ATK's Chewy Brownies – My Recipe Reviews (2024)

by sblades 4 Comments

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A couple of months ago, before we all went insane staying in our homes, America's Test Kitchen aired an episode listing their Top 20 most popular recipes of all time.

If there are brownies on any list anywhere, I'll definitely make them and what do you know, ATK's Chewy Brownies were there on the list!

I've made a couple of other recipes from this list - the wonderful Sticky Buns and the New York Thin Crust Pizza Dough. Sticky Buns - excellent. Pizza dough - no, no, no - it didn't work out for me and I don't recommend it (threw away the pizza).

Now, to these Chewy Brownies. Outstanding, fudgy brownies that you would be proud to take to any gathering. Or better yet, stay home and eat them all.

I think the bottom and top get chewy from baking them on the bottom rack of the oven. Then there's the most fudgy, chocolaty insides that I've ever had in a brownie.

ATK tried to mimic boxed brownies since everyone seems to like them so much (including me), but I have to say these are better than any boxed.

I like this recipe because it's made in a big bowl and all of the ingredients are whisked, then stirred together.

Pour the batter into the pan, pop them in the oven and 45 or so minutes later you have incredible brownies. Their recipe says to bake for 30-35 minutes, but mine took a little over 45. You'll want to test them after 35 minutes, depending on your oven.

Bret likes frosting on brownies. I can't imagine putting frosting on these rich brownies - they definitely don't need it. He'll just have to suffer and eat them wonderfully plain.

ATK's Chewy Brownies use three kinds of chocolate - Dutch-processed cocoa powder, unsweetened chocolate, and bittersweet chocolate. Yes, the Dutch-processed cocoa powder does make a difference, so get it if you can. I got mine at Central Market for a pretty good price.

Don't have much of a preference for the unsweetened baking chocolate, but for the bittersweet chips, go with Ghirardelli. They're usually available at your local grocery store.

I hope you enjoy these brownies. They definitely deserve to be on America's Test Kitchen's Top 20 list. Absolutely.

ATK's Chewy Brownies – My Recipe Reviews (5)

ATK's Chewy Brownies

Yield: 25 brownies

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Cooling Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes

Rich, decadent perfect chocolate brownies made with three kinds of chocolate.

Ingredients

  • ⅓ C (1 oz) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon instant coffee granules
  • ½ C plus 2 tablespoon boiling water
  • 2 oz unsweetened chocolate,finely chopped
  • ½ C plus 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 4 tablespoon (½ stick) butter, melted
  • 2 large whole eggs, plus 2 large egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 C (14 oz) granulated sugar
  • 1 ¾ C (8 ¼ oz) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon table salt
  • 6 oz bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks cut into ½ " pieces

Instructions

  1. Move an oven rack to the lowest position in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9" pan with aluminum foil (to lift out brownies after they're cooled) and spray the aluminum foil lightly.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk the cocoa, coffee granules, and boiling water together until smooth. Add the finely chopped unsweetened chocolate and whisk together until melted and smooth.
  3. Whisk in the oil and melted butter (the mixture will look slightly curdled but it'll blend later). Add the whole eggs and egg yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and totally combined.
  4. Whisk in the sugar until fully incorporated. Add the flour and salt and stir completely together with a rubber spoon or spatula. Fold in the bittersweet chocolate pieces.
  5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted toward the sides of the brownies comes out lightly moist with a few crumbs. Mine took about 45 minutes, but start checking at 35 minutes.
  6. Put the pan on a wire rack and let brownies cool for about an hour (so they won't fall apart). Lift the brownies from the pan by the aluminum foil flaps and set on the rack to completely cool.
  7. Remove the aluminum foil and make 4 even cuts horizontally and also vertically (to equal 25 squares) and serve. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Like they'll last that long.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

The original recipe calls for instant espresso, but I used coffee granules. This ingredient is optional, but recommended.

I used canola oil instead of vegetable oil.

The original recipes calls for 2 ½ cups of sugar, but they were plenty sweet and rich at 2 cups of sugar.

The original recipe calls for 30-35 minutes in the oven, but mine were almost raw in the middle at 30 minutes. Mine took more like 45-50 minutes, but don't over bake them - they are very moist.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 25Serving Size: 1 brownie
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 107Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 89mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 3g

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Comments

  1. ATK's Chewy Brownies – My Recipe Reviews (6)wendy soto

    Hi, I made this several times, but the last few times the brownies have a hole on the bottom, like if the batter had risen up. I didn't over beat the batter and I tapped the pan on the counter. Any ideas?

    Reply

    • ATK's Chewy Brownies – My Recipe Reviews (7)sblades

      That's an interesting problem, Wendy. Do you use a mixer or just mix it all with the whisk? Sometimes overmixing can do that, but whisking the ingredients instead of using a hand or stand mixer should be OK.

      Check the size of your eggs. A large egg, which the recipe calls for, should fit comfortably in your cupped palm. I have a problem buying eggs that are all the correct size. More egg white from a bigger egg could cause a problem.

      You might try parchment paper instead of aluminum foil in the pan and see if that makes a difference. I hope one of these suggestions might help. They're such good brownies not to make anymore!

      Reply

  2. ATK's Chewy Brownies – My Recipe Reviews (8)Bea

    Hi Susan, I love following ATK I watch it on LPB & I bought the cookbooks ( which are NOT the same recipe as the live feed!! I couldn't believe it until I was trying to follow along one day. I was furious over that because now you've got the cookbook that's not the same recipe you followed! I want to love this brownie. I'm looking for a delicious dense super moist brownie but NOT good. Will let you know how I fair. Thanks!

