Utterly decadent triple chocolate brownies, made from scratch. They are fabulously rich, with chewy edges, crinkly tops and a soft, fudgy centre. Made with melted chocolate, cocoa powder and dotted with chocolate chips, every bite is absolutely loaded with chocolate flavour!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Easy to make – a simple, one-bowl recipe made with a handful of basic pantry staples.
- No electric mixers, packet mixes or fancy equipment required.
- A lovely, decadent dessert – serve them warm or room temperature with with fresh fruit, caramel sauce, chocolate fudge sauce, crushed peanuts or a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
- Perfect for entertaining – one batch will serve 9-12 people and makes for a quick and easy make-ahead dessert when entertaining. Simply warm, and serve!
- So delicious – cakey on the bottom with a gooey, fudgy middle and the most delicious, chewy edges. With triple the chocolate, they are completely rich and FULL of chocolate flavour!
Ingredients you will need
** This post contains tips and instructions to achieve the best possible results. The photo above is a great guide for when you are in the supermarket, but for full ingredient quantities and methods, please scroll down to the detailed recipe card below!
For the triple chocolate brownie batter, you will need three forms of chocolate;
- Dark chocolate – also called semi-sweet chocolate, dark chocolate helps to set the brownies and adds rich chocolate flavour. Choose a good quality eating chocolate (not baking chocolate) that you know and love to eat from the packet. Dark chocolate can be swapped for milk chocolate, but the chocolate flavour will be milder. I use a dark chocolate with 70% cocoa, but you can use anything between 45-70%.
- Cocoa powder – unsweetened cocoa powder provides deep chocolate flavour to the batter. As there are no chemical leaveners (like baking powder or bicarb soda) used in this recipe, either natural cocoa powder (unsweetened) or Dutch process cocoa powder can be used. Dutch process will give a deeper, smoother chocolate flavour. Sift it first, to avoid lumps.
- Chocolate chips – chocolate baking chips are added to the batter, to provide additional moisture, gooeyness and extra chocolate flavour. Use white, milk or dark chocolate chips, depending on your preference.
Plus;
- Butter – melted butter is used to add richness, fat and chewiness to the brownies. Salted or unsalted butter can be used. I don’t recommend swapping for oil or butter substitutes.
- Plain flour – all-purpose (plain) flour is used to provide a little structure. Only ¾ cup is used, as too much flour will make the brownies ‘cake-like’. We want dense, fudgy brownies, so measure accurately and only use the amount of flour specified.
- Eggs – to bind and provide structure and richness to the brownies. This recipe uses 3 large eggs, which gives the brownies their fudgy texture.
- Vanilla – enhances the chocolate flavour. Use pure vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract rather than vanilla essence, for the best flavour.
- Salt – to balance the sweetness and add another flavour note. Use salt flakes where possible. If using regular table salt, you will need to reduce the quantities.
- White sugar – granulated white sugar adds sweetness, but also melts and helps to create the fudgy centre and signature crackly tops. I don’t recommend reducing the amount of sugar.
Why is there no baking powder or baking soda used in this recipe?
Leavening agents like baking powder or bicarb soda (baking soda) add rise to the brownies and make them more cake-like. In this recipe, the eggs provide enough lift without altering the final texture, leaving the brownies dense and fudgy.
Step by step instructions
**Full ingredient list and detailed step-by-step instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1 – Melt the chocolate and butter;
Place the butter and chopped dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and gently place it over the top of a saucepan of gently simmering water. The bowl should fit snugly over the top of the saucepan, without allowing steam to escape.
Stir the mixture over the heat until the butter and chocolate melt and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Alternatively, this step can be done in the microwave.
Step 2 – Make the brownie batter;
Add the sugar to the melted chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Add the remaining ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and stir until just combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips and add the mixture to a greased and lined 20 x 20cm square cake tin.
Step 3 – Bake;
Bake the brownies for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean, with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan before attempting to slice them.
Once cooled, they can also be covered and chilled in the fridge before slicing.
Expert tips
- Don’t overmix the batter once the flour has been added. Overbeating will add air, which will make the brownies more cake-like. We want them dense and fudgy!
- Don’t overbake them! Bake the brownies for approximately 30-35 minutes, until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. If there is wet batter on the skewer, they need more time. The brownies will continue to cook once they’ve been removed from the oven, so it’s best to remove them when they are slightly under-baked, rather than overcooked. Cooking times will vary, depending on your oven and the type of pan used, so start checking them at the 28-minute mark.
- Leave the brownies to cool completely in the pan before cutting them or attempting to remove them from the pan. The brownies will continue to set as they cool down, as well as develop flavour. And, it is much easier to get clean, neat slices when they are properly cooled. Attempting to move them too soon will cause them to fall apart. Unless you don’t care about neat slices and just want to scoop it them straight from the tin. Then, go for it!
- Due to the butter and chocolate content, the brownies will become solid/hard when stored in the fridge. But they will soften up again when reheated.
- Storage; store leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
- Don’t add the eggs directly to the hot butter/chocolate mixture, as they will cook/scramble. Allow the chocolate mixture to cool slightly and mix in the sugar first, before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Reheating; place individual serves in the microwave and heat for around 30 seconds, or until warmed to your liking. To reheat them in the oven, place them on an oven tray and cover with foil. Heat at 160C for around 10 minutes.
Additional filling ideas
While they are completely decadent when served on their own, you can also use this batter as a base and add in your choice of add-ins.
Swap the chocolate chips for any of the following (and bake as normal);
- Add teaspoon-sized dollops of peanut butter, Nutella or Biscoff cookie spread to the batter and lightly swirl with a wooden skewer before baking.
- Try adding a cup of frozen raspberries, blackberries or strawberries.
