David Lebovitz’s Best Fudgy Brownies
An unusual technique drew me to David Lebovitz’s Best Fudgy Brownies. The delicious results were nothing short of spectacular!!
Another brownie recipe? From that skinny chick? Yes, I know I share a TON of brownie recipes. Other bloggers love brownie recipes, too! They are all winners, but pretty similar in ingredients and techniques. Leave it to David Lebovitz to shake things up a bit with his delicious Fudgy Brownie Recipe.
Why You Must Make
I have featured so many brownie recipes, but they’re all a wee bit different. The novel idea in this best fudgy brownies recipe involves vigorous whisking before baking. The batter transforms from a typical grainy concoction to a smooth glossy mixture. Before Nick returned to Indiana U for the end of his spring term, I baked him up a batch.
- The technique is unique and the results are rich and delectable.
- The thin, crackly topping gives way to a moist, dense, and tasty brownie from scratch.
- They’re so much better than a box mix—which are totally on the other side of the spectrum!! But they only take a few minutes longer to prep!
The rest of the family sampled the edge pieces removed for the photoshoot (I struggled as it’s hard to make these appear as delectable and rich as they taste!) and gave them rave reviews. I wasn’t surprised. I don’t think I’ve ever made a flop from Mr. Lebovitz. This recipe for David Lebovitz’s self-proclaimed best fudgy brownies is adapted from his cookbook, The Sweet Life in Paris.(affiliate link).
Ingredient Notes
- Kitchen Staples – Sugar, All-purpose Flour
- Butter – I used salted butter, cut into pieces.
- Semisweet Chocolate – I used Ghirardelli Bars, chopped.
- Real Vanilla Extract – I used the Nielsen-Massey brand. Never use artificially flavored vanilla.
- Eggs – Have them at room temperature for easier incorporation. You can put them into a bowl of very warm water if you don’t take them out of the refrigerator in time to get the chill off.
How to Make
- Preheat the oven and prep the pan by lining it with nonstick foil.
- This recipe used melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder. Melt it gently in the microwave in a heat-safe bowl.
- Stir in the sugar and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Add the flour and whisk vigorously for a full minute. The batter should look smooth and glossy and sugar granules should be incorporated.
- Spread the batter into the pan and bake for about 40 minutes until the brownies look almost set and the edges pull away from the sides of the pan . Do not over-bake.
- Let cool completely in the pan before lifting out the foil or parchment to remove the brownies and cut.
Expert Tips
- More fat makes for fudgier brownies. Butter, eggs, and semisweet chocolate all contribute fat to this recipe.
- Use good quality chocolate.
- Do not overbake. When brownies are done, they pull away from the edge of the pan.
- Do not use a mixer. The whisking in this recipe is atypical, but it does result in fudgy brownies.
Yup, perfect and fudgy. The boys dug into these homemade brownies with gusto. I think after a semester of cooking for themselves, I can’t rely on the judgment of these kids. I’m certain anything homemade would garner thumbs up.
But I did sample a few edges myself and can vouch for these being darned tasty. The crackly top is a telltale sign of a wonderful brownie. I hope you take the challenge and bake up a batch for yourself to see whether you think these are the “best” fudgy brownies.
Frequently Asked Questions
These brownies have approximately 160 calories per 2 x 2-inch square. Thicker brownies, frosted brownies or brownies with chocolate chips, chopped candies, or cheesecake toppings or swirls will have more calories.
If stored airtight, they’ll stay fresh for 3-4 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Just defrost overnight in the refrigerator, and bring to room temperature to serve.
To keep them fresh and fudgy, make sure to store them in an airtight container or wrap them in plastic wrap, then foil. They should be double-wrapped before freezing, too.
First, pay attention when you start smelling the delicious aroma of brownies coming from your oven. This is a cue that your brownies are done or nearly done.
They’ll pull away slightly from the sides of the pan and when you insert a toothpick, it will come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If there’s batter on the toothpick, they need more time in the oven.
You May Also Like:
- Fudgy Chocolate Pecan Pie from Real Housemoms
- Brownie in a Mug from Savory Experiments
- Fudgy Brownie Trifle with Chocolate Mousse
- Fudgy Skillet Brownies
- Ganache Glazed Truffle Brownies
- Nick Malgieri’s Fudgy Brownies from Scratch
- More of the Best Brownie Recipes
Best Fudgy Brownies Recipe
Best Fudgy Brownies with an extra step for perfect results!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter (cut into pieces)
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate (chopped)
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs (at room temperature)
- ¼ cup flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with nonstick foil or regular foil (spray with cooking spray). Set aside.
