This One Bowl Brownies recipe couldn’t be simpler. After all, you only need one bowl to make them! They are perfectly rich, dense, and have a fudgy texture with a perfect shiny top.

stack of one bowl brownies

Table of contents

Why We Love This Recipe For One Bowl Brownies

I have been testing this fudgy brownie recipe for six weeks. It may or may not have turned my hair gray overnight. That is a secret between me and my hair stylist.

And I have to say that I was going to tell you all about it, and how I tested it and even chatted with my fellow food science lover Chef Becca to try to figure out how to make these one-bowl brownies uber dense and fudgy.

I ended up settling on a cooler oven temp so that these fudgy brownies would not rise as much, yielding a richer texture. I also ended up increasing the sugar a bit to make them shinier on top (this was upon the recommendation of Chef Becca. Thanks, friend! That worked!).

Part of the deal is that these One Bowl Brownies have to be perfect in their simplicity, unlike fancy brownies such as Gluten-Free Caramel Brownies (which are all about the contrast in textures and flavors). These one bowl brownies have just a bit of a crust on the top, are thick and fudgy on the inside, and are 100% chocolatey tasting.

Simple, but apparently, many tests later, not so simple to perfect! 

Anyway, now that the recipe has been perfected, they should be a breeze for you to bake. Make them for your next dessert, weekend baking activity, picnic or just because!

Key Ingredients For This Recipe

Dark chocolate chips

Adding melted chocolate chips to brownie recipes helps make them extra fudgy, silky and chocolatey. I prefer to use dark chocolate chips but you can use semisweet if you’d prefer. You could also use block chocolate instead.

Cocoa powder

When I bake with cocoa powder I prefer to use unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder for the best quality and best taste. You can find this in most baking isles. I wouldn’t use sweetened cocoa powder for this recipe.

Additional Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Step-By-Step Instructions to Make One Bowl Brownies

Step 1: Preheat oven & grease baking dish

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2: Melt chocolate

Place the butter and chocolate chips in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until the chocolate is completely melted.

Step 3: Mix brownie batter

Add the sugar and mix with a silicone spatula to combine. Add the eggs and beat until completely combined, then stir in the vanilla. Add the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt and stir until combined and no clumps remain (don’t overmix).

Step 4: Bake brownies

Spread the batter in the prepared baking dish. Bake until the brownies are puffed and the center is set up, 28 to 32 minutes. Let the brownies cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack for at least one hour before cutting into 16 brownies.

squares of one bowl brownies

FAQs and Expert Tips

Can I use a natural sweetener instead of sugar for this recipe?

I did test this easy brownie recipe with maple sugar (I just had to!!), and they browned a bit too much on the edges. If you’re okay with that, and you prefer to use a natural sweetener, then I say go for it. The chocolate does overpower the maple flavor, though.

How long to bake for fudgier texture

Err on the side of slightly under-baking these one bowl brownies (28 minutes) if you like a fudgier result. Or let them bake the entire 32 minutes for them to set up completely for a slightly more cakey brownie. It is normal for the center to fall ever so slightly if you are on the short end of the scale.

How to store these fudgy brownies:

Once cooled and cut into squares, store them in an airtight container with pieces of parchment paper between layers. Store them at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.

How to portion control:

These one-bowl brownies are super chocolatey and dense. Way more so than the healthy brownie recipes I have shared in the past. Once they are cool, cut them into 16 brownies for portion control and see the nutrition facts below.

More Easy Chocolate Dessert Recipes to Try

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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These rich and dense brownies by Healthy Seasonal Recipes couldn't be more simple. All you need is one bowl to get a delicious chocolate dessert!

One Bowl Brownies

★★★★★

4.9 from 7 reviews
  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 16 brownies 1x
Print Recipe

Description

These one bowl brownies require 10 minutes of hands-on prep work and are perfectly dense, moist, and fudgy. The easiest brownie recipe ever? Definitely!

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 1 cup dark chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup flour
  • 1/4 cup (natural) cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Place butter and chocolate chips in a medium microwave safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds. Stir the butter and chocolate and return to the microwave. Microwave again for 30 seconds and stir until the chocolate is completely melted. (Repeat for an additional 15 to 30 seconds if needed to fully melt the chocolate.)
  3. Add sugar and mix with a silicone spatula to combine. Add eggs and beat until completely combined. Add vanilla and mix until completely combined. Add flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt and stir until completely moistened.
  4. Spread batter in the prepared baking dish. Bake until the brownies are puffed and the center is set up, 28 to 32 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire cooling rack for at least one hour before cutting into 16 brownies.

Notes

Cooking Tip:

Err on the side of slightly under-baking these one bowl brownies (28 minutes) if you like a fudgier result. Or let them bake the entire 32 minutes for them to set up completely for a slightly more cakey brownie. It is normal for the center to fall ever so slightly if you are on the short end of the scale.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 28 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 brownie
  • Calories: 187
  • Sugar: 16g
  • Sodium: 94mg 4%
  • Fat: 11g 17%
  • Saturated Fat: 7g 35%
  • Carbohydrates: 23g 8%
  • Fiber: 2g 6%
  • Protein: 1g 3%

Keywords: one bowl brownies, easy brownie recipe, fudgy brownies

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