My new go-to brownie recipe.

Coming at you with a chocolate fix! I don't know about you but brownies are probably my top choice for solve that chocolate craving. Brownies are best when they're very chocolatey and fudgy and they just make me happy and oh so satisfied. They're not that filling as, say, a slice of chocolate cake or pie. A square of brownie is just enough as a dessert or quick snack when you're feeling peckish, you know?

That's why it's important to have a reliable brownie recipe. I've tried several recipes over the years and while not all of them are great, some are good enough to keep in mind. The brownies Mom and I make most of the time are more cake-like and while that's perfectly fine, I just find it a bit tricky to work with. Cake-like brownies tend to get dry and crumbly easily when you accidentally overbake them so they're best paired with ice cream or icing to keep them moist. I prefer mine fudgy and gooey so I've been looking for a fudgy brownie recipe, preferably one that doesn't need a lot of ingredients. I came across Cafe Delites' recipe, tried it, and daaaaaaamn, it's legit.  It only needs 7 ingredients (6, technically) and gets baked at around 20-25 minutes. how awesome is that? What I also like about the recipe is that all ingredients are pantry regulars so no need to get out and buy 1 or 2 ingredients that will only be used for this particular recipe. 

Brownie batter is incredibly runny but don't worry, it'll bake just fine. The secret, though, is really baking it for under 25 minutes. If you want that fudgy but baked texture, I find that around 22/23 minutes is the best time. I baked mine for 25 and I found that my brownies were starting to get a bit cake-like/crumb-y. So after 22/23 minutes, take your pan out of the oven and let it cool. Also, after it cools down completely, put it in the fridge. I like the texture after it sets and cools in the fridge, around 6 hours-ish. It's more set, harder, and definitely fudgey as heck. Love it.

I just sprinkled a few semi-sweet chocolate chips on top just for decoration purposes but feel free to top it with nuts or drizzle some melted chocolate on top once cooled. Enjoy it however you want- ala mode, on its own, or better yet, use it as a base for chocolate mousse cake. Easy peasy and oh so scrumptuous. I guess I found my new go-to brownie recipe!

Fudgy Cocoa Brownies

(adapted from CafeDelites.com)

Yield: 16 squares or 32 smaller pieces

1/2 c + 1 tbsp butter, melted*

1 cup granulated sugar **

2 eggs, at room temp

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c all purpose flour

1/2 c cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt ***

optional: mix-ins/toppings: choco chips/chopped nuts/both

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8" baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, beat together butter and sugar until well combined.

4. Add in eggs and vanilla. Beat until eggs are well incorporated.

5. Add in dry mixture and beat until everything is just combined. Don't overbeat.

6. Transfer to batter to baking pan and add in toppings.

7. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting.

NOTES:

* I used salted butter but feel free to use unsalted butter.

**Feel free to add in additional 2 tbsp of sugar if you prefer sweeter brownies.

***If using salted butter, only use 1/8 tsp of salt. If using unsalted, use 1/4 tsp.