My Favorite Brownie Recipe

Have you ever eaten a brownie and thought, “Wow, I wish this tasted fancier” ? Probably not. Brownies are awesome, even from a cheap box mix. But one day, on a whim, I decided to make brownies from scratch, and found this wonderful recipe from Ashley Fehr at The Recipe Rebel. This recipe changed my life. These brownies are rich – perfect for serving with vanilla ice cream – and don’t need any frosting to make them stand out. Their texture is full-bodied and luscious, reminiscent of a flourless chocolate cake. The depth of their flavor is unmatched — transforming them from everyday brownies to something I would be happy to serve at a fancy dinner. And the recipe is so simple, it hardly takes more effort than a boxed mix.

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The biggest change I’ve made to the linked recipe is lowering the amount of sugar and adding the milk chocolate chips. With chips scattered throughout the batter, instead of sprinkled on top, you get a nice balance between the fudgy, dark chocolate flavor of the brownies and the lighter, milk chocolate of the chips. Plus, if you serve these warm, the chips melt in your mouth for a truly elevated experience. 10/10 highly recommend.

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. While it’s heating up, get out your 9″ x 13″ pan and either line it with parchment or grease it with nonstick spray.

Next, melt the butter. Once melted, mix it with the sugar and vanilla until thoroughly combined.

Add your eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition.

Next, mix in your flour and cocoa powder. Add these roughly 1/2 cup at a time (especially if you’re using a mechanical mixer — nobody wants powder all over the kitchen). Mix thoroughly, eliminating lumps in the batter.

Once your batter is smooth, mix in about 2 cups of milk chocolate chips. When I say “about 2 cups”, what I really mean is approximately 1 normal size bag of chips, or about half of the giant-size bag. I prefer milk chocolate chips, as they provide a slightly contrasting flavor, but these brownies are still delicious with whatever variety you choose.

Once the chocolate chips are mixed in, spread the batter evenly in your greased or parchment-lined pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean. Enjoy with vanilla ice cream for a truly scrumptious experience!