My Classic Brownie Recipe is so easy, you may never make brownies from a box again! Ten easy ingredients, no mixer required, and no need for special chocolate — unsweetened cocoa powder is all you need!
UPDATE! Watch the How to Make Brownies Video.
Ingredients for The Easiest Best Brownies Ever:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Is it frosting or icing? Many say it depends on when the topping is applied. Whatever your preference, you can use the same recipe for a fluffy frosting or a delicate icing. Sweet.
Ingredients for Icing/Frosting:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 – 3 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
chopped pecans (about 1/4 cup, optional)
NOTES: Makes a 9″x9″ pan of brownies. For best results, eggs should be at room temperature.
Directions:
Melt butter over medium-low heat.
Add melted butter to sugar and mix thoroughly.
Add two eggs and mix until smooth. Then add baking powder, salt and cocoa powder. Mix thoroughly.
Add flour to mixture and, again, combine thoroughly.
Stir in vanilla.
Preheat oven to 350(F). Prepare baking pan with non-stick foil or wax paper.
Pour batter into pan and spread. Place baking pan and batter in the freezer for about ten minutes. Then, bake for 20-25 minutes at 350(F).
See why I like this non-stick foil? It’s awesome!
WHILE THE BROWNIES ARE BAKING…
Make the frosting (or icing… whatever you want to call it). Melt butter and stir in cocoa powder until smooth. Stir in two tablespoons milk or cream. Mixture should be creamy-smooth. Run whisk through powdered sugar to remove any large clumps or lumps. Add chocolate mixture to powdered sugar and mix well.
Stir until mixture is smooth. Add vanilla and pinch of salt. Add another tablespoon of milk if needed for consistency. Frosting should be smooth and silky
TO DECORATE:
You don’t have to do this, but I carefully cut the edges to square off the brownie.
To prepare brownies with icing, spread the icing on the brownies while the brownies are still slightly warm. This will melt the topping, magically turning it into icing!
Before the icing sets up, sprinkle pecan pieces (or any chopped nut or candy) on top. Allow to rest and cut into bite sized pieces.
You can also use cookie cutters to cut the brownies into fun shapes.
To prepare brownies with frosting, wait until the brownies have cooled to room temperature before frosting. Sprinkle with nuts or candies, if desired.
MORE SWEETS!
Need some more ideas? Click an image for the complete recipe…
 Sugar Cookies |
 White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies |
 Blazin’ Creme Brulee |
 Peanut Butter Cookies |
 Chocolate Cookie Hot Fudge Sundae |
 Pudding Filled Cupcakes |
Link to the Easy Like Valentine’s Day Brownies blog post.
Brownies are a classic not only for V day! Definitively with nuts is more tasty :)
Cheers,
Gera
Oh brownies are a big downfall for me, I just can’t eat one or two or even three! I’ll skip the nuts and take double chocolate please.
I absolutely love brownies with walnuts and icing/frosting – doesn’t matter to me as long as its yummy! :D
I am such a sucker for brownies too these are great for valentine’s day!
I love your brownies with the nut topping!! :)
I love brownies without nuts! Your brownie recipe looks almost exactly like King Arthur Flour’s recipe!! That is my go-to recipe for brownies. I love the icing you added on top of them, though. Great process photos.
GREAT RECIPE, AND IT’S EASY TO FOLLOW AT HOME IN YOUR OWN KITCHEN. THANK YOU :) — THAT WAS A HUGE HELP FOR MY SCHOOL PROJECT!
great recipe. My neaces are going to LOVE this.
These brownies were good, but they were a lot more cakey and light then I expected from the pictures (which are stellar, by the way). I must have done something wrong with mine. Perhaps I make this recipe again? Any excuse to lick more brownie batter off the sides of bowls, haha.
Hi Jess, Sorry to hear the brownies were more cakey than you would have liked… I might suggest going a little easier on the flour and trying to stir the batter just till combined. Also, since oven temperatures vary, try baking them for a shorter time. I hope you give it another go– and definitely try them with the icing :) Happy New Year!!
I made a few substitutions but followed your recipe. They are soooooo delicious! Big hit!
WooHoo! So happy to hear, Kris! :)
Why do you freeze the brownie batter before you bake it?
Hi shine, It’s not a freeze, just a ten minute chill or rest :) Because I’m looking for these brownies to have fudgy consistency, I think the chill helps achieve more fudginess. Hope this helps! Happy Valentine’s Day!!
Sounds like a great recipe…is the butter salted or unsalted?
Thanks
jack
Hi jack, I use salted butter for everything :) unless noted. Hope you enjoy the brownies!
Thanks, making them tomorrow for a church event….
So exciting! Let me know how it goes! :)
Brownies turned out great! The icing was great, not too sweet, not heavy, just right. Great recipe and simple to boot. The event was a funeral, so that is what it is. But the brownies were great.
Where do you get the cool square pans?
Thank you… I’m sad for your loss. Maybe the brownies helped bring a little joy to a sad day. You sharing your experience with the brownies brought a lot of joy to my day <3
Just an update. I have made this recipe several times using a rectangular pan and they always turn out great. Yesterday made them for the church youth using my new shiny aluminum 9 x 9 pan and they turned out much fudgier. They were fantastic. I was concerned because the batter barely filled the bottom of the pan, but they rose to typical brownie height.
I also added 1 TB more melted butter for the frosting. Just because I could. :)
LOL! “just because I could” So great to know the recipe has worked out well – and congrats on the shiny new 9×9 :)