22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (2024)

Whether you like your brownies fudgy, cake-like, or covered in toppings, this collection of our best recipes has it all. Try a classic buttermilk brownie or opt for the ultimate chewy version. If you want a recipe with a twist, try a fruit topping that adds a bit of tartness, or a splash of bourbon to pump up the richness. It's time to get baking.

01of 22

Dulce de Leche Fluff Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (1)

Jars of purchased dulce de leche and marshmallow fluff make a decadent—and easy—addition to this otherwise homemade brownie recipe. The sweet toppings swirl together for a marbled effect, making this recipe chewy, gooey, and sweet. For a little crunch, top the brownies with toasted chopped pecans.

02of 22

Malted Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (2)

It's not just the malted milk balls topping that gives this frosted brownie recipe its signature flavor. Vanilla malted milk powder and a homemade malted milk frosting add to the toasty and buttery flavors of these chocolatey brownies. The mini malted milk balls are optional, but if you can find the candy-coated versions, they add a colorful finishing touch.

03of 22

Gluten-Free Fudgy Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (3)

Make your own gluten-free flour mix, or buy it prepared for an easy brownie recipe that everyone can enjoy. These gluten-free brownies are delicious on their own, but the chocolate-cream cheese frosting makes them extra fudgy. Try them with a sprinkle of peanut-butter baking chips for a nutty twist that totally works.

Buy It: King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour ($9, Target)

04of 22

Inside-Out S'mores Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (4)

Bring the flavors of your favorite dessert indoors with this fudgy s'mores brownie recipe. Real graham crackers and marshmallows are baked into the batter to create a mess-free version of this campfire classic. Make these for a summer picnic or cozy up with a batch on a winter evening—they're delicious year-round.

05of 22

Bourbon Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (5)

These southern-inspired brownies add the bold flavor of bourbon with the nutty and sweet flavors of freshly toasted pecans. Although it's just a splash of bourbon in the batter, the flavor makes these simple brownies stand apart. Top them with a bourbon frosting and a drizzle of chocolate for an extra boost of sweetness.

Orange-Kissed Chocolate Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (6)

This recipe with a twist marries the flavors of chocolate and orange with the chewiness of a classic brownie. A teaspoon of shredded orange peel and a few tablespoons of orange juice add tangy citrus flavor to the frosting, which sits between two layers of chocolate. Best of all, this recipe makes 32 brownies, so there'll be plenty to go around.

07of 22

Red Velvet Buttermilk Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (7)

These vibrant red velvet brownies are topped with a buttercream frosting. The buttermilk in the recipe creates a cake-like texture, while rich cocoa flavors are packed into each bite. You can freeze these brownies up to three months. so you'll always have a treat on hand.

08of 22

Marbled Chocolate-Pumpkin Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (8)

You don't have to wait for fall to enjoy the taste of pumpkin. Canned pumpkin puree gives a sweet-tart boost to this gooey brownie recipe, adding a gorgeous layer. For a nice crunch, top them with crushed walnuts.

09of 22

Sweet Potato Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (9)

No one has to know there's a vitamin-rich tuber in this healthy brownie recipe. The mashed sweet potato gives the brownies a dense interior texture, with a flaky, crispy crust, and the vitamins and minerals loaded within may even warrant these lightly sweet brownies a spot on the dinner table. OK, maybe only after dinner is over.

10of 22

Fudge Ripple Turtle Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (10)

Adding a thick layer of melted caramel is only the first step to loading this fudge brownie recipe with delicious decadence. Drizzled chocolate and crunchy toasted pecans top the dense brownies. The end result is something that tastes almost exactly like a homemade candy turtle.

11of 22

Buttermilk Brownies

View Recipe

If you're from the South, you probably know this cake-like brownie recipe better as Texas Sheet Cake. A creamy chocolate-buttermilk frosting makes these cake-like brownies even better. Serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

12of 22

Dark Chocolate Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (12)

This brownie recipe is for lovers of fudgy dark chocolate. The batter is thick, but it spreads easily into the pan. For the finale, top each bar with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge.

13of 22

White Chocolate Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (13)

White chocolate and crunchy macadamia nuts give classic brownies the best kind of makeover. This recipe includes light frosting in a layer of melted white chocolate. Bonus: These brownies take just 15 minutes of hands-on time.

14of 22

Crème de Menthe Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (14)

The flavors of an after-dinner mint come together in this decadent, fudgy brownie. We recommend using a fork to cut through the layers, where fresh mint filling is spread between a dark chocolate brownie and a creamy dark chocolate ganache. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to create a brownie sundae twist on mint chocolate chip ice cream.

15of 22

Cream Cheese-Marbled Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (15)

This cream cheese brownie recipe is marbled for a showstopping finish. A swirl of cream cheese makes pecan-topped chocolate brownies beautiful and tasty. Toasting the pecans brings out their rich flavor.

16of 22

Coffee and Cookie Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (16)

This buzzy brownie recipe definitely deserves a seat at your brunch table. A fudgy brownie layer is sandwiched between a crisp sugar cookie crust and melted chocolate pieces. These taste fancy, but they're a cinch to pull together.

17of 22

Caramel-Swirl Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (17)

These bake-and-slice brownies are a crowd-pleasing treat. Swirls of caramel add a buttery sweetness to the rich cocoa in the recipe. Make a batch for your next bake sale, or serve them as an after-dinner treat the whole family will love.

