Learn the tips and tricks for making the best fudgy brownies with crackly tops. These rich & dense brownies have a shiny crispy top that's worth the effort!
*Thank you OXO for sponsoring today's post so I can share this fudgy brownies with crackly tops recipe with all of you.*
My favorite comfort food is fudgy brownies with crackly tops.
Those CRISPY, CRACKLY, SHINY TOPS are to die for!
So, what type of brownies do YOU like?
Fudgy ooey gooey brownies? OR crackly brownies?
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Sometimes, I like to make these brownies just so I can eat the tops and nothing else...hahaha.
These brownies are DENSE, RICH, FUDGY and insanely CHOCO-LICIOUS, just the way brownies were intended.
Seriously, look at this perfection...
I am NOT sure about the science behind getting crackly tops on top of the brownies.
But after a lot of trial and error, here are two very IMPORTANT things I have figured out about making perfect fudgy brownies with crackly tops:
- When I made brownies with just cocoa powder, the brownies were more cake-like and didn't have the shiny crispy top. So, you definitely NEED to use baking chocolate or chocolate chips in your brownie recipe to get that crispy top.
- You also need to CREAM the butter and sugar first until the mixture is pale and fluffy (takes about 5-6 minutes of beating). Most importantly, you need to MIX the heck out of your batter after adding the eggs (about 5 minutes). This adds a lot of air into the mixture and allows a crispy meringue layer to form on top of the brownies.
To make these fudgy brownies with crackly tops, you will need the following ingredients:
⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup + 2 tablespoon unsalted butter (at room temperature)
7 ounces melted dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
½ tablespoon espresso powder
2 tablespoon warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Notes:
- Don't over-mix after adding the dry ingredients or else the texture of the brownies will change!
- Don't over-bake or else the inside of the brownies will become more cake-like rather than staying fudgy.
- The butter needs to be at room temperature. I tried making these brownies with slightly cold butter and the results were not as great.
And here are the steps:
Step 1:
In a deep mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
Step 2:
Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix again for another 5 minutes.
Step 3:
In a small bowl, mix together the espresso powder with water.
Step 4:
Add this espresso mixture into your batter and mix until just combined.
Step 5:
Add the melted chocolate and mix until just combined.
Step 6:
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and cocoa powder.
Step 7:
Add this dry mixture into the brownie batter and mix everything until just combined.
Do NOT over-mix!
Step 8:
Pour this batter into a square pan (Dimensions: 8in x 8in x 8in) that's lined with foil paper and sprayed with oil.
Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly over the entire pan.
Step 9:
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out covered in some sticky crumbs.
Let the brownie cool down. Then, cut it into square pieces.
And you are done!
By the way, these brownies are a small way in which I am trying to support a wonderful organization called Cookies for Kids'
Every year, OXO supports this organization through their #OXOGoodCookies program, where they encourage everyone to bake a difference with OXO.
For each blog post dedicated to this campaign, OXO will be donating $100 to Cookies for Kids' Cancer.
I used OXO's cake pan and brownie spatula to make my brownies today.
If you liked this recipe, you may also like some of these other brownie recipes...
Gooey brownies (Chocolate Cherry Brownies)
Recipe
How to make fudgy brownies with crackly tops
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Ingredients
- ⅔ cups All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Sugar Granulated
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoon Butter Room temperature, Unsalted
- 7 ounces Dark chocolate Melted, Or semisweet chocolate
- 1 tablespoon Cocoa powder
- ½ tablespoon Espresso powder
- 2 tablespoon Water Warm
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 Eggs Large
Instructions
- In a deep mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix again for another 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together the espresso powder with water.
- Add this espresso mixture into your batter and mix until just combined.
- Add the melted chocolate and mix until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour and cocoa powder.
- Add this dry mixture into the brownie batter and mix everything until just combined. Do NOT over-mix!
- Pour this batter into a square pan (Dimensions: 8in x 8in x 2in) that’s lined with foil paper and sprayed with oil. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly over the entire pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out covered in some sticky crumbs.
- Let the brownies cool down. Then, cut it into square pieces. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Don’t over-mix after adding the dry ingredients or else the texture of the brownies will change!
