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Ultimate crinkle brownies are the best rich and fudgy brownies! These chocolate-based brownies are unbelievably fudgy because they’re made with melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and an extra egg yolk for richness. With perfect crinkle tops, these taste like your favorite box mix brownies, only better. 🙂 Recipe makes 12 to 16 brownies.
If you love a from-scratch brownie as much as I do, don’t miss this reader-favorite recipe.
The batter takes just 15 minutes to make and each batch bakes up with a shiny, crinkly top that’s simply irresistible. Delicious with a glass of milk, each bite is a chocolate dream!
Baking for a crowd and need a larger batch? You can double the recipe and bake in a 9×13″ pan. Check the recipe notes below for more guidance.
Success Tips for These Brownies
Prep ahead – Line the baking pan and measure out all of the ingredients in advance so you can work quickly. The batter should be warm all the way through the process of making this recipe for the classic shiny crinkle top!
Use high quality chocolate – This recipe is really all about the chocolate! 🙂 The brownie batter includes 6 ounces of semisweet chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder. In my recipe tests, Ghirardelli baking bars and Guittard baking wafers both worked perfectly!
Add chocolate chips – After mixing the batter, gently fold in 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks. Don’t skip this step – the extra sugar helps create that beautiful crinkle on top as the brownies bake!
Don’t overbake – For brownies with a decadent fudgy texture, bake until just set (a toothpick or tester should emerge with a few moist crumbs). Brownies are done baking when the internal temperature reaches 180°F.
Love homemade brownies? Try my cocoa powder brownies, decadent triple chocolate brownies, or fudgy brown butter brownies next!
How to Make Crinkle Top Brownies
- Gradually melt chopped chocolate and butter in a double boiler (or a heat-proof bowl over simmering water). Stir together with a spatula until completely smooth. Remove melted chocolate mixture from the heat and whisk in sugars until smooth.
- Whisk in eggs and egg yolk one at a time until smooth, then whisk in vanilla. Gently fold in flour/cocoa mixture just until no streaks remain, then fold in chocolate chips (or chunks).
- Pour batter into prepared baking pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Tap the pan once to remove air bubbles.
- Bake these brownies until just set, 25 to 26 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Let the brownies cool completely, then cut into squares with a sharp knife. Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature.
More favorite brownie recipes:
- Fudgy Homemade Turtle Brownies
- Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
- Baileys Irish Cream Brownies
- Salted Caramel Brownies
Extra Fudgy Ultimate Crinkle Brownies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 to 16 brownies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Ultimate crinkle brownies are the BEST rich and fudgy brownies! With perfect crinkle tops, these taste like a homemade version of box mix brownies! A tried-and-true homemade recipe. Recipe makes 12 to 16 brownies.
Ingredients
Brownies
- 3/4 cup (105 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (24 g) Dutch process unsweetened cocoa, sifted
- 1/4 tsp (1.5 g) salt
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, cubed
- 6 oz (168 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (92 g) lightly packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs (100 g), at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk (18 g), at room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp (6 g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips (or chocolate chunks)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper.
- Make brownies: Whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl. Place butter and chopped chocolate in a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Gradually melt the butter and chocolate, stirring until completely melted and smooth.
- Remove chocolate mixture from the heat and whisk in sugars until smooth. Whisk in eggs and egg yolk one at a time, until completely incorporated. Whisk in vanilla extract. Add flour mixture and fold in just until no streaks remain. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour brownie batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Gently tap pan once to remove air bubbles.
- Bake brownies for 25 to 26 minutes, until the top is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Lift parchment and place brownies on a cutting board. Cut into squares with a sharp knife. Store leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Notes
Unsweetened cocoa: Use Dutch-process cocoa powder for the richest chocolate flavor. I use and recommend Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa.
Freeze brownies: To freeze brownies, cool completely before wrapping with plastic wrap and foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw brownies overnight in the refrigerator (still wrapped to prevent condensation), then bring to room temperature before serving.