- Add some roughly chopped pieces of Oreos, or your favourite crushed sweet biscuits.
- Keep the chocolate chips and add some crushed peanuts, chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Add some chopped jersey caramels or soft chewy caramels.
- Swap the chocolate chips for chopped pieces of your favourite chocolate bars (like Snickers, Mars bars or Cherry Ripe).
- Add some mini marshmallows.
FAQs
A wooden skewer/toothpick test is the easiest and cleanest way to tell when brownies are cooked. Carefully insert a skewer into the middle of the brownies. If it comes out with wet batter, they need more time. If it comes out clean, with a few moist crumbs sticking, then they are ready! The edges of the brownies will also start to shrink away from the tin. The brownies will continue to cook in the pan, so be careful not to overbake them.
When wrapped and stored well, brownies can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, first allow the brownies to cool completely in the tin. Then slice (or leave it in a whole slab) and wrap in baking paper or plastic wrap. Place them into an airtight container and freeze. To thaw, place the container in the fridge overnight or thaw individual pieces at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
No. While chocolate chips will melt into the batter to add extra chocolate flavour, the brownies can also be made without them if preferred.
Related recipes
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Fudgy Triple Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
- 130 grams butter roughly chopped
- 130 grams dark chocolate good quality eating chocolate, chopped
- 1 ½ cups sugar granulated white sugar
- ¾ cup plain flour 112 grams
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder sifted
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 3 eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten
- ¼ teaspoon salt flakes
- 1 cup dark chocolate baking chips or use milk or white chocolate baking chips, if preferred
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C/356 F (fan forced). Grease a 20 x 20cm square baking tin with butter and line with baking paper.
- Place the butter and chopped dark chocolate into a heat-proof bowl and place it over a saucepan of gently simmering water. The bowl should fit snugly over the saucepan without touching the water or letting steam escape.
- Stir the chocolate and butter together over the heat until melted, combined and smooth. Remove from the heat.
- Add the sugar and stir to combine.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, vanilla, eggs and salt and fold the mixture until just combined (don’t overbeat).
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spread the brownie mixture into the prepared tin and bake for around 30 minutes, or until cooked through. You can check by inserting a knife or wooden skewer into the middle. If it comes out clean, with just a few moist crumbs sticking, it is ready. If the skewer has wet batter sticking to it, they need a little more time.
- Allow the brownies cool completely in the tin before slicing them into pieces (9-12 serves).
Notes
- Choose a good quality eating chocolate that you know and love to eat from the packet. Dark chocolate can be swapped for milk chocolate, but the chocolate flavour will be milder. I use a dark chocolate with 70% cocoa, but you can use anything between 45-70%.
- Either Dutch process cocoa powder or unsweetened cocoa powder can be used. Dutch process will give a deeper, smoother chocolate flavour.
- Use white, milk or dark chocolate chips, depending on your preference.
- Plain flour – all-purpose (plain) flour is used to provide a little structure. Only ¾ cup is used, as too much flour will make the brownies ‘cake-like’. We want dense, fudgy brownies, so measure accurately and only use the amount of flour specified.
- Don’t overmix the batter once the flour has been added. Overbeating will add air which will make the brownies more cake-like. We want them dense and fudgy!
- Don’t overbake them! Bake the brownies for approximately 30-35 minutes, until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, with a few moist crumbs sticking to it. If there is wet batter on the skewer, they need more time. The brownies will continue to cook once they’ve been removed from the oven, so it’s best to remove them when they are slightly under-baked, rather than overcooked. Cooking times will vary, depending on your oven and the type of pan used, so check them at the 28-minute mark.
- Leave the brownies to cool completely in the pan before cutting them or attempting to remove them from the pan. The brownies will continue to set as they cool down, as well as develop flavour. And, it is much easier to get clean, neat slices when they are properly cooled. Unless you don’t care about neat slices and just want to eat them straight from the tin. Then, go for it!
- Due to the butter and solid chocolate content, the brownies will go hard when stored in the fridge. They will soften up again when reheated in the microwave.
- Storage; store leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
- Don’t add the eggs directly to the hot butter/chocolate mixture, as they will cook/scramble. Allow it to cool slightly and mix in the sugar before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Reheating; place individual serves in the microwave and heat for around 30 seconds, or until warmed to your liking. To reheat them in the oven, place them on an oven tray and cover with foil. Heat at 160C for around 10 minutes.
- How to tell when they are ready; a wooden skewer/toothpick test is the easiest and cleanest way to tell when brownies are cooked. Carefully insert a skewer into the middle of the brownies. If it comes out with wet batter, they need more time. If it comes out clean, with a few moist crumbs sticking, then they are ready! The edges of the brownies will also start to shrink away from the tin. They will continue to cook in the pan, so be careful not to overbake them.
- Freezing; When wrapped and stored well, brownies can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, first allow the brownies to cool completely in the tin. Then slice (or leave it in a whole slab) and wrap in baking paper or plastic wrap. Place them into an airtight container and freeze. To thaw, place the container in the fridge overnight or thaw individual pieces at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
- Please note that the nutrition information is based on the brownies being divided into 9 pieces, with one piece being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings or sides served with the brownies. You can cut them smaller, if preferred.
- This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.
Nutrition
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Update notes: This recipe was originally published in January 2019, but was re-published with new information and photos in September 2022.
Sylvie says
This brownie recipe looks insane, I LOOOOVE super fudgy and gooey brownies just like this! And I love that you used real chocolate instead of cacao powder too. Cant wait to try it!
TheCookingCollective says
Hi Sylvie! Thank you- I always think that if you are going to have a super indulgent, chocolatey treat, then real chocolate is best. I keep the cacao for my healthier sweet potato brownies instead. They are certainly packed full of chocolate!