Step aside, box mix. These salty fudgy brownies are rich, tender and so outrageously chocolatey they’ll satify even the biggest choc-o-holic. AND they happen to be gluten free brownies.
Fudgy brownies are one of my all-time favorite desserts. If someone told me I could eat only one dessert for the rest of my life, it would be fudgy brownies topped with ice cream, no question about it.
That means that when I want to eat brownies, I want dang good, fudgy brownies with a crispy top. And I bet you do, too. Luckily for both of us, these salty fudgy brownies more than fit the bill.
These salty fudgy brownies have the best rich, chocolate flavor and are perfectly balanced with flaky sea salt on top. They’re naturally gluten free thanks to almond flour and a lot of thick, melted chocolate. And whenever I make these brownies for my friends, the whole pan disappears in a night.
Get ready for the BEST salty fudgy brownies.
The Best Salty Fudgy Brownies
These brownies are better than the box, I promise
We all love the classic brownie box mix (Ghiradelli, anyone?). Quick to make, gooey with a thin, papery crust, and filled with some kind of flavor that only a box mix possesses. They’re steadfast and taste dang good.
Making box brownies is also filled with so many childhood memories. For me it was one of my first experiences baking on my own. I’d carefully analyze the instructions on the back of the box, sit on the counter licking the bowl and diligently watch the oven to see batter turn into brownie.
What’s great about this fudgy brownies recipe is that making them transports you back to that childhood nostalgia and gives you that fudgy brownie… but they blow box mix out of the water. They’re moist and fudgy with a crispy top, you can control how dark or milky you want the chocolate to be, and they taste more purely of chocolate than any brownie I’ve ever eaten. They are, full stop, my favorite brownie I’ve ever tasted.
This is the first ever recipe I ever created
These brownies hold a special place in my heart because they’re actually the first recipe I created fully on my own. I worked on them all summer after my freshman year of college. I toggled ingredients and oven temperatures. I made batches that worked one night and didn’t the next. And I ended the summer with a mostly-finished recipe that I was pretty proud of.
I’ve been making small adjustments on this recipe ever since that summer. And what you see here is truly the best version.
What makes these brownies so delicious
- Not one, not two, but THREE types of chocolate. These brownies have thick, lucious melted chocolate, flavorful Dutch process cocoa powder and melty chocolate chips. This trifecta packs the best chocolate punch.
- A little sprinkle of espresso powder. Espresso powder brings out more flavor dimensions in chocolate without making the brownies taste like coffee.
- Almond flour to make the brownies super tender. Using almond flour instead of all purpose flour makes these brownies gluten free and tender without tasting nutty. If you have a nut allergy, you can make a substition (see the FAQs).
- Flaky sea salt. The balance that salt brings to chocolate is incredible. Topping these brownies with flaky sea salt brings out the sweetness and flavor of the chocolate.
Tips for the best brownies
- Really put some muscle into whisking your eggs and sugar. Your biceps are going to burn and it’s going to feel like quite the arm day, but it’s all going to be worth it. Whisking the eggs and sugar really well will make your brownies taller, with a gooey inside and a gorgeous papery crust.
- Use a quality chocolate with whatever cacoa percentage you like. These brownies have a lot of chocolate in them, so using quality chocolate will really make a difference. Because these brownies are dark and rich to begin with, I like going with a 60% cacoa bar and milk chocolate chips, but pick whatever you like. My brand of choice is Ghiradelli.
- Make sure to use Dutch process cocoa powder or Black cocoa powder. If you have never used Dutch process cocoa powder, I promise you’ll try it once and never look back (though you should make sure you can sub it for whatever recipe you’re using). It has a stronger chocolate flavor and higher fat content than natural cocoa powder, which helps make these brownies rich and tender. Black cocoa powder is a variety of Dutch process cocoa powder that has an even darker chocolate flavor (it tastes kind of like an Oreo). You can go with any cocoa powder that says “Dutch process” on the container. You should be able to find some at the grocery store, but I also love King Arthur’s Black cocoa powder from Amazon.
- Under-bake your brownies slightly. Make sure to take the brownies out of the oven when the edges and top are set and a knife stuck in the middle comes out with some crumbs attached (but not raw batter). The brownies will finish baking outside of the oven from the residual heat of the pan.
Brownies FAQs
- How do I slice my brownies neatly? Sarah Fennel at Broma Bakery has a great tip. Let the brownies cool, then take your sharpest kitchen knife, run it under the hottest water your sink has to offer, wipe it dry, and then make one cut. Clean the knife off, run it under hot water, dry the knife, and cut again. Rinse and repeat.
- Can I substitute the almond flour? These brownies really shine with almond flour because it adds extra fat and has no gluten protein. If you have a nut allergy, you can definitely sub in all-purpose flour or a gluten free flour of your choice (I like Cup4Cup). If you’re using all-purpose flour, reduce the total amount by 1 tablespoon.
- Can I freeze these brownies? Yes! First slice them all, then place in a freezer safe bag or container. Put layers of parchment paper in between layers if you’re stacking brownies. Either eat them cold or reheated in the microwave or oven.
Happy brownie baking! <3
If you make these, be sure to tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @loaves.and.such and drop a review below!
The Best Salty Fudgy Brownies
1
8×8 Pan20
minutes30
minutes50
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
1 stick (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut in cubes
8 ounces chocolate (I like 60% cacao), chopped
3 TBS. Dutch process cocoa powder or Black cocoa powder
2 tsp. espresso powder
3 eggs
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup (32 grams) almond flour (sifted, or with any lumps smushed out)
1/2 tsp. kosher or coarse salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
Flaky sea salt to top
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper or grease it with butter or spray.
- Melt your chocolate and butter together, eiher in the microwave or on the stovetop. If you’re using the microwave, place the butter and chocolate together in a microwave safe bowl and heat them in 30-second increments, stirring in between until they are fully combined. They should melt after about 2 minutes. For the stovetop, place the butter and chocolate in a saucepan over very low heat, stirring frequently until melted and combined.
- Once the butter and chocolate are melted, whisk in the Dutch process cocoa powder and espresso powder. Adding these ingredients to the heated chocolate will help bring out their flavors. Make sure to whisk well and smush out any lumps of cocoa powder.
- While the butter and chocolate cools, whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large bowl. This is where your biceps really come in. You want to beat the eggs and sugar with the whisk in a circular motion to allow air in and dissolve as much of the sugar as possible. You’re going to beat for much longer than you’re comfortable, around 5 minutes. You’re done when the they’ve turned pale yellow, and when you pinch your fingers together in the mixture you don’t feel too many granules of sugar.
- Add the vanilla extract to the eggs. Whisk in a little bit of the chocolate/butter to gently bring up the temperature of the eggs, so you don’t accidentally cook them. Gently fold in the rest of the chocolate/butter, making sure to scrape the bowl so all the chocolate/butter makes it in. Fold in the almond flour, salt and chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the edges and top are set and a knife stuck in the middle comes out with some moist crumbs attached (but not raw batter). Don’t overbake – the brownies will finish baking outside of the oven from the residual heat of the pan and come out perfectly fudgy.
- Top with flaky sea salt and let the brownies cool. Slice, and enjoy brownie heaven!
