix this batter.
Pour into a prepared 9x13" baking pan. Spread the batter so it meets the edges of the pan.
Bake in a 350F oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Make sure you watch these closely, you don't want to over bake them!
Make the Icing
Melt your butter in the microwave, and whisk in the cocoa. Add the water. You can whisk in the icing sugar, but I prefer to use a hand mixer for this part. Beat in the icing sugar until smooth.
Pour the icing over the still warm brownies. This gives the frosting a lovely, smooth, glass-like effect that is just *chef's kiss*.
Let the brownies cool (if you can), and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- The key to this recipe is making sure you don't overbake them. Keep an eye on them, especially towards the end of the cooking time, and check frequently if you're nervous.
- Make sure your oven is exactly at 350 F. This is another great way to over/under cook your baking.
- Wait 20 minutes after the brownies come out of the oven to ice them (you want them to still be warm!)
- IMO, one of the best ways to enjoy these is to make them into a brownie sundae. One of these on the bottom (warm it up for 15 seconds in the microwave if you want!), ice cream, and hot fudge sauce? Yes please.
Storage and Freezing
These freeze really well, even with the frosting on them! So go ahead and make them ahead of time. You can freeze the whole pan if you want, or cut them up into individual servings and keep them in a freezer bag. This way you can get them out one (or four) at a time. They'll keep for three months in freezer.
Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to a week.
Other Indulgent Dessert Recipes
Recipe
Gooey Chocolate Brownies
Equipment
- 9x13" baking pan
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- 1 C melted butter
- 1 C cocoa powder
- 2 C white sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 C flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Frosting
- ½ C melted butter
- ½ C cocoa powder
- ¼ C water
- 2 C icing sugar
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9x13" baking pan with cooking spray and parchment paper.
- Melt your butter in a microwave safe dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk you butter and cocoa powder. Add the sugar and mix well.
- Add your eggs one at a time, beating in between each addition.
- Add vanilla and mix.
- Gently mix in the flour and salt.
- Pour the batter into the 9x13" pan, using a spatual to spread it to the edges. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Keep a close eye on these, you don't want to overbake them.
- Let them cool for 20 minutes on the stove while you make the icing.
Frosting
- Melt the butter in a microwave safe dish. Whisk the butter and cocoa together in a medium bowl. Add the water and mix. Using a hand mixer, add the powdered sugar until smooth. Spread over the warm brownies, and enjoy!
Sharon says
These are simply the best brownies you will ever make!
Cara says
Thank you Sharon, I agree!
Wendy says
If I halve the recipe and bake them in an 8”x8” pan, how long do you recommend baking them? So excited to try these!
Cara says
Hi Wendy! I think that you should be very similar on the cook time. I would check it with a tooth pick about five minutes early just to make sure they aren't over-baking, and then go from there. Also, let us know how you like them, it's my mom's recipe and she wants to know 😉
Wendy says
These are delicious! I halved the recipe and baked them in my 8x8 pan - checked them at 22 minutes, and they were done (perfect suggestion to start checking them five minutes early)! Thank you for sharing your mom's recipe!
Cara says
Yay! I'm so glad they worked out Wendy! And my mom is very excited 😍
BashfulBaker says
Will this work in an air fryer?
Cara says
Hi Ashley, I actually don't have an air fryer, so I'm not sure about this. From some of the reading I've done, I'd be worried about the size of the recipe, and I'm not sure what size of pan to tell you to put it in! So sorry I couldn't be of more help 😔
Krista says
This is my new favourite brownie recipe! So decadent!
Cara says
Awesome Krista, I'm so glad! Thank you so much for stopping by!
Penny says
Can I bake them as muffins?
Cara says
Hi Penny, I actually don't think this would be a great recipe to try as muffins, and here's why: the brownies are made to be quite dense, and as a result, don't have any baking soda or baking powder. I think the muffins wouldn't rise in the way they should. If you're looking for a recipe though, these ones look amazing! https://prettysimplesweet.com/ultimate-brownie-muffins/
Ayesha says
Please mention the ingredients in grams
Cara says
Hi Ayesha, so sorry about that, I was having some technical issues when it comes to the conversion chart. You should be able to convert the measurements now!