18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (2024)

With no ritual initiation into adulthood, it can be hard to know when you've definitely made it. Figuring out your go-to, awesome-every-time brownie recipe is a pretty good sign you're there, though. Forget saving for retirement; your future depends on knowing your exact ratio of gooey to cakey or sweet to fudgy. And there's only one way to truly know your heart when it comes to brownies. You have to make a bunch of different kinds and try them. You've got to be sure. This is important.

1. Gluten-Free Brownies Topped with Caramel and Peanuts

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (1)

If peanut brittle died and went to gluten-free brownie heaven, you'd get these delicious squares of perfection. Total chocolate transcendence awaits.

Get the recipe on Beard and Bonnet

2. The Best Chewy Brownies

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (2)

The world of cookies and bars divides most people into two distinct categories: cakey or chewy. If you like cakey cookies or bars, so be it. If you like 'em chewy, then these are the brownies for you.

Get the recipe on An Edible Mosaic.

3. Dried Cherry and Cacao Nib Brownies

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (3)

Cacao nibs — raw, unprocessed bits of cocoa beans — are like the delicious evil twin of chocolate. They've got a hint of chocolaty bitterness and satisfying crunch. Pair them with chewy, tart cherries and you've got something special.

Get the recipe on Brooklyn Supper.

4. Two-Ingredient Nutella Brownies

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (4)

If this is your first foray into making your own brownies, it doesn't get much easier than these brownies made from just Nutella and eggs. And while they're really easy, they're also really delicious.

Get the recipe on Diethood.

5. Peanut Butter Cup Brownies

As far as candy goes, few confections are as beloved as peanut butter cups, so it's not surprising in the least that brownies inspired by everyone's favorite candy are off-the-hook amazing.

Get the recipe on Texan Erin.

6. Gluten-Free Blueberry Citrus Marble Brownies

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (6)

Blueberries and chocolate may seem like an unlikely combination, but take one bite of these rich brownies with the tang of fresh fruit and you'll be a believer.

Get the recipe on Eat the Love.

7. Garbanzo Bean Brownies

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (7)

Behold, gluten-free brownies that rock. Just maybe mention the whole garbanzo bean thing after everyone's taken their first bites.

Get the recipe on Fit Foodie Finds.

8. Bakery-Style Frosted Brownies

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (8)

There's almost nothing these super delicious frosted brownies can't do. Consider them your secret weapon when asking for a raise, winning hearts, or convincing your roommate that you should get the bigger bedroom in your new place.

Get the recipe on An Edible Mosaic.

9. Skinny Brownies

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (9)

All the brownie, none of the butter. To make these fluffy bites of chocolate heaven, just combine brownie mix and Sprite. Sounds a little crazy, but it totally works.

Get the recipe on Diethood.

10. Cherry Lambic Brownies

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (10)

Lambic is a wonderfully sweet and sour Belgian beer that happens to be the perfect complement to chocolate. And when you add it to your brownies? You get rich, fudgy, cherry-chocolate awesome.

Get the recipe on Oh My Veggies.

11. One-Bowl Brownies

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (11)

I think we can all agree that the very best brownies are the ones with the very shortest time from batter to in your mouth. Not only are these one-bowl brownies fast as all get-out, they have a quick clean up too.

Get the recipe on Jen's Favorite Cookies.

12. Julia Child's Best-Ever Brownies

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (12)

These squares of perfection are crisp on the edges and totally gooily delicious on the inside. Clearly, Julia Child does not mess around.

Get the recipe on This Week for Dinner.

13. Nutella Swirled Peanut Butter Bars

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (13)

It's a common dilemma: your peanut butter isn't Nutella-y enough, and your Nutella isn't peanut butter-y enough. Guess what? These brownies have a swirl of each, so you can finally have it all.

Get the recipe on Jen's Favorite Cookies.

14. Salted Caramel Pretzel Brownies

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (14)

The inclusion of salty, crunchy pretzels makes this savory-sweet brownie recipe totally snack-worthy; caramel makes it insanely awesome.

Get the recipe on Foodness Gracious.

15. Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (15)

Super dark chocolaty brownies team up with creamy pumpkin-infused cheesecake for a little taste of autumn you can enjoy any time of year.

Get the recipe on Eat the Love.

16. Best Brownies Ever

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Yep. Best-ever. If you're going to go to the trouble of making brownies, they may as well be the best-ever brownies.

Get the recipe on Happy Food Healthy Life.

17. Hazelnut Liqueur Dark Chocolate Brownies

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (17)

Wanna show off? Start by making your own hazelnut liqueur (bonkers, right?), then make brownies with said liqueur. Boozy brownies. I think you see where this is going.

Get the recipe on Vintage Kitchen Notes.

18. Raw Brownie Chews

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These are not technically brownies, as you may have figured out by the fact that they're raw. But they're brownie-like in flavor, relatively healthy, and work well for people who are bad bakers (because there's no baking). Hey, you've got to start somewhere.

Get the recipe on Fit Foodie Finds.

Elizabeth Stark is a food writer with a passion for seasonal food, great desserts, and inadvisable wine pairings. Read more on her blog, Brooklyn Supper.

