For a chocolate treat that's a breeze to make, our One-Bowl Hershey's Brownies recipe is a true kitchen hero. These fudgy delights come together within 30 minutes, making them perfect for those chocolate cravings.
These rich, fudgy brownies are simpler to make than our Inside Out Chocolate Chip Cookies or Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Why You'll Love This One-Bowl Brownies Recipe
No need for multiple bowls or fancy equipment - just whip up the batter, pour it into a pan, and bake! In under 30 minutes, you'll be enjoying warm, gooey brownies perfect for a sweet treat or anytime chocolate craving. These fudgy brownies take just minutes to make, costs less than a box mix, and the flavor and texture is better.
- Effortless Cleanup: The best part about using just one bowl is the minimal mess. You'll spend less time washing dishes and more time enjoying your chocolatey treat.
- Speedy Preparation: This recipe comes together quickly, letting you satisfy those brownie cravings without a long wait. It's perfect for when you need a dessert in a hurry.
- Guaranteed Fudgy Texture: These brownies consistently turn out with that desirable dense, moist, and wonderfully fudgy texture that everyone enjoys, making them a reliable crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients Overview
Make this one-bowl brownies recipe with simple ingredients like butter, sugar, eggs, flour, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract, these brownies come together in a flash.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make One-Bowl Brownies
Whip up a batch of quick and easy, one bowl brownies. Made with simple ingredients for rich, fudgy brownies that are the ultimate treat for any occasion.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F, and either grease or line your brownie pan with parchment or aluminum foil. This let's you easily lift the entire 8" x 8" brownie slab out after baking!
Step 2: Cream the softened butter, sugar, and eggs. Add the vanilla extract. Mix until creamy, but not fluffy.
Step 3: Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder & salt. Mix with either a spatula or with electric mixer on the slow setting.
For 9 x 13 Inch Pans
If you want to make a 9 x 13 pan, simply double this recipe and bake for 33-35 minutes! For full details on doubling see our How To Scale A Recipe post.
Step 4: Spread the thick brownie batter into an 8x8 inch pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes in the preheated oven. They will appear soft in the middle, but as long as the toothpick comes out clean, remove from the oven. Do not over bake, the brownies will continue to cook while cooling.
Step 5: Remove the brownies from the oven and let them cool completely. Turn or lift out and cut into 9 brownies. Serve with a glass of milk.
One-Bowl Brownies Serving Suggestions
These awesome brownies are fantastic on their own, but they also pair wonderfully with various sweet accompaniments. Enjoy a warm brownie à la mode with a scoop of Oreo Cookies Ice Cream or a refreshing serving of Turtle Ice Cream.
For a more decadent dessert, drizzle them with a rich Baileys Chocolate Ganache the ultimate chocolate experience. For brownies for a crowd, see out sheet pan brownies recipe.
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few delicious variations or substitutions when making this recipe.
- Chocolate Chip Boost: Stir in a half cup of chocolate chips (milk, dark, or white) along with the flour for extra pockets of melted chocolate.
- Flavor Boosters: A teaspoon of instant espresso powder can deepen the chocolate flavor without making the brownies taste like coffee. A touch of almond extract or orange zest also adds a twist.
- Nutty Crunch: Fold in a half cup of chopped walnuts or pecans with the dry ingredients for added texture and a delightful crunch.
Tips For Success
Here are a few tips for making this One-Bowl Brownies recipe:
- Use Good Quality Cocoa Powder: The flavor of your brownies largely depends on the cocoa. Opt for a high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder for the best, most intense chocolate taste.
- Don't Overmix After Adding Flour: Once you add the flour and other dry ingredients, mix just until no dry streaks remain. Overmixing at this stage can develop gluten, leading to tougher, less fudgy brownies.
- Line the Pan for Easy Removal: For simple cleanup and easy removal, line your baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This creates "handles" to lift the cooled brownies right out of the pan.
- Test for Doneness Carefully: Brownies are notorious for going from perfectly fudgy to dry quickly. Insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out with moist crumbs attached, not wet batter, and not completely clean.
- Cool Completely Before Cutting: It's tempting to cut into warm brownies, but for clean, neat slices and the best fudgy texture, let them cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Storage Options
Some recommended storage options for this recipe are:
- Refrigeration: Store cooled brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Refrigerating can make them firmer and chewier, which some people prefer.
