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these brown butter brownies are perfect for chocolate lovers! made with rich, nutty brown butter, and loaded with melty chunks of milk chocolate, each bite is the perfect balance of fudgy chocolate and toasty brown butter goodness.
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these brown butter brownies are soft, delightfully chewy and perfect with a nice, big glass of cold milk. baked in an 8×8 inch pan for extra thick, fudgy squares with crisp, crackly edges, each brownie is full of melty pockets of chocolate and the subtle warmth of brown butter. the ultimate treat!
why you will love these fudgy brown butter brownies:
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easy recipe with simple ingredients – these fudgy brown butter brownies use a small amount of ingredients that you probably already have at home, making it easy for bakers of all levels (and perfect for sudden cravings!). the hardest thing about this recipe is browning the butter, which is a lot easier than it seems.
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extra thick and fudgy! these brown butter brownies are baked in an 8×8 inch pan, which means that you get 9 perfectly thick, rich and fudgy brownies.
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brown butter – the brown butter in these brownies subtly elevates the flavour of a classic fudgy brownie. and it’s not too overpowering either. just a hint of a nutty, rich depth that will have you adding brown butter to your brownies every time you make them.
learn how to make brown butter brownies:
these brown butter fudge brownies can be made in just a few easy steps! we’re going to start off by browning our butter and mixing it with dark chocolate. we’ll mix these together until the chocolate melts with the hot butter, then we’ll set this aside. in another bowl, we’‘ll whisk together add an eggs, sugar and vanilla. then, we’ll add the melted chocolate and brown butter mix, as well as flour and salt until a thick batter forms. add some extra chocolate chunks and chocolate chips, then bake until the brownies are fudgy on the inside with a crackly top.
brown butter brownies ingredients:
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butter – i use unsalted butter for these brown butter brownies. you are also welcome to use salted butter (my fave salted butter), but i would recommend skipping the extra salt in this recipe. we’re going to be browning the butter for an extra nutty, caramel-like depth of flavour that will perfectly complement the fudginess of these brownies. brown butter in brownies generally doesn’t add a very strong flavour since the taste of chocolate is quite rich and deep. so this is perfect if you just want a tiny bit of extra depth in your brownies without having too much of a strong brown butter taste.
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dark chocolate – this recipe makes brown butter dark chocolate brownies! the dark chocolate provides the perfect balance to the sweetness of these brownies as well as the caramel-like taste of the brown butter. i personally wouldn’t recommend using milk chocolate in these brownies but if you do, make sure to adjust the sugar in this recipe so that they’re not too sweet. these brown butter brownies use no cocoa powder as i’ve found that using all melted chocolate makes them extra fudgy.
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eggs – this brown butter brownies recipe uses 3 large eggs.
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brown sugar – i used dark brown soft sugar for this recipe as it’s all i had on hand. you can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, bearing in mind that dark brown sugar will have a stronger molasses flavour. the brown sugar in this brown butter brownie recipe helps make them extra chewy and fudgy.
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granulated sugar – this recipe uses a mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar. we’ll be whisking together the eggs and sugars until the sugar dissolves so that we can get that beautiful crackly top!
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vanilla extract – optional, but will add a nice, subtle vanilla flavour.
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flour – we’ll be using plain flour/all purpose flour for this recipe
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salt – just a small amount of salt mixed in the dry ingredients helps balance out the sweetness in these brownies.
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chocolate – this is optional but i like to add a little bit of extra chocolate to the batter for these brown butter chocolate brownies to make them extra chocolatey! i like to use a mix of a chopped up chocolate from a bar of milk chocolate as well as some milk chocolate chips. the chopped chocolate will give you pools of melty chocolate while the chocolate chips give you a little bit of bite.
tools:
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a pot for browning the butter – we’ll be browning the butter on the stove over medium heat.
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small mixing bowl – we’ll need a small mixing bowl for the butter and dark chocolate mixture.
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large mixing bowl – we’ll be adding everything to one bowl later on in the recipe so you’ll need a large bowl to fit all of the ingredients in so that it’s easier to mix your brownie batter.
