One Bowl Brownies

These One Bowl Brownies are chewy, fudgy, and decedent! It has a perfect flaky top and can be made in 30 minutes!

There are easily won battles in my professional and blogging life, but this recipe was not one of them. Sometimes, the most straightforward recipes are the most challenging to develop. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you I had to order cocoa powder three separate times in the testing of these fabulous brownies. I blame this obsession with one bowl desserts on my One Bowl Chocolate Cake. I just can’t stop. Either I am making an obnoxiously ornate bundt cake, or I am making something in one bowl. 

These brownies are super easy to pull together, and they taste better than box brownies! They are the perfect brownies for those of us with busy lives and that constant chocolate craving. 🙂 If you’re looking for more easy-to-pull-together recipes, try my lemon blondies, one bowl carrot cake, or brownie cookies!

Professional Tips for Making Fudgy Brownies

• Mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Mix the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cornstarch, and kosher salt in a separate bowl. I know it won’t technically be one bowl anymore, but this will ensure that all your leavening and cocoa powder are evenly distributed and lump-free. 
• Use hot, melted butter. The butter needs to be hot so you can hydrate all the sugar. The water content in the butter hydrates the sugar; if the butter is hot, it will do it better and faster. This step is one of the reasons these brownies get the flaky top. 
• Metal baking dishes bake more evenly. I have noticed with brownies that metal baking dishes have a positive effect on the texture. A ceramic or glass baking pan will still create a beautiful and gooey texture, but the metal will help you get that top flaky crust!

FREE! My Best Fall Dessert Recipes!

Subscribe for a pastry chef’s best Fall recipes straight to your inbox!

First Name

Email *

Get the Guide!

Ingredients

• Unsalted Butter: The melted butter for this recipe must be hot! It helps dissolve the sugar and make a cohesive batter.
• Granulated Sugar
• Eggs: The eggs add fat, moisture and leavening. The fat from the yolk adds richness and helps keep the brownies chewy. Eggs also emulsify the batter and keep everything texturally perfect. 
• Vanilla Extract
• Coffee Extract: The coffee extract is here to complement the flavor of the cocoa powder and give it better than a box brownie texture. 
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch gives these brownies the magical chewy, fudgy texture of boxed brownies but also helps you achieve that classic crinkle top crust. 
• Baking Powder
• All-Purpose Flour
• Cocoa Powder: I use dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder, which just means it has been treated with an alkaline solution. This neutralizes the acidity, so it will not react with baking soda or baking powder. It has a rich, deep chocolate flavor and a darker color. 
• Kosher Salt

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Mix-ins! Stir in some nuts or candies! Fold in walnuts, semi-sweet chocolate chips, oreo cookies, or M&M. Whatever you’re craving! Use my Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Brownies as inspiration.
• Top with a frosting or ganache. These will pair well with some cream cheese frosting, chocolate buttercream frosting, or my chocolate fudge glaze. 
• Make a Brookie. Try adding some cookie batter balls on top before baking! My personal/professional opinion would be to try with my Nutella cookies or these brown butter chocolate chip cookies for some of your batches! When you end up with a love of brown butter, you’ll for sure want to make my Brown Butter Brownie recipe next.

How to Make One Bowl Brownies

Use these instructions to make fudgy, chewy one bowl brownies every time! Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.

Make the brownie: 

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F for non-convection ovens. Prepare the 9×11 pan with non-stick spray and two pieces of parchment. 

Step 2: Melt the butter in a large heatproof bowl. Either in the microwave or over simmering water. 

Step 3: Whisk the sugar into the melted and hot butter until smooth, and the sugar is completely hydrated. 

Step 4: Add the eggs and whisk until combined. Once fully emulsified, whisk in the extracts. 

Step 5: Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt to the mixture. Whisk until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. We don’t want to overdevelop the gluten. 

Step 6: Pour into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to even out the batter to ensure even baking. 

Step 7: Bake for 18-22 minutes until the brownie puffs and jiggles slightly when gently shaken. A toothpick or cake tester should come out with some crumbs. Allow the brownie to cool to room temperature. Slice up and enjoy!  

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this professional chef tested recipe. Check out our other delicious, chef-developed bar recipes, or go on a one-bowl recipes marathon with my one bowl chocolate cake!