- Freezing: Brownies freeze exceptionally well. Once completely cooled, wrap the entire slab or individual brownies tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil, or place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Related Recipes
- Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Preacher Cookies
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispies
- Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Muffins
Frequently Asked Questions
It's not recommended to substitute Dutch-processed cocoa for natural unsweetened cocoa in this recipe.
The shiny, crackly top often comes from creaming the butter, granulated sugar, and eggs.
While some recipes call for sifting, for most one-bowl brownie recipes, simply whisking the dry ingredients together thoroughly in the bowl before mixing with the wet ingredients is sufficient to break up lumps and ensure even distribution.
Dessert Recipes
Get The Recipe!
Fudgy Hershey One-Bowl Brownies
Equipment
- 1 8 x 8 square glass cake pan
- 1 8 x 8 square silicone cake pan
- 1 Silicone spatula
- 1 large mixing bowl
- Parchment Paper Sheets
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened to room temperature
- 1 cup sugar white granulated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- ½ cup flour all purpose
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
One Bowl Brownies Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F, and either grease or line your pan with parchment or aluminum foil. This let's you easily lift the entire 8"x8" brownie slab out after baking! Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter with the sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs and mix well.½ cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Mix the eggs into the butter and sugar mixture.2 large eggs
- Add the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt to the bowl. Mix with a spatula, breaking up any small lumps in the batter.⅓ cup cocoa powder, ½ cup flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Stir with either a spatula about 50 strokes, or until flour and cocoa are mixed into the sugar, butter, and egg mixture. Or use an electric mixer on the slow setting. Be sure to scrape the sides with the spatula to mix everything well.
- Spread the thick chocolate batter into an 8x8 inch baking dish. Bake for 22-25 minutes in the preheated oven. They will appear soft in the middle, but as long as the toothpick comes out clean, remove from the oven. Do not over bake, the brownies will continue to cook while cooling.
- After baking the brownies, let them cool completely. Turn out and cut into 9 brownies.
Notes
- Use Good Quality Cocoa Powder: The flavor of your brownies largely depends on the cocoa. Opt for a high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder for the best, most intense chocolate taste.
- Don't Overmix After Adding Flour: Once you add the flour and other dry ingredients, mix just until no dry streaks remain. Overmixing at this stage can develop gluten, leading to tougher, less fudgy brownies.
- Line the Pan for Easy Removal: For simple cleanup and easy removal, line your baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This creates "handles" to lift the cooled brownies right out of the pan.
- Test for Doneness Carefully: Brownies are notorious for going from perfectly fudgy to dry quickly. Insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out with moist crumbs attached, not wet batter, and not completely clean.
- Cool Completely Before Cutting: It's tempting to cut into warm brownies, but for clean, neat slices and the best fudgy texture, let them cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Cheryl says
Can I use air fryer?
I don't have an oven.
Kelly Bloom says
I've never used an air fryer to make these brownies, so I just can't say. I think you might need one of the larger tray style air fryers though, not the small basket style. I'd also reduce the heat by 25 degrees.
Geraldine Gilbert says
Waiting to see results. Recipe said two bowl mix dry ingredients. Isn’t sugar a dry ingredient? So mixed eggs, butter and vanilla and added dry. Please reword(?) recipe if this is bad to do? Eggs and sugar were definitely not creamed…
Kelly Bloom says
There are two methods listed. The TWO BOWL METHOD: Two Bowl Method
Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs in one bowl, and mix the cocoa & flour in a separate bowl. This ensures no unsweetened chocolate lumps in the batter.
Geraldine Gilbert says
I sifted to insure no lumps since I missed creaming. Oh use by date on cocoa 10 2017. No complaints, will not toss yet.
Geraldine Gilbert says
Update on sugar addition. Brownies turned out fine. Very tasty made double batch, put half in a glass 8” and half in a metal pan. Had to bake glass pan 5 minutes longer but turned out much better looking than metal pan.
Kelly Bloom says
Fantastic! My kids used to LOVE these brownies, 🙂
Susan says
I doubled the recipe. The batter was delicious, I then added peanut butter, gram crackers, and marshmallows.
Kelly Bloom says
Ohhhh! That sounds scrumptious!
Heather Avallone says
At first I didn’t think these brownies would be very good. When I put all the ingredients together it was very thick, but they turned out delicious and helped me and my daughter with our sugar/ chocolate craving!