Quick and easy, this fudgy cocoa powder brownies recipe makes rich, chocolatey homemade brownies that taste even better than your favorite boxed brownie mix! They’re made with pantry staples and ready in 45 minutes, with shiny, crackly tops and gooey chocolate chips in every bite.
I started baking these cocoa powder brownies years ago. I created the recipe to mimic a boxed brownie mix, with the goal being a homemade version that was just as quick and easy.
There’s a time and a place for brownie mix, and I know I’ve definitely reached for a box from time to time. With most mixes, you’d typically add oil, water, and eggs. This recipe is nearly identical. Instead of water, I use milk for richness.
Another small tweak is using leavening in these fudgy cocoa brownies. Most homemade brownie recipes don’t include leavening ingredients like baking soda, but I intentionally added it to this recipe. Baking soda gives these brownies lift, though they’re definitely not cakey. They’re moist, chocolatey, and just fudgy enough with perfect crinkled tops.
These cocoa powder brownies are the base recipe for my Oreo brownies. You can also use this brownie recipe in desserts that would normally use boxed mix as a shortcut, including homemade brookies, Slutty Brownies, a brownie bottom in cakes, and more!
What Makes These Cocoa Powder Brownies Different?
- This recipe is quicker and easier to prepare with less dishes.
- These have crackly, glossy tops, and they’re a little less rich than my classic fudgy brownies.
- There’s no melted chocolate in this batter. They’re made with cocoa powder for a less dense, not-so-heavy texture.
- These chewy but still fudgy brownies are my version of our favorite boxed brownie mix.
- Oil instead of butter, which keeps these homemade brownies extra moist.
Ingredient Notes
Here are the key ingredients you’ll need for these homemade brownies, why you need them, and possible substitutes. Scroll to the recipe card to see the exact measurements and full ingredient list.
- Oil – Vegetable oil helps keep the brownies moist. I don’t recommend substituting melted butter.
- Milk – Thins the batter without diluting the flavor. For even more richness, you could swap regular milk with buttermilk (or a buttermilk substitute), as you’ll find in my red velvet brownies.
- All-purpose Flour – Measure the flour correctly using a kitchen scale or the spoon and level method. Overmeasuring leads to dry, crumbly brownies.
- Cocoa Powder – It’s important to use natural, unsweetened cocoa powder for these cocoa powder brownies due to the baking soda in the recipe. See notes below.
- Baking Soda – A touch of baking soda provides just enough air pockets in these brownies to mimic my favorite Ghirardelli Double Chocolate boxed brownie mix, which also contains baking soda.
- Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips – You could also use dark chocolate chips, white chocolate, or milk chocolate. Chocolate chips are easy enough to swap with your favorite add-ins, like chopped Oreo cookies, M&Ms, peanut butter chips, pecans or walnuts, or crushed candy canes for holiday baking.
- Flaky Salt – Optional but I LOVE the salty-sweet finish from a sprinkle of flaked sea salt on my brownies.
What Cocoa Powder Is Best for Cocoa Brownies?
Natural cocoa powder is essential for these fudgy cocoa brownies. Do not use dutch-processed cocoa powder (learn more about the differences between the two here). The reason for this is the baking soda in the recipe:
- Baking soda reacts with the acidity in natural cocoa powder. This reaction neutralizes the acidity and leads to soft, risen, chocolatey brownies.
- Dutch-processed cocoa is treated to remove acidity. Therefore, the baking soda won’t activate, and you’ll end up with a flat dessert and a metallic aftertaste.
How to Make Cocoa Powder Brownies From Scratch
These may be the easiest (almost) one-bowl brownies out there. They come together in just a few quick steps, no mixer required.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Beat the granulated sugar with the oil, milk, and vanilla extract. Add the egg. Take care not to overbeat the eggs; beat just until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients. Next, combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Add to the batter and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips last.
- Bake. Now, transfer the batter to the greased baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add some extra chocolate chips on top. Bake these cocoa brownies at 350ºF for 25-30 minutes (see below to check when they’re done) then cool before cutting.
The Easiest Way to Tell When Brownies Are Done
Brownies, unlike cake, should be pulled when they are slightly underdone, as they will finish off baking as they cool. You often hear, insert until the toothpick comes out clean. But that’s not the case with brownies.
- How to tell when they’re done: You are looking for a toothpick that is still slightly damp, with some crumbs sticking. It should not be gooey or wet.
