I stumbled on a single pantry swap that changes how my Chewy Brownies set and surprised even me.

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I keep chasing a brownie that lands chewy and seriously chocolatey, not one of those cakey things. My latest batch of Chewy Chocolate Chip proved it can be both messy and almost perfect.

I use melted unsalted butter and semisweet chocolate chips because they give that glossy top and the gooey middle, and sometimes a tiny tweak changes everything which is weird but kind of thrilling. People call these the Best Brownies and yeah I know that sounds full of myself, but when the edges set and the center still jiggles, you know you found something worth making again.

I still mess it up sometimes, but thats part of the fun.

Ingredients

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Butter gives rich fat and flavor, adds chew, mostly saturated fat not great in excess.
Melted chocolate brings deep cocoa taste, it’s got antioxidants, lots of calories though.
White sugar sweetens and makes texture, pure carbs so little nutrition, spikes blood sugar.
Brown sugar adds molasses notes and chew, kinda gives depth but still sugar.
Eggs bind and add protein, there’s some fat and moisture, helps chewy structure.
Flour gives structure and carbs, little fiber if using white flour, supports chew.
Cocoa adds intense chocolate flavor, low fat, provides fiber and antioxidants, slightly bitter.
Salt brightens flavors, balances sweetness, tiny sodium amounts but essential.

Ingredient Quantities

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted

4 oz (115 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped or chips, melted

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, room temp

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup (95 g) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment and lightly grease the paper so the brownies lift out easy.

2. Melt the butter and chopped chocolate together until smooth, either in the microwave in 20 second bursts stirring between each, or over a double boiler. Let it cool a bit so it’s warm not piping hot.

3. In a medium bowl whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until glossy and slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.

4. Pour the warm chocolate mixture into the sugar-egg mix and stir until combined and shiny.

5. Sift the flour and cocoa powder together with the salt, then fold them into the wet mixture with a spatula just until no flour streaks remain. Dont overmix or youll end up with cakey brownies.

6. Fold in the 1 cup chocolate chips, saving a handful to sprinkle on top for a pretty crust.

7. Spread the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and press the reserved chips into the surface.

8. Bake 20-25 minutes, start checking at 18 minutes; edges should be set and center still have moist crumbs. For extra chewiness take them out a little early, they will finish setting as they cool.

9. Cool in the pan on a wire rack at least an hour (or chill 30 minutes) before lifting with the parchment and slicing. Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 3 days or refrigerate for firmer squares.

Equipment Needed

1. 8×8 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper, lightly greased so the brownies lift out easy
2. Microwave safe bowl or small saucepan for melting butter and chocolate (double boiler works too)
3. Medium mixing bowl for the sugar and eggs
4. Whisk for beating the eggs and sugar till glossy
5. Rubber spatula for folding in flour and scraping the bowl
6. Measuring cups and spoons for flour, sugars and vanilla
7. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for the flour and cocoa powder
8. Knife and cutting board for chopping chocolate if not using chips
9. Wire cooling rack and oven mitts for safe handling and cooling

FAQ

How do I know when these brownies are done? The edges should look set and a little pull away from the pan, the center will still jiggle a bit. Stick a toothpick in the middle — you want moist crumbs not raw batter. Bake an 8×8 pan at 350°F (175°C) for about 20 to 25 minutes, check around 18 if you like them extra fudgy.

What pan size should I use and do I need to change the time? Use an 8×8 inch (20×20 cm) pan for the pictured thickness. If you use a 9×9 they'll be a bit thinner and need a few minutes less, a 9×13 will be much thinner so double the recipe or expect a shorter bake time and thinner brownies.

Can I swap the butter or chocolate for something else? Yes. Melted butter gives chew and flavor, but you can use neutral oil 1:1 for a slightly different texture. For chocolate, use the same weight of semisweet or bittersweet baking chocolate or chips. If you swap cocoa types, the flavor may change but the recipe will still work.

How do I make them extra chewy? Use the melted butter and brown sugar in the recipe, dont overmix the batter, and underbake just a bit so the center stays moist. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before cutting so they set and get that chewy bite.

