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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 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
Servings: 20 brownies
Calories Per Serving: 252 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
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
*For extra thick brownies, bake them in a 9×9 inch square baking dish and bake for 30-35 minutes.
The BEST, enough said.
This post was originally published on February 23, 2018
Every time I make this recipe for a party, I am asked to share the recipe. It is such a quick recipe to throw together last minute. I now bake them in muffin tins with cupcake liners for easy serving -it makes a perfect double dozen! I bake at 350 for twenty minutes.
Hey Jessica,
Love to hear this! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe so often and your comment. Have the best weekend!
Hi there, I love chocolate, but I hate coffee (I know I’m weird compared to others lol). Would I just omit the coffee and do you think that would be ok, or do you have any other suggestions on what to add instead?
Hi Fiona,
No worries, you can just omit the instant coffee:) Please let me know if you have any other questions!
How do you find best to freeze them? Can you reheat them?
Hi Olivia,
I would slice and then freeze in an airtight container. I would thaw and just pop in the microwave for a few seconds if you want your brownie to be warm. I hope this helps!
Best brownie recipe I’ve tried and have been using for the last year! I always get so many compliments!
Hi Amanda,
I appreciate you giving making this recipe so often, so glad to hear it always turns out nicely for you! Have a great summer weekend!
Hey I love this Recipe, in what book of yours do i find it? Or what is your favorite book from all of them 🙂 i want to purchase!!
Thanks so much, Celine!! This recipe is only on the blog:) I truly love all of my cookbooks, but HBH Everyday is a great one to get started! xT
Love these!!
Hi Loren,
Happy Friday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe and your comment, I am so glad it turned out nicely for you! xx
Hey Tiegan, Hope you’re enjoying your weekend. I have a quick question. I’ve made this recipe twice using a 9×9 metal pan and both times it’s overflowed in the oven while baking. I live in Breck and I know you know altitude effects. The brownies are still incredibly delicious and highly recommended, but any suggestions to avoid the oven spillage? Thanks!
Hi Emma,
Thanks so much for making this recipe! Next time, I would try using a 9×13 pan, that should work better for you. Let me know how this works:) Happy Sunday! xx
As usual, every recipe that I make of yours is a hit! And this was no exception! The depth of chocolatey flavor and the fudgy, chewy texture have me craving more! These are definitely the best brownies!
I know they won’t be the same, but I’d like to try and use almond flour to make these keto friendly. Is there anything you would recommend I do to achieve a similar result?
Thanks for the help and for your awesome recipes!
Thanks so much, Allison! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe! I think using gluten free flour would be the best option for you. Hope you are having a nice weekend! xT
Could’ve used half the butter
Too much butter, way too much butter.
* Singing Voice* I got the crinkle top! I got the crinkle top!
Holy cow these are amazing. I have been looking for a good homemade brownie for years and I found THE one! I will be making these for years to come, will be family recipe for sure. I followed the recipe exactly. I did keep mine in the oven for 30 minutes as recommended. And y’all… WHISK THOSE EGGS!!! It’s the key to the crinkle top!! Thank you Tieghan again!
Hey Ashlyn,
Amazing! Thanks a bunch for trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! XxT
Hi! If I want to reduce the sugar, what’s the minimal amount of sugar needed? Thanks!
Hi Linda,
I am not sure, I have never reduced the sugar. So sorry!
I second this comment! Followed the recipe exactly and these brownies turned out amazing! This is THE recipe. Thank you Teighan!
Thanks so much, Mariah:)
These are the best brownies I’ve ever had. I’ve been making this recipe for years and everyone who tries them loves them. I don’t bake much else, these are my go to.
Thanks so much, Carissa! So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe, I appreciate you making it! Have a wonderful weekend! xT
Can I swap the instant coffee for espresso powder?
Hi Channing,
Yes, that will work nicely for you. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
I give these a 4 for taste but texture was off. All I had was a glass 9×9 pan which takes double the baking time and leaves edges hard and center gooey (started to cook more evenly once I switched oven to convection). Result was like a molten lava cake, which you need a fork to eat. It does not cut into bars that hold together, everything falls apart. Next time I would use a metal 9 x 13 pan so that the brownies cook more evenly and are thinner.
Hi Elizabeth,
I’m so glad this recipe was tasty, thanks for making it! Yes, next time I would try the metal pan:) Merry Christmas!!🎄🎁☃️
Hi Tieghan! I love this recipe and make them often! Curious, I’d love to make these for Galentines in individual ramekins, recommendations on how long to bake! Will this recipe work in individual dishes? Thanks!
Hi Ashley,
I love this idea! I’ve never actually tested this so I can’t say for sure, but I would try baking for 12-15 minutes. I hope this helps! xT
Question before I begin. First time using recipe. My daughter has made these brownies and they turn out fantastic. She told me to use a metal pan but the only metal one I have is 8×8. Can I use a glass 9×13? Thank you
Hi Fonda,
If you use the glass, just increase your baking time:) Otherwise the 8×8 will work, you will just have thicker brownies. I hope you love this recipe! xT
Hi!! I used a 8×8 metal pan and they seemed very gooey. Is this normal? How do I know they are done? Thanks!!
Hi Maddy,
Typically once a knife comes out clean they are done, you could probably bake them a touch longer. I hope this helps!