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    Home » Recipes » Brownies + Bars

    Better than a Boyfriend Brownies

    Published: Jan 21, 2016 · Modified: Aug 9, 2022 by Melissa Stadler · This post may contain affiliate links · 146 Comments

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    Better Than a Boyfriend Brownies by Modern Honey - www.modernhoney.com

    The BEST BROWNIE RECIPE

    Here it is... your foolproof, satisfy your chocolate cravings, ultimate chocolate chunk brownie recipe.

    These "Better than a Boyfriend Brownies" are whipped up in one bowl and are so easy even kids can make them. I am pretty sure I could make these brownies in my sleep. I've tried more brownie recipes than I would like to admit but all of that practice has made me a brownie connoisseur of sorts, right? This is hands down the BEST homemade brownie recipe.

    I have been baking since I could stand up on a stool! I have been able to compete in the Pillsbury Bake-Off for a million dollars twice, win the Cooking Channel Contest for the most perfect cookie in America and film in the Food Network Studios (the #1 recipe in 2012), and land on the cover of Food Network Magazine for winning their Bake Sale contest. This was all before I started Modern Honey and have been baking up a storm ever since!

    All of these years of baking and working to create the perfect brownie recipe and here it is! Once I tried this homemade brownie recipe, I have never looked back. This is the ONLY brownie recipe I use because it is the best!

    This brownie recipe is rich, decadent, and fudgy. No dry cakey ones here! You may want to eat the entire pan - they are that good and it might just become your absolute family favorite.

    Better than a Boyfriend Brownies by Modern Honey - www.modernhoney

    The name - Better than a Boyfriend Brownies stems from where all good inspiration comes from - a breakup. I have a ridiculous memory. It can be a really good thing and a really bad thing, simultaneously. Here's where the really good memory isn't so great.

    For some stupid reason (because teenagers generally don't always make the most sound judgments), my friends and I thought it would be funny to toilet paper my first little boyfriend's house.

    Since we couldn't drive, we convinced my Mom to drive us to this unsuspecting boy's house. We realized pretty fast that his yard was huge and we needed some help. So we ran to the car and grabbed the master toilet paperer - my Mother. We somehow convinced her that toilet papering at the age of 50 was completely normal.

    All was going well and we were quite impressed with our TP skills...until we saw car lights rounding the corner into the cul-de-sac. There was nowhere to run so we squealed like little girls and hurdled into the bushes. Unfortunately for us, our hurdling skills weren't the best and our covers were blown....by his parents!

    They got out of the car, walked over to the bushes and we slowly peaked our heads out in utter shame and embarrassment.  The real entertainment came when they discovered that my Mom was hiding WITH us!

    I don't think they were impressed. That little boyfriend - the giver of my first kiss completely broke my heart into smithereens when he broke up with me. Note to self: don't toilet paper your boyfriend's house. They usually have to clean it up and won't like it.

    I went home and did what any normal teenager would do...put on some really sad music, baked up a pan of brownies, ate every one of them and drowned my sorrows. Hence the name - Better than a Boyfriend Brownies.

    If only, I would have applied my good memory to the periodic table in Chemistry.

    Better than a Boyfriend Brownies by Modern Honey - www.modernhoney.com

    I've had a lot of years to work on my brownie making skills. I am going to give you 5 tips to make sure those calories are worth it and to NOT screw up your brownies. These are truly the best brownies in the world!

