Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies

The best homemade brownies are Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies made with melted chocolate and cocoa powder, as well as two kinds of chocolate chips. They have a fudgy brownie center, a perfect crackle top, and can be made in just one bowl. Recipe video as well.

Chocolate lovers, this rich chocolate brownie recipe is for you. One of my favorite comfort desserts is a big corner piece (yes, I did say corner piece) of a gooey, fudgy brownie. 

Generally speaking, I don’t have any issue with a brownie mix. Boxed brownies are definitely one of those quick and easy desserts you can whip up on the fly that taste pretty much amazing. 

However, when it comes to making brownies from scratch, you have a little bit more control in exactly what flavor you are looking for in your brownies. This recipe is very versatile, because you can switch up what chocolate you use, what chocolate chips you want to use, and you can add in a lot of different mix-ins (nuts, candies, etc.). 

More Reasons I Love This Recipe:

• Ingredients: This recipe uses very simple pantry ingredients, which makes this an easy brownie recipe to whip up at a moment’s notice.
• Fudgy: These are ultra fudgy brownies—not cakey at all! This recipe calls for a mix of melted chocolate, cocoa powder, butter, and oil—all of these ingredients play a key role to ensure these are ultra rich in chocolate flavor and ultra fudgy in texture.
• Crinkly Tops (Crackle Tops): I’m a big believer in shiny, crackle top brownies (aka, crinkle top brownies). The perfect brownie needs that thin crackly top, otherwise it’s just a bar.
• Better Than Boxed: I love a good boxed mix brownie—it’s hard to go wrong with a brownie. However, these brownies are better than boxed mix for a few reasons, which I’ll detail down below.
• Chocolate: the combination of cocoa powder and melted chocolate make these Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies (plus they have chocolate chips so…bonus round).

Other Dessert Bar Recipes to Try Next: 

• Strawberry Blondies
• Chocolate Chip M&M Cookie Bars
• Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookie Bars
• Double Chocolate Oreo Marshmallow Bars
• Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Double Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ingredients:

• Semi-Sweet Chocolate: use quality baking chocolate or quality chocolate chips. When it comes to chocolate, you truly can taste the difference between a low quality chocolate and a high quality chocolate. 
• Butter: unsalted butter is what I almost always use in baking because I can control the salt content better. One brand of salted butter might have more salt than another brand, which could potentially make these brownies too salty.
• Granulated Sugar: I don’t use brown sugar in this recipe because one of the keys to a shiny, crinkle top brownie is granulated sugar. Brown sugar releases too much moisture.
• Eggs: These are also a key to getting a nice shiny brownie top.
• Vanilla Extract: It enhances the flavor of the brownies with just a hint of sweetness.
• Espresso Powder: One of my favorite ingredients to add to any chocolate recipe. Espresso powder brings out the depth of flavor in chocolate. It’s such a simple ingredient but it packs a punch.
• Salt and Baking Powder: A lot of brownie recipes are made without baking powder or baking soda to make sure they’re extra dense. The baking powder is used to make these brownies extra thick—it doesn’t make them any less fudgy!
• All-Purpose Flour: there is just a little bit of flour in this recipe. The flour stabilizes the brownies, but the small amount keeps the brownies fudgy instead of turning them into a cookie bar.
• Cocoa Powder: cocoa powder gives the brownies an extra richness and enhances the overall chocolate flavor.
• Canola Oil: Just a little bit of canola oil in the recipe to add some major overal fudginess.
• Chocolate Chips: Ultimately, you can use any type of chocolate chip you want to. I like to use mostly milk chocolate chips with a little bit of semi-sweet chocolate chips. The milk chocolate cuts through the very rich chocolate brownies, adding yet another layer of chocolate. The semi-sweet chips round out all the other flavors. 

How To Get A Crackly Crust On Brownies: 

• Shiny brownie tops, crackle tops, or crinkle top brownies all mean the same thing: that ultra thin crust that forms on top of brownies as they bake. 
• There are a lot of differing opinions on this, and I can’t speak for all of the methods because I haven’t tried them all. All I do know is what works for me and what works in this recipe.
• In this recipe, the shiny and crinkly top comes from melted chocolate, granulated sugar, and the eggs.
  • Additionally, the order of ingredients is important. The sugar and the eggs are mixed in with the melted butter and chocolate first. Then comes the rest of the ingredients.
  • Mixing the granulated sugar and the eggs with the butter and melted chocolate helps incorporate air into the eggs, which helps yield a crackle top.

What Makes These a Chewy Fudge Brownie Recipe?

• This recipe is made with both butter and oil, which helps to create a very rich, fudgy brownie. The butter adds a lot of flavor while the oil adds extra moisture. Moist brownies are fudgy brownies.
• Also, this recipe uses a combination of both melted chocolate and cocoa powder. (Yes, you can make fudge brownies with cocoa powder!) We use a little bit of cocoa powder to enhance the richness in the brownies (unsweetened cocoa powder is very, very rich). The melted chocolate adds to the overall fudgy texture and flavor.

