Ingredients
Butter — you’ll need unsalted butter for this recipe. If you only have salted butter on hand, reduce the amount of salt by about ½ teaspoon. You can also substitute vegetable oil in place of the butter.
Sugar — I used granulated sugar, but you could use a mixture of granulated and brown sugar for a subtle caramel flavor.
Cocoa powder — I make brownies with cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate, so the brownies aren’t too sweet, and the process is simpler. Natural unsweetened cocoa powder is all you need. For extra-rich dark chocolate brownies, you can use Dutch-processed cocoa powder or even a mixture of the two.
Eggs — set the eggs out of the fridge about an hour before you start baking so they come up to room temperature.
Vanilla extract — opt for a high-quality vanilla extract to bring out the chocolate flavor in this easy brownie recipe, not vanilla essence (which is synthetically flavored).
Chocolate chips — semi-sweet chocolate chips keep the brownie from being too sweet. You could also use bittersweet chocolate for even less sweetness. For more sweetness in this brownie recipe, use milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or chop up your favorite chocolate bar.
Method
1. Pop the unsalted butter into a large microwave-safe bowl, and melt it in the microwave in 20-second intervals. Stir between each interval to help prevent the butter from splattering. The butter will be fully melted in about 2 minutes, depending on your microwave. Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave (use oven mitts if the bowl is hot) and add the granulated sugar and cocoa powder. Whisk vigorously for 30 seconds.
2. Add in the eggs, vanilla, and salt and whisk to combine.
3. Add the all-purpose flour to the mixture.
4. Pour in the chocolate chips.
5. Mix with a spatula until just combined.
6. Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking pan with baking spray and line it with parchment paper. Spread the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes at 350°F. Insert a toothpick into the center to check doneness. For fudgy brownies, the toothpick will come out with several moist crumbs, and for cakey brownies it should have just a few crumbs. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before slicing so they firm up nicely.