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The BEST Crinkle Top Brownies.
Watch the How To Video:
Because there is a lot to celebrate today, and because it’s FRIDAY…and because everyone knows that Friday’s deserve chocolate.
So if there was ever a classic brownie recipe to have in your back pocket, it’s this one. Trust me on this. They remind me of the brownies I’d eat as a kid, and I’m really not sure there’s anything better. These are light, a little fudgy, extra chocolatey, perfectly sweet, and they have the most flakey, crinkly top ever. Oh my gosh, SO GOOD.
Before I dive into the delicious details, let me explain the reason I am sharing them.
As most of you know by now, my younger brother Red took home his first Olympic gold medal last week in Men’s Snowboard Slopestyle in PyeongChang, South Korea. If you missed my recap post, you can read part one here and part two here. I said from the start that I wasn’t going to make any fancy Olympic themed food. One, because I am not good with decorating food in fancy ways, and two, because I just didn’t have any great ideas.
That said, after returning home from Korea last week, I felt the need to create a recipe that I knew Red would love. I mean, he did win GOLD, so a celebratory dessert is certainly in order. Right?
Yes, yes, yes. For sure.
Here’s the thing, Red’s a semi picky eater, and doesn’t like anything fancy. His favorite desserts are Special K-Bars (cookbook recipe), chocolate chip cookies, and brownies.
I have a lot of brownie recipes on HBH, but I don’t have one brownie recipe Red would actually eat. Red likes his brownies simple. Chocolate, no frosting, maybe some powdered sugar, and preferably eaten slightly warm. So basically the brownies my mom would make us when we were kids. The ones that came straight out of the Betty Crocker box.
Not going to lie, I loved them too…which is why I am SO excited about these brownies. I really cannot stress enough just how good they are.
When I set out to make these crinkle top brownies, I thought for sure that I’d make them first try and they’d be perfect. I think I felt so confident because I’ve made a hundred and one brownie recipes. But guys, I tested these brownies over and over and over. It was so important to me that they would have the perfect texture, not be dense or cakey, and have the most flakey, crinkly top.
They needed to be perfect, just like the ones I remember eating as a kid with my brothers.
It took a while, used up a lot of eggs…and even more butter.
Like two full days of testing, way over a dozen eggs, probably pounds of butter. Six batches later (possibly more, I lost count), I finally got them right. My freezer is now full of brownies. It’s awesome and very dangerous.
So what’s the secret to that perfect texture and crinkly top?
Real melted chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and a good amount of whisked eggs.
The chocolate is obvious, but the whisked eggs? You need those to create that crinkly top. Whisking the eggs prior to mixing them in the batter creates air within the eggs that helps to create that crinkly top. It might seem like an unnecessary step, and a waste of a clean bowl, but just trust me on this, it’s what makes these brownies great.
While that and all the semi-sweet chocolate…and butter.
YUMMMMMM.
Red has yet to try these brownies, seeing as he’s still in South Korea, but I’m feeling pretty confident that he’s going to love them.
Speaking of Red, he is competing one last time tonight in Men’s Snowboard Big Air, alongside two of his USA teammates, Kyle Mack and Chris Corning. Kyle is a super close friend of the family, who’s honestly almost like another brother. Pretty excited for the both of them, but I have my fingers crossed for Kyle on this one, as Big Air is much more his event. Make sure to watch tonight at 8pm EST on NBC!
Annnddddd with that, I’m thinking these brownies are the perfect chocolate treat to eat while cheering the boys on.
Lastly, if you make these Crinkle Top Brownies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Crinkle Top Brownies
Servings: 20 brownies
Calories Per Serving: 274 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper.2. In the microwave, melt together the butter and 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (stir at 30 second intervals) until melted and smooth. Stir in the sugar, vanilla, and instant coffee. 3. In a small bowl whisk the eggs for 1 minute until bubbly on top. Stir the eggs into the chocolate mix. Add the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Stir until just combined. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips.3. Evenly spread the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until the brownies are just set. Let cool (or not) and dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Notes
*For extra thick brownies, bake them in a 9x9 inch square baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes.
The BEST, enough said.