Can I add nuts or other mix-ins? Totally. Fold in chopped nuts, toasted coconut, or extra chocolate chips (up to about 1 1/2 cups total) just before pouring into the pan. Toast nuts first for more flavor and sprinkle some chips or flaky sea salt on top for a nicer finish.

How should I store or freeze leftover brownies? Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 3 days, in the fridge up to a week. To freeze, wrap squares tightly then freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temp and warm briefly in the microwave for a few seconds if you want them gooey again.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Brownies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Unsalted butter (1/2 cup / 115 g): swap with 1/2 cup (115 g) melted coconut oil or a neutral vegetable oil (canola, sunflower). Coconut gives a faint coconut note, oil makes them slightly more tender.
2 large eggs: use 1/2 cup (120 g) unsweetened applesauce for a fudgier, egg-free brownie, or make 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water, mix and rest 5 min) for a firmer vegan swap.
3/4 cup (95 g) all-purpose flour: replace with 3/4 cup cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend (with xanthan gum) for GF brownies, or use 1/2 cup all-purpose + 1/4 cup almond flour to add chew and a nutty note.
1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips: use 6 oz (170 g) chopped bittersweet or milk chocolate instead, or stir 2 tbsp brewed espresso or strong coffee into the melted chocolate to deepen the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee.

Pro Tips

– Let the melted butter and chocolate cool until just warm to the touch before you add it to the eggs. If it’s too hot you’ll start cooking the eggs and the batter can get grainy or weirdly separated. Give it 5 to 10 minutes, or set the bowl on a cool surface and stir occasionally.

– Fold the dry stuff in by hand with a rubber spatula and stop the second you don’t see flour streaks. Overmixing is the fastest way to end up with cakey brownies instead of fudgy ones, so be gentle and patient, even if you think you missed a bit.

– For texture and clean cuts, pull the brownies out when the edges look set but the center still has moist crumbs clinging to a toothpick. They’ll keep cooking as they cool. If you want perfect squares, chill them 20 to 30 minutes before slicing, it firms them up and makes less crumb mess.

– Little flavor hacks: a pinch of flaky sea salt on top brings out the chocolate, and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder in the batter makes the chocolate taste deeper without tasting like coffee. Also weigh your ingredients when you can, it really takes the guesswork out of baking.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Brownies Recipe

Recipe by Tina Bueller

0.0 from 0 votes

I stumbled on a single pantry swap that changes how my Chewy Brownies set and surprised even me.

Servings

servings

Calories

318

kcal

Equipment: 1. 8×8 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper, lightly greased so the brownies lift out easy
2. Microwave safe bowl or small saucepan for melting butter and chocolate (double boiler works too)
3. Medium mixing bowl for the sugar and eggs
4. Whisk for beating the eggs and sugar till glossy
5. Rubber spatula for folding in flour and scraping the bowl
6. Measuring cups and spoons for flour, sugars and vanilla
7. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for the flour and cocoa powder
8. Knife and cutting board for chopping chocolate if not using chips
9. Wire cooling rack and oven mitts for safe handling and cooling

Ingredients

1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted
4 oz (115 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped or chips, melted
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment and lightly grease the paper so the brownies lift out easy.
Melt the butter and chopped chocolate together until smooth, either in the microwave in 20 second bursts stirring between each, or over a double boiler. Let it cool a bit so it’s warm not piping hot.
In a medium bowl whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until glossy and slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
Pour the warm chocolate mixture into the sugar-egg mix and stir until combined and shiny.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder together with the salt, then fold them into the wet mixture with a spatula just until no flour streaks remain. Dont overmix or youll end up with cakey brownies.
Fold in the 1 cup chocolate chips, saving a handful to sprinkle on top for a pretty crust.
Spread the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and press the reserved chips into the surface.
Bake 20-25 minutes, start checking at 18 minutes; edges should be set and center still have moist crumbs. For extra chewiness take them out a little early, they will finish setting as they cool.
Cool in the pan on a wire rack at least an hour (or chill 30 minutes) before lifting with the parchment and slicing. Store in an airtight container at room temp up to 3 days or refrigerate for firmer squares.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.