    Better than a Boyfriend Brownies by Modern Honey - www.modernhoney.com

    5 Ways to NOT screw up brownies:

    • Don't overbake. Holy cow this is a big one. Ask my kids how crazy it makes me when I see the cooking times listed on a brownie mix or cake mix box and it's so long that you'll end up with hockey pucks! No wonder people think they are bad cooks when really we can just chalk it up to bad directions. Can we do that? Yes, we can. Anytime you are baking up a cookie, cake or brownie....watch those precious gems like a hawk. You want laser beam focus because a few minutes can be a difference maker.
    • Cream butter + sugar for at least 3 minutes to ensure you don't end up with grainy brownies. Creaming works wonders in baked goods as it helps to dissolve sugar crystals and it creates little pockets of air. The butter wraps around the sugar as it coats it and helps to say goodbye to the grainy texture.
    • Don't overmix your flour. You know how kneading bread makes it better....well it's the opposite with baked goods. If you overmix your batter, it creates more gluten which can leave you with a tougher brownie. We want a tender one! Mix until just combined or even turn off your mixer and fold in your flour.
    • Use high-quality cocoa. It's the star ingredient and it's integral to the overall success of the brownies. I buy Callebaut cocoa powder in bulk at Winco and even though it's high-quality stuff, it is actually less expensive than buying one of the other popular brands in the store. It makes a huge difference in the depth of flavor.
    • Add chocolate chunks. Because if you are going to eat chocolate, you want to really eat chocolate. Adding semi-sweet chocolate adds a richness to it and another depth of flavor. Guittard and Ghiradelli are some of my favorite brands of chocolate. Trader Joe's makes a killer chocolate bar and it melts beautifully. If you are really crazy, add some white chocolate just to really mix it up (think Paradise Bakery black + white chippers).

    Better than a Boyfriend Brownies with Caramel Dulce de Leche by Modern Honey - www.modernhoney.com

    Use a toothpick or even a cake tester (OXO makes a good inexpensive one HERE) to test the middle to make sure it's not a goopy mess.

    You want it to come out with a soft crumb and not be dry as cardboard. No one likes to eat cardboard. Use light colored pans. The dark colored pans cook the bottoms of baked goods too quickly. Here are a few of my favorite pans -- USA 9 x 13 inch pan and USA Square Cake Pan 9 inch.

    Better than a Boyfriend Brownies with Dulce de Leche Caramel by Modern Honey - www.modernhoney.com

    Feel free to up your game and add some caramel or dulce de leche. People will be impressed at your mad skills. Carefully heat up a jar of that caramel goodness and swirl half of the jar into the brownie batter. Bake in the oven. Once they come out of the oven, top and swirl with remaining caramel.

    Make sure you lick the spoon after you are all done.....in the name of research, of course. *They are adapted from I am Baker's brownie recipe (who you must follow because she's so hilarious and incredibly talented).

    Better than a Boyfriend Brownies with Dulce de Leche Caramel by Modern Honey - www.modernhoney.com

    Click the video below to see how quick and easy it is to make homemade brownies:

    Better than a Boyfriend Brownies

    Melissa Stadler, Modern Honey
    This rich and fudgy brownie will satisfy all your chocolate cravings.
    4.87 from 68 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 32 mins
    Total Time 42 mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 20

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup Butter softened
    • 2 cups Sugar
    • 1 cup Brown Sugar
    • 4 Eggs
    • 1 Tablespoon Vanilla
    • 1 cup Flour
    • ½ cup Cake Flour
    • 1 cup Cocoa Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 ½ cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks or Chips
    • *Optional: add 8-ounce jar Dulce de Leche. Carefully heat in the microwave. Swirl in 4 ounces into the batter. Bake. Top brownies with remaining Dulce de Leche.

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and brown sugar for 3-4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla.
    • Stir in flour, cake flour, cocoa, and salt until mixed together.
    • Fold in chocolate chips.
    • Pour into 9 x 13 pan and spread evenly.
    • Bake for 28-36 minutes.
    • *Adapted from I am Baker's decadent brownies

    Video

    Keyword best brownie recipe
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Pin on Pinterest:

    BEST BROWNIES EVER. The Best Homemade Chocolate Brownies Recipe. 5-Star Rated Brownie Recipe. Most Popular Brownies! www.modernhoney.com #brownies #chocolate #brownierecipe #bestbrownies #chocolatelover #chocoholic #chocolatedessert #dessert #dessertbars

    Happy Baking!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kelly

      May 12, 2017 at 12:39 pm

      Ok, I'm a brownie snob and I'll just go ahead and say this is the perfect brownie recipe! I can't tell you how many recipes I've tried or altered, but yours produces rich, fudgey brownies without any modifications to the recipe! I was skeptical about using a whole tablespoon of vanilla, but that really added a nice warm flavor. I also think your advice to not overmix or overbake the brownies makes the best texture! Yum!