Follow Elizabeth on Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook.

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (19)

Elizabeth Stark

Elizabeth Stark is a food writer with a passion for seasonal food, great desserts, and inadvisable wine pairings. Read more on her blog, Brooklyn Supper.

18 Swoon-Worthy Brownie Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you use milk instead of water in brownie mix? ›

One change is to use milk or heavy cream instead of water. This change will make brownies more moist and gooey since milk is more fatty and flavorful than water. A second change is to use butter instead of oil. For similar reasons to using milk, butter adds a rich and more decadent quality to the batter.

What does adding an extra egg to brownie mix do? ›

If you want to get a little more creative with your brownie mix hacks, add an extra egg to the batter. The extra protein will help thicken up the batter and make it fluffier, creating a more decadent, fudgy texture. You can also add the yolk by itself in addition to the 2 eggs a box brownie mix typically calls for.

Why do I love brownies so much? ›

First, brownies are plain addictive.

It isn't too soft and fluffy like a chocolate cake, and it's never tough and dry. We load our brownies with chocolate and butter and great eggs so they remain deliciously seductive for many months.

How to pimp brownies? ›

Crushed potato chips, pretzels, and salted nuts stirred in or sprinkled on before baking can add textural interest, plus a little savoriness that can make the rich chocolate flavor more pronounced. A shower of sea salt or flaky salt like Maldon over baked brownies before slicing makes for a dramatic, sparkly finish.

What happens if you use butter instead of oil in brownies? ›

the butter brownies actually had a fudgier texture. they were softer, and they really just melted in your mouth. they also had that shiny crust and just better flavor, whereas the oil brownies were actually chewier.

Are brownies better with butter or oil? ›

In brownies, both butter and oil will offer a moist, tender texture, but only butter will give the dish the aeration needed for rising brownies well. If you use a cake brownie, butter is a better option because it helps rise the batter. For denser, fudge type brownies, oil is permissable.

What makes brownies fudgy vs cakey? ›

Fudgy brownies have a higher fat-to-flour ratio than cakey ones. So add more fat—in this case, butter and chocolate. A cakey batch has more flour and relies on baking powder for leavening. The amount of sugar and eggs does not change whether you're going fudgy or cakey.

How to level up boxed brownies? ›

add mix-ins!

Any chopped candy, nut or dried fruit (or a combo!) will work, but don't stop there! After you pour the batter into the pan, dollop your favorite topping or spread and give it all a pretty swirl! Think Nutella, Biscoff, jams/preserves and nut or seed butter are just some of the delicious options.

Should you use brown sugar in brownies? ›

Getting the perfect crust for you means choosing a recipe with just the right proportions of granulated and brown sugars. More brown sugar leads to dense brownies with incredible depth of flavor, but the additional moisture can cause their upper crust to be more solid than delicate as a result.

What age do girls stop going to brownies? ›

Rainbows move up to Brownies aged 7. Brownies move up to Guides aged 10. Guides move up to Rangers aged 14.

How unhealthy is a brownie? ›

Since brownies are not nutritionally dense, they are not usually regarded as a healthy food. However, brownies do have some health benefits that might be surprising due to their chocolate content. Chocolate is a source of antioxidants and has been found to help lower blood pressure and increase good cholesterol levels.

What does brownies do to your body? ›

Brownies are a great source of protein and fiber, which helps you feel full longer. Protein also works as an appetite suppressant, so you won't be as tempted to snack on unhealthy foods later on in the day. There are so many reasons why adding brownies to your diet is a great idea. First of all, they're delicious!

What is the best thing to add to brownies? ›

All the mix-ins

Experiment with pretzels, candy, or even potato chips (trust me, the salty crunch really is so good here) to add an extra boost of flavor and a crunchy texture. For a really fun addition that adds a ton of color, stir some strawberries or blueberries into the batter.

What oil is best for brownies? ›

When baking brownies it's best to use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil with complimentary flavor profiles. Extra virgin products offer much better health benefits than ordinary oils. This is due to the high levels of antioxidants, including polyphenols, in extra virgin products.

What happens if you use milk instead of water in baking? ›

Yes, you may make cakes with milk instead of water. Because fat provides richness and solidity to the cake, milk can increase the cake's moisture content and flavor. 1) Use the same quantity of milk as water called for in the recipe.

What happens if you substitute milk for water in a cake mix? ›

Baking tip #2: adding milk to your box cake mix in place of water adds a dense texture to your dessert leaving it moist and flavorful like a homemade cake. Or, if you prefer, you can add buttermilk, giving your cake a tangy flavor to balance out the sweetness.

Can I substitute milk for water in Duncan Hines brownie mix? ›

Yes! Doing so can actually give brownies a richer flavor and a creamier texture. If you are using a boxed brownie mix, here's exactly how to swap out milk for water and get amazing results!

How to make brownie mix more chewy? ›

The path to brownies with a fudgy, chewy center — so dense their crumb becomes fine enough to almost (but not quite) disappear — is the combination of melted butter and sugar. Cookbook author Jesse Szewczyk details the science behind using melted (rather than solid) butter in cookies in the secret to fudgier cookies.

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