Brownie Recipes - Cooking Light

Photo: Francesco Tonelli

Our Favorite Brownie Recipes

The best brownies are fudgy, chewy, and dense, with the thinnest sugar crust on top. Achieving all this in a light recipe can be tricky: If you use too little fat or too much flour, or leave the brownies just a minute too long in the oven, results will range from springy cakes to dry pucks. These recipes, though, yield decadent success, from full-throttle chocolate with meaty walnuts to salty-sweet caramel-drenched bars and even a bonus blondie (or two).

The key to keeping regular brownies moist is usually loads of butter or other fat. To ensure a nice fudgy texture, take care not to overbake. Large chocolate chunks create big, luxurious pockets of melty chocolate in our first recipe, Classic Fudge-Walnut Brownies, but you can always substitute chocolate chips.

View Recipe: Classic Fudge-Walnut Brownies

Photo: Francesco Tonelli

Salted Caramel Brownies

With their rich, indulgent flavors, these layered brownies are a definite crowd-pleaser. For sparkle and a salty kick, substitute large flake salt.

View Recipe: Salted Caramel Brownies

Photo: Francesco Tonelli

Cherry Cheesecake Brownies

Matzo cake meal thickens the cheesecake batter but allows the texture to remain creamy when baked. You can always substitute all-purpose flour for the cake meal. (The recipe also works with all matzo cake meal—no flour.) Cherry liqueur reinforces the fruity flavor, but sub plain brandy, if necessary.

View Recipe: Cherry Cheesecake Brownies

Photo: Francesco Tonelli

Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

If you're a fan of the classic flavor combination of chocolate and peanut butter, you'll love these bars.

View Recipe: Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

Photo: Randy Mayor

Fudgy Brownies

Proper measuring of flour is probably the most crucial factor when baking light brownies. Weigh or measure carefully for the correct amount. Then place all of the dry ingredients in a bowl, and whisk to combine. Kitchen tip: For taller brownies, bake them in an 8-inch square pan and add about 5 minutes to the cook time.

View Recipe: Fudgy Brownies

Photo: Howard L. Puckett

Irish Cream Brownies

For truly fudgy treats, be sure to cook the brownies until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. If you wait until the pick is clean, the brownies will be overcooked. Garnish the plate with a sprig of mint.

View Recipe: Irish Cream Brownies

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Cream Cheese-Swirled Brownies

For moist and fudgy results, be careful not to overbake. When the brownies are perfectly done, the edges of the batter will just begin to pull away from the pan.

View Recipe: Cream Cheese-Swirled Brownies

Photo: Randy Mayor

Chai Latte Brownies

If you love the rich flavor of Mexican hot chocolate spiced with cinnamon, this dessert will delight you. These brownies are best served warm and gooey.

View Recipe: Chai Latte Brownies

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Toffee Blond Brownies

The sweet toffee bits melt during baking and give these thin, gooey brownies a crunchy topping.

View Recipe: Toffee Blond Brownies

Fudgy Mocha-Toffee Brownies

These gooey bars are as rich as anything you'll find in a bakery. They are a welcome treat in a lunch box, as a weeknight dessert, or your next bake sale—of course!

View Recipe: Fudgy Mocha-Toffee Brownies

Photo: Randy Mayor

Dark Chocolate and Cherry Brownies

These decadent brownies are a top-rated favorite of CookingLight.com users, and we agree! Cherry preserves are folded into the batter to add moisture and tartness to rich chocolate. Lining the pan with parchment paper helps prevent the moist brownies from sticking. Many online reviewers suggest using raspberry preserves in place of cherry; you may even try orange marmalade for something unexpected.

View Recipe: Dark Chocolate and Cherry Brownies

Photo: Johnny Valiant

Black and Tan Brownies

Historically, the phrase "black and tan" referred to the much-reviled auxiliary force of English soldiers sent to Ireland to suppress the Irish rebels after the 1916 Easter Rising. Eventually, a much-loved drink made with half Guinness Stout and half Harp Lager assumed the name, and now this two-toned brownie (with the addition of Guinness) shares it.

View Recipe: Black and Tan Brownies