    Reply

    • ATK's Chewy Brownies – My Recipe Reviews (9)sblades

      Bea, I have many of their cookbooks (as well as Cook's Country) and haven't noticed that they're different - I'm going to have to start looking more closely! I do follow along on the PBS Create shows and many times jot down the recipe to make later. Let me know if you like this one. I've halved the recipe and used a 9x9 pan successfully, too.

      Reply

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ATK's Chewy Brownies – My Recipe Reviews (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between chewy brownies and cake brownies? ›

Fudgy brownies have a higher fat-to-flour ratio than cakey ones. So add more fat—in this case, butter and chocolate. A cakey batch has more flour and relies on baking powder for leavening. The amount of sugar and eggs does not change whether you're going fudgy or cakey.

Why are my brownies tough and chewy? ›

The molasses content in brown sugar is what is responsible for chewy yet soft brownies. If you don't want chewy brownies, completely keep brown sugar out of the picture. If you do want chewy brownies and it's not mentioned in your recipe, add 3-4 tbsp of brown sugar in the end for beautifully chewy brownies!

How can I improve my package brownies? ›

When the back-of-box instructions call for water, try some instant espresso or strong-brewed coffee for roasty, toasty notes that pair impeccably with chocolate. Or use milk or half-and-half for even more richness. And for cakey instead of fudgy brownies, add an extra egg for more lift and spring.

What's the difference between fudgy and chewy brownies? ›

Fudgy brownies are moist, dense and gooey, with almost the texture of fudge, but not quite as compact. Chewy brownies are dense (like fudgy brownies), but have a little more “bite” to them or elastic texture when you chew them.

How do you store chewy brownies? ›

Airtight Containers

Use parchment paper to layer brownies into an airtight container for best results. Tip: When storing brownies in an airtight container, add a slice of bread in with them. The moisture from the bread will help keep your brownies fresh and soft for a couple more days.

What happens if you put extra butter in brownies? ›

Adding Too Much Fat to the Recipe

Whether you use butter, margarine, or vegetable oil, putting too much in your brownie batter causes it to be greasy. Don't worry, you're not alone. Many people fall into this trap when trying to substitute butter with oil.

What happens if you add too many eggs to brownies? ›

They give brownies a lighter, drier, and more cake-like texture. If you prefer this over the chewy variety, then go ahead and crack in that additional egg. On the other hand, too many eggs will yield brownies that are hard, heavy, and tough.

What happens if you use baking soda instead of baking powder in brownies? ›

If you accidentally add baking soda instead of baking powder to baked goods, they won't rise because there is not enough acid. To fix this, add about one tablespoon of white or apple cider vinegar for every half teaspoon of baking soda to the liquids before mixing with the dry ingredients.

Why is brownies changing their name? ›

Canada Girl Guides renamed Brownies, new name Embers meant to be more inclusive The new name, Embers, was approved overwhelmingly by members and is meant to be more inclusive. Past and present Girl Guides said the old name caused harm and even prevented or delayed their joining.

What is a New York brownie? ›

Description. The classic brownie. Rich, moist, soft, chewy and filled with white choc chunks of deliciousness. Vegetarian • No artificial flavours • No artificial colours • No added preservatives • Certified Halal PORTION GUIDE: Approx 20 – 30 portions | SHELF LIFE: Room Temp: 28 Days.

Why are they called blonde brownies? ›

They're called blondies because they lack the brown cocoa powder of brownies. They're blonde with vanilla and brown sugar, not brown.

What can you add to boxed brownie mix to make it better? ›

Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract adds rich flavor to brownies. Eggs – Most brownie mixes call for one whole egg. Adding one large egg plus an extra egg yolk gives brownies an ultra fudgy texture.

Can you combine 2 boxes of brownie mix? ›

Happy baking! Heat oven to 325°. Grease bottom of 13x9x2-inch rectangular pan. Prepare batter using 2 packages any Betty Crocker®Premium brownie mix, double all ingredients for the water, oil and eggs called for on the package directions.

Does letting brownie batter sit make it better? ›

Alice Medrich, author of Seriously Bitter Sweet: The Ultimate Dessert Maker's Guide to Chocolate, writes that “refrigerating the brownie batter in the pan for several hours, or as long as two days before baking, wreaks enormous transformations: it improves the top gloss and crustiness, and it also blends the flavors so ...

Why do my brownies have a cake texture? ›

Achieving a fudgy brownie is all to do with the ratio of fat to flour. A fudgy brownie recipe will use more fat than flour. Generally this is achieved by adding more butter or real chocolate to your brownie recipe. A cakey brownie recipe on the other hand will call for more flour in the ratio of fat to flour.

What is the difference between cake mix and brownie mix? ›

If you look at the back of the box of store-bought cake and brownie mixes, you will see many of the same ingredients. The main differences are that cake mixes tend to have more leaving agents and less sugar, whereas brownie mixes tend to be sweeter and have additional fat added.

What makes a brownie different than cake? ›

The fundamental difference between chocolate cake and brownie is the level of sugar, butter, and flour. Another contrast between cake and brownie is that the leavening agents, like baking soda or baking powder, are generally not used in the brownies. Also, the brownies contain more chocolate than chocolate cakes.

Should brownies be gooey or cakey? ›

Many brownie batters are designed to be gooey, using proportionally more butter and chocolate and less flour than the type designed to be cakey. So it isn't uncooked eggs that creates the gooey texture, it's the ratio of the ingredients that matters.

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