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whisk or hand mixer – we’re going to mix the sugar and eggs together using a whisk or hand mixer until the sugar dissolves. i decided to use a whisk for this recipe. it might take a little longer using a whisk, with a little bit more work and strength, but it will do the job just fine! in fact, using a hand mixer to whip your eggs and sugar actually incorporates more air into the batter, so using a whisk might make your brownies even more fudgy.
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parchment paper or baking paper – lining your baking tray with parchment paper will make it easier to lift the brownies out once they’re done.
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8×8 inch baking tray – i like to use an 8×8 inch tray for this fudgy brown butter brownie recipe, as baking them in an 8×8 inch tray makes them extra fudgy and thick. if you don’t want your brownies to be really thick, feel free to bake these in a 9×9 or 9×13 tray. this will give you more brownies that are slightly less thick.
step by step instructions
for full measurements, keep scrolling down to the recipe below.
step one: preheat your oven and and grease and line a baking tray for your brown butter brownies.
step two: break apart some dark chocolate into pieces and add it to a small bowl.
step three: add butter to a pan or pot and heat up over medium heat. keep stirring until golden brown and toasted. you’ll know you’re done when the butter starts to smell toasty and almost caramel-like. (detailed instructions on browning butter in faqs section).
step four: once you’ve browned the butter, add it to the same small bowl that you added the chocolate in, making sure to scrape out all of the toasted milk solids from the bottom of the pan and into the bowl. mix the brown butter and dark chocolate together while the butter is still hot. mix until the chocolate has melted completely and the brown butter and chocolate are combined. then, set this aside.
step five: in another bowl, add 3 large eggs. then, add brown sugar and granulated sugar.
step six: using a whisk or hand mixer, mix together the eggs and sugars until they are combined, and the sugar dissolves. this will usually take a good few minutes. you’ll know the sugar has dissolved once you feel a little bit of the mixture between your fingers and you can no longer feel the sugar granules. if you find that you can still feel them, go ahead and mix for a little bit longer.
step seven: add vanilla to the egg and sugar mixture and mix it in.
step eight: add the chocolate and brown butter mixture to the egg and sugar mixture. whisk it until combined and the brownie batter looks smooth and chocolatey.
step nine: add flour and salt to the brownie batter. using a spoon or spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients in. do not mix too much at this stage as you don’t want to over mix. mix the dry ingredients in until just combined, and the flour is no longer visible.
step ten: add chopped chocolate and chocolate chips and fold them into the brownie batter gently.
step eleven: add the brownie batter to your lined baking tray, then place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes (baking times will vary depending on your oven and the size of your tray).
step twelve: once you remove the brownies from the oven, let them cool at room temperature for around 30 minutes before slicing them up or trying to remove them from the pan. they will be too soft and gooey to pick up straight out of the oven, and will continue to cook as they cool in the tray.
step thirteen: once the brownies have cooled, lift them out of the tray, slice up, and let’s eat!
tips and notes
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keep an eye on the butter when browning it – butter can quickly go from nutty and toasted to burnt. keep stirring it as it browns on the stove, and don’t leave it unattended. once the butter starts to smell caramel-like and toasty, and you can see it start to turn a golden colour, remove the pan from the heat.
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try to use high quality chocolate if you can. high quality dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate will give these brown butter brownies the best, rich and chocolatey flavour. higher quality chocolate will also be easier to melt and combine with the rest of the ingredients.
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be careful not to over mix the batter. once you add the flour, make sure to gently fold it in using a spoon or silicone spatula, and don’t mix for longer than necessary. over mixing can lead to tough brownies.
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make sure to use room temperature eggs, as they will combine with the rest of the ingredients easily and give you a smoother batter.
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make sure you preheat the oven so that it’s already hot by the time you place your brownies in the oven. this will ensure that the brownies bake evenly and that they won’t take longer to bake.
