Better Than Box Mix Fudgy Brownies

Reasons Why You'll Love This Recipe

• The Taste. Melted semi-sweet dark chocolate mixed together with unsweetened cocoa powder and espresso powder makes for the ultimate chocolate brownie!
• Texture. They are a rich, chewy, fudgy brownie with a little added crunch of chopped walnuts and flaky sea salt!
• Easy to make. You need just a handful of ingredients, most of which probably are already in your pantry!

Ingredients Needed

Here's the full list of ingredients you'll need to make these warm, fudgy, better-than-box mix brownies!

1. All-Purpose Flour. One cup is needed to make these rich, chewy brownies
2. Baking Powder.
3. Salt. Only a pinch or ⅛ teaspoon is needed to help balance out the sweetness.
4. Vegetable Oil. Just one tablespoon helps lend a hand to the fudgy texture.
5. Granulated Sugar. Gives these brownies just the right amount of sweetness. You can also use pure cane organic sugar as a 1:1 substitute.
6. Eggs. You'll need two eggs and one egg yolk. The extra egg yolk gives these better-than-box mix brownies their chewy, fudgy texture.
7. Vanilla Extract. I used Trader Joe's bourbon vanilla extract, but regular pure vanilla extract will work perfectly fine, too.
8. Unsalted Butter. This gets melted in with the chocolate. If you only have salted butter, omit the standalone salt ingredient from the batter.
9. Semi-Sweet Chocolate. You can use semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks. I've used Ghirardelli and ALDI chocolate chips and chunks with success. For a low-sugar, dairy-free option, you can try Hu Kitchen chocolate chips. They are PHENOMENAL.
10. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. Or you can use Dutch processed cocoa powder to give you an even richer, darker brownie.
11. Espresso Powder. An optional ingredient, but it really gives the brownies a deeper flavor. I used the Delallo Foods brand of espresso powder, or you can also use dry instant coffee.

Here's How to Make The Best Homemade Brownies!

Below is a brief overview of how to make the best homemade brownies. For the full printable recipe, which can be made using US customary or metric measurements, scroll down to the recipe card below.

1. Whisk the dry ingredients together. This includes all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Mix the wet ingredients together. Do this in a separate, bigger bowl. You can use a stand mixer, hand mixer, or the easiest one of them all—a whisk.
3. Heat the chocolate and butter. You can do this in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Remove from heat, then add in the unsweetened cocoa powder and the espresso powder. The espresso powder is optional, but I highly recommend keeping it in!
4. Whisk in the chocolate mixture with the wet ingredients.
5. Stir in the whisked dry ingredients until just combined.
6. Transfer to an 8-inch square baking dish, then bake! Bake at 350ºF for 25-28 minutes. I recommend checking on the brownies at the earliest recommended baking time.
7. Let cool, then cut into squares. These super fudgy brownies will keep well at room temperature overnight or for up to a week in the refrigerator in a well-sealed container.