Best Ever Chewy Brownies
Best Ever Chewy Brownies have the softest center and crackly candy-like top crust. It’s one of the most sought after delights at our place, and it doesn’t matter if I load them up with toasted nuts or frost ’em. A cherished Cheery Basic recipe, be watching for lots of fun ways to switch them up, for special occasions, making them your very own!
Best Ever Chewy Brownies
I have never used a boxed brownie mix. I’ve tasted them though, yuck, because so many people use them. All the credit for my from scratch only mentality goes to my sweet friend, Frankie, a serious foodie and great cook. She made huge pans of her brownies and frosted them with thick fudge frosting. Always generous, she shared them with everyone she loved, along with her recipe. Years later when The Silver Palate Cookbook came out, their Brownies, “traditional American Brownies,” were pretty close to Frankie’s. As far as I know she was the originator, even though they are the Best Ever Chewy Brownies, they will always be “Frankie’s Brownies” to me.
So get excited cause you’re going to love these so much better than mix sweets! But first, you need to make them, so preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. and grease and flour a 9 x 13″ pan, you know I love Baker’s Joy, it’s just so fast and easy and does a great job. With an electric mixer, (my pet, use it 20 times a week), cream sugar and butter, add eggs, and vanilla mixing well. Add flour and cocoa and mix well. I always add nuts, Frankie didn’t, but I use pecans, walnuts, or almonds that I’ve toasted, if you like them too. Spread the thick batter evenly into your pan, and place in the hot oven. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack and sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar if desired.
Best Ever Chewy Brownies yields 24-2″ square brownies.
Best Ever Chewy Brownies
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Best Ever Chewy Brownies have the softest center and crackly candy-like top crust.
Author: Renée
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 24 brownies
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 sticks butter
- 4 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- ⅔ cups cocoa
- 1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- Confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease and flour a 9 x 13" pan, (I use Baker's Joy)
- Cream sugar and butter, add eggs, and vanilla mixing well.
- Add flour and cocoa and mix well.
- Add nuts if desired.
- Spread into prepared pan and place in the oven.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar if desired.
Notes
Be sure to use a toothpick to check for doneness. Oven temps vary and mine take 35 minutes.
Frankie always adds a thick layer of chocolate frosting!
Frankie always adds a thick layer of chocolate frosting!
Do you love to bake as much as I do? If so, what’s your specialty? Thanks for reading and please pin with us. It’s a great way for all of us to share.
We're Alison and Renée, and we're so glad you've joined us! Our kitchens are our happy place, where we're whipping up memories. Get comfy and check things out. We hope you find inspiring dishes and ways to better your life. Feeling optimistic, trying new things and sharing with those we love brings joy in all we do. It's time to cook, create and celebrate. CHEERS! 
Love brownies and Best Ever, just says try me. Hope you’re having a wonderful holiday season!
Thanks Julie, yeah, you gotta try these!
Renée recently posted…Cheers! Breakfast
You had me at brownies. I love chewy brownies the most. This recipe sounds perfect for me to try out!
Us too, they have to be chewy, so please let us know what you think. Thanks Heather.
Renée recently posted…Cheers! Breakfast
My favorite dessert! I only ever make brownies with walnuts, gotta have that crunch in there!
We are nut lovers too, enjoy Amy!
Renée recently posted…Cheers! Breakfast
I’ll try them in a vegan version, thanks for sharing!
Yes, that would be great!
These look absolutely delicious, and I always thing walnuts should be added!
I agree, Freya! I love walnuts!
I love a good chewy brownie! I’ll definitely have to try my hand at making these.
So hoping you enjoy them as much as we do Kaley!
Renée recently posted…Cheers! Breakfast
This looks amazing and I just downloaded the recipe card! Can’t wait to try it!
Thanks, Erica! I am so glad you like it!
This brownies look so rich and decadent. Unfortunately I cannot have sugar or flour but my children can still benefit from this recipe!
We are crying for you Trish, we hope the kids love them!
Renée recently posted…Cheers! Breakfast
Looks so tasty, I’m being obsessed with sweet food. I must try this. And it’s not too difficult to make.
Easy and so good, try away!
ALWAYS better to make things homemade (I’m a brownie girl too 😀 )
YUM, thanks Andrea, welcome to our club!
Nom Nom Nom…Brownies, Chocolate, Gorgeous, Will show my baker son!
Send him over, we need a baker son!
These sound great! My family loves brownies, they never last more than a day at our house. I will try this recipe out!!
Thanks and enjoy Deanna!
Love brownies and I miss having them at home. I like brownies with big chunks of chocolate and a ton of macadamian nuts.
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Oh I’m liking what you like! Sounds wonderful.
Renée recently posted…Grilled Mojo Chicken
My family loves brownies!! I bet they would love these.
Oh I hope so Jacqui, we sure love your fun blog! Thanks.
I have never made brownies and this recipe sounds like a great one to start with. looks delicious!
How exciting Agnes, we love having newbies join us in the kitchen. This is an easy, basic, fabulous brownie and we’d love to hear about your first time, thanks!
I always want my cookie or brownie chewy. I dont bake though. The boys and I only make no-bake cookies and brownies and pies. We dont have an oven at home, and we need to visit my mom and borrow her oven should we want to bake. This is something worth trying as we love munching cookies and brownies at home.
