My go to brownies

My Go-To Fudgy Brownies

These brownies are the recipe I come back to time and time again. They're rich, intensely chocolatey, beautifully fudgy in the centre and have that irresistible crackly top. I use salted butter, so there's no need to add extra salt, and my favourite chocolate chips are the Costco ones, which melt beautifully and give the perfect chocolate flavour.

The best thing about this recipe is how versatile it is. Keep them classic with extra chocolate chips, or customise them with your favourite mix-ins like white chocolate, fudge chunks, dried sour cherries, toasted nuts or anything else you love.

Ingredients

- 250g salted butter

- 250g chocolate (dark, milk or a combination)

- 4 large eggs

- 500g caster sugar

- 200g plain flour

- ½ tsp baking powder

- 50g unsweetened cocoa powder

- 200g chocolate chips or your favourite mix-ins

Mix-In Ideas

- Extra milk, dark or white chocolate chips

- Fudge chunks

- Dried sour cherries and dark chocolate

- White chocolate and macadamia nuts

- Caramel pieces

- Chopped pecans or walnuts

- Peanut butter chips

- Mini marshmallows (fold in gently)

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C (150°C fan). Line a 9 x 13-inch baking tin with baking paper.

2. Gently melt the salted butter and 250g chocolate together until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and caster sugar until the mixture is pale, thick and fluffy.

4. Slowly pour the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs while whisking until fully incorporated.

5. Sift in the plain flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. Fold everything together gently until no dry streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix.

6. Fold through the additional 200g of chocolate chips or your chosen mix-ins.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread it evenly.

8. Bake for 30 minutes for a wonderfully fudgy brownie. If you prefer a firmer, more cake-like texture, bake for an additional 10 minutes.

9. Allow the brownies to cool completely in the tin, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight. This helps them set properly and makes them much easier to slice into neat squares (I usually get 16-20 decent sized brownies from this recipe)

Top Tips

- Don't skip the chilling time—it really does make a difference to the texture.

- Slightly underbaked brownies will continue to set as they cool, giving that perfect fudgy centre.

- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Whether you keep them simple or load them with your favourite extras, this recipe is guaranteed to become a family favourite. Enjoy!