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The Best Homemade Chocolate Brownies from Scratch

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The Best Homemade Chocolate Brownies Made Easily From Scratch!

Our Simple Recipe for The BEST Homemade Chocolate Brownies

From a bake sale win to late-night chocolate craving satisfaction, these homemade, fudgy chocolate brownies from scratch are sure to be both a crowd-pleaser and a secret indulgence you will turn to time and time again when in need of a flavorful chocolate treat.

When in search of the best homemade chocolate brownies, a recipe that is dense (who wants a cake-like brownie?), decadent, and full of real chocolate flavor adding a hint of salt and vanilla to balance the palate takes the prize. It took several tries to nail this one down but this final recipe is ready to meet your chocolate dessert needs!

Replacing the “Box Mix” Brownies

My brownie quest was simple: replace the box mix recipe with a homemade version that is just as scrumptious (and easy to make) but without all the added junk. Cleaner ingredients, including organic if desired, yet a treat that is sure to win over the finickiest brownie judge. After trying recipe after recipe I struggled to find one that met my standards… flaky crust, firm edges, rich and fudgy center. Most recipes I tried produced cake-like brownies and who wants that?

Finally, after tweaking some near-favorites with my own adjustments, I am thrilled to share this utterly desirable combination of quality cocoa, rich vanilla, a smidge of salt, and sweet deliciousness which is now a staple treat in our home! Plus, it only takes 5 minutes to toss these babies in the oven!

Clean Ingredients for From-Scratch Brownies

Brownie ingredients prepped for making chocolate brownies on a wooden table
Brownie ingredients prepped for making chocolate brownies on a wooden table

Clean ingredients are a cornerstone of my kitchen so although a brownie is not exactly a health-food, choosing high-quality, ethically-sourced ingredients not only help us feel a little better about the food we consume but yield a better-tasting dessert, too!

Here is what we include in our best homemade chocolate brownies:

Organic Sugars

We start with organic cane sugar and organic powdered sugar. Why organic? Not only is this sugar less-processed, it is grown without the use of chemical pesticides. Organic cane sugars may be available at your local grocery store but if not, Sam’s Club offers an option of organic cane sugar in a 6 pound bulk bag. We get our organic powdered sugar from Thrive market on auto-ship each month. Organic cane sugar is available from Thrive Market as well.

Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

The most important choice here is to make sure you select unbleached flour. Then you are at least eliminating some harsh chemicals as the flour is processed We choose King Arthur’s Organic Unbleached All-Purpose Flour for our brownies and other homemade treats.

Ethically-Sourced Organic Cocoa – The Chocolate!

picture of organic baking cocoa tin
Ethically-Sourced Organic Baking Cocoa

Our local grocery stores fail to keep organic, sustainably-sourced and fairly-traded cocoa in stock but luckily Thrive Market offers Equal Exchange Organic Baking Cocoa. This cocoa is always on hand in our kitchen thanks to Thrive Market’s auto-ship. Quality cocoa is key in making homemade chocolate brownies from scratch. This baking cocoa makes a delicious pot of hot chocolate, too! Look for our homemade cocoa recipe on our page soon!

Himalayan Salt

This is a key ingredient in a perfect brownie recipe! We love Himalayan Pink Salt and purchase our salt through Thrive Market. Thrive Market’s Himalayan Pink Salt is non-gmo and ethically sourced. Plus, freshly ground chunks of salt make each brownie bite so much more delightful!

Two farm fresh eggs on a blue cloth napkin
Farm fresh eggs

Farm-Fresh Eggs

We are lucky enough to have neighbors with chickens sell us farm-fresh chicken eggs. If you do not have a local option to choose from, look for organic eggs in your local grocery store. There really is a difference in the flavor quality of eggs when you source local, fresh eggs!

Quality Vanilla

Good quality vanilla cannot be beat! Although I desire to make my own vanilla in the near-future, for now we get our organic, ethically-sourced vanilla from Thrive Market. The value-size bottle is worth it!

Organic Oil

In brownies I use 100% extra-virgin organic olive oil but 100% organic coconut oil yields just as fudgy and delicious of a brownie! Your call! Try both!

Kitchen Equipment for Chocolate Brownies

A simple brownie recipe does not need much! This is part of what makes these so desirable as a chocolate dessert option!

