25+ Decadent Brownie Recipes From Scratch

January 27, 2020
There's no shame in reaching for boxed brownie mix, but sometimes you just want to do it yourself. That's where these decadent brownie recipes from scratch come in: Whether you want to experiment with new flavors or use an alternative flour as a base for a gluten-free or keto-friendly treat, these homemade brownie recipes will steer you in a delicious direction.
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Caramel-Marshmallow Brownies

Caramel-Marshmallow Brownies Recipe
Sweet and gooey cookie bars are incredibly easy to make and pretty to serve. These brownies are sure to be a hit at any gathering, from birthday parties to baby showers, or as an after-dinner treat for your family.
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Dark Chocolate and Cherry Brownies

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Jan Gautro
Dark Chocolate and Cherry Brownies Recipe
Our reviewers agree: Sweets are a top craving and chocolate is in a class by itself. These rich brownies are just the ticket.

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Cream Cheese Brownies

Becky Luigart-Stayner; Melanie J. Clarke
Cream Cheese Brownies Recipe
Make chocolate brownies even better by topping the brownie batter with a sweet cream cheese topping before baking.
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Best Fudgy Brownies

Photo: Aaron Kirk; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Pam Lolley
Best Fudgy Brownies Recipe

Meet your new go-to recipe for homemade brownies. These decadent treats are extra rich and fudgy, thanks to a double hit of baking chocolate and bittersweet chocolate morsels. They’re incredibly easy to make, plus you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry already. And while we’re definitely not above boxed brownie mixes, these homemade brownies would certainly steal the show at any party or get-together.

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Red Velvet-Mint Brownies

Photo: Jim Franco; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell
Red Velvet-Mint Brownies Recipe
Red Velvet-Peppermint Swirl Brownies taste as good as they look. These showstopping brownies are moist, tasty, and swirling with color.

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Malted Toffee Brownies

Photo: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Kate Parisian
Malted Toffee Brownies Recipe
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Dark Chocolate Brownies

Photo by Victor Protasio; Prop styling by Audrey Davis; Food styling by Torie Cox
Dark Chocolate Brownies Recipe

Notes: These classic chocolate brownies can be stored airtight for up to 2 days.

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Keto Salted Almond-Butter Brownies

Meredith Food Studios
Keto Salted Almond-Butter Brownies Recipe

Anyone on the keto diet looking to indulge needs to make these brownies, stat. These keto brownies are sugar-free yet decadent. The interior is fudgy and chocolatey, and the salted almond butter topping adds a toasty twist. 

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Chocolate-Hazelnut Brownies

Photo: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey and Elise Mayfield; Prop Styling: Kay Clarke and Laura Evans
Chocolate-Hazelnut Brownies Recipe

Fair warning: Our editors and test kitchen staff LOVED these gluten-free brownies. Words like "decadent" and "divine" were thrown around liberally. 

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Irish Cream Brownies

Howard L. Puckett
Irish Cream Brownies Recipe

Flavor homemade chocolate brownies with Bailey's Irish Cream for a spiked, fudgy dessert that's got out-of-this-world flavor.

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So Good Brownies

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Marian Cooper Cairns
So Good Brownies Recipe
Our users rave over this fudgy brownie recipe. This is our adaptation of a recipe many of our foodies use from Baker's Chocolate. Bonus? All the variations, like Peanut Butter Streusel Brownies, Candy-and-Pretzel Brownies, and Toasted Coconut-Cashew Brownies, mean you can make these time after time and create something new and delicious with each pan.

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Salted Caramel Brownies

Photo: Francesco Tonelli; Styling: Philippa Brathwaite
Salted Caramel Brownies Recipe
With their rich, indulgent flavors, these layered caramel brownies dusted in sea salt are a definite crowd-pleaser.
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Peanut Butter and Pretzel Brownies

Photo: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Kate Parisian
Peanut Butter and Pretzel Brownies Recipe

Irresistibly nutty and salty, these peanut butter pretzel brownies are for the die-hard chocolate lover in everyone's lives. Incorporating Reese's candies, crushed pretzel bits, and a heaping spoonful of creamy peanut butter, these rich, decadent squares are perfect for you next potluck dessert party, special occasion, or late night craving. For an added bonus, go ahead and eat them warm out of the oven with a scoop of ice cream.