- Don’t over-bake or else the inside of the brownies will become more cake-like rather than staying fudgy.
- The butter needs to be at room temperature. I tried making these brownies with slightly cold butter and the results were not as great.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Jeannette Carlos
What is espresso powder? Can this be optional?
Abeer Rizvi
Yes, it can be optional. Espresso powder is basically finely ground coffee beans that dissolves in liquid. It adds a deeper/richer flavor to my baked goods.
Judith C
Thanks for the recipe I'm going to try it tonight, I'll double the recipe for a 9X13 pan. We love our chocolatey treats and so do our friends.
Abeer Rizvi
I hope you guys liked them
Afiq
Thank you for the recipe. Would love to try it tonight. I would like to know whether you creamed, mixed this brownie batter with a mixer or just by hand?
Abeer Rizvi
Hi Afiq, I always use a mixer.
QL7
Perfect!
Abeer Rizvi
Thanks!
Blank
Do you have to use espresso powder?
Abeer Rizvi
I really think it enhances the chocolate flavor. You can try it without espresso powder and see if you like it or not...
Aurelie
I don't have enough butter do u think I can replace it with margarine?
Abeer Rizvi
I would not recommend that and highly suggest using butter.
JASMIN
Where do you find espresso powder? Is this just ground espresso beans or instant espresso coffee?
Abeer Rizvi
I find it in the coffee and tea aisle of most grocery stores. I know WalMart and Target have them for sure. It's instant coffee powder (no sugar added).
Annalise
I'm been looking for the perfect brownie recipe for some time. I like them fudgy and chewy (not gooey and underdone) with the crackly tops. These are perfect! They firm up like fudge if you refrigerate them and they are perfectly moist and chewy if you leave them out on the counter. I like them both ways. I used 72% dark chocolate and still found them a bit sweet, I'll reduce the sugar next time. Great recipe! I'm sure this will become my go-to brownie recipe!
Abeer Rizvi
Woohoo! Thank you so much for your feedback. I am glad to hear this will become your go-to recipe!!!
Krutika
Thank you for this recipe! I'm not one to usually comment on blog posts but they turned out absolutely delicious! I finally managed to get the crackle top I always wanted. Thank you!
Abeer Rizvi
YAYYYY! That crackly top is my favorite part about these brownies!
Faseeha Yaseen
pls mention in grams
Abeer Rizvi
I am sorry but I only work with cups. I will try to measure in grams when I make them again.
Hana
Finally brownie with beautiful crackly top..!!. I've been trying some brownie recipes, but never get a crackly top like what I want. After a long trial and error, I was trying to search how makes crackly brownie, instead of just follow the random recipe. Then I found your recipe! I used 60% dark chocolate and 40% semisweet chocolate for this recipe, because I was afraid the crack won't come out. But next I will try 100% dark chocolate, because it still little bit too sweet for me. Thank you for the recipe, my family loves it!
Abeer Rizvi
Awesome! So happy your family enjoyed it.
QL7
Perfect. Period.
Aqsa
Is it okay to replace the flour with oat flour,white sugar with brown sugar and. Butter with oil?
Abeer Rizvi
I am sorry but no. If you make those changes, your brownies won't turn out like the ones I made.
Katie Peer
Absolutely the best brownie I’ve ever had! Perfect instructions. I don’t even care for brownies that much because I don’t care for the gooey ones or the cake ones. I topped half the pan with whole pecans and sprinkled some leftover cinnamon sugar! Wowza... picking up more pecans today for the next batch! We are over 1/2 the pan
Abeer Rizvi
That's awesome! I only care about the crackly tops too! hahah!
Morsal
Hello, I know this is an old post but I recently came upon it while on my quest for perfect brownies. Guess what?!?! I found them. This is it! They’re soo chewy and fudgy with crinkly tops and your instructions are perfect!!! I’ve literally been looking for the Perfect recipe for so long! Thank you so much
Abeer Rizvi
Woohoo! It's a hit with everyone who tries it!
Khoula
Can we double the ingredients and use the same 8" pan...coz I like thick brownies.
Abeer Rizvi
I have never tried that but I am pretty sure your baking time would have to go up. If you try it, let me know how it goes.