- How long do cocoa powder brownies bake? For me, I pull my brownies around 25-27 minutes, I like them to be really fudgy once they cool. If you prefer a drier, less fudgy brownie, maybe you would go for 30 minutes. In my opinion, at 35 minutes, these brownies are overdone and would be much drier.
- Material matters. It’s important to note I use a metal baking dish, not glass. Glass baking dishes do not conduct heat as quickly as metal pans, and therefore it extends the baking time.
Baking In Different Pan Sizes
I recommend an 8-inch square pan for the optimal thickness. However, you can adapt this cocoa brownies recipe to another pan in a pinch.
- 9-inch square pan: The brownies will be thinner, so you’ll need to reduce the baking time by a few minutes.
- 9×13-inch: Double the recipe and also reduce the baking time slightly. See my tips above for testing your brownies for doneness.
Tips for the Best Cocoa Powder Brownies
After making countless brownies over the years, I’ve picked up the follwing tips for making the best cocoa powder brownies, which may be different from what you would do for regular brownies.
- Don’t overbeat the batter once the egg has been added. Typically a well-beaten egg will help to create the meringue or flakey layer you traditionally find on the top of brownies. However, since this has baking soda, overbeating the eggs will cause the brownies to puff up too much in the centers and then sink as they cool. You’ll still get a thin crisp layer on top that cracks when you cut it.
- How to easily cut brownies. For clean-cut brownies, wash and dry the knife after each cut.
- Can I use butter instead of oil? While butter is an acceptable substitute for oil in brownies, I found that with the melted butter, these brownies came our drier than the oil version.
- Don’t overbake. A toothpick inserted in the middle should still come out damp, though not gooey or wet.
- Add sea salt. I love a touch of flaky sea salt on top to finish these off. It helps cut the sweetness and salty sweet is my favorite combo.
Serving Cocoa Brownies
I don’t believe there’s a wrong way to enjoy a brownie… but I will say, that since these aren’t quite as dense and rich as fudgy brownies, they are perfect for making an ice cream sundae! Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle with chocolate syrup or salted caramel sauce, and top with a maraschino cherry. Or just enjoy this easy chocolate dessert with a glass of milk (bonus points if your brownie is warm!)
How to Store & Freeze
- Store them airtight. These homemade brownies will last for up to 3 days when stored on the counter in an airtight container. If you want them for a few extra days, store them in the fridge where they’ll last for up to 5 days.
- To freeze the brownies, I recommend wrapping each one individually in plastic wrap. You can thaw in the fridge, on the counter, or pop them in the microwave for 15-30 seconds for warm brownies.
More Brownie Recipes To Love
Cocoa Powder Brownies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 brownies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This cocoa powder brownies recipe makes fudgy homemade brownies with shiny, crackly tops that taste even better than a boxed brownie mix! Quick and easy to make with pantry staples, and ready in 35 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (238g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (78ml) vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (59ml) milk
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (140g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (40g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (168g) semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus additional for garnish
- Flaky sea salt garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease an 8-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar with the oil, milk, and vanilla extract and beat together until well combined.
- Next, add the egg and beat just until combined, about 30 seconds or so.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and sprinkle another handful of chocolate chips over top. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center will be damp but not gooey or wet. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before cutting.
Notes
- Baking times: several people have reported longer baking time. Refer back to the blog post section with the toothpick test to determine about how long the brownies should cook for. Use a metal baking pan and ensure the oven is properly preheated. To bake in a 9-inch pan, reduce the baking time by a few minutes.
- Storing: Brownies are best for 3 days when stored on the counter in an airtight container, or up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezing: I recommend wrapping each one individually in plastic wrap. You can thaw in the fridge, on the counter, or pop frozen brownies in the microwave for 15-30 seconds to warm.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 259
- Sugar: 29.2 g
- Sodium: 35.5 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 40.2 g
- Fiber: 2.6 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 15.6 mg
My sister has made these for us twice and I made her send me the recipe because they are DELICIOUS! Even my picky husband loves them.
I love when we can impress picky husbands with a recipe haha! Thank you so much!
I’ve tried many brownie recipes and these were amazing!
I had given up trying to find a recipe that compared to my tried and true box brownies, but I came across this one (I appreciated her notes on why she suggests the ingredients she does). I gave it a try on a whim and I was not disappointed!
I’ll never have to worry about stocking up on box brownies again! This is a keeper!
This could not make me happier! It was exactly what I was going for. Thank you so much!
