These Crinkle Top Brownies are seriously fudgy and rich, with a soft interior and that beautiful textured top. You don't need to have a mixer handy, and everything comes together in about 30 minutes. Say hello to your new go-to homemade brownie recipe!
I really will bet on this - you won't reach for the box mixes again after trying this recipe. The texture is simply divine: fudgy, not cakey interior, with crisp edges and a nice crinkle top. The taste? Indulgent. We use dutch-processed cocoa and a hint of espresso powder to really bring out that chocolate flavor. And the recipe is really forgiving; you can add all sorts of mix-ins and toppings with ease.
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $0.54
- Total Cost (16 brownies): $8.70
- Those Other Guys: $4.99 per brownie
Ingredients
- Dutch-Processed Unsweetened Cocoa - Dutch-processed cocoa powder is alkaline, which makes it darker in color with a smoother flavor than the natural color powder. In these photos, I actually use black dutch-processed cocoa for that gorgeous color.
- Espresso Powder - I list this as optional, but it's a powerful "secret ingredient" that cuts the sweetness of normal brownies and intensifies the chocolate flavor. Don't worry, it's not enough to make them taste like coffee!
- Salted Butter - A lot of recipes use oil, but I think an all-butter brownie just tastes better.
- Eggs - To bind the brownies together and add richness.
- Sugars - A mix of brown and regular sugar create more moisture and the perfect amount of sweetness.
- Flour - It's recommended to weigh the flour - because we already include cocoa powder, adding too much will make these brownies more "cakey" than "fudgy".
- Chocolate Bar - My favorite for baking is Hershey's Special Dark. It's not overly sweet, but also not as bitter as normal dark chocolate.
Variations and Substitutions
Cocoa Powder: You don't have to use the black cocoa (which gives that deep dark color), but be sure to grab the dutch-processed kind of cocoa powder. It's alkaline, so it works well in recipes where we don't use any baking leavening agents.
Mix-Ins: You can stir in extra chocolate chips, nuts, or raspberries to really spice up these brownies. In addition, try swirling in cheesecake filling or salted caramel. Delicious!
Blondies: For those who aren't huge chocolate fans (I can't relate haha) - try these Brown Sugar Blondies. I also have a recipe for Easter Blondies with Mini Cadbury Eggs mixed into every bite!
How to Make Fudge Brownies with a Crinkle Top
Sure, there are recipes out there where you just dump everything into one bowl and mix.
However, there's a couple techniques we use to get the ideal fudge brownie interior with a crinkle top and crispy edges. I go into more detail below, but these photos will help give you a visual!
Step 1: Melt together the butter and chocolate bar until silky smooth.
Stir in the espresso powder and cocoa powder to the hot liquid - this helps bloom the dry ingredients which draws out more of their flavor and helps it dissolve evenly.
Set aside so it can slightly cool.
Step 2: In another bowl, whisk together your room temperature eggs and both sugars until light yellow and fluffy.
This gives structure to our pan, and also creates that crinkle top in a classic brownie!
You don't need a mixer for this, but if you prefer to use one feel free.
Step 3: Fold the whisked eggs/sugar into the melted chocolate bowl.
Pour in your flour and salt, and gently stir well.
Step 4: Now you should have a thicker brownie batter.
If you want to add any mix-ins, stir in here.
Finally, bake in a greased metal pan until just set in the middle.
Recipe Pro Tips
- Be sure to bloom - and then cool. Blooming your cocoa powder and espresso powder in melted butter brings forward a richer flavor. However, be sure to let the bowl cool before adding in the eggs so you don't cook them!
- Whisk the eggs and sugar well. One way to check if you're done? Rub a bit of the mixture between your fingers. You should feel none, or very little sugar granules.
- Don't overbake. I put a time frame in the recipe card, but your best bet is to test it yourself. This is because different pan sizes and oven settings can affect the final baking time. Once the top is shiny and the middle of the brownies are just set, go ahead and take out the pan! It will finish cooking outside of the oven.
Recipe FAQs
For the cocoa powder: Use dutch-processed, unsweetened cocoa powder. There's regular dutch cocoa, and black dutch cocoa - both work fine, the black cocoa just has a deeper color (it's what I used in these photos.)
Fot the chocolate bar: You can actually use a bar of chocolate, or chocolate chips. I love Hershey's Special Dark, as it's not overly sweet, but semi-sweet or milk chocolate works great as well.
You may have added too much flour or unsweetened cocoa powder. To get foolproof fudgy brownies, use a kitchen scale to weigh out those dry ingredients.
It's most likely due to your oven temperature or total baking time.
If you can, grab an oven thermometer. You won't believe how many ovens need to be recalibrated!
In addition, check the pan and take the brownies out as the middle just sets. It will be slightly undercooked, but they finish cooking outside of the oven in the hot pan. Be sure to let the pan cool completely - I know it's hard to wait!
You can. However, butter is made of fat, milk solids, and water; and oil is 100% fat.
When replacing in a brownie recipe, use about 15% less oil than you would butter. Also, use a mild-tasting oil... something sharp and bitter like extra-virgin olive oil will affect the final flavor.
Yes, these freeze beautifully! Let the pan cool completely, then slice into bars.
Add the brownies to a freezer-safe container or bag, remove all air, and freeze for up to 3 months.
When you're ready to eat, let them come to room temperature before enjoying.
Other Baked Sweet Treat Recipes You'll Crave!
If you tried this Fudgy Crinkle Top Brownies Recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Thanks for visiting!
Fudgy Crinkle Top Brownies
Equipment
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- Silicone Spatula
- Whisk
- 8x8 Brownie Pan (metal)
- Plastic Knife (for clean cuts)
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter
- 8 ounces dark chocolate bar
- ½ cup unsweetened, dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional - adds a deeper cocoa flavor!)
- 3 count large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, melt together the butter and dark chocolate.If you melt using the microwave, stop and stir every 20 seconds to prevent the chocolate from seizing.1 cup salted butter, 8 ounces dark chocolate bar
- Stir in the cocoa powder and espresso powder while the mixture is still hot. Set aside.½ cup unsweetened, dutch-processed cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, both sugars, and vanilla until pale yellow and frothy. The sugar should be fully dissolved.To test this: rub a bit of the mixture between your fingers. If you still feel lots of sugar granules, keep whisking.3 count large eggs, ¾ cup brown sugar, ¾ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Once the melted butter/chocolate has cooled, fold in the whisked egg/sugar mixture.
- Use a silicone spatula to gently combine the flour and salt into the bowl. If you have any mix-ins like nuts or chocolate chips, add them at this step.¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt
- Spray an 8x8 brownie pan with nonstick cooking spray, then pour the batter into the pan. Smooth the top into an even layer.
- Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, until the tops are shiny and the middle of the brownie no longer wobbles.
- Let the brownies cool completely, then cut and serve. For the cleanest cuts, use a plastic knife and wipe with a towel after each cut. Enjoy!
Marianne says
I used Shani's recipe for a church potluck and the brownies were the first to go off of the dessert table!!! They are so fudgy and soft with a huge chocolatey flavor. Thank you!!
Shani H. says
Aww this is such a great review! Thank you for leaving a comment Marianne 🙂