Brown Butter Brownies
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These brown butter brownies are irresistibly rich and decadent — with shiny crinkly tops, pools of melty dark chocolate, and that perfect balance of fudgy centers and chewy, crisp edges that make every bite ridiculously delicious!
This weekend, I was craving chocolate and wanted a simple treat. Brownies are truly so simple to make (though admittedly, this recipe calls for a bit more time, but I promise they are *so* worth it).
These brownies include browned butter, which adds depth of flavor and a hint of caramel flavor and nuttiness. If you’ve never browned butter, I walk you through it below–it’s not difficult.
You’ll also whisk the eggs and sugars together; this ensures that you’ll get that classic shiny, crinkly crust on top of the brownies.
The final act of love in these brownies is the chopped bits of bittersweet chocolate you’ll fold in at the end. The chocolate chunks provide melty pockets of chocolate in the brownies that truly make this recipe divine!
This is actually my favorite brownie to date, and that’s saying something! You’re going to want to make these ASAP.
Looking for more chocolate goodness? Check these recipes out:
- sourdough triple-layered chocolate Matilda cake
- chocolate sour cream pound cake
- cookies and cream cookies
Ingredients Needed for These Brown Butter Brownies
- Unsalted butter – you can also use salted butter, just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the brownie batter instead of 1/2 teaspoon.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – Dutch-processed cocoa powder also works great.
- Eggs – room temperature eggs are best.
- Brown sugar – dark brown sugar or light brown sugar works in this recipe.
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla extract – you can also use vanilla bean paste.
- All-purpose flour – all-purpose flour or bread flour works!
- Salt – save some coarse salt to sprinkle over the top of the brownies to offset the sweetness.
- Dark or bittersweet chocolate bar, chopped – High-quality chocolate is best here. I use a 4-ounce bar of Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate. You can use dark chocolate or milk chocolate for a different flavor.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the sides — this makes it easy to lift the brownies out later for clean slicing.
Add the butter to a medium saucepan and melt it over medium heat. Once it’s melted, keep stirring as it begins to foam. After about 5–7 minutes, you’ll notice golden brown specks forming at the bottom of the pan and a rich, nutty aroma — that’s when it’s ready. Remove from heat immediately to prevent burning.
While the butter is still warm, whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth and glossy. This step blooms the cocoa and deepens the chocolate flavor. Set it aside to cool slightly while you prepare the rest of the batter.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Whisk by hand (or use an electric hand mixer) for about 5–7 minutes, until the mixture looks lighter in color and most of the sugar granules have dissolved. This step helps create those shiny, crackly brownie tops.
Slowly pour the browned butter and cocoa mixture into the bowl with the whipped eggs and sugar. Whisk gently until combined, then stir in the vanilla extract.
Sift in the flour and salt. Use a spatula to fold everything together just until you no longer see streaks of flour. Be careful not to overmix — that’s the secret to chewy, fudgy brownies.
Fold in the chopped dark or bittersweet chocolate. You can save a few pieces to sprinkle on top before baking if you’d like extra melty pockets of chocolate.
Spread the batter evenly into your prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center still looks slightly underbaked — it will continue to cook as it cools.
Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before lifting them out using the parchment paper overhang. Once cooled, sprinkle lightly with coarse salt (optional) and slice into squares.
Tips for the Best Brown Butter Brownies
- Don’t rush the brown butter. Let it turn golden and fragrant with brown specks forming on the bottom of the pan — that’s where the nutty, toffee-like flavor comes from. But make sure to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn!
- Bloom the cocoa powder. Whisking cocoa into the warm brown butter enhances the chocolate flavor and creates a deeper, more complex taste.
- Whip the eggs and sugar well. Mixing for 5–7 minutes helps dissolve the sugar and aerate the batter slightly, giving you those signature crinkly brownie tops.
- Don’t overmix once the flour is added. Gently fold until just combined to keep the brownies chewy and fudgy instead of cakey.
- Use high-quality dark chocolate. A good chocolate bar (70% cacao or higher) makes a big difference in flavor and meltiness.
- Slightly underbake them. Pull the brownies from the oven when the edges are set but the center still looks a little glossy — they’ll finish setting as they cool.
- Cool completely before slicing. This helps the brownies firm up and ensures clean, sharp edges.
- Add flaky sea salt. A light sprinkle of coarse salt balances the sweetness and brings out the chocolate flavor beautifully.
Equipment Used
- Medium saucepan or cast-iron skillet (for browning the butter)
- Whisk
- Mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
- Spatula
- Hand mixer (optional, for mixing eggs and sugar)
- Fine mesh sieve or sifter (for flour and cocoa)
- 9×9-inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife (for chopping chocolate and slicing brownies)
Storage
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Wrap individual brownie squares tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave before enjoying.
If you’re a sourdough baker, you’ve got to try these sourdough snickerdoodle cookies! Perfect for the holidays!
Brown Butter Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ cups brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate chopped
- Coarse salt for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the pan and oven
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal later.
Brown the butter
- Add the butter to a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir occasionally as it melts, then more frequently as it begins to foam.
- Continue cooking until golden brown bits form on the bottom and the butter smells nutty and caramelized (about 5–7 minutes).
- Immediately remove from heat to prevent burning.
Bloom the cocoa
- While the butter is still warm, whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth and glossy. This step “blooms” the cocoa, deepening its flavor.
- Set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk the eggs and sugars
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 5–7 minutes, or until the mixture lightens in color and the sugar granules mostly dissolve. (You can use a hand mixer for ease.)
Combine wet ingredients
- Slowly pour the browned butter and cocoa mixture into the eggs and sugar, whisking as you go.
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
Add dry ingredients
- Sift in the flour and salt. Gently fold until just combined — don’t overmix.
Add the chocolate
- Fold in the chopped chocolate, reserving a few pieces for the top if desired.
Bake
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center looks slightly underbaked — it will continue to cook as it cools.
Cool and finish
- Let the brownies cool completely in the pan.
- Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt (optional) before slicing into squares.
Notes
Tips for the Best Brownies
- For extra fudgy brownies, don’t overbake — the center should still look a bit glossy.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting for clean, sharp edges.
- Use high-quality dark chocolate for the most decadent flavor.
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Wrap individual brownie squares tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave before enjoying.
These brownies with brown butter were truly my favorite brownie recipe to date! Fudgy, chewy with crisp edges–just so good! If you make them, let me know what you think!