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adjust baking time as needed. every oven is different, so i recommend keeping an eye on your brown butter brownies as they bake. don’t just bang them in the oven and leave until the designated time is up. it might be a good idea to check the brownies for doneness a few minutes before the recommended baking time. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs attached – the toothpick shouldn’t be completely dry or have wet batter on it. i like to take the brownies out of the oven when they’re very slightly underdone as they will continue to cook as they cool once they’re out of the oven. over baking will result in dry and cakey brownies, which is not what we want.
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once your brown butter brownies are out of the oven, they should be too soft to pick up or slice. let them cool at room temperature before trying to slice them or pick them up.
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use a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients. while i add both metric and cup measurements for this recipe, i always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out your ingredients for most accurate results.
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store any leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge.
frequently asked questions
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what is brown butter, and what does brown butter do in brownies?
– brown butter is butter that has been cooked until the milk solids are toasted, turn golden brown and develop a nutty, toasty flavour. brown butter adds a very subtle depth and richness to brownies, giving them a unique flavour.
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how do i brown the butter for this fudgy brown butter brownie recipe?
– to brown the butter, start by adding butter to a pan. melt this over medium heat, and stir constantly as the butter melts. the butter will melt and then begin to foam and sizzle. you’ll know the butter has browned when the foam starts to tone down a little and the butter looks golden brown underneath the foam. the butter will start to smell slightly nutty and toasty. once this happens, remove the pot from the heat and pour the brown butter over dark chocolate in a small mixing bowl.
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can i use salted butter in this brown butter brownie recipe?
– yes, you can use salted butter. if you use salted butter for your brownies instead of unsalted, i would recommend adding skipping the salt listed in this recipe.
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do i have to use vanilla to make these brown butter brownies?
– the vanilla brownie recipe is optional. i like the subtle vanilla flavour it gives to the brownies, but if you would prefer not to use it or don’t have it, that’s also completely fine.
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can i make these brown butter brownies without chocolate chips or extra chopped chocolate?
– you can absolutely omit the extra chocolate and chocolate chips in this brown butter brownie recipe! i wanted my brownies to be extra rich and chocolatey, but if you would prefer not to add extra chocolate, feel free to leave it out or swap it for any other mix-ins of your choice like chopped nuts or anything else you like.
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why did my brown butter brownies turn into a cake instead of fudgy?
– there are a number of reasons why your brown butter brownies came out cakey. one reason is baking times. you should take your brownies out of the oven while they are slightly underbaked as they will continue to cook and firm up as they cool. even if you followed the exact timings in the recipe, every oven will bake things differently so timings will vary depending on your oven and the size of your tray. i highly recommend checking on your brownies every once in a while, especially towards the end of the written times to make sure they don’t over bake.
– another reason could be due to over mixing the batter or having too much flour in your brownie batter. to make these brown butter brownies as accurately as possible, be sure to measure your flour using the spoon-and-level method if using cup measurements, or weigh out the flour using a kitchen scale. gently fold the flour into the brownie batter until no streaks of flour remain in order to avoid over mixing.
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can i use a different type of chocolate, like milk chocolate, instead of dark chocolate in this recipe?
– while you can use different types of chocolate for this recipe, i would recommend using dark or semi sweet chocolate to balance the sweetness and give these brownies a richer flavour. using something like milk chocolate might make the brownies too sweet.
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do i have to use brown sugar to make these brown butter brownies?
– brown sugar is recommended for these brown butter brownies, as it helps gives the brownies a richer flavour and makes them extra chewy. however, if you don’t have brown sugar, you can substitute it with granulated sugar. using all granulated sugar for this brownie recipe might change the taste and texture of these brownies slightly, but they will still be delicious! for best results, use a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar as stated.
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why do my brownies not have a crackly top?
– to get a crackly top on your brownies, you need to make sure that your sugar dissolves when you beat the eggs and sugar together. to do this, we need to beat the eggs and sugar for a good few minutes using a whisk or hand mixer. the mixture should become slightly thicker and paler. if you’re unsure, you can feel the mixture between your fingers – if you can still feel the sugar granules, you need to mixer for longer until you can no longer feel them!
