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Fudgy Cocoa Brownies
Boxed-mix brownies exist for a reason — they’re fudgy and foolproof. This one-bowl recipe hits the same texture from cocoa powder, no melting chocolate or mixer required.
The crackly, papery top isn’t luck: it comes from dissolving the sugar into the warm butter and then beating the eggs in hard until the batter turns glossy.
Fudgy Cocoa Brownies
Dense, glossy-topped, intensely chocolatey brownies from cocoa powder — one bowl, no mixer, and pantry ingredients you already have.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (65 g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (65 g) cocoa powder
- ½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ½ cup (85 g) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with parchment.
- Melt the butter, then whisk in both sugars until combined. Let cool 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, beating hard for 30 seconds until the batter looks glossy — this makes the shiny, crackly top.
- Stir in the cocoa, flour and salt until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spread into the pan and bake 22–26 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool completely in the pan before cutting for clean, fudgy squares.
Recipe notes & tips
- Underbake slightly for fudgier brownies; a toothpick with wet batter means a few more minutes.
- Beating the eggs and sugar well is the secret to the crackly top.
- Cutting cold with a hot, wiped knife gives the cleanest edges.
168 kcalCalories
2 gProtein
22 gCarbs
9 gFat