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        May 22, 2017 at 7:50 pm

        5 stars
        Yay Kelly! So happy to hear that! I researched and ate a lot of brownies in search of the perfect brownie recipe. I haven't even tried another recipe since I made this one. It's my favorite too. Thank you for making my day by writing such a kind comment. - Melissa 🙂

        Reply
    2. Alisha

      May 10, 2017 at 3:41 pm

      Hello I found your recipe and i read all the comments. I want to make brownies but i don't have the extra chocolate can i add some walnuts. I know they won't be extra gooey. Thanks

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        May 22, 2017 at 7:48 pm

        5 stars
        Hi Alisha! I think that is a great idea! You can absolutely substitute walnuts for the chocolate chips. Thanks! - Melissa 🙂

        Reply
    3. Angela

      April 25, 2017 at 2:29 pm

      I just made the batter, it is so thick. Is that normal?

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        May 22, 2017 at 7:46 pm

        5 stars
        Hi Angela. I am a little late to the ball game with this comment but it is normal for it to be thick. It usually sticks to the spatula but is spreadable. I hope they turned out well! 🙂

        Reply
      • Jenny

        April 19, 2020 at 1:01 pm

        I would like to give it a try. I have a question. Can I use coconut flour instead of all purpose flour? Could The mesures change?

        Thanks in advance

        Reply
    4. eniahs

      April 23, 2017 at 10:18 pm

      hello im from Philippines????im just really confused about that first flour and cake flour that was stated? can I use all purpose flour and cake flour?

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        April 24, 2017 at 8:55 am

        5 stars
        Hello from Arizona! Thanks for stopping by from the Philippines! Yes, you are right -- the first flour is all purpose flour. Hope that helps! - Melissa 🙂

        Reply
    5. Kristin

      April 18, 2017 at 4:05 pm

      Is the cocoa powder unsweetened or sweetened?
      PS. I've made some of your cookie recipes for my family and they are AMAZING!

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        April 24, 2017 at 8:42 am

        5 stars
        Hi Kristin! Yay! Thank you so much for such a kind comment. So happy that you love them! The cocoa powder is unsweetened. Let me know how you like them! - Melissa 🙂

        Reply
    6. Dave Glasgow

      November 21, 2016 at 8:03 pm

      5 stars
      Holy Chocolate!!! Made these brownies tonight and they are amazing! Didn't have my usual Penzeys full-fat cocoa, so I used 3/4 cup of Hershey's cocoa and 1/4 cup of King Arthur Black cocoa - I did use Ghiradelli chocolate chips - my favorite...

      They came out deliciously dense and fudgy with a delicate crunchy top. The edges were perfectly chewy!!

      Until now my favorite brownies were Ghiradelli boxed brownies (double chocolate and dark chocolate).

      These were even better!!

      Thanks for a great brownie recipe! The hunt is over... 🙂

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        December 09, 2016 at 10:08 am

        5 stars
        Thanks so much, Dave! I appreciate your kind words and I am so happy that you loved the brownies! They are super decadent. I am a huge fan of Ghirardelli chocolate chips as well and they just make everything better. Thanks for taking the time to comment and have a great day! - Melissa 🙂

        Reply
      • Kayla

        September 26, 2018 at 8:49 am

        5 stars
        Good to know these are better than the Ghirardelli dark chocolate boxed brownies because those are my favorite too! Going to make these this weekend!

        Reply
    7. Rachel Immordino

      September 15, 2016 at 6:23 pm

      2 stars
      Hi. I don't know if you'll even see this but I've tried your recipe once and it tuned out delicious. I tweaked it a bit (I added extra chocolate) but still great results. Today I decided to make these for my class and spent five hours cooking to have the two batches done in time. I don't know what went wrong but both came out undercooked (I added up to an hour of extra cooking time but they wouldn't cook!) and would crumble into pieces when I tried to cut them. A total disaster. They weren't so much undercooked as unbelievably moist. I would have added extra flour but the batter was already so thick I never imagined this would happen. Any idea as to what I did wrong?

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        September 26, 2016 at 11:30 am

        5 stars
        Oh Rachel...that is a bummer! It's always hard when you spend so much time and they don't turn out. Here's my theory....it sounds like you made two batches. I am wondering if the ingredients got off somehow. Since there is 1 cup of all purpose flour and 1/2 cup cake flour, I am thinking that maybe one of them got left out? If they wouldn't set up, no matter the cooking time, then there wasn't enough dry ingredients to set it up. I hope that helps for next time and I am sorry to hear that you had trouble. Have a great day!

