Last updated on May 11th, 2025

Wet Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
Make your own ingredients
How to make this classic brownie recipe
Dietary Substitutions
Equipment
Related Recipes
More Bar Recipes

These Classic Brownies are a rich, decadent dessert from the combination of both cocoa powder and melted chocolate for deep flavor. My vintage inspiration for these old fashioned brownies is from a 1979 “Hershey’s Cocoa Cookbook.“ While almost everyone loves brownies, people like to eat them in different ways. Some prefer them thick and cakey, while others like them thin and fudgy. They can be served simply dusted with powdered sugar or frosted with a chocolate ganache.

My vintage inspiration.

My vintage inspiration was ‘The Best Brownies’ recipe from my copy of a 1979 “Hershey’s Cocoa Cookbook.“

My modern modifications included adding instant ClearJel to retain moisture, added melted chocolate in addition to just using cocoa to deepen the flavoradded additional salt for our modern palettes, and increased the vanilla to enhance the flavor.

Wet Ingredients

Butter is made from churned cream that contains 80% butterfat. European butter is churned longer and has a higher fat content (82%-85%), which is why it yields more flavor.
Chocolate is sold in various forms from dark to light. This is due to the amount of chocolate liquor (cocoa solids and cocoa butter) it contains. Dark chocolate is unsweetened at 100% cocoa, bittersweet is 70% cocoa, semi-sweet is 60% cocoa, and milk chocolate can vary from 10-40% cocoa.
Sugar is derived from sugarcane and provides sweetness to baked goods. The most common type being granulated white sugar. Cane sugar is a natural option that is less processed with a slightly courser texture.
Eggs are produced by female chickens and are important in baking because their proteins provide structure, they act as a natural leaving agent by trapping air that expands during baking, and they add moisture to baked goods.
Vanilla provides hints of caramel and spice, enhancing the depth of flavor to baked goods. Look for a high-quality, all-natural brand made from real vanilla beans containing at least 35% alcohol.

Dry Ingredients

All-purpose unbleached flour is made by grinding the seeds of the wheat plant and removing the bran and germ. It has a moderate protein content of 10-12%, making it a versatile option for baking cookies, cakes, and pastries.
Instant ClearJel is a modified food starch used as a thickener, stabilizer, and gelling agent, used for pie fillings creating a clear, smooth texture rather than cloudy. In baked goods it helps retain moisture and produces a light, tender texture. Use cornstarch as a substitution if ClearJel is hard to find. For every 1 T. of cornstarch, use 1 1/2 T. ClearJel. For every 2 T. flour or tapioca, use 1 T. ClearJel. You can find it online here.
Cocoa powder is 100% cacao with no added sugar. There are two types: natural and dutch-process. Natural cocoa is lighter in color, acidic, and has bold chocolate flavor. Dutch-process cocoa is darker because it has been processed to neutralize acidity, resulting in a smoother, milder taste.
Baking powder is a leavening agent that contains both an acid, like cream of tarter, and a base, like baking soda to help baked goods rise. Use a double-acting aluminum-free baking powder to avoid a bitter aftertaste.
Pink salt is a type of rock salt that contains trace minerals, adding nutrients to baked goods.
Pecans are a tree nut that grown on pecan trees in the United States and Mexico. They add texture and sweet nuttiness flavor to baked goods.
Confectioners’ sugar, also known as powdered sugar, is made from finely ground granulated sugar mixed with a small amount of cornstarch to prevent clumping. Its fine texture, makes it perfect for smooth frostings and glazes on baked goods.

Make your own ingredients

Homemade Vanilla: Purchase Grade B vanilla beans (also called extract-grade), which have less moisture and a more concentrated flavor. Place 8 oz. of bourbon (or vodka) in glass bottle or jar. Split 5-7 vanilla beans down the middle and add to bottle. Let it sit for 3-6 months in a cool, dark place. As you use it, continue to replace the bourbon and add more beans as it keeps for many years.

Chocolate ganache frosting: Place 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chopped chocolate or 1 c. chocolate chips into a bowl. Microwave 1 c. heavy cream and 1 T. butter until warm, pour over chocolate and stir until combined. Spread onto brownies after they have cooled.

How to make this classic brownie recipe

Baker’s Tips

Always use aluminum baking pans since they conduct even heat. There are several options for the size of brownie pan you use. Standard brownie pan is : an 8″× 8″ or 9″x 9″ square pan which will yield a thicker cake-like brownie. Using a 9″ × 13″ or quarter-sheet pan will yield a thinner, fudgy brownie. Be sure to always prep baking pans first with with cooking spray. To easily remove brownies from the pan, line the pan with parchment that hangs over the sides.
To store, place on counter 2-3 days or for longer storage cut into squares and freeze in a storage container with parchment paper layers between the cut squares.

Dietary Substitutions

For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. Read more about it here.

TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE

Here are some tips for gluten free baking

Use a premium gluten-free flour blend.
Be sure to let the batter rest to help eliminate grittiness. Even letting the batter sit 15 minutes will yield a light and tender baked good. You can let batter sit in the fridge overnight, and up to 3 days.
Add 1-2 T. of milk to the batter to help hydrate the flour.
Reduce the oven temperature by 25° as gluten-free flour is delicate so the edges of baked goods may burn before the center is cooked through.
Gluten-free baked goods have a shorter shelf-life than conventional baked goods and dry out faster. Store in airtight container on counter 1-2 days. The refrigerator tends to dry them out more, so it is best to freeze up to 6 months.

TO MAKE VEGAN/DAIRY FREE

Swap out the butter with unsalted vegan butter sticks.
To replace the egg, place 1 tsp. of baking soda into your baked good and pour 1 T. white vinegar on top of the baking soda.
Use vegan chocolate chips.

Equipment

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