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Brown butter brownies are the ultimate brownie recipe made with nutty brown butter, dark chocolate, and cocoa powder for a flavorful thick, fudgy center and shiny crackly tops.
“Just made the brownies and they are delicious! The best brownie I have ever made. Thank you for sharing.” – Lori
Made from scratch are the best brownie recipes and hands down way more delicious than store bought box mix brownies to cure your chocolate cravings. Adding brown butter to dark chocolate and cocoa powder increases the chocolatey flavor. This recipe is easy to make and you’ll be so glad you took the extra time when you’re biting into one.
Brown butter brownies are chocolate brownies made using rich brown butter in the place of regular butter. The nutty flavor created when butter is heated and browned deepens the chocolatey notes of the brownies without an overpowering brown butter flavor. Just a few minutes of cooking butter on the stove is all it takes to make liquid gold and the best brownies ever!
Key Ingredients & Test Notes
- Brown Butter: Everything is better with brown butter, period. Brownies made with melted butter tend to be fudgier, with a more intense cocoa taste.
- Dark Chocolate: Chopped chocolate adds a decadent chocolate flavor.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Dutch processed cocoa powder is the way to go! It has a lovely complex bitterness that blends nicely with dark brown sugar for a richer chocolatey flavor when baked.
- Cinnamon and Espresso Powder: To give a little extra oomph and enhance the chocolate, I like to mix in some ground cinnamon with espresso powder.
- Dark Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: The brown sugar adds notes of caramel and molasses to the flavor profile, plus it produces chewier more fudgy texture. Granulated sugar adds that much needed sweetness to the bitter cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate.
how to make brown butter
Regular unsalted butter can be transformed with heat into a lovely flavor enhancer, brown butter. When cooking the butter, water renders out and the milk solids begin to toast, turning a lovely golden-brown color. The French refer to brown butter as “beurre noisette,” as it offers a nutty fragrance and taste that’s deeper and more complex than regular butter.
It’s really easy to make brown butter, I promise once you make it you’ll be adding it to all your baking recipes. Start by measuring out more butter than you will need, as browning butter causes a loss in total volume. This recipe calls for 227 grams (1 cup) hot brown butter. Use a little more than the recipe calls for at 280 grams ( a bit more than 1 1/4 cups) and then re-measure after browning. You will find that some of the water in the butter has evaporated.
To brown the butter, place it into a light colored saucepan on medium heat. Its more difficult to see the butter browning in a dark pan, so I prefer to use a lighter toned or stainless steel pan.
Cook until the butter has melted and starts to foam. Stir occasionally with a spatula or whisk until it turn golden brown and begins to give off a nutty aroma. You will see little brown bits floating at the bottom of the pan.
Keep an eye on the butter to prevent over cooking and burning it. Once the butter is browned, remove the pan from the heat immediately to prevent further cooking.
Jenn’s Tips!
- Weigh and sift your cocoa powder along with the flour. If you accidentally add to much flour or cocoa powder to your batter, the outcome could be dry or dense.
- Use a quality dark chocolate baking bar, roughly chopped into chunks.
- Pour very hot melted brown butter onto the dark chocolate and cocoa powder. This will melt the dark chocolate and bloom the cocoa powder. Stir with a fork until silky smooth. Add the vanilla extract and stir again.
- Allow the chocolate butter mixture to cool room temperature before adding it to the whipped eggs and sugar.
- The whipped eggs and sugar give the brownies a nice shiny top.
- Drizzle the chocolate mixture into the whipped eggs, while gently folding with a rubber spatula until just incorporated.
- Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture into the melted chocolate mixture at a time, folding slowly until smooth.
- Add 1 tsp of espresso powder, a little cinnamon spice, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract to enhance the chocolate flavor.
- Line your brownie pan with parchment paper that folds over two sides, so you can lift cooled brownies from the pan without tearing them. Lifting the brownies and setting them on the counter, makes it easier to slice them into squares.
- Always bake brownies on the middle rack of the oven.
what makes these brownies fudgy
- No baking soda or baking powder in the batter.
- Lots of fat! Bring on that warm brown butter.
- Incorporating dark chocolate into your homemade brownie batter makes a wonderful soft melt in your mouth texture. Cocoa powder can be drying, so I only use 1/4 cup.
- Using brown sugar in your brownie batter will help add moisture with a slight caramel note.
- Folding the dry ingredients in by hand! Using a hand mixer incorporates air and works great for the eggs and sugar mix.
- Not over baking your brownies. I always check mine with a toothpick to see if there are just a few moist crumbs before pulling them out of the oven. The residual heat in the pan will finish cooking the center.
FAQs
These are fudge brownies, so remember to let them cool all the way to set. They will be soft and chocolatey in the center, with a few chocolate chunks, yum!!
Let them cool about 25 minutes before lifting them from the pan or cool completely in the pan before cutting.
Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with sea salt for the best tasting brownies!! A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of a little olive oil.
You can freeze them as one large square or wrap them individually.
To freeze the entire pan, let brownies completely cool in pan.
Place pan in the fridge for 2-3 hrs to chill. Lift brownies from the pan with parchment paper. Wrap twice with plastic wrap and then twice with aluminum foil. Place in freezer.