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why is there no cocoa powder in this brown butter brownie recipe?
– this brown butter brownie recipe uses melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder for an extra rich, fudgy texture and a deep chocolate flavour.
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how do i know that my brownies are done baking?
– Insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies a few minutes before the end of the stated baking times. if the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, the brownies are done. Be careful not to over bake, as this can lead to dry, cakey brownies. the toothpick shouldn’t be completely dry, and it shouldn’t have wet batter on it either. if your toothpick comes out with wet batter on it, it’ll need to bake for slightly longer.
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can i bake these brown butter brownies in a 9×13 pan?
– yes, you can! i baked these brownies in a 8×8 inch pan, because i wanted them to be extra thick. if you’d prefer a slightly thinner brownie, feel free to bake the same amount of batter in a 9×9 inch or 9×13 pan. bear in mind that the brownies will come out slightly thinner than pictured if you do this, and that baking times will decrease, as a thinner brownie will take less time to cook through. in this case, keep an eye on your brownies once they’re in the oven to ensure that you don’t over bake them, and check for doneness earlier than the recommended baking times.
ingredients
- 180g butter, unsalted (3/4 cup + 1 tbsp)
- 250g dark chocolate (1 cup + 1/4 cup + 2 tbsps)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 100g light brown or dark brown sugar (1/2 cup, packed)
- 100g granulated sugar (1/4 cup + 3 tbsps)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 100g plain flour/all purpose flour (1/2 cup + 2 tbsps)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 50g milk chocolate, chopped (1/4 cup)
- 50g milk chocolate chips (1/4 cup)
instructions
- preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease and line an 8×8 inch baking tray. make sure that some of the baking paper/parchment paper hangs over the edge so that you are able to easily lift the brownies out of the pan once they’re done.
- break apart the dark chocolate into pieces and add it to a small mixing bowl
- add butter to a pan or pot and heat up over medium heat. keep stirring as the butter melts. the butter will melt and then begin to foam and sizzle. you’ll know the butter has browned when the foam starts to tone down a little and the butter looks golden brown underneath the foam. the butter will start to smell slightly caramel-like and toasty. once this happens, remove the pot from the heat and pour the brown butter over the dark chocolate you placed in the mixing bowl.
- stir the hot brown butter and the dark chocolate pieces together in the bowl. the hot butter will start to melt the chocolate. keep mixing until the chocolate has completely melted and combined with the butter. then, set the bowl aside.
- in a large bowl, add 3 eggs. then, add brown sugar and granulated sugar. use a whisk or hand mixer to mix the eggs together for 3-4 minutes or until you can feel that the sugar has dissolved. the egg and sugar mixture should look slightly paler in colour and increase slightly in volume.
- add vanilla to the egg and sugar mixture and mix it in.
- add the brown butter and chocolate mixture to the eggs and sugar and use a whisk to mix it in until combined. the batter should look thick and smooth.
- add plain flour/all purpose flour and salt to the brownie batter. use a spoon or silicone spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the brownie batter until just combined. make sure not to over mix here.
- add the chopped chocolate and chocolate chips and gently fold them into the batter.
- add the brownie batter to your lined baking tray and bake on the middle rack at 180°C (350°F) for 35-40 minutes. keep in mind that baking times will vary depending on your oven and the size of your tray.
- remove the brownies from the oven, and let them cool at room temperature. they will continue to cook as they cool in the tray.
- once the brownies have cooled completely, remove from the pan, then slice up.
- serve with a glass of cold milk, and let’s eat!
notes
- check the brownies for doneness a few minutes before the recommended baking time. a toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs attached – the toothpick shouldn’t be completely dry or have wet batter on it.
- feel free to bake these brownies in a 9×9 inch pan or 9×13 inch pan. this will give you a slightly thinner brownie, if you don’t want them to be as thick. be sure to adjust baking times if you bake them in a different size tray as a thinner brownie will take less time to bake.