Larger batch: Use a 9×13-inch rectangular baking pan lined with parchment paper. Use 3 large eggs (150 grams) and 2 large egg yolks (36 grams). Double all other ingredients. Bake for 26 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached (brownies are done baking when the internal temperature reaches 180°F).
Best homemade brownies I’ve ever made! Love the fudgy texture.
The best brownies!! Baked them for Father’s Day and my dad loved them! Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks so much, Kayleigh! Happy to hear that (my dad is a big fan of these brownies too). 🙂
I made this recipe with so many adjustments as I was missing ingredients (subbed semi sweet choc for dark choc for example) and made a crucial mistake (I FORGOT THE COCOA POWDER) but still they came out good with a crinkly top. It’s my first time that my brownies came out with the shiny crinkle top I’m so happy!!!! The tip about working quickly while the batter is warm helped greatly. Thanks so much for this recipe!
Also the bitter aftertaste for me (since I used dark choc) was hardly noticeable the next day. AND the brownies became even more flavourful and fudgy the next day!
Thank you so much, Nur. 🙂 Happy to hear that this recipe was a success for you!
If I omit the cocoa powder (ran out), can I just follow the rest of the recipe without changing anything?
Thanks in advance! The recipe looks promising
Hi Nur, I have never made these brownies without cocoa powder so I can’t speak to how that could change the final taste/texture. I recommend waiting until you have cocoa and making the recipe as written. Hope that helps!
Excellent brownies, my family loved them!
Thanks so much, Jan!
These are my favorite brownies ever!! Rich, fudgy, and perfect crinkle tops every time. Highly recommend!
So happy to hear this, thank you Jordyn! 🙂
I have made these three times now, but each time I have to leave them in much longer than the 25-28 recommended minutes. Do you have any idea why? I’m making them exactly as the instructions say and in an 8″ light coloured metal square pan.
Hi Jessica, that’s great to hear that you’re using a light colored baking pan. Are the brownies completely underbaked after 25-28 minutes? Or are the edges setting up, but the middle is still underbaked? Another consideration would be if you’re noticing that other recipes take longer to bake than recommended too.
It sounds like your oven temperature could be running a bit low – I recommend an oven thermometer, which can help you see if your oven is calibrated. Hope that helps for the future!
Hi!
This is definitely my favourite recipes to go to! It’a absolutely amazing and the taste is spectacular.
Would love if you can help me out with two things
1. The thickness of your brownie in the picture is something I’m getting if I use a 7″ pan. Is that normal?
2. For some reason I’m not getting the crinkle tops as many times as I’ve possibly tried. Any idea why that might be happening?
Hi Stuti, so glad you’ve tried this recipe! 🙂 I use the baking pan shown in the bottom of the recipe card for all brownies and bars. It’s an 8-inch square pan from USA, and the brownies always bake up to the thickness shown in the photos. For the crinkle tops, you want to work quickly to make the batter and then bake the brownies right away (while the batter is still warm). Have you made any adjustments to the recipe? And what kind of chocolate are you using? I recommend Ghirardelli baking bars. Hope that helps for next time!
Hi!
Yes, I reduced the sugar in total by 20 g and I’m using a 46.5% Dark coverture chocolate by a brand called Vanhouten
Ah, I’m fairly certain that’s the issue – I’m not familiar with that chocolate, but it likely has less sugar than semisweet chocolate. I would not reduce the sugar in this recipe at all. The shiny, crinkle top is actually a very thin layer of meringue from the eggs and sugar. Be sure to add the chocolate chips too as the added sugar content also makes the brownie tops more crinkly.
Oh! Will definitely try it out, thank you so much for all your help!
I am excited to report that this is now my go-to brownie recipe. This is the one for people who want a brownie with a perfect blend of flavors, perfect fudge texture, and beautiful crackly top. I’m so glad to have stumbled upon this recipe that I will share and prepare many times over!
So happy to hear that, thank you Laura!
They always come out perfect!