18of 22

Chocolate-Chipotle Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (18)

These brownies give off some heat even after they've cooled. Warm chipotle spice kicks up chocolate's smoothness in this recipe, for a match that will delight. Sprinkle extra cinnamon over some vanilla ice cream to help cool things down.

19of 22

Espresso Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (19)

Coffee enhances the flavor of the chocolate in this chewy brownie recipe. A splash of coffee liquor and a sprinkle of espresso powder give these brownies just the right jolt of flavor. Go over the top with a finishing sprinkle of chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans.

20of 22

Shortbread Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (20)

This from-scratch recipe is a brownie and cookie combo (a brookie) that totally works. Make and bake these two-layer treats in about an hour. Classic shortbread provides a sweet and simple base; a buttery chocolate layer caps it off.

21of 22

Cake Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (21)

If fudgy and gooey aren't the way you'd like to describe your brownies, this cake brownie recipe is for you. These are soft and airy and are best when topped with a no-cook chocolate frosting and a scoop of vanilla ice cream (nuts are optional). Bake them in a sheet pan for an easy-to-tote dessert.

22of 22

Ultimate Brownies

View Recipe

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (22)

Your search for the best brownie recipe can stop here. Two kinds of chocolate and a fudge drizzle take this recipe over the top. Add the optional chopped nuts for extra texture, or play around with the stir-in suggestions listed below the recipe to add your own spin.

22 Great Brownie Recipes for Desserts by the Panful (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep brownies soft and moist? ›

Airtight Containers

Use parchment paper to layer brownies into an airtight container for best results. Tip: When storing brownies in an airtight container, add a slice of bread in with them. The moisture from the bread will help keep your brownies fresh and soft for a couple more days.

How to make cakey vs fudgy brownies? ›

Fudgy brownies have a higher fat-to-flour ratio than cakey ones. So add more fat—in this case, butter and chocolate. A cakey batch has more flour and relies on baking powder for leavening. The amount of sugar and eggs does not change whether you're going fudgy or cakey.

Why did my brownies come out hard and chewy? ›

The molasses content in brown sugar is what is responsible for chewy yet soft brownies. If you don't want chewy brownies, completely keep brown sugar out of the picture.

Should you refrigerate brownies after baking? ›

Do Brownies Need to Be Refrigerated? Brownies don't need to be refrigerated, but they'll hold up a few more days if they are. Unless your brownies include more perishable ingredients like fresh fruit or cream cheese frosting, they'll be fine at room temperature as long as they're stored in an airtight container.

Why do my brownies get hard after they cool? ›

If your brownies are turning out dry, it's for one of two reasons - either you've overcooked the brownies or there is too much flour in your recipe. Overcooked brownies?

What to add to brownies to make them moist? ›

One change is to use milk or heavy cream instead of water. This change will make brownies more moist and gooey since milk is more fatty and flavorful than water. A second change is to use butter instead of oil. For similar reasons to using milk, butter adds a rich and more decadent quality to the batter.

What happens if I add more milk to brownies? ›

Milk. Most brownie mixes call for water. While water does the job, you can add some extra flavor and moisture by mixing some of that water with something richer, like milk. If you want to swap it out completely, be prepared for a more chewy and fudge-like brownie from the extra fat.

What are the three types of brownies? ›

Brownie textures fall into three general camps… Cakey, fudgy and chewy. Cakey brownies, like the name implies, are light, moist and airy, with a slightly fluffy, cake-like interior. Fudgy brownies are moist, dense and gooey, with almost the texture of fudge, but not quite as compact.

Is melted butter or softened butter better for brownies? ›

If you want a fudgy chocolate brownie, use melted butter. For cakey brownies, beating softened butter and sugar together to create air pockets will make your brownies lighter and cakier.

What happens if you put too many eggs in brownies? ›

They give brownies a lighter, drier, and more cake-like texture. If you prefer this over the chewy variety, then go ahead and crack in that additional egg. On the other hand, too many eggs will yield brownies that are hard, heavy, and tough.

How can I keep my brownies from getting hard? ›

To keep the tops from being hard, cover them with parchment paper until you're ready to decorate them. How do you make your brownies turn out fudgy not cakey? Baking them also affects how fudgy your brownies are. If you bake them until a tester gimes out completely clean, they won't have that gooey center.

How do you keep brownies from drying out? ›

Brownies should be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and placed in an airtight container to help keep them from drying out and going stale. (You can also use a layer of aluminum foil around the layer of plastic wrap to help protect them from air exposure.)

Why did my brownies turn out wet? ›

If the toothpick comes out completely wet and coated with batter, you know the brownies are underdone and need more time.

Why are my brownies still soft in the middle? ›

To test for doneness with a toothpick, insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies and pull it back out. For fudgy brownies, you'll want to see some moist crumbs attached to the toothpick when you pull it back out. If it looks like it's covered in brownie batter, the brownies will need to bake a bit longer.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Delena Feil

Last Updated:

Views: 6297

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (45 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Delena Feil

Birthday: 1998-08-29

Address: 747 Lubowitz Run, Sidmouth, HI 90646-5543

Phone: +99513241752844

Job: Design Supervisor

Hobby: Digital arts, Lacemaking, Air sports, Running, Scouting, Shooting, Puzzles

Introduction: My name is Delena Feil, I am a clean, splendid, calm, fancy, jolly, bright, faithful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.