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Home » Brownies that are Fudgy

Chewy Brownies Made in One Bowl

Modified: Mar 17, 2025 · Published: Apr 23, 2013 by Anna · This post may contain affiliate links · 7 Comments

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These chewy brownies are based on a recipe from the March/April 2010 issue of Cook's Illustrated, where CI claims that the key to making brownies with a "box brownie" texture is to get the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fat just right.  To get the chewiest brownies, they use a mixture of butter and oil, unsweetened chocolate and egg yolks.

Cook's Illustrated Chewy Brownies

Minor Little Issues

For a while, every time I made these I could taste the oil and couldn't understand why it didn't bother other people. I finally gave up on canola and vegetable and just started using grapeseed. Much better. I also used coconut oil, which made perfectly good brownies, but changed the texture since the point of the recipe is to use a ratio of 28% saturated and 71% unsaturated fat. And then there was the thinness issue. I'm not sure why the brownies were coming out too thin at one point, but recently they've been just right. Maybe it's perspective? I don't know. Lastly, there is the bake time. CI recommended 30-35 minutes. With a 9x13 inch pan you can I can get away with 30, but with a half batch in an 8-inch pan the brownies are better at 28.

Chewy Brownies

Use Good Cocoa Powder

The article itself is pretty fascinating, and if you can get your hands on the March/April 2010 issue it's worth a read. But for now I'm just posting the recipe as I made it which is a smaller 8-inch pan version.  This batch was better than any batch I've made in the past (though I didn't get a flaky top) and it might have to do with the fact I used a better cocoa powder.  Not that using expensive Dutch process cocoa powder is always necessary since it has a drying effect in some recipes, but in this recipe it works perfectly. Update: I incorporated a little black cocoa in with the Dutch and loved the results. I'll bet you can tell which brownie has the black cocoa.

Cook's Illustrated Chewy Brownies
Cook's Illustrated Chewy Brownies

Pan Size

You can use a 9x13 inch pan and make the full size recipe or cut it in half and use an 8-inch square. As much as I'd love to make 9x13 inch pans, more often than not I just make a half version.

Cook's Illustrated Chewy Brownies in an 8-inch square baking pan
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Recipe

Chewy Brownies recipe originally from Cook's Illustrated

Chewy Brownies

Anna
You can make these one bowl brownies in a 9x13 inch pan or halve the recipe and use an 8-inch pan.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24

Ingredients
 

  • ⅓ cup Dutch-processed cocoa (28 grams)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons instant espresso powder
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate. chopped (56 grams)
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons oil (110 grams)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (56 grams)
  • 2 large large eggs plus 2 large yolks
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups sugar (500 grams)
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (250 grams)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch metal pan with nonstick foil parchment paper.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, espresso powder, and boiling water until smooth.
  • Add the unsweetened chocolate and stir until melted. Stir in the oil and melted butter. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth.
  • Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula until combined. Fold in chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate).
  • Scrape batter into pan and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes. If halving the batch, check at 25 minutes, but it will probably take up to 30.
  • Let cool for about 10 minutes, then grasp foil, lift from pan and let cool completely.
Keyword Chewy Brownies, Cook's Illustrated
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Comments

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  1. Anna says

    April 24, 2013 at 7:58 am

    Sue, I am really interested in hearing your opinion.

    Joe, it also might be that I whisked the eggs rather than stirred them. I've read that adding sugar to hot fat helps with sheen, but Shirley Corriher says the crust comes from the beating of the eggs. However, these brownies aren't beaten -- just whisked. So I'll try again and really whisk the egg.

    Katrina, I forgot you made these! I'm going to go take a look at your photo.

    Gloria, they're not. I've been nit-picky about thickness ever since one of my 11 year old tasters (not Fuzz) told me brownies should be thick.

  2. Gloria says

    April 24, 2013 at 1:57 am

    Simple is good!! These don't look too thin to me...they look nice and chewy!

  3. Katrina says

    April 23, 2013 at 11:35 pm

    I tried these a few months ago. They were a really good brownie. Can't remember if I posted them.

  4. Joe says

    April 23, 2013 at 11:14 pm

    Wonder if you'd get that flaky top if you added the sugars to the fat (warmed?) first, rather than adding it as the fourth-to-last ingredient.

  5. Holiday Baker Man says

    April 23, 2013 at 5:23 pm

    Definitely one to try!

  6. vanillasugarblog says

    April 23, 2013 at 4:59 pm

    one bowl is good!
    need to share these in my friday link roundup!

  7. Sue says

    April 23, 2013 at 3:57 pm

    I'm always interested in a simple home made brownie recipe. I can't believe I never tried these. My husband is a big fan of brownies and he tends to like them without too many add ins or stuff on top.

Peanut Butter Fudge Jumbles recipe baked in a 9-inch square Pampered Chef stoneware pan.

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I'm Anna, and welcome to Cookie Madness. To learn more about me, check the About page.

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