Who doesn’t love a good brownie? We think the best brownies are the classic chewy “box-type” brownies that everyone loves, only these are totally homemade, which makes them even better! We love the combination of toasted nuts on top, and dark chocolate chips in the center for an extra dose of chocolate. They are super easy to make and quick to bake so you won’t have to wait too long for a delicious bite of chocolate nirvana!
These really are the best chewy brownies you’re about to make! They are unbelievably delicious and especially so for all of you nut lovers out there!
Oil vs. Butter … or how about both?
We use both butter and oil in these brownies. The oil gives the brownies that chewy factor while the butter gives them such a great taste! You can use vegetable oil or olive oil, your choice, and we suggest an unsalted butter for these, since we do add a tiny bit of salt to the batter.
Secret Ingredients: Baking Soda and Cornstarch
My other favorite brownie recipe doesn’t call for a leavening agent, except eggs, but this one uses a tiny bit of baking soda for just a little lift. The cornstarch gives the top that shiny, satin look characteristic of so many classic brownies. Of course, once you top the batter with all of those delicious nuts, you really can’t even see the top of the brownies, but just trust us, they have the perfect crust.
Crazy for Nuts – 5 kinds of nuts
If you don’t like nuts, no worries, just don’t use them, and if you love nuts, you can always add more chopped nuts to the batter. We love this combination of pistachios, almonds, walnuts, pecans and cashews because it looks and tastes so great, but we also love our brownies with just toasted pecans either on top or chopped into the batter, too. Whichever combination of nuts you pick, just remember they are always better when pre-toasted in a 350 F oven for about 5-7 minutes. Just be careful not to eat all of them before you top your brownies!
Don’t Over Bake the Best Chewy Brownies!
The key to baking these brownies is to slightly underbake them. Once they look almost set in the center, we take them out of the oven and let them finish baking from the residual heat. This offers a nice crispy edge for those who love edges (like us) but the centers are dense and moist and so delicious.
Cocoa Powder – we love Dutch Process
We use a good quality Dutch process cocoa powder for most things we bake with cocoa powder and this recipe is no different. To make Dutch process cocoa powder, the cocoa beans are washed with an alkaline solution to neutralize the natural acidity found in cocoa beans. It results in a smoother flavor and a darker color. The smell, texture and taste of the Dutch process cocoa powder is our favorite! Some people prefer the more acidic cocoa powders, but for us it is Dutch process all the way. The brownies will be delicious either way you choose.
Glass Pan or Metal Pan?
We prefer to bake our brownies in a metal pan lined with foil, but lately, we have been baking them in our glass 8-inch pan, also lined with foil and they’ve turned out beautifully. So no need to stress if you don’t have an 8-inch square metal pan. Just be sure to lower the temperature by about 10-15 degrees if you use a glass pan.
What Size Should the Brownies Be?
Cut this pan of brownies into 16 two-inch brownies for a dessert and kids’ lunch pails, and smaller bite size brownies for quick afternoon pick me ups! Sometimes you just need a tiny bite to satisfy your sweet tooth in the middle of the day.
Storing the Brownies
These brownies hold up really well when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They stay super-moist and can be enjoyed for a week or two. If you want to store them longer, we suggest wrapping them in plastic wrap and freezing them in an airtight container in the freezer.
Please Send Us Your Thoughts! We’d Love to Hear How You Liked this brownie recipe!
Once you have a chance to try this recipe, we’d love to hear your thoughts, so please email us or leave a comment in the comment section in the blog post.
Nuts for Brownies
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup walnuts pieces
- 1/4 cup pecan pieces
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup pistachios
- 1/4 cup cashews
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 350℉. Line an 8-inch metal baking pan with foil. Spray the foil and any exposed sides of the pan with cooking spray.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and lay the nuts out on the foil Bake in the oven for about 5-7 minutes to toast the nuts. Remove from oven and toss all of them together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Mix cocoa powder, flour, salt, baking soda and cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add sugar and stir into the melted butter. Remove from stove. Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each with a whisk or wooden spoon.
- Add oil and vanilla and mix well. Stir in the flour mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips (and chopped nuts if you’re adding them to the batter instead of on top.)
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and cover with the toasted nuts.
- Bake in 350℉ oven for 25-30 minutes. Even if they are still soft, remove from oven as they will continue to cook from the heat of the pan. Cool completely before cutting into 2-inch squares.
- Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
