This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
The BEST Crinkle Top Brownies.
Half Baked Harvest At Home
20+ new recipes for wholesome comfort food made with everyday ingredients. Pre-order today! HBH At Home will be released on Tuesday, February 23rd!
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 chocolate flavor, 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 brownie 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
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 9×13 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
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
The BEST, enough said.
Mine turned out cakey, and I followed the recipe verbatim. Not sure what I did wrong. Flavor was still good though.
Hey Michelle,
So sorry about this, they should be fudgy, was your baking powder fresh? Let me know how I can help:) xTieghan
These were amazing. My kid said “I could actually eat these the rest of my life.” Far from “healthy brownies” but pretty much tops for yummy goodness! I used a smaller pan and it took quite a while to bake (50 min), but we were patient!
Hey Lisa,
Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a go, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Should these be topped with sea salt or powdered sugar?
Hey Mary,
Whichever you prefer:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can you sub almond/coconut flour for the all purpose flour? Trying to reduce the carbs. 🙂
Hey Jen,
I would recommend using GF flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made these for the first time tonight and OH. MY. GOODNESS. They were so delicious and moist and so dang easy to make. Best brownie recipe!
Hey Grace,
I am so so glad that you liked the recipe, thanks a lot for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Very easy and delicious recipe ! I added nuts, classic. Will try it again and next time, will take the time to let it cool down. We were so enthousiast that we moved it out of the dish too early and it broke ????
Hey Dyana,
Thanks so much for giving them a try! xTieghan
Hi!!! Doesn’t the baking powder make these brownies cakey??? Could I skip it to make them fudgier?? Thanks!!!!
Hey Fran,
These are some fudgy brownies, I would follow the recipe as is:) I hope you love them. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi!!! Doesn’t baking powder make these brownies cakey?? I like them veeery fudgy with no hints of cakeyness, so should I omit the baking powder? Thank you!!!
Hey Francisca,
These are definitely fudgy:) I would follow the recipe as is! I hope you love them! xTieghan
Hello! Is it at all possible to makes these with milk chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet? Thanks!
Hey Carlene,
Yes, that will work just fine. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These are soooo delicious, I love the “fudginess” of them. I have made them many times and I’m really not a brownie lover?. That’s how good they are.
Hey Anne,
Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
No need to try I know they are going to be so good Taking them over to my grandson for his birthday He loves chocolate
Thanks so much Marie! xTieghan
Hi this is sooooo goooood for me but many of my friends said it’s too sweet and too gooey. Is there a way to reduce the sweetness and the gooeyness? Like maybe reducing the melted choco chip? Will only using 1 cup of choco chip still work?
Thanks
Hey Meidi,
Sorry I haven’t tested this, but you could reduce your chocolate chips. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These are BY FAR the best from scratch taste and easiest brownies I’ve ever made and eaten… sorry barefoot contessa… i love her brownies too but these are even better!!! Thanks for all the great recipes!!
Hey Juleen,
I am thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
These are additive. They have become our go to brownies when we want to indulge. No need for any other brownie recipe ever! Thank you!!
Hey Karen,
I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it out! Happy Sunday! xTieghan
If I am serving to kids, should I omit the instant coffee?
Hey Marika,
You can keep the instant coffee in the recipe, my little sister loves these! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan