Super fudgy and dense cocoa brownies are gooey on the inside, have a crinkly top, and are made with just 6 ingredients in under 30 minutes! This easy recipe makes the BEST brownies and is the only brownie recipe you will ever need.

I’ve got a super-easy yet DELICIOUS fudgy brownie recipe for you today. Brownies can’t get any fudgier or easier to make than this folks!

These brownies are fudgy, dense, rich, and super chocolate and with just a few basic ingredients and 30 minutes of your time, you’ve got yourself a batch of brownies that is out of this world!

They’re so chocolaty and delicious my only worry is eating the whole batch right out of the oven…

The super fudgy interior along with the crispy crinkle top is a combo made in heaven and will become your new favorite brownies!

A few years back I was hooked on boxed brownie mix and to be honest I thought they were “alright”. I mainly used the mix because it’s very easy to use because the thought of making brownies from scratch terrified me. Turns out, it’s not hard at all!

It may take any extra step making it from scratch but I swear it tastes 1 billion times better and once you try it you will NEVER EVER go back to brownie mix again!

Like I said, these brownies are simple and easy to make. The entire brownie mixture will be made in the pot or bowl you decide to melt your butter.

To save yourself time and effort, melt the butter in the same bowl that you will be mixing the brownie mix in. I like to use a glass microwave-safe mixing bowl so I can go right in to add the rest of the ingredients after melting the butter.

After melting the butter add the sugar and cocoa and stir until fully combined. Then add the eggs, vanilla, flour, and salt; mix and you’re done!

If you like you can now add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, nuts, m&m’s, marshmallows, Reese’s or whatever your heart desires!

TIP FOR MAKING THE BEST FUDGE BROWNIES

Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing the batter will allow air to get trapped in the batter and will result in cakey brownies.

Don’t overbake the brownies. If you are looking for fudgy brownies then remove them from the oven when the sides have begun to shrink away from the sides of the pan but the center is still gooey.

Cool before cutting. As hard as it may be, resist the urge to cut the brownies right out of the oven. Instead, cool them to room temperature or place them in the fridge to cool for at least an hour before cutting into them. This extra step will result in perfect professional cuts.

If you’re like me and you love CHOCOLATE, then do yourself a favor and chop up 4 oz of baking chocolate and stir them into the batter. This will take the brownies (which are already AMAZING) to the next level and make them EVEN BETTER.

 

4.70 from 616 votes

Easy One Bowl Fudgy Cocoa Brownies

By: Layla
Super fudgy and dense cocoa brownies are gooey on the inside, have a crinkly top, and are made with just 6 ingredients in under 30 minutes! This easy recipe makes the BEST brownies and is the only brownie recipe you will ever need.
Prep5 minutes
Cook20 minutes
Total25 minutes
Servings 16

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup butter, or oil
  • 1 cup sugar, see note
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, preferably, dutch processed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt, leave out if using salted butter
  • 1/2 cup favorite adds-ins , (chopped dark chocolate, chocolate chips or walnut)

Instructions 

  • Pre-heat oven to 350F. Grease an 8x8 square pan or a 9x5 loaf pan or line with parchment or foil; set aside.
  • In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, add the butter and microwave for 1 minute or until completely melted. Add the sugar and cocoa powder and whisk vigorously for at least a minute, until the sugar has dissolved.
  • Add eggs one at a time then vanilla and whisk for at least 1 minute, until well combined and batter is shiny.
  • Stir in flour and salt until the flour is fully combined. Be careful not to overmix mix.
  • (optional) fold in 1/2 cup of nuts, raisins, chocolate chips or anything you desire.
  • Spread in pan and bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the center is slightly set.  Be careful not to over-bake!
  • Cool completely then cut into 9 large squares or 16 small squares ( I cut mine into 16)

Video

Notes

For EXTRA gooey brownies: Add 1 tablespoon oil of choice to the batter along with the butter.
For espresso flavor: add 1 teaspoon of instant coffee or espresso powder to boost the chocolate flavor.
Doubling the recipe: This recipe also doubles well in a 9x13 pan or 9x9 pan, add 5-7 minutes of baking time. To double, adjust the serving size above to 32. 
The sweetness: The recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar; feel free to use between 3/4 cup - 1 1/4 cup depending on your personal preference! 
Don't over-bake. Be sure to bake these brownies for no more than 20-25 minutes. Overbaking the brownies will make them dry and cakey.
The serving size: we cut the brownies into 16 small brownies and the serving size is per brownie. To cut into larger brownies, cut into 9 large pieces.

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie, Calories: 128kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 36mg, Sodium: 96mg, Potassium: 53mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 207IU, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brownies,, cocoa, easy, fudge, gooey, quick
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680 Comments

  1. Yummy and super easy! These brownies turned out perfect! They are buttery moist.

  2. I got the same result and I added extra oil. Thinking I over mixed since I’ve never had an issue before now.

  3. How long did you cook it for and how big of pan because that can easily change the texture.

  4. Made these today after having used box mixes for years (I don’t consider myself much of a baker) . Needles to say, there’s no comparison, this recipe is rich and full of flavor, outstanding. I used the 1 C of sugar as suggested and added 1/2 C of semi-sweet morsels and 1/2 C of chopped walnuts. Made in an 8 x 8 glass pan at 350°, took 23 minutes for edges to be more well done and center more gooey as you would expect. I will be making again and again..

    1. I am baking these for the second time I loved them so much they came out wonderful and taste even better my new go to noe

  5. These were really delicious. As for the commenter claiming there were no proper directions…did they scroll down all the way?

  6. These were great! I use glass pans to bake so always adjust the temp for that. I started with 22 minutes at 325deg and added a few minutes at a time until they were done. I think it worked out to around 33minutes. I also sprayed the pan with PAM before baking. Thanks!

  7. wow how is everyone rating this as great? i also stood by the stove, kept putting it back in, as the insides were so raw, my girls hated it! said its just raw! ok so i put back in, took forever, got the crusty top, but even after cooled, (when raw and after cooking longer) , each time they just break!! looked like a crumble mess more than anything!!! so i want to know how others are enjoying this? please inform me what i did wrong, followed the actual recipe to a t…………..22 minutes certainly not enough. used glass pan with measurements. yet 30 and more minutes, just hardened it till li could not cut it. i tried letting it cool at 30 but it was still yucky raw inside!! is that what everyone is calling gooey yummy? ok need another recipe for sure! jackie way

  8. This recipe is awesome for the improvising or recipe editing Baker! I made them a bit Christmassy by adding some eggnog instead of the oil and subbed out 1/4 sugar for brown sugar. Also added a bit of baking powder as your recipe didnt include any rising agents beyond egg and I like em fluffy and gooey. They look absolutely delish cant wait to taste em!

  9. Any option of using gluten free flour or something like almond flour? I love this recipe but want to make it gluten free?

    1. This recipe can definitely be made gluten free. Just be aware of how your choice of flour alternative acts. I personally would reccomend almond or coconut flour as a replacement.

  10. I love these! This is what I did exactly, and they came out perfect.

    Glass 8×8 pan, sprayed with nonstick olive oil spray. Used 1 full cup of sugar and added 1/4C semi sweet chocolate chips. Cooked for 30 minutes!

    We tried 25 at first but I assume the glass made it take so long. We just kept checking, and 30 minutes ended up being perfect!

  11. This is such a great recipe. I added half a cup of chocolate chips and it tasted amazing. Thank you so much!!

    1. I made this recipe for the first time this weekend and they turned out amazing!! This is my new go to recipe! I doubled everything except the vanilla, I added a full tablespoon and added the optional oil as well. I also added some chocolate chips. I ended up needing to bake it for about 35mins or so (I just stood by the oven periodically checking after the timer went off after the original 27 min) they were perfectly gooey and chocolatey and just an amazing treat! Thank you again for this recipe!!

  12. wanna share the recipe you normally use? looking for a good recipe for christmas baking:) dont trust the reviews on this

  13. I followed the recipie exactly. Super dry, the top wasnt crackly. It gets a 2 because it doesnt taste the worst

  14. Incredible delicious the first time. The second time i add almond extract and it blow my mind. Thank you so much for the recipe

  15. This recipe is absolutely amazing!!! Highly recommend! Very delicious. Thank you so much for sharing! Plan on making time and time again💗

  16. I am making my granddaughter her very first cookbook. It’s so hard to find simple yet tasty recipes. I would love to hear more recipes that are homemade yet simple to prepare.

  17. Delicious flavor-I had no issues with the cook time but did not get the crinkle top-any suggestions? Will definitely make these again!

  18. Just made these brownies . Excellent flavor, easy and quick to make. Baked 22 minutes and had added nuts. Will use again. Fudgey and very chocolates.

    1. AAMAZING! Only problem was that the top didn’t crisp up but will definitely make it again.

        1. This recipe contains no strong rising agents beyond egg. To get your brownies to rise I suggest adding 1/4 a teaspoon of baking powder or soda (both would work here).

  19. Mine turned out cakey and not fudgy. I followed recipe exactly but feel like 1 egg instead of 2 would’ve worked much better. Ill make them again using 1 egg to see the result.

    1. Less egg would make them more dry try adding a tablespoon of oil that should help

    2. I lost this recipe. I used to use it growing up and love it. Thank you for sharing! Amazing brownies!! Will add this to my cookbook.

  20. This recipe came out great! We added chocolate chips and baked for 22 minutes. This is a perfectly fudgy brownie. Comments complaining about lack of rise are peculiar as this recipe is for brownies – it’s not meant to be a fluffy chocolate cake! I searched specifically for a recipe that uses cocoa powder rather than baking chocolate and I’m glad to have found this one. Thanks!

  21. So easy to make, simple REAL ingredients. Very tasty even though they were not crinkly on top and were flat. Any suggestions? I baked for 20 minutes, no need to bake any longer Will definitely make again

  22. Mine are in the oven now; can’t wait to try them. I had to make a few changes, so any errors are mine. Great recipe!

    1. Just amazing. I tried it tonight because I was craving some chocolate and I’m not a big fan of really sweet things (like Nutella) . I ate half a pan alone and I plan on eating more with my coffee in the morning if my boyfriend won’t devour it all while I’m asleep. 😍❤️🤭

  23. ….and then you put them over a layer of cherry pie filling and bake…….

  24. Hi this is so amazing and I have already tried it!!! But may I ask if I can bake this in a convection oven (fan on)? And for how long? I wanted to do two batches at the same time but my pans didn’t fit in the same layer. I’m afraid to put one lower than the middle layer as it might not cook the same as the other. Hoping for a reply. Thanks!!!

    1. So glad you enjoyed them. I haven’t tried them in a convention of so I really can’t say, sorry!

      1. The recipe says 1/2 cup melted butter or one stick. I think 1 stick of butter is one cup. Which to use?

        1. One stick of butter = one half cup of butter. You would need two sticks if you wanted a full cup of butter

            1. Just made these! I followed the directions exactly , except I halved everything because I didn’t want to make as many.( It really is one bowl, as I was able to mix everything inside a 16oz Pyrex measuring cup!! )It doesn’t get any easier than that)They are very tasty and fudgy, better than a boxed mix that’s for sure.

          1. Best recipe i ever tried. I had to convert the measures to EU but it was so worth it. I loved your advice and it turned out great. I added a spoon of coconut oil and walnuts. thanks!

    1. You possibly may have had the oven to hot,wrong setting or baked them for too long
      Or may have have overmixed them because I found this recipe amazing and fudgy

    2. This recipe was an absolute hit!! I am requested to make them again tonight. I am wondering though, how much peppermint extract I should add to make them into peppermint/candy cane brownies? Thanks!

  25. These are So good!!I usually only have to bake them for 18 minutes.

    1. Easy to make & in the oven now. I doubled the recipe & used a 9×13 cake pan. Lickng the bowl, I already know the flavor is amazing. Let you know when they are done & how long baked. Also, how the family likes them. More to come!

  26. So so excited to try this recipe!! I see the other comments vary from good to bad, but I think that after trying the recipe a few times to perfect it, it would be amazing!

  27. oh my goodness! these were delicious. they were ultra fudgy and so delicious and quick! thank you so much for sharing this recipe!

    1. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review! I’m glad you enjoyed them 🙂

  28. So easy and SO DAMN GOOD?! This is the best thing I ever baked.

  29. I made these a few weeks ago and added the oil with the butter yummy fudgey brownies making them again today adding chocolate chips and walnuts

  30. Just wondering if I can use oil in this recipe instead of butter….

  31. These are brownies not a cake so they should not be cakey. Sorry, you did not enjoy the recipe anyway :/

  32. Hi, I noticed it didn’t state how much flour to use, I tried 1 cup and it turn out cakey. It also doesn’t have the goey on top. Can someone advise the amount of flour to use? Thanks.

    1. The flour is listed in the ingredient list under the vanilla. Please let me know if you are still unable to find it!

  33. These brownies were amazing! We loved them! I was worried when I read the reviews while they were in the oven, but they turned out great. Crinkled top and all. Very rich and full of chocolatey wonderfulness. Thank you and I will make these again.

  34. I had the same problem. My brownies were very flat and small.

    1. I’m not sure what went wrong. What size baking dish did you use?

      1. this recipe is quite good…I guess. they were very flat so I would recommend adding half a teaspoon of baking soda and half a teaspoon of baking powder and they turn out great. also, recommend using 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup oil if you want a crackle top.i give this recccipe a 3 because I did have to make some adjustments !

  35. I didn’t get the crinkly top (and it didn’t matter) but these are easy and delicious as advertised and only get better after a couple of days in the fridge. The second time I made them, we went slightly light on the sugar (maybe 4/5 of a cup) and added dark chocolate chips (1 cup) which I highly recommend, although my daughter prefers them without. Excellent recipe!

  36. These are so chocolately – it’s wonderful. The texture is melt-in-your mouth good! We loved them. And the tip about melting the butter first so they are truly one-bowl really takes these over the top. Instant chocolate fix. Thanks!!

  37. I was skeptical because of some of the comments and the lack of any baking soda or powder, but these turned out very nicely! I added 1/2 cup of chopped pecans and 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips. The only issue was at 22 minutes they were no where NEAR done. I did ten more minutes, then five more minutes. That seemed to be a good amount of time! Will def make again because it’s a super easy recipe.