Brown Butter Brownies
These Brown Butter Brownies are rich, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey with a nutty flavor from perfectly browned butter. They have a crackly top, soft center, and chewy edges, making them taste like bakery-style brownies made right at home. Simple ingredients and easy steps come together to create an indulgent dessert that feels extra special without being complicated.
Ingredients
- 1½ sticks 170g unsalted butter
- 4 oz 113g semisweet chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup 100g granulated sugar
- ½ cup 100g light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup 64g all-purpose flour
- ½ cup 43g cocoa powder
- ½ tsp instant espresso powder optional
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup 170g semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper.
- Brown the butter until golden and nutty, stirring constantly to prevent burning.
- Stir chopped chocolate into the hot browned butter until fully melted and smooth, then let it cool slightly.
- Whisk in both sugars, then add eggs one at a time along with vanilla until the mixture looks glossy.
- Fold in flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt until just combined—do not overmix.
- Add chocolate chips and gently mix, then pour batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 28–32 minutes until edges are set and the center is slightly soft.
- Cool completely before slicing for clean, fudgy squares.
Notes
- Browning the butter is key don’t rush this step, as it builds the signature nutty flavor.
- Always let the chocolate-butter mixture cool slightly before adding eggs to avoid scrambling.
- Whisking eggs and sugar well is what creates the shiny, crinkly top.
- Do not overmix after adding dry ingredients, or the brownies will turn cakey instead of fudgy.
- Slightly underbaking is better than overbaking for the perfect gooey texture.
- Brownies continue to set as they cool, so always let them rest before slicing for clean edges.