They were gooey and so yummy! It hardly took more time than a box mix. They cracked beautifully on top also! This recipe is a keeper!
That’s wonderful Amy!! Thank you so much for sharing!
second time making these brownies and they are amazing! never using a different brownie recipe 🙂 thank you for sharing!!
I just love that!! Thank you so much!
Love to hear that! Thank you so much!
It wouldnt let me click the last star for some reason but ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️these are so good literally the perfect texture they are crunchy but chewy on the inside probably my fav brownie recipe ! Made for my sister but i probably ate the most of them hehe
Amazing! Thank you!!
Made this brownie today, baked it for 30 minutes, and they are delicious. Next time I’ll try half chocolate chips and chopped walnuts to mix in.
Sounds delicious! Thank you so much for sharing!
I made these tonight, but using a 9″x13″ metal baking pan. I know that I didn’t bake them long enough, but still were edible. I love your recipes!! Can you please tell me how long I should bake them when doubling the recipe and using the 9×13″ pan??? Thank you in advance.
Hi Tonya, I found the baking time to be around the same for a 9×13 pan because the thickness of the brownies is relatively the same. Glass pans will need an increased baking time. However, you can follow the toothpick test to determine when to take out your brownies. Refer to the image in this post!
I’ve been looking for a homemade brownie recipe. This is one of the best so fudgy will be my go to recipe from now on! Thanks for sharing!
Yes yes yes! Thank you Sherry!
I made these and they were very good. I made a few tweaks: I doubled the batch for 9×13, I used half white/half brown sugar, and I added about 1/2 tsp salt to the batter. Next time I’ll probably add a whole teaspoon, as it needs some in the batter to balance it out and bring out the flavors better. Overall a really good recipe!
Thank you so much Donna! Glad you enjoyed it!
Came out perfect!
Very happy to hear that Emily, thank you!
I’ve made these before & everyone loved them! They have a true brownie taste not like bought mixes that have a weakened brownie flavor. I have 2 pans in the oven now ❤️ Thanks for sharing!
LOVE LOVE LOVE Thank you Stacie!
I made this recipe exactly but I put it in a 8×6 glass pan and increased my baking time to about 35- 40 minutes. They are perfect! I have made other “from scratch” recipes and they have disappointed me. Not this one, there are chewy edges and a slightly gooey center. The flavor is fantastic in my opinion. This will be my go recipe from now on! Thank you for sharing it!
Thank you Kala! I am so happy to hear that, and thanks for sharing the adjustments you made on the pan size.
Can you add more eggs to make them more cake-like instead of fudgy?
I am not sure, this has not been tested. I’d recommend searching around for a cake-like brownie if that’s what you’re interested in.
These were so good! I love how simple the ingredients are to make these delicious brownies! I only had a ceramic pan so I did have to cook them a little longer. The toothpick photos were very helpful in me knowing the timing for myself!
That’s great! Thank you so much for sharing and noting the ceramic pan, I don’t have any of those to try!
Best brownies I’ve ever made, came out perfectly
Yeah Julia! Thank you so much for sharing!
They taste good, but even after 45 minutes and cooking them EXACTLY how you said they are extremely gooey. I would suggest maybe modifying your instructions so that others are aware.
Since you posted an anonymous review with a fake email, it’s impossible for me to follow up with you and see what the problem is, so I will publish your comment here so others can see it.
45 minutes of baking is way too long to bake these, they would be very overdone and dry.
What size pan did you use? Metal or glass? Are you sure you correctly measured the ingredients or didn’t forget something? Was the oven actually fully preheated?
I have modified and added some helpful information, including a toothpick test reference so you can tell when the brownies are done.
No matter how long I baked them they still came out really gooey. It was like eating brownie batter with a crispy crust.
Can you provide more information? What type of pan are you using? How long have you tried baking them? What pan size? I have baked these many times and I haven’t experienced this.
What did I do wrong? Followed the instructions but my brownies are really gooey! I mean, there’s nothing wrong with that but…
I baked them a little longer and the toothpick is still coming out gooey.
Hi Meaghan, you just need to keep baking them until they bake all the way through. The toothpick is still gooey but not wet. All ovens and pans will bake differently and it’s possible the oven is not 100% accurate on the internal temp.
Question? I know you like to use dark chocolate cocoa powder for your cakes does that apply to this brownie recipe as well or should I just use the regular cocoa powder?
Hi Christine, I intentionally used natural cocoa powder for this recipe since it has baking soda