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Easy Homemade Cocoa Brownies

March 29, 2019 by Michelle | 30 Comments

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stacked brownies on a napkin with a text overlay that says now cook this easy homemade cocoa brownies

Making brownies from scratch is a breeze when you have the right recipe! These Easy Homemade Cocoa Brownies are everything a brownie should be: fudgy, moist and chewy with lightly crispy edges. Give them a try and get ready to ditch the box for good!

close up of three brownies stacked on a plate this recipe

Raise your hand if you love brownies! I do! I’ll best most you do too.

In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who doesn’t. I have never seen someone turn down a brownie. I mean, come on, all that chocolatey, fudgy, chewy deliciousness…what’s not to love?

For that reason, I think every home cook should have a really good basic brownie recipe. This, my friends, is IT!

All you need is a few simple ingredients and about 30 minutes to make homemade brownies that everyone will love!

I always used to make brownies from a box, and I loved them. I started making them from scratch when I had a craving for brownies one night but had no brownie mix in the house.

I tried the easiest recipe I could find. They were just as easy to make AND they were sooo much better! Bye-bye, box!

This recipe uses cocoa powder, so you don’t have to chop or melt chocolate. You don’t need to pull out a mixer or any fancy equipment.

You just melt some butter, add everything else to that same pot, mix it, pour it in the pan, and bake. DONE!

If the kiddos like cooking with you, this would be an awesome recipe for them to help with!

pan of brownies cut into squares

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED TO MAKE EASY HOMEMADE COCOA BROWNIES:

  • Butter
  • Sugar
  • Cocoa powder (unsweetened)
  • Vanilla extract
  • Eggs
  • Flour (all-purpose)
  • Salt
  • Baking powder
  • Cooking spray

HERE’S A QUICK LOOK AT HOW TO MAKE EASY HOMEMADE COCOA BROWNIES:

three images showing steps to make easy homemade cocoa brownies
three images showing steps to make easy homemade cocoa brownies
three images showing steps to make easy homemade cocoa brownies
one image showing steps to make easy homemade cocoa brownies

One tip I have for making sure that your brownies are nice and fudgy and not overcooked: when you check the brownies with a toothpick, take them out of the oven when the toothpick is mostly clean but has just a few moist crumbs on it (no liquid batter, though).

When you have a well-stocked pantry, you can whip up these brownies whenever you want!

I have made many a batch when we decided at the last minute – after dinner – that we wanted some dessert. Even with giving them some time to cool off, you’re only looking at about an hour.

Speaking of cooling off…these are sooo good when they are still just ever so slightly warm!

four brownies stacked on a plate with a pan of brownies in the background

Oh, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking a slightly warm brownie and adding a scoop of ice cream on top and then drizzling it with some hot fudge or caramel (or both!). Yes, puh-leeze!!!

Now, I like my brownies plain – I don’t add nuts or frosting – but you go ahead and add them if you want. You might even want to add some chocolate chips or M&Ms or other goodies.

These are your brownies to enjoy! Have fun with them!

I hope you try this recipe for Easy Homemade Cocoa Brownies and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!

michelle signature

Easy Homemade Cocoa Brownies

Making brownies from scratch is a breeze when you have the right recipe! These brownies are fudgy, moist and chewy with lightly crispy edges. Give them a try and get ready to ditch the box for good!
5 from 11 votes
Print Recipe Rate/Comment Pin Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 9 (1 brownie)
Calories: 216
Author: Michelle / Now Cook This!

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
  • In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and sugar over low heat.
  • Turn off the heat and add the cocoa powder and vanilla; stir until combined.
  • Allow the mixture to cool slightly and add the eggs (you just want to make sure the mixture is not so hot that the eggs will curdle when you add them – I usually let it cool for about 2 minutes or so); stir until combined.
  • Add the flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir gently just until the flour has been incorporated. 
  • Spray the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch pan (nonstick recommended). Pour the batter into the pan.
    If you're not using a nonstick pan or if you're concerned about sticking, you can also line the pan with parchment paper.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean (it should have a few moist crumbs on it but no wet batter).
  • Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan. Cut into 9 squares and serve.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see it!Mention @nowcookthis or tag #nowcookthisrecipes!

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes.

  • Chocolate Brownie Fruit & Nut Bars (Homemade Larabars)
  • Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Welsh Cookies
  • Pistachio Pudding Homemade Ice Cream
  • Easy Instant Pot Vanilla Yogurt
Previous Post: « Homemade Garlic Herb Breadsticks
Next Post: Quick and Easy Homemade Salsa »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tammy

    February 25, 2020 at 5:10 pm

    Very yummy and easy to make!!!!!

    Reply
    • Michelle

      February 25, 2020 at 5:16 pm

      Hey, Tammy! Thanks so much! I am so happy that you enjoyed the brownies!

      Reply
  2. Janie

    March 19, 2020 at 2:55 pm

    These are so good! I’m getting ready to make some more! Yum! 👍

    Reply
    • Michelle

      March 19, 2020 at 3:11 pm

      Thanks so much, Janie! I’m so happy that you like the brownies and plan to make them again!

      Reply
  3. Laura Botto

    May 4, 2020 at 1:31 pm

    i just found this recipe and gave it a shot except i added a few things.. i made Banana Brownies. I took 2 ripe bananas and mashed them with a fork and added them to the mixture plus added 2 tbsp of more of flour and another 1/2 tsp of Vanilla and mixed it all together. I sprayed the pan and put them in the oven and baked as directed but had to add on an extra 30 minutes until toothpick came out clean. the smell of the house is amazing and the crust that the bananas give to the top of the brownie is amazing.. ive made banana brownies before from scratch but never before with this recipe. i just tried them and its almost like a brownie cake and its delicious.

