Homemade Brownies Recipe: Easy Brownies From Scratch

Brownies are a baked chocolate dessert with a fudgy or cakey texture. First-time brownie makers might benefit from understanding how the ratio of ingredients impacts the final product. Chewy, fudgy brownies use more brown sugar than white sugar, whereas a brownie recipe that uses more white sugar will result in crispier edges and a firmer center.

For cakey brownies, add more flour, which will absorb the wet ingredients, and more baking powder, which will encourage lift and create air pockets as they bake. Ultimately, the difference in texture comes down to personal preference—for some, the perfect brownie is a chewy, fudgy brownie recipe, while for others, the best brownie recipe resembles the texture of a chocolate cake.

Homemade brownies are full of chocolate flavor but can also be a good base for other flavors and textures. Here are five ideas for customizing homemade fudge brownies or dressing up a boxed brownie mix:

1. 1. Add chocolate chips to the brownie batter. White chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or semisweet chocolate chips add more chocolate flavor to brownies. Many brownie recipes also call for unsweetened cocoa powder as the main chocolate component, so adding chocolate chunks makes the brownies even more chocolaty. In a small mixing bowl, toss the chocolate with a little flour so the chocolate suspends in the brownie batter instead of sinking to the bottom. Alternatively, crumble chocolate chip cookies to sprinkle over the brownies during their last few minutes in the oven.
2. 2. Make a frosting to finish the brownies. Buttercream frosting is a great way to add more flavor and sweetness to already delicious brownies. Make peanut butter, strawberry, chocolate, or regular vanilla buttercream to spread over the baked and cooled brownies.
3. 3. Mix an instant espresso powder into the brownie batter. To add a kick of caffeine and deepen the chocolate flavor, add espresso powder or brewed coffee to the wet ingredients of an easy recipe or box mix. Allow the espresso powder to dissolve in the melted butter to prevent clumps or granules in the final batter.
4. 4. Mix toasted nuts into the brownie batter. Pecans, walnuts, or peanuts will add crunch and a salty note to chocolate brownies. Toast walnuts or another type of nut, then mix them right into the batter or sprinkle them over the top of the batter before you bake it. The nuts settle into the brownies as they bake.
5. 5. Swirl your favorite flavor into the brownie batter. For many, the best homemade brownies are those that reflect their specific taste preferences. That said, peanut butter, cheesecake batter, melted chocolate, fruit jam, and caramel are a few of the many different flavors you can mix into your favorite brownies for additional taste and texture. When swirling anything into your brownie batter, do so after the base brownie batter is in the baking dish. Use a toothpick or wooden skewer to swirl around the additional ingredient, making sure the tip touches the bottom of the pan. This distributes the flavor throughout each brownie. Certain additions might add a few minutes to the total baking time.