Substitutions:

Melted Chocolate:

• Semi-Sweet Chocolate: In the recipe you will see semi-sweet chocolate listed. Semi-sweet chocolate is very typical in baking because it is the perfect combination of sweet and chocolatey. 
• However, you can alter the recipe if you’re feeling adventurous.
  • You can substitute bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, or dark chocolate. Or, you can do a combination: half semi-sweet, half dark chocolate, etc.
  • If you opt to use anything other than all semi-sweet chocolate, these brownies will be much, much richer in flavor and not quite as sweet. 

Cocoa Powder:

• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: I use unsweetened cocoa powder, however you can use dark chocolate cocoa powder.

Chocolate Chips:

• Milk Chocolate Chips and Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: I use a combination of milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips. 
  • I found that the milk chocolate chips add another level and flavor of chocolate. The semi-sweet chips are a classic, and that classic flavor made for a very well-rounded chocolate brownie. There are layers and layers of chocolate flavor in these fudge brownies.
• However, you can use other types of chips:
  • dark chocolate: it’s a little bit more bitter in flavor compared to milk and semi-sweet.
  • white chocolate chips: adds a lot of sweetness
  • peanut butter chips: pairs so well with chocolate!

Optional Mix-Ins:

• Nuts: I don’t love nuts in brownies, but you can add in any kind you’d like.
  • walnuts, peanuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, etc.
• M&Ms
• Mint Extract: instead of vanilla extract, you can use mint extract. However, use just a little bit of mint (maybe 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp). Mint is super strong and can overpower your brownies (or make them taste like toothpaste).
• Pretzels
• Frosting: Not a mix-in, but you can add any frosting or ganache on top of the brownies.

How To Make the Ultimate Fudge Brownies with Crinkle Tops:

• Melt: Melt butter and chocolate together until silky, smooth, and shiny. Allow to cool a few 8-10 minutes (if it’s too hot, it will scramble the eggs).
• Sugar and Eggs: Once the chocolate mixture is warm and not hot, add in the granulated sugar and the eggs. Using a whisk or a rubber spatula, mix the eggs and sugar into the chocolate mixture very well.
• Vanilla and Espresso Powder: Stir these ingredients into the brownies until combined.
• Dry Ingredients: Add in flour, salt, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Mix until combined (the batter will be thick).
• Canola Oil: Finally, add in the canola oil. It adds shine and moisture to the batter, leading to an overall chocolate fudge brownie texture.
• Chocolate Chips: Stir in milk chocolate chips. Save the semi-sweet chips for later.
• Pan: Use an 8×8 or 9×9 square pan. If you use something larger, the brownies will not be as thick.
• Batter: Spread the batter evenly in your greased pan, then sprinkle with semi-sweet chips. Using your rubber spatula, press the chips into the batter and give the batter one more spread around.
• Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs stuck to it.
  • It can be difficult to know when brownies are done. Your best bet is to shake the pan gently. If it’s super jiggly or liquidy in the center, they are not done.
  • Once they don’t seem liquidy, use a cake tester to test a few areas in the center. Once the cake tester comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, your brownies are done.
  • I like to test a few areas in the center because sometimes you will stick the tester into a chocolate chip, which makes it seem like the brownies aren’t done when in fact, they are. 

Final Tips and Tricks for these One Bowl Fudge Brownies:

• Mix ingredients in the order they’re listed. They’re listed in the recipe a certain way to make sure you get fudgy brownies with a shiny top.
• Use quality chocolate. It makes a world of difference in flavor.
• Don’t over bake. Keep an eye on your brownies during the last few minutes of baking time so that they don’t bake too long and become dry.
• Store these at room temperature in an airtight container. 

5 from 1 vote

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Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

The best homemade brownies are Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies made with melted chocolate and cocoa powder, as well as two kinds of chocolate chips. They have a fudgy brownie center, a perfect crackle top, and can be made in just one bowl. Recipe video as well.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Servings: 12 Brownies

Author: Michelle

Ingredients

Batter

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces (alternatively, you can use semi-sweet chocolate chips)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp espresso powder
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 4 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 (or 8x8) square baking pan with foil or parchment paper, or grease with baking spray. Set aside.

2. Over a double broiler or in a large microwave safe bowl, melt butter and semi-sweet chocolate together. If melting in the microwave, melt in 30-second increments, stirring after each hit in the microwave. 

3. Once the chocolate has melted, allow the mixture to cool 8-10 minutes. 

4. After the chocolate has cooled slightly, add in the granulated sugar and eggs. With a whisk or rubber spatula, mix in the sugar and eggs very well.

5. Next, add in the vanilla extract and espresso powder. Mix until combined.

6. Add in all purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and unsweetened cocoa powder. Stir until well combined. 

7. Add in canola oil, and stir until combined. 

8. Lastly, add in 1 cup of milk chocolate chips. Stir until combined. 

9. Spread the brownie batter into your prepared baking pan. 

10. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips over the top of the batter. With your rubber spatula, press the semi-sweet chocolate chips into the brownie batter and give the batter a final spread, making sure it’s in an even layer in the baking dish.

11. Bake for 25- 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean with just a few fudgy crumbs stuck to it.

12. Allow to cool before cutting into squares. 

13. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Here are some other recipes you might love:

White Chocolate Raspberry Brownie Bites

Double Chocolate Fudge Cookies

Double Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Originally posted in 2014. Updated in 2021.