        Reply
    8. Chelsea

      August 03, 2016 at 8:59 pm

      5 stars
      If I double the recipe do you think it would fit a cookie sheet? And would the bake time stay the same?

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        August 05, 2016 at 7:12 am

        5 stars
        Hi Chelsea! I haven't tried it yet but I think you will have enough batter to spread into a cookie sheet. Because they will be much thinner, you will need to put the timer for about 14-16 minutes and watch closely. Let me know how they turn out! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Eileen Hoye

      April 06, 2016 at 9:32 pm

      5 stars
      These are the best brownies I ever had in my life!Very fudge and am in heaven.I love your blog and stories.You are awesome!Keep it going as It really makes my day!Love the recipes.

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        April 06, 2016 at 9:45 pm

        Hi Eileen! Thank you for taking the time to write such a sweet comment. You just made my night! 🙂

        Reply
    10. Kendra

      March 24, 2016 at 5:23 am

      I am going to try and substitute with an all purpose gluten free flour.. I will let you know.

      Reply
    11. Betty

      March 22, 2016 at 7:50 pm

      2 stars
      In a 9x13 pan, these brownies are so deep that it took forever to get the center cooked and then they were hard as bricks around the outside once they cooled. 🙁

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        March 22, 2016 at 9:54 pm

        Hi Betty! Since these have a lot of chocolate in them, they will be slightly gooey in the center coming out of the oven. I usually wait at least 10-15 minutes before cutting them so they can set up. I am with you and don't like my brownies to be hard either so they will seem a little underdone in the center when you pull them out but will set up in time. If you wait for them to be completely dry in the center then you will have hockey pucks on the outside. Sorry they didn't work out for you!

        Reply
    12. Rehana

      February 25, 2016 at 11:18 am

      Hi! I'm a little confused about the ingredients too as i live in the UK.
      Firstly what type of sugar shall i use?
      And the recipe states to use flour and cake flour. You said to use plain flour to substitute the cake flour. But then what type of flour shall i use for the 'flour'?

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        February 25, 2016 at 11:42 am

        Hi there! Welcome from the UK! My brother lived there for years so he was always asking me baking questions as well since you don't have the exact same products that we have in the US. I have made these brownies with all types of flour and have substituted plain flour for all of the flour asked for in the recipe and they turned out beautifully. Cake flour makes them slightly more tender since it has a lower protein content. If you use plain flour, you can add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch which will help with texture. Again, I have used 1 1/2 cups of plain flour and they are still lovely. Also, you use plain white sugar in this recipe. I would love to hear how they turn out and please reach out if you have any further questions. Have a great day!

        Reply
    13. Mummy of two

      February 01, 2016 at 12:51 pm

      5 stars
      These are the perfect snacks! My hubby and I made them together for film night and we could not stop eating! I will definitely recommend this to all my family and friend. I was also confused with the cake flour but I found somewhere that mixing flour and corn startch together works perfectly too. Thank you so much for the recipe I will sure make these again! Dont ever stop posting Melissa xx

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        February 03, 2016 at 7:22 am

        Thank you so much for your sweet comment. I am the exact same way with these brownies...I want to eat the entire pan! Thank you for stopping by and for trying them out. Have a wonderful day!

        Reply
    14. Liz

      January 31, 2016 at 11:23 am

      Hi, did you use salted or unsalted butter for this recipe? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        January 31, 2016 at 1:46 pm

        Hi Liz! I used salted butter in this recipe so if you are using unsalted butter, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the recipe. Happy Baking and thanks for stopping by! 🙂

        Reply
    15. Eleanor

      January 31, 2016 at 4:13 am

      Hey 🙂 I'm from the UK and I really want to try this recipe but I'm kinda confused with the ingredients. We don't have cake flour over here and in reference to the first flour, is that self raising or plain? Also is the oven temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius? Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        January 31, 2016 at 7:51 am

        Hi Eleanor! Thank you for stopping by. If you don't have cake flour in the UK, just substitute 1 1/2 cups plain flour (self rising can be used too...they may come out slightly fluffier). Let me know how they turn out! 🙂

        Reply
        • Eleanor

          January 31, 2016 at 10:20 am

          Thank you!

