I make brownies all the time. They’re probably my favorite dessert, and they’re definitely one of my partner’s favorites. Yet, somehow, I’ve never managed to post just a plain old brownie recipe. Oh, I’ve posted plenty of brownie-adjacent recipes:
Just a plain old from-scratch brownie recipe, though? Well, there’s a first time for everything.
I’m a big fan of fudgey brownies, so these are thick, rich, soft, and decadent. If you want them a little chewier, you can cook them a couple of minutes longer. I’m also a fan of flexible recipes, so this one can be used to customize your brownies in a bunch of different ways. This recipe is super quick and simple to throw together, you can have it ready to go and in the oven in under 10 minutes (not counting pre-heat time, of course.)
Why do I call these boring brownies? They’re just simple, is all. They’re not decorated, they aren’t layered or swirled, they’re just a good, easy brownie recipe. I don’t think you’ll find them boring at all.
The Mix-Ins
My recipe below calls for adding in cherries, because I’ve recently been adding cherries to things and I think it’s delicious. But, that brings me to one of the main elements of flexibility in this recipe: the mix-ins.
If you want just plain, smooth, fudgey brownies? Don’t mix anything in. The recipe will work just fine and I guarantee you’ll love it.
If you want a little more texture and flavor to your brownies? Mix in whatever you like. You want about 3/4ths of a cup of mix-ins, whatever you want them to be. I usually do 1/4th of a cup of chocolate chips, and 1/2 of a cup of whatever else; mint chips, cinnamon chips, dried fruit, anything you like. You can even chop up a candy bar and add that!
Pro-tip: If you use parchment paper to line your baking dish in addition to greasing it, and leave a bit of extra on the sides, you’ll be able to lift the brownies right out of the pan when they’re done.
“Boring” Brownies
Equipment
- 1 9×9" Baking Dish
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 Rubber Spatula
- 1 Parchment Paper
- 1 Sifter
Ingredients
- 2 Eggs
- 1¼ Cup Brown Sugar
- ¾ Cup Flour
- ½ Cup Butter Melted
- ½ Cup Cocoa Powder
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
Mix-Ins (See Post for Options)
- ½ Cup Dried Cherries
- ¼ Cup Chocolate Chunks
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9" baking dish with a bit of butter, and line the bottom with parchment paper. I like to leave enough to hang over the sides, to easily remove the brownies later.
- Sift together your flour and cocoa powder, and set aside.
- Combine your melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.
- Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing them well each time.
- Add in the cocoa and flour and mix well. Try not to over-mix, but mix until there are no more visible clumps of dry ingredients.
- Fold in your mix-ins.
- Spread the batter evenly on the bottom of your baking dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Baking longer will make the edges chewier.
- Let cool for about 15 minutes, and you should be able to lift the brownies out using the parchment paper.