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Guinness Brownies with Irish Whiskey Frosting

Photo: Gina DeSimone; Prop Styling: Kashara Johnson; Food Styling: Karen Rankin
Guinness Brownies with Irish Whiskey Frosting Recipe

Although few treats are more fitting for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration than rich Guinness brownies, we’d suggest that you go ahead and whip up this Guinness brownie recipe any time you need a decadent hit of chocolate. In fact, given the dangerously scrumptious whiskey buttercream used to frost them, these fudgey brownies are truly the perfect treat to enjoy at the end of an exceptionally long day. 

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Peppermint-topped Brownies

Photo: Leigh Beisch
Peppermint-topped Brownies Recipe
This recipe is guaranteed to please anyone because you can fill the brownie with any flavor from toffee to coconut to white chocolate.
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Slutty Brownies

Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro
Slutty Brownies Recipe

Good Wholesome Brownies.

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Cappuccino-Frosted Brownies

Photo: John O'Hagan; Styling: Lisa Powell Bailey
Cappuccino-Frosted Brownies Recipe
People line up when Copy Chief Paula Hunt Hughes brings these brownies to the office.

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Pumpkin-Chocolate Brownies

Photo: Greg Dupree; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas
Pumpkin-Chocolate Brownies Recipe

TIP: Let fresh-baked brownies chill, uncovered, overnight. For a perfect slice, cut while they're cold. Serve at room temperature.

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Mississippi Mud Brownies

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell
Mississippi Mud Brownies Recipe
Fluffy marshmallows, chopped pecans and chocolate frosting—who knew mud could be so delicious? Try these brownies today.

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Fudgy Mocha-Toffee Brownies

Fudgy Mocha-Toffee Brownies Recipe
Best Bar Cookie. 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 any time you need a sweet treat. --Recipe by Kathleen Kanen (January/February 2005)

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Oreo Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Photo: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Kate Parisian
Oreo Cheesecake Swirl Brownies Recipe
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Coffee Bean Brownies

Photo: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Kate Parisian
Coffee Bean Brownies Recipe

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Spicy Caramel Brownies

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Spicy Caramel Brownies Recipe
These fudgy brownies have a thick, rich swirl of dulce de leche and a kick from ground red pepper. If you prefer a milder version, omit or reduce the pepper. Allow egg whites to stand at room temperature 15 minutes to take the chill off before using.

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Andes Mint Brownies

Time Inc. Video Studio
Andes Mint Brownies Recipe

These decadent layered Andes mint brownies are the ultimate indulgence for any mint-chip lover. In order to create clean layers, it’s important that you’re working with cool ingredients—so be sure to allow the brownies to cool completely before spreading the icing on, and then chill before adding the chocolate ganache so that it will set quickly. 

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Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies 

Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey; Prop Styling: Kay Clarke
Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies  Recipe

We’ve got a triple-threat here: Rich red velvet, gooey, fudgy brownies, and tangy cheesecake unite to form a dessert bar everyone will love. These red velvet cheesecake brownies are decadent without being too sweet, thanks to the cheesecake swirl, and a delicious twist on plain old brownies. They slice super clean, but remain gooey and soft. If you like your brownies fudgy bake them on the lower 30-minute end. For cakier brownies, bake longer, up to 35 minutes. Lining your pan with parchment keeps these from sticking to the pan, making them much easier to slice. 

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Chocolate Stout Brownies

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Claire Spollen
Chocolate Stout Brownies Recipe

The typical brownie has nearly 20g sugar--masking the flavor of the chocolate in an overwhelming wave of sweetness. Here we cut sugar in half for a richer, denser brownie that truly satisfies.

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The Ultimate Unbaked Brownies

Photo: Lara Ferroni
The Ultimate Unbaked Brownies Recipe

These incredible brownies are a lot of things all at once: they're no-bake, vegan, and gluten-free. They're also incredibly delicious, and feature a luxurious layer of chocolate ganache on top. 

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Chunky Chocolate Brownies

Chunky Chocolate Brownies Recipe
Chocolate chunks make these brownies fudgy; decrease baking time to 23 minutes to make them extra gooey.
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