    Reply
    • Michelle

      May 4, 2020 at 2:08 pm

      Hey, Laura! Your banana brownies sound absolutely delicious, and I am definitely going to have to try them! Thanks so much for sharing!

      Reply
  4. Nancy

    May 23, 2020 at 11:09 am

    Real easy and great brownies!!! I always have trouble with boxed brownie coming out not done.

    Reply
    • Michelle

      May 23, 2020 at 12:52 pm

      Hi, Nancy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the brownies! Thanks so much for taking the time the comment and rate the recipe!

      Reply
  5. Roby

    July 8, 2020 at 12:36 pm

    I have been searching for the perfect brownie recipe forever. This is it! I did add a little more sugar because in all my other attempts with cocoa I found some bitterness crept in, but otherwise I will end my search having discovered your recipe!

    Reply
    • Michelle

      July 8, 2020 at 1:03 pm

      Hey there, Roby! I am so glad to hear that this brownie recipe was finally a winner for you (that’s how it was for me when I found it too)! Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback!

      Reply
      • Patty Pederson

        August 13, 2020 at 8:42 am

        Best recipe ever. My husband enjoys them with vanilla or chocolate ice cream. I make this 2 times a week and use 6T oil instead of butter. Also add in 1/4c walnuts. I have made it many times as a gift for neighbors and friends. Thanks for sharing. Living in Vietnam everyone has loved the brownies.

        Reply
        • Michelle

          August 13, 2020 at 10:31 pm

          Hey, Patty! Thank you so much! Oh yes, we love them with ice cream too! And I love that you’re gifting and sharing them and that your neighbors and friends are enjoying them too! Thanks for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe. I really appreciate it!

          Reply
  6. Rose

    October 31, 2020 at 5:26 am

    The best Brownie recipe I’ve ever seen and baked.

    Reply
    • Michelle

      October 31, 2020 at 7:53 am

      Wow! Thank you so much, Rose!

      Reply
  7. Angie Norheim

    February 28, 2021 at 5:48 pm

    Very simple and easy to follow. I made this at my neighbor’s house for dessert and smell great! We added walnuts for extra flavor and crunch. Looking forward to eating it! Post written while baking it!

    Reply
    • Michelle

      February 28, 2021 at 6:53 pm

      Thank you, Angie! I’m so happy that you found the recipe to be easy, and I sure do hope that you all enjoy the finished brownies when they are done baking!

      Reply
  8. Kate

    May 5, 2021 at 6:37 pm

    I have this recipe two times and used a brownie bite pan each time. I also added some chocolate chips——delicious! I like the Wilton brownie bite pan as each brownie has 4 edges and we all like the edges.

    Reply
    • Michelle

      May 5, 2021 at 6:54 pm

      Hello, Kate! Brownie bites sound amazing, and I love the edges too, so I am for sure going to try that. I love adding chocolate chips too (there’s no such thing as too much chocolate!). Thank you for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!

      Reply
  9. Bird

    May 8, 2021 at 6:41 pm

    I made these. They are soooooo ez to make….and soooooo delicious!!!!!! I added walnuts at my husband’s request. We like that it’s not a large pan of brownies. That way we don’t overeat ☹️

    Reply
    • Michelle

      May 8, 2021 at 7:49 pm

      Hey, Bird! I’m so happy you enjoyed the brownies…and I’m totally with you on liking the smaller batch (because it’s really hard to have just one!). Thanks so much for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe!

      Reply
  10. Barbara

    May 31, 2021 at 6:58 pm

    Easy to make and absolutely delicious! I love the “light” texture of these brownies. Your recipe will now be my “go to” for brownies! Thank you so much. I found I needed to bake the brownies 25 min. instead of the suggested 20 but, they are absolutely PERFECT.

    Reply
    • Michelle

      May 31, 2021 at 8:53 pm

      Thank you so much, Barbara!

      Reply
  11. Laura Mayer Jaumillot

    July 3, 2021 at 4:58 pm

    I’ve made your recipe for my husband and I but was wondering if it could be doubled to serve to many others?

    Reply
    • Michelle

      July 3, 2021 at 6:48 pm

      Hi, Laura! So glad you like the brownies, and thank you for your rating! Yes, I suppose you could double the recipe and use a larger pan (like a 9×13). You may need to increase the baking time a bit (sorry I can’t say exactly how much, as I haven’t done this yet myself).

      Reply
  12. Cynthia Osborne

    January 28, 2022 at 7:09 pm

    I always add Mariashina cherries because that makes them perfect for me!

    Reply
    • Michelle

      January 28, 2022 at 9:26 pm

      That sounds absolutely delicious, Cynthia! Thanks for the tip!

      Reply
  13. Diane

    March 10, 2022 at 11:00 am

    Making these for the second time today with my 3 year-old grandson by special request. He and his five year old brother say they’re “too good”!

    Reply
    • Michelle

      March 10, 2022 at 8:19 pm

      That’s so awesome to hear, Diane! Thank you to you and your grandsons!!

      Reply
  14. Neha

    November 2, 2022 at 1:12 am

    A family favourite!

    Reply
    • Michelle

      November 2, 2022 at 11:18 am

      Thank you, Neha! So happy your family likes them!

      Reply

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Welcome to my kitchen where something good is always cooking! I want us all to cook and eat at home more, so I’m here to share my favorite simple and delicious recipes that are perfect for the everyday home cook. I hope you will be inspired to get in the kitchen and try these recipes, and I hope they become some of your favorites too! Read more…

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