          Reply
    16. Aakruti

      January 31, 2016 at 12:07 am

      Hey is there any way I can replace the eggs? My family doesn't have eggs

      Reply
      • Keara

        January 31, 2016 at 2:46 pm

        I'm not sure if it will work with this recipe, but I've used Greek yogurt as an egg substitute in brownies before without any problems.
        Usually I use a ratio of 1/4 cup of yogurt to 1 egg.

        Reply
    17. Ritu The Barman

      January 30, 2016 at 10:44 pm

      BEST. BROWNIES. EVER. I tried them and i could not stop eating it!!! there was barely any left!!!

      thanks sooooo much for this recipe!!!

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        January 31, 2016 at 7:52 am

        Well thank you Ritu the Barman! That just made my day!

        Reply
    18. Suja

      January 30, 2016 at 1:53 pm

      Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        January 30, 2016 at 1:59 pm

        Hi Suja! You can absolutely substitute all-purpose flour but it will change the texture slightly. I've made it both ways and when I use all-purpose flour, they are still incredible. Happy Baking!

        Reply
        • Marlene

          July 24, 2017 at 9:43 am

          I'm planning on making these today. If I use all purpose flour instead of cake flour do I use the same measurement?

          Reply
        • Suzeque

          August 04, 2019 at 6:37 pm

          5 stars
          I believe I learned that if you have no cake flour (I never do;) that you can substitute one Tbsp. cornstarch for one Tbsp. flour. Just sift or mix together the dry ingredients before adding to wet.

          Reply
      • Amanda

        April 28, 2018 at 11:39 am

        You can substitute 1/2 C. Flour and 1 Tbs. of cornstarch for the 1/2 C. Cake flour!

        Reply
    19. Thao @ In Good Flavor

      January 22, 2016 at 7:41 pm

      I love your toilet papering story. Love it even more that your mom was involved and got caught! The bright side is you can look back on this life experience and laugh. These brownies look insanely good!! They are so fudgy, gooey, and moist. Pinning.

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        January 26, 2016 at 10:30 am

        My Mom is the coolest for sure. Thanks so much for your kind words. I appreciate them so much!

        Reply
        • janice schmidt

          September 27, 2018 at 5:37 pm

          5 stars
          I have been making these brownies and will never use another recipe. I add a generous tablespoon of expresso powder. I bake the pan for 28.5-29 minutes. I always line pan with parchment or foil and let cool overnight or until very cool. When ready to cut I pull the "paper handles " and remove then cut. So good!

          Reply
    20. Carol F.

      January 21, 2016 at 11:39 pm

      These look like the perfect brownies!! Thank you for sharing! I will try them and let you know.

      Reply
      • Modern Honey

        January 22, 2016 at 9:17 am

        It's all about the chocolate with these brownies, Carol! You definitely need to try them and let me know. You're the best!

        Reply
        • Carol F.

          January 22, 2016 at 9:25 am

          I use King Arthur double dutch dark chocolate--I will let you know how it goes!!

          Reply
          • Carol F.

            February 07, 2016 at 5:22 pm

            5 stars
            Melissa, the brownies turned out perfectly! Excellent consistency and so delicious. You are a pro, girl! Thanks for this blog. I am loving it.

            Reply
            • Modern Honey

              February 08, 2016 at 1:43 pm

              Woo hoo! I am so happy to hear it and you are the best for letting me know. Thanks for the kind comments, my friend. xo

        • Christopher

          September 08, 2018 at 4:23 pm

          5 stars
          Delicious

          Reply
        • Nancy Barbosa

          February 23, 2019 at 11:22 am

          5 stars
          I always wanted to learn how to bake and I finally doing some baking... your brownie recipe is my Go to!
          Love Love your recipes! thank you for sharing as a lot of people don't.

          Reply
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    Melissa Stadler Modern Honey

    Hi, I'm Melissa Stadler! I am an Award-Winning Recipe Creator. Cover of Food Network Magazine. Two-Time Pillsbury Bake-Off Finalist. I am passionate about sharing the best recipes so you have success in the kitchen!

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