Empty glass mixing bowl for brownie batter and wooden spoon on a cutting board
Empty glass mixing bowl for brownie batter and wooden spoon on a cutting board

*8×8″ glass baking dish (I use Pyrex)

*glass mixing bowl

*wooden mixing spoon or silicone spatula

*measuring cups and spoons

*oven set to 325 degrees Fahrenheit

*timer

*cooking spray (I use organic avocado or olive oil spray from Thrive Market)

The Recipe: The Best Homemade Chocolate Brownies from Scratch

Yield: 16 Large Brownies

The Best Homemade Chocolate Brownies From Scratch

glass pan of brownie batter ready to be baked

An easy-to-follow recipe for the Best Homemade Chocolate Brownies from Scratch.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare an 8x8" glass baking dish with a light coating of cooking spray.
  2. In a large mixing bowl***, beat the eggs. Then whisk in oil, cane sugar, water, and vanilla.
  3. Measure out all dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, powdered sugar, and salt) on top of egg mixture. Then blend just until incorporated.
  4. Pour into prepared 8x8" glass baking dish and bake until toothpick comes out mostly clean (a few crumbs is okay but not covered in batter); approximatley 40-50 minutes. Check at 40 minutes as it's better to take them out early than to risk overcooking them!
  5. Resist the urge to immediately eat the brownies and allow time to cool. Trust me, it's worth it! I slice them after 15 minutes of cooling to help them cool faster and then wait another 15-20 before diving in! They are even better the next day!
  6. Store airtight for up to 4 days... if they stick around that long! These brownies can be frozen as well and if precut they don't take long to thaw!

Notes

*all organic ingredients can be substituted for non-organic ingredients if that's what you have on hand

**can substitute melted organic coconut oil

***feel free to use a stand mixer if you choose but be careful not to overmix

Ingredients for Homemade Chocolate Brownies*

  • 1 1/3 c. organic cane sugar
  • 1/2 c. organic powdered sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 c. organic extra-virgin olive oil**
  • 2 TBSP water
  • 3/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 c. organic cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp salt

Instructions for Homemade Chocolate Brownies

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare an 8×8″ glass baking dish with a light coating of cooking spray.
  2. In a large mixing bowl***, beat the eggs. Then whisk in oil, cane sugar, water, and vanilla. 
  3. Measure out all dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, powdered sugar, and salt) on top of egg mixture. Then blend just until incorporated.
  4. Pour into prepared 8×8″ glass baking dish and bake until toothpick comes out mostly clean (a few crumbs is okay but not covered in batter); approximatley 40-50 minutes. Check at 40 minutes as it’s better to take them out early than to risk overcooking them!
  5. Resist the urge to immediately eat the brownies and allow time to cool. Trust me, it’s worth it! I slice them after 15 minutes of cooling to help them cool faster and then wait another 15-20 before diving in! They are even better the next day!
  6. Store airtight for up to 4 days… if they stick around that long! These brownies can be frozen as well and if precut they don’t take long to thaw!

Yields: 16 large brownies

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Baking Time: 40-50 minutes

Notes

*all organic ingredients can be substituted for non-organic ingredients if that’s what you have on hand

**can substitute melted organic coconut oil

***feel free to use a stand mixer if you choose but be careful not to over-mix

Freshly Baked Homemade Chocolate Brownies

How to Jazz Up Your Homemade Chocolate Brownies:

  • add dark chocolate chips either into the batter or sprinkled on top
  • drizzle caramel sauce on top of the batter before baking
  • swirl warmed peanut butter into the batter before baking
  • mix in your favorite chopped nuts prior to baking… we recommend chopped walnuts!
  • served brownies warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream

Storing Your Homemade Chocolate Brownies:

Store brownies in an airtight container for up to four days… if they last that long!

You may freeze your brownies. We recommend cutting them before freezing for easy individual servings that thaw quickly!

Questions or Comments about our Homemade Chocolate Brownies from Scratch?

Please leave a comment or question down below! We would love to hear from you or help you with your inquiry! Thank you!

naturalmountainliving.com

Allison Warman

Hello! My name is Allison Warman and I'm a mother of two and wife to my hardworking husband of seven years. Together, we are raising our littles to appreciate the beauty of nature and peace of a simple life in the wild mountains of Maine. As a former public school teacher turned homeschool mama and entrepreneur, quality education that honors children as individuals, crafting nourishing, homemade meals together, and living a simple, purposeful life, are cornerstones of our family. Join us in our journey towards simple living, a homemade kitchen, and homeschooling with heart!

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