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Cocoa Brownies

4.5

(65)

Photo of cocoa brownies on a white background.
Cocoa BrowniesTom Scherlitz

The best—and easiest—brownies you'll ever make. This recipe belongs in your repertoire.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 16 servings

Ingredients

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1" pieces
1¼ cups sugar
¾ cup Scharffen Berger natural unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
⅓ cup all-purpose flour

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8x8x2" glass baking dish with foil, pressing firmly into pan and leaving a 2" overhang. Coat foil with nonstick spray; set baking dish aside.

    Step 2

    Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let cool slightly. Whisk sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl to combine. Pour butter in a steady stream into dry ingredients, whisking constantly to blend. Whisk in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, beating vigorously to blend after each addition. Add flour and stir until just combined (do not overmix). Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth top.

    Step 3

    Bake until top begins to crack and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 25-30 minutes.

    Step 4

    Transfer pan to a wire rack; let cool completely in pan. Using foil overhang, lift brownie out of pan; transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares.

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