There’s nothing quite like a tray of warm, gooey chocolate brownies fresh from the oven. These are rich, fudgy, and packed with melty chocolate chips. They’re also super easy to make — no fancy equipment needed, just a bowl, a spoon, and a bit of willpower not to eat the whole lot in one go.
What You Need
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredient quantities and full detailed method.
Butter – I use unsalted butter so I can control the saltiness, but if you only have salted butter, just skip the pinch of salt later. You can swap for baking margarine if you like, but butter really does give a richer flavour.
Sugar – Granulated sugar works perfectly here and helps create that shiny, crinkly brownie top. You can use caster sugar for a finer texture, or even swap half for light brown sugar for a slightly chewier brownie with a hint of caramel.
Eggs – They bind everything together and give the brownies their structure.
Vanilla essence – A splash of vanilla makes the chocolate taste even better. You can use vanilla extract if you want a more intense flavour, or leave it out if you don’t have any.
Plain flour – There’s only a small amount so the brownies stay dense and fudgy. Self-raising flour isn’t ideal here as it can make them too cake-like.
Unsweetened cocoa powder – This deepens the chocolate flavour. Go for good-quality cocoa if you can — it really makes a difference. Don’t use drinking chocolate as it’s too sweet and has milk powder mixed in.
Chocolate chips – I used milk chocolate chips but you could use dark chocolate or even white chocolate. If you only have a block of chocolate, just chop it into small chunks.
Salt – A pinch of salt lifts all the other flavours. If you’re a fan of sweet–salty combos, you could even sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top before baking.
Making Chocolate Chip Brownies
Preheat your oven to 160°C (fan) / 180°C / Gas Mark 4 and line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with baking paper. If you don’t have that exact size, go for something close — just keep an eye on the baking time.
In a microwave-safe bowl, pop in 150g of your chocolate chips along with the butter. Heat in short 30-second bursts, stirring each time, until everything is melted and silky smooth. Don’t be tempted to blast it all at once — chocolate can burn quicker than you’d think.
Whisk your eggs in a separate bowl, then stir them into the melted chocolate–butter mix. Add the vanilla and pinch of salt and give it another good stir.
Stir in the flour and cocoa powder, then gently fold it all together until you can’t see any streaks of flour. Try not to overmix — we want soft, fudgy brownies, not tough ones.
Tip in the remaining 50g of chocolate chips and give it one last stir so you get those lovely little pockets of chocolate in each bite.
Pour the batter into your prepared tin, spread it out evenly, and pop it into the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes if you like them gooey and soft in the middle, or 22–23 minutes if you prefer them a little more set. Every oven is a bit different, so start checking at the 20-minute mark — the top should look slightly cracked and crinkly.
Once they’re done, resist the urge to dig in straight away! Let them cool in the tin for 20–30 minutes. This helps them set properly so they cut into neat squares (and don’t collapse into chocolatey mush — unless that’s what you’re going for).
Serving Suggestions
These brownies are gorgeous just as they are, but you can dress them up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce. For a twist, try a dollop of whipped cream with a sprinkle of sea salt on top.
Storage
Store your brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days if you like them extra fudgy. They also freeze brilliantly — wrap them well and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw at room temperature.
More Baking Recipes
I hope you enjoy this chocolate brownie recipe, if you want more fun and simple baking recipes to make at home, take a look at these for inspiration:
- Easy Shortbread Recipe
- Flapjacks
- Rocky Road
- Quick and Simple Cupcakes
- Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Rocky Road Fudge Recipe
- Rice Krispie Marshmallow Treats
- Millionaire Shortbread
Chocolate Brownies
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Ingredients
- 125 g butter
- 200 g sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
- 60 g flour
- 60 g cocoa powder unsweetened
- 200 g chocolate chips (150g for melting + 50g for stirring in)
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160°C (fan) / 180°C / Gas Mark 4
- Line a baking tin with baking paper. A 20cm x 20cm tin will work.
- Place 150g of the chocolate chips with the butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring after each one, until fully melted and smooth. Be careful not to burn the chocolate.
- Whisk the eggs and stir them into the melted chocolate and butter mix followed by the vanilla essence and the pinch of salt, and mix again.
- Add the flour and cocoa powder into the bowl, and fold in with a spoon until everything is thoroughly mixed.
- Stir through the remaining 50g of chocolate chips.
- Pour into the lined baking tin.
- Cook for 20 minutes in the middle of the oven for a fudgy, gooey brownie, or for about 22-23 minutes for a more spongy, cakey brownie (cooking times may vary depending on your oven) so check on them at 20 minutes. The top will be a little crinkly and beginning to crack. Brownies will continue to set as they cool, so don't worry if the centre looks a little soft when you first remove them.
- Leave in the tin for 20 to 30 minutes before lifting out, if you try and remove the brownies before this time they may crumble.
- Slice the brownies into however many portions you want.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an estimate.