These are worth a trip to Mom’s oven Berlin! Cheers to you and the boys.
Renée recently posted…Grilled Mojo Chicken
I think a good brownie has to be slightly chewy otherwise it’s basically like thick chocolate cake! Haven’t seen a recipe for chewy ones before so this will be very useful for me 🙂
Amen Laura, that is a great description. I guess that’s why they’re called cakey brownies!
Renée recently posted…Grilled Mojo Chicken
Chewy brownies are always so tasty and satisfying. I’m not a big fan of brownies but I like the chewy kind.
Awesome, enjoy these Elizabeth!
Renée recently posted…Grilled Mojo Chicken
I love brownies and the chewy the better in my opinion! Although I am the worst at making them!! Right now I’m on a sugar ban so maybe when I lift it I’ll give these a go! As always a brilliant recipe from you!
Thanks so much Georgia!
Renée recently posted…Grilled Mojo Chicken
Fantastic! I wanna grab this one it looks delicious and tasty.
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It would be so great if we could just serve you up a little virtual sample Nicole!
Renée recently posted…Grilled Mojo Chicken
I loooooove chocolate, but avoid preparing brownies at home as so far they have never tasted fantastic… Will definitely give this one a try! If I use whole wheat flour, should I make any adjustment to the recipe?
These brownies are the BEST recipe I have ever had and that is saying a lot! I have never tried them with whole wheat flour so I can’t tell you what adjustments to make off hand. 🙂
Renata, whole-wheat flour will make your baked products denser and heavier than all-purpose flour does. Substituting whole wheat flour for white flour takes a little experimentation, but you will almost always be successful if you use ¾ cup of whole wheat flour to replace 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Have you ever tried baking with white whole wheat flour? It’s a little lighter, less dense.
Renée recently posted…Grilled Mojo Chicken
These look delicious! Brownies and chocolate are my weakness.
I think that can be said for most of us Bella!
Renée recently posted…Grilled Mojo Chicken
Looks awesome..my son loves chocolate…so will try this recipe for him for sure!!
I am guilty of using box brownies!!! Im sorry haha! I took a printscreen and Im gonna do this, I promise! I will leave the nuts out, I will add ice cream and strawberries next to it. By the way what are two sticks of butter?
I am so glad you are going to make these! They are so good. Two sticks of butter is 1 cup of butter. We have 1/2 cup sticks of butter here in the United States. Sorry about that!
Sabine, I’m glad you want to try baking brownies without a mix. Trust me, it’s so much better! Each stick of butter is 1/2 cup, so the recipe calls for 1 cup of butter.
Renée recently posted…Grilled Mojo Chicken
Hi, Renee! Very nice post because I happen to like brownies. I don’t have the kitchen equiptment to bake but let me tell you how I enjoy brownies. I love having a piece with me when I watch a video. I take a small bite and instead of munching and swallowing, I kinda suck it until its gone, which is why I have only one piece that could last an episode. 🙂
I love your strategy for making it last!!! Thanks Robert.
Oh, I loooove chocolate and these cookies sound and look delicious. I love the fact that they are moist and the addition of nuts make them irresistable to me. Yummy!
Thank you Kathryn, they are amazing!
Yumm… Chewy Brownies look so delicious!! I would love to try this recipe today!
Thanks Jasmine, make some and let us know how you like them!
Renée recently posted…Grilled Mojo Chicken
I love brownies but never tried making it yet because I’m afraid I’ll end up eating everything in one seating! Lol
I make them and freeze them in individual bags. Most of the time the “out of sight, out of mind,” thing works for me so I don’t indulge!
Do you think vegan margarine would have the same effect? I’m allergic to dairy, so it’s not really an option for me, but these do look delicious!
Lynn, have you ever tried coconut oil? I have a grandson who can’t tolerate dairy, and I’ve had good results using it. I have never tried vegan margarine, just remember whatever you use needs to be 80% fat for good results in baking.
Renée recently posted…Grilled Mojo Chicken
I totally agree with the title. I love brownies and would kill for them. I will try them next Sunday for the kids.
These brownies are perfect for a Sunday afternoon!
I’ve never made brownies but I need to try! Very nice post! It looks so delicious! Yummy!
Try it! They are so worth it!
i love brownies! Yours looks so yummy! It’s so nice to stumble upon your post and read the tasty ingredients of brownies. I don’t bake too much but seeing your scrumptious brownies makes me want to try baking it! By the way, nice photography tho 🙂
Gee Jen, thanks so much for stumbling and your kind comments!!!!
I love brownies and these look delicious! I’d probably add nuts even if you didn’t mention it, as for me chocolate and nuts is always the best combination 🙂 I’m also “baking from a scratch” person, never got the idea of ready mixes – it really doesn’t take much more time to put things together yourself and at least you know exactly what you mix in!
Thanks, Kati! It sounds like we are on the same page!
OMG, brownies are my favorite. These look delicious and I will be making these for dessert soon.
Brownies is one of the family faves, my teen daughter occasionally bakes one. This recipe will greatly help for reference. Thanks!
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Alison, I have read this post the other day and because I LOVE brownies (and I’m not the only one around here) I had to try this. I have to say that they turned out pretty good!! I love the texture. I think that my family also enjoyed them because in less than nothing they disappeared – and I didn’t even took a picture of them! 🙁