The Best Brownies
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The following recipe was adapted from Cafe Delites
Cooking Level
Foundational | BEGINNER | Intermediate | Advanced
Special tools:
A stand mixer is suggested. You can alternatively use a hand beater, or use a whisk to beat the sugar and egg by hand.
A sifter or fine mesh strainer is needed for this recipe.
The Best Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 T coconut or avocado oil
- 1 1/4 c white sugar
- 1 c packed brown sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 T vanilla extract
- 3/4 t salt
- 1 c all-purpose flour
- 1 c good quality, unsweetened cocoa powder*
- 7 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips***
Instructions
- Get the 4 eggs out to come to room temperature, 45 minutes to 1 hour depending on the temperature in your house.
- Heat the 1 c (2 sticks) of butter in a sauce pan over low heat (or put in microwave-safe dish and melt on high for about 1 minute in the microwave); take off the heat and set aside until cool, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Lightly spray a 9" x 13" metal or pyrex baking pan with cooking spray, and line with parchment paper;** set aside.
- Combine the 2 sticks cooled melted butter, 2 T oil, 1 1/4 c white sugar, and 1 c packed brown sugar into the bowl of your stand mixer. With the whisk attachment, mix until well combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the 4 room-temperature eggs and the 1 T vanilla extract. Beat well until lighter in color, about 1-2 minutes.
- On a flexible cutting board, piece of parchment paper, or a paper plate, sift together the 1 c flour, 1 c cocoa powder, and 3/4 t salt.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and using a silicone spatula or a spoon, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined (no streaks of flour remain). Do NOT overbeat, as this will affect the texture of your brownies.
- Fold in 3/4 of the 7 oz. of semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9" x 13" pan and smooth out evenly. Top with the rest of the chocolate chips.
- Bake for 23 minutes.
- Allow to cool before slicing into even pieces (this recipes makes about 24 brownies).
- Enjoy that chocolatey goodness!
*Good quality cocoa powder makes a difference. My favorite brand to use is Ghiradelli - for both the powder and the chocolate chips. The taste and quality has never let me down. You should be able to find both at your local grocery store.
**I’m always finagling with parchment paper; it always rolls up, it’s never the right size. My husband, who, bless him, is always looking for creative solutions for everything, found this amazing pre-cut parchment paper. It’s perfectly cut to fit your typical jellyroll pan (what I call a “baking sheet”), and works perfectly for the 9”x13” pan used in this recipe too. It’s not very expensive, and it’s been about a year since we got it and I haven’t used it up yet.
***In place (or in addition) to the chocolate chips, feel free to add walnuts, pecans, pistachios, macadamia nuts, or just plain peanuts if you wish. Start with a 1/2 cup for each addition. I personally don’t do this because, as my mother and I say, “nuts take the place where chocolate should be.” But we’re confessed chocoholics, so don’t mind us if you enjoy a little more crunch in your brownies! You can also add caramel pieces, shredded coconut, dried fruits (like blueberries, cherries or cranberries), diced marshmallows, or peanut butter chips!
