If you are looking for the best Fudge Brownies made without cocoa powder, look no further! I tested dozens of recipe variations until I perfected the ultimate combination for rich, gooey brownies.

A stack of three thick, fudgy chocolate brownies. with visible chocolate chunks.

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Note from Erin

I grew up eating brownies made with melted chocolate from my mom’s Joy of Cooking cookbook. They were dense, glossy, and deeply fudgy, nothing like the cakey box mixes we had at school parties.

As an adult, I kept that same method but tested it over and over to dial in the texture. After countless batches, I finally landed on the perfect gooey fudge brownie.

Now, I'm excited to share all the secrets I've learned so you can make the very best brownies too!

Why Make Brownies Without Cocoa Powder

I make these brownies with melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder because it completely changes the texture and flavor.

Melted chocolate adds extra cocoa butter, giving the brownies a dense, fudgy center with a rich flavor. You also get a shiny, crackly top when the eggs and sugar are properly whipped, which is harder to achieve with cocoa alone.

If you love brownies that are gooey in the center and rich all the way through, melted chocolate is the reason they turn out that way.

Ingredient and Substitution Information

The recipe card at the bottom of this post includes the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.

Baking ingredients labeled and arranged on a light grey surface.

Chocolate - The quality of your chocolate is important. I use Guittard or Ghiradelli chocolate chips, but you can also use chopped chocolate. I love dark chocolate in the batter for a rich flavor and milk chocolate chips for a velvety texture throughout.
Eggs - During testing, I found that 2 eggs were too dry and 3 were too cakey, but adding an additional egg yolk to the 2-egg recipe made the perfect brownies.
Sugar - Use granulated sugar for the classic shiny, crackly top. You can swap in some brown sugar for a slightly softer texture and deeper flavor, but the surface will be more matte.
Flour - I recommend weighing your flour or carefully measuring using the spoon-and-level method, as even a couple of extra tablespoons can shift the texture towards cake.

How to Make Brownies from Scratch

A saucepan filled with smooth melty chocolate with nylon whisk in pan.

Melt Chocolate

Place the chocolate, butter, and oil in a saucepan and melt over low heat, stirring until it is smooth.
Set the chocolate aside to cool.

A clear glass bowl with really fluffy egg and sugar mixture that is pale yellow.

Beat Eggs & Sugar

Use an electric mixer on high speed to whip the eggs in a large bowl.
Continue for several minutes, until they turn pale in color and the batter is thick and velvety, then mix in the vanilla extract and salt.

Top Tip!

Pro Tip: The key to getting a crinkly top on your brownies is to thoroughly beat your eggs and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. It should flow like a ribbon from the beater.

A glass bowl with melted chocolate swirled into the egg and sugar batter with a rubber spatula.

Swirl in Melted Chocolate

Put away your electric mixer and use a rubber spatula or a whisk for the remaining steps.
Pour the cooled chocolate into the egg mixture and stir gently.

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Flour on top of the chocolate swirled batter in a glass bowl.

Fold in Flour

Stir in the flour, but do not overmix; overmixing will make the brownies dense and tough.

Brownie batter in a glass bowl with some flecks of flour still showing and chocolate chips on top.

Stir in Chocolate Chips

When a little bit of flour is still visible, stir in the chocolate chips.

Bake

Use a Metal Pan. Glass cooks faster, so when using glass, it is harder to end up with gooey brownies.
To check for doneness, look for a dry, matte surface, with the tops of the brownies starting to crack.

Cool Completely Before Cutting

Cooling completely allows the brownies to set, which results in cleaner cuts. It also enhances the chocolate flavor - brownies taste better after cooling completely! If you prefer them warm, let them cool first, then microwave individual portions for about 10 seconds.

Ultimate gooey chocolate brownie stacked.

Fudge Brownie Variations

Espresso Brownies: Add 1-2 teaspoons of espresso powder. It won't taste like coffee, but it will enhance the flavor.

Mint Chocolate Brownies: Chop one box of Andes mints. Stir them into the batter instead of the milk chocolate. Or, sprinkle them over the top of the brownies when they are fresh out of the oven. Let the chocolate sit for 5 minutes, then use an offset spatula to spread as a mint chocolate glaze.

Salted Caramel Brownies: Swirl ⅓ cup of caramel sauce into the batter before baking and sprinkle ½ teaspoon of flaky sea salt on top.

Nutella Swirl Brownies: Drop ¼ cup of warmed Nutella in dollops over the batter and swirl with a knife before baking.

Rocky Road Brownies: Mix in ½ cup each of mini marshmallows and chopped walnuts.

Peanut Butter Cup Brownies: Press 12 mini peanut butter cups into the batter before baking.

Recipe

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Comments

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Note from Erin

Why Make Brownies Without Cocoa Powder

Ingredient and Substitution Information