Chewy Brownies

No box mix. No shortcuts. No nonsense.

Butter and chopped semi-sweet chocolate melted together. Eggs and sugar beaten until thick, glossy, and unyielding. Cocoa, flour, salt, vanilla, and hefty chocolate chunks—measured precise, folded with purpose.

Then one smart move that seals the deal: a touch more brown sugar and just the right flour balance. Not to make them cake. Not to make them fudge. To land square in the middle—where everyone agrees this is the one.

Springy chew. Crackly top. Edges with bite. Dense enough to satisfy, light enough to keep coming back.

That’s the crowd favorite at Man Made Brownies. The bi-partisan powerhouse that wins every room.

Yield: 16 brownies

Pan: 9×9-inch (23×23 cm)

Bake Time: 32–36 minutes

Texture: Dense, chewy edges, fudgy center, shiny top

Ingredients

170g unsalted butter
113g (4 oz) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
150g granulated sugar
150g brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
60g unsweetened natural cocoa powder, like Hershey's
120g all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
150g semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Prep

Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).

Line a 9×9-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.

2. Melt Butter & Chocolate

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and chopped chocolate together in 20–30 second bursts, stirring until smooth.

Let cool slightly while you work on the next steps (2–3 minutes).

3. Whisk Eggs & Sugar (Critical Step)

In a large bowl or stand mixer, vigorously whisk:

3 room temp eggs (real men plan ahead)
All the sugar (300g)

Whisk for about 2-3 minutes, until slightly thickened and glossy.

Whisk in vanilla.

This step helps create that signature crackly top.

4. Combine Chocolate Mixture

Slowly pour the slightly cooled chocolate and butter mixture into the egg and sugar mixture while whisking until smooth and glossy.

5. Add Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

Cocoa powder
Flour
Baking Powder
Salt
Fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula, or run through a fine-mesh sieve for extra manliness.

Mix just until combined — do not overmix.

Fold in all of those chocolate chips (150g).

6. Bake

Spread batter evenly into prepared pan.

Bake for 30-33 minutes, until:

Edges are set
Center looks slightly underdone
A toothpick comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter)
Do not overbake — they continue to set as they cool.

7. Cool Completely

Cool completely in the pan before slicing.

For ultra-clean cuts, refrigerate 45–60 minutes before slicing.

Notes for Readers

Use natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-processed). I have Hershey’s brand on hand.
Use a chopped chocolate bar for melting — chocolate chips contain stabilizers and won’t melt as smoothly.
Storage containers are for quitters, but if you have leftovers, not sure why you would, store tightly covered at room temperature up to 4 days.