To freeze individual brownies, cool completely then wrap each piece in plastic wrap twice and then twice in aluminum foil. Frozen brownies will keep for about 2 months. To enjoy a frozen brownie, place on counter to thaw completely. Then microwave for about 10 seconds for a warm gooey chocolate brownie.
Leftovers & Storage
- Room Temp: Brownies are at their best enjoyed the same day. Leftover cool brownies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days or 4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat: Warm them slightly for 8-10 seconds in the microwave to make them warm and gooey again.
★★★★★ Please leave a star rating and review below if you make this recipe! THANK YOU!!
Brown Butter Brownies
Recipe Video
Ingredients
Brownie Batter
- 188 grams (1.5 cups) all purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon , *optional
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 227 grams (1 cup) unsalted butter, browned and still hot, *see notes
- 220 grams (8 ounces) 70% bittersweet dark chocolate , roughly chopped
- 21 grams (¼ cup) dutch processed cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder, to enhance chocolate flavor
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 300 grams (1.5 cups) granulated sugar
- 110 grams (½ cup) dark brown sugar
- 4 large eggs (200 grams), room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk (20 grams)
Topping
- 3 tablespoons flaky sea salt, to sprinkle on top
Instructions
Brownie Batter
- Preheat oven to 350℉ /180℃/160℃ Fan (convection).
- Line an 9×9 inch square baking pan with non stick baking spray and a piece of parchment paper, let paper hang over sides.
- In a medium bowl, hand whisk together flour, cinnamon, and sea salt. Set aside.
- Using a separate medium bowl combine dark chocolate chunks and cocoa powder. Set aside while making the brown butter. *See notes on browning the butter.
- Melt butter in a light-colored pan over medium heat. Stir constantly as butter foams and sputters. Watch for the milk solids to turn golden brown and give off a nutty aroma (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat immediately when milk solids are amber (or they'll continue cooking)
- Pour the hot brown butter over the chocolate, cocoa powder, and espresso powder. Stir with a fork until all of the chocolate is melted and you have a shiny buttery liquid. Then, stir in the vanilla extract. Let mixture cool to room temperature.
- Place granulated sugar and dark brown sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs and egg yolk, then whisk together with an electric hand mixer on medium high until foamy and thick, around 1-2 minutes.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the sugar and eggs. Fold together using a rubber spatula in soft figure eights until just combined.
- Spoon in a third of the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture, folding with spatula until in a figure eight pattern, and around the sides of the bowl until just mixed. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture. The batter will be thick and shiny.
- Scoop batter into the prepared brownie pan and level with an offset spatula.
- Bake on the middle rack for 28-32 minutes. Check the brownies after 30 minutes of baking. Brownies will be set on the edges and look soft in the middle, but not uncooked. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with just a few wet crumbs. The residual heat of the pan will continue to cook the center of the brownies, which will firm as they cool.
- Let brownies completely cool before lifting from pan, slicing and serving. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt!
Notes
- Brown Butter Measurements
- Measure out more butter than you will need, as browning butter causes a loss in total volume. This recipe calls for 227 grams (1 cup) hot brown butter to be added to the batter. Use a little more than the recipe calls for at 280 grams ( a bit more than 1 1/4 cups) and then re-measure after browning.
- You will find that some of the water in the butter has evaporated. This is an important to step to make sure enough melted butter is added to the brownie batter.
- Oven: This recipe was written for a conventional oven (top and bottom heat). For convection fan ovens, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees and begin checking for doneness 75% of the way through baking.
Weigh your flour: The measurement I use: 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams. This amount can change based on a different baker’s recipe or using a conversion tool. The weight listed in the recipe is how it was tested and should be used for accuracy. Different brands of flour are made with soft or hard wheat and have varying levels of protein, ranging from low to high. This can change the final result of a baked good, giving different outcomes on the same recipe. I list the level of protein in the ingredients, the brand of flour tested with and a link to My Baking Ingredients for additional details. When choosing a flour, look at the protein level on the back of the bag and consult the recommended amount for the recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The best!
Brownies are always a crowd pleaser and these look so delicious!!
5+ stars. Used both espresso powder and cinnamon and for anyone concerned they’ll be too prominent I could not taste either. Could smell the coffee but not taste it. Also …If you’re short on time for them to firm up (to cut) use the baked brownies as ice cream topping. It’s like a hot fudge brownie sundae. Refrigerated brownies are decadently fudge-like. Amazing recipe!! Everyone raved.
Thank you so much for the review and trying my recipe! I’m so glad you liked them 🙂
Just made the brownies and they are delicious! The best brownie I have ever made. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Lori, So glad you enjoyed them, thank you so much for the feedback.
I am excited to make these! What did you use for the dark chocolate chunks?
Omg I’m watching you on the FoodNetwork!!! You are amazing. I won’t give away what happens … on the show, your followers they’ll have to watch for themselves 😄. I became more excited to watch more, you let us at home viewers know your a stylist and blogger, not just a chef! When I heard “Two Cups of Flour”, I had to know more. I can’t wait to make those BROWNIES!! my favorite. Keep up the great work, you ROCK.
Recipe looks great. Since I am a vegetarian can you please let me know what can I use in place of eggs?
I’ve never tried baking with flax eggs, but you could try applesauce or mashed bananas. Try substituting one egg for 1/4 cup applesauce or mashed banana.
Thank you for sharing 💕
Just made these and they are so good! super easy and great with sea salt.
So glad you like them!!!! YAY!