- Melt chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, stopping and stirring at 30-second increments till melted and smooth.
- Stir in the sugar and vanilla.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour and whisk vigorously for a full minute. The batter should look smooth and glossy and sugar granules should be incorporated.
- Spread batter into pan and bake for about 40 minutes until the brownies look almost set. Do not overbake.
- Let cool completely in the pan before lifting out the foil or parchment to remove the brownies and slice into squares.
Notes
You can add some chopped nuts if desired. Carefully toast them first to bring out their natural oils.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 brownieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 159Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 45mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 2g
69 Comments on “David Lebovitz’s Best Fudgy Brownies”
This looks like an awesome recipe! We’ve been doing some home renovations over the last few months and we’re finally finishing up! We just had our carpets and furniture cleaned, which is the second to last thing we needed to do, so as we finish up, I just want to make something special for my kids who have been so helpful! Thank you for sharing this!!
Would you say these are better than the other best fudgy brownies you posted Baking with Julia by baker, Rick Katz? I recently made them and boy, they were amazing. I don’t usually partake, but wow, these were totally irresistible! I’ll give these a try when we’re back to normal, we’re taking a bit of a break with sweets for a while.
Eva, it’s so hard to compare! I’d have to do a side by side comparison to really answer this. Glad you liked the Baking with Julia recipe—most recipes in that cookbook have been gems!
These look like they wouldnt last a minute in my house the ingredients are making my mouth water with that photo. Happy New Year and hope you make these this week. Thanks for the recipe. All the best to you and your family in 2023
You had me at David Lebovitz, but as I read on, I thought that my husband would flip over these brownies. They look incredible. I’m definitely going to whip out my brownie edge pan and give these a try.
such colorful recipe my kids would love this and im definitely gonna make thhis for my kids thanks for sharing 🙂
It tastes really good, but for some reason, mine came out very cake-like. I followed the recipe to a “T”, but my batter looked almost like mousse… Any insight as to what may have gone wrong?
Aubrey, I’m stumped. With brownies, I usually recommend not to overmix the batter, but I’ve made these twice and David Lebovitz is such a reliable source. He definitely says to whisk vigorously. I wouldn’t think this issue would have anything to do with oven temperature—as it’s typically the higher fat to flour ratio that makes brownies less cakey and more fudgy. The batter does look mousselike, so I’d guess you did everything right. Maybe overbaked by a couple of minutes? Sorry, I’m not more help with this, but glad they tasted good!
Liz, you come up with the best brownie recipes. I will be trying these. Thank you~!
you always always always have the prettiest bars. And these brownies look so gorgeous and fudgy and perfect!
These fudgy brownies do look like perfection! My family loves it when I bake brownies. These are definitely going in my recipe file. Pinned!
Thank you for linking up with us at the #HomeMattersParty this week.
Wow, I love the new look and the brownies. I came across one of David’s cookbooks years ago and I think it was mostly ice cream. These look terrific and I can’t wait to try them.
I can absolutely see why these are the best
These brownies look so delicious, I love the perfectly shiny tops! 🙂
I know I should jump on the David Lebovitz ban wagon but I am still knee deep in Dorie. I love the new look of your blog, so professional.
I LOVE your new look Liz! So pretty and everything is easy to find. Good for you – and love these brownies too 🙂
These look perfect! I’m definitely going to be giving them a try!
These area keeper – great recipe thank you for sharing it!
I have never been able to get that nice crackly top. Time to check out this recipe as your brownies are perfect!
They look amazing! Lovin’ the new look of your blog too:@)
Nothing wrong with sharing more and more brownie recipes. Keep them coming! Especially when they look this good!
The texture of these brownies looks fantastic, and they look tasty too! Thanks for sharing on Foodie Friends Friday!
Liz,
These look almost like fudge. My hubby would love them, so I pinned them.
Annamaria
Ive always wanted to try this recipe and now, I think I just have to! It reminds me of my old go-to brownie recipe that’s lots of butter and melted choc, but they use even less flour. Lately I’ve been cheating on that recipe with the Alice Medrich recipe. So many brownies, so little time 🙂