I tried to make this in the thermomix….it turned out a bit cakey 🙁 you wouldn’t happen to have any tips for that? I know you didn’t use a thermomix but thought I’d try my luck because your recipes are often my fave 🙂
Hi Trish,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try. This recipe does not need the power of a thermomix, just a simple hand whisk, I would try that next time:) xx
Ahhhhmazing! So easy to make (made with my 6 and 3 year old) and it was so simple. And for the taste- it was out of this world delicious! So good, so perfect. We added festive sprinkles to the top of ours and they were a huge hit!
Hi Victoria,
Happy Sunday!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for trying it out and sharing your review! xxT
Delicious fudgy brownies and family enjoyed! Thank you for sharing.
Hi Lore,
Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best weekend:)
I love love love these brownies! I’ve made them so many times. They’re just perfection.
Hey Liana,
Happy Friday!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe out and sharing your feedback! I love to hear that you have been enjoying the brownies!☀️
These are the best brownies I have ever made! Everything by you is amazing! Thank you for all of the Amazing recipes!!!
Hi Abbey,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Wow. I just would like to publicly apologize for ever making any brownie recipe OTHER than this one! This is THE brownie recipe I’ve been looking for. So delicious, moist and chewy- thank you! *
*I followed the recipe exactly, and it took a little longer to bake, but that’s no fault of the recipe; Every pan is different so just keep an eye on your brownies and check on them occasionally 🙂
Hey Chloe,
LOL awesome!! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed! Thanks for making it and sharing your feedback:) xx
I made these today in work to thank and celebrate all the volunteers who help us. They went down a storm! They are so easy to make, the timings were sound and consistency was perfect. Would defo try a smaller tin too, so I can see what they are like thicker. Would absolutely make again ☺️
Hey Kerry,
Thanks so much for your comment! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
Love this recipe, have made it numerous times. I do cook them almost 50 minutes and they come out delicious. I also add walnuts.
I have baked them and froze half. After they thaw they are just as good.
Hey Patricia,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have the best week:) xxT
Hands down best brownie recipe! A friend made them and I went nuts over them. I’ve made them many times since and everyone that tries them raves about them!
Hi Heather,
I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for giving it a try and sharing your review:) xxTieghan
This brownie recipe came out disappointing. I baked them for over 35 minute (using an 9×9 pan) and they were still too underbaked. I will not return to this recipe and will try elsewhere.
Hi there,
So sorry to hear this recipe was not enjoyed. The recipe calls for a 9×13 baking dish for 28-30 minutes. Since you used a smaller pan you would have needed to increase your bake time. I hope this helps for next time:) xTieghan
Omg so good 🤩. Should I refrigerate them or leave them out?
Hey Alexis,
Love to hear this!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback! You can leave them out:) ☀️xTieghan
Just made these and even though I messed up the recipe they still turned out amazing! I will be making this again and hopefully the right way next time LOL
Hey Andrea,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a go and sharing your feedback!! I love to hear that it was a winner:) xTieghan
I made the extra thick version of the brownies and they took *far* longer than the 35 minutes that were instructed- it took nearly an hour. The taste was delicious, though!
Hi Alyssa,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! Sorry this took longer than expected. xx
Could you use a little ground fresh coffee? I’m thinking yes..maybe more of it? These look so good can’t wait to try!
Hi Brie,
Do you mean in place of the instant coffee? Unfortunately, that doesn’t work the same:) I would either use the instant coffee or just omit it. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I replaced 1/4 of the sugar with 2 shots of espresso since I didn’t have instant coffee granules and they came out perfect! You could probably brew some super strong coffee and use that instead. It works because since the sugar is a “liquid” ingredient, the coffee doesn’t make it too runny or anything. And cutting out 1/4 c of the sugar had no impact on the final sweetness balance (I’ve made it both ways before and the difference isn’t noticeable). Hope this helps!
Hey Spencer,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed. Have the best weekend! 🌺xxT
How do o make this Gluten Free? Can I just sub Almomd Flour at the same amount?
Hey there,
I would use an equal amount of gluten free flour. I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, let me know if you give it a try! xx