Name: Chewy Chocolate Brownies recipe
Ingredients: Unsalted Butter: 1 cup (2 sticks or 227g), melted; Granulated Sugar: 1 ¾ cups (350g); Light Brown Sugar: ½ cup (100g), packed; Large Eggs: 4, at room temperature; Vanilla Extract: 2 teaspoons, pure; Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: ¾ cup (75g), good quality (Dutch-process or natural will work, Dutch-process often gives a darker color and richer flavor); All-Purpose Flour: 1 ¼ cups (150g), spooned and leveled; Salt: 1 teaspoon; Semi-Sweet or Bittersweet Chocolate Chips or Chunks: 1 ½ cups (255g), plus an optional ½ cup for sprinkling on top; Optional Add-ins: Chopped Walnuts or Pecans: 1 cup; Espresso Powder: 1-2 teaspoons (dissolved in the melted butter or vanilla extract to intensify chocolate flavor); Melted Butter: Using melted butter (rather than creamed softened butter) is key for a chewier, fudgier brownie.; Sugars: The combination of granulated and brown sugar contributes to both chewiness (brown sugar due to its molasses content) and a lovely crust.; Eggs: Four eggs provide structure and richness, also contributing to the chewy texture. Room temperature eggs incorporate better.; Cocoa Powder vs. Melted Chocolate: This recipe primarily uses cocoa powder for its intense chocolate flavor, supplemented by chocolate chips/chunks for gooey pockets of melted chocolate. If you prefer an even deeper chocolate base, you can replace some of the cocoa powder and butter with 4-6 ounces of melted unsweetened or bittersweet baking chocolate.; Flour: Using just enough flour is crucial. Too much flour leads to a cakey brownie. Always spoon your flour into the measuring cup and level it off.

Ingredients

- Unsalted Butter: 1 cup (2 sticks or 227g), melted

- Granulated Sugar: 1 ¾ cups (350g)

- Light Brown Sugar: ½ cup (100g), packed

- Large Eggs: 4, at room temperature

- Vanilla Extract: 2 teaspoons, pure

- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: ¾ cup (75g), good quality (Dutch-process or natural will work, Dutch-process often gives a darker color and richer flavor)

- All-Purpose Flour: 1 ¼ cups (150g), spooned and leveled

- Salt: 1 teaspoon

- Semi-Sweet or Bittersweet Chocolate Chips or Chunks: 1 ½ cups (255g), plus an optional ½ cup for sprinkling on top

- Optional Add-ins:
  - - Chopped Walnuts or Pecans: 1 cup
  - - Espresso Powder: 1-2 teaspoons (dissolved in the melted butter or vanilla extract to intensify chocolate flavor)

A Note on Ingredients:

- Melted Butter: Using melted butter (rather than creamed softened butter) is key for a chewier, fudgier brownie.

- Sugars: The combination of granulated and brown sugar contributes to both chewiness (brown sugar due to its molasses content) and a lovely crust.

- Eggs: Four eggs provide structure and richness, also contributing to the chewy texture. Room temperature eggs incorporate better.

- Cocoa Powder vs. Melted Chocolate: This recipe primarily uses cocoa powder for its intense chocolate flavor, supplemented by chocolate chips/chunks for gooey pockets of melted chocolate. If you prefer an even deeper chocolate base, you can replace some of the cocoa powder and butter with 4-6 ounces of melted unsweetened or bittersweet baking chocolate.

- Flour: Using just enough flour is crucial. Too much flour leads to a cakey brownie. Always spoon your flour into the measuring cup and level it off.

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Instructions

1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan thoroughly with butter or non-stick cooking spray. For easier removal and cleanup, line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides to act as “handles.” Grease the parchment paper as well.

1. Melt Butter: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat. If you’re using espresso powder, you can whisk it into the hot melted butter now until dissolved.

1. Combine Wet Ingredients (Part 1 – Sugars & Butter): Pour the melted butter into a large mixing bowl. Add the granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar. Whisk vigorously for about 1-2 minutes until well combined and slightly glossy. The mixture might look a bit grainy, which is fine.

1. Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla: Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition until fully incorporated and the batter is smooth and slightly thickened. After the last egg, whisk vigorously for another minute. This step helps create that desirable crinkly top. Stir in the pure vanilla extract.

1. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and salt. Whisking ensures there are no lumps, especially from the cocoa powder, and that the salt is evenly distributed.

1. Add Dry to Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredient mixture. Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold the dry ingredients in until just combined. Be very careful not to overmix at this stage. Overmixing develops gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough or cakey brownies instead of chewy ones. Stop mixing when you see just a few streaks of flour remaining.

1. Fold in Chocolate Chips/Chunks (and Nuts if using): Gently fold in 1 ½ cups of chocolate chips or chunks (and nuts, if using) until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. Again, do not overmix.

1. Spread Batter in Pan: Pour the brownie batter into the prepared 9×13 inch baking pan. Use the spatula to spread it evenly into all corners. If desired, sprinkle the optional ½ cup of extra chocolate chips evenly over the top of the batter.

1. Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven on the middle rack. Bake for 28-35 minutes. The baking time can vary depending on your oven and the type of pan used (metal pans tend to bake faster than glass).
  - - The Toothpick Test for Chewy Brownies: To check for doneness, insert a wooden toothpick into the center of the brownies. For chewy brownies, you want the toothpick to come out with moist, fudgy crumbs attached, but not wet batter. If it comes out clean, the brownies are likely overbaked and will be drier and more cake-like. Start checking around the 28-minute mark. The edges should look set and slightly pulled away from the sides of the pan, and the top should have that beautiful crinkly sheen.

1. Cool Completely (Crucial Step!): Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. This is perhaps the most challenging step due to the incredible aroma, but you must let the brownies cool completely in the pan before cutting them. This usually takes at least 2-3 hours, or even longer. Cooling allows the brownies to set properly, developing their chewy texture and making them much easier to cut into neat squares. Cutting them while warm will result in a gooey, messy (though still delicious) experience. For even cleaner cuts, you can chill them in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes after they’ve cooled to room temperature.

1. Cut and Serve: Once completely cooled, use the parchment paper overhangs to lift the entire brownie slab out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Use a large, sharp knife to cut them into squares. For the cleanest cuts, wipe the knife clean with a damp paper towel between each cut.

Nutrition

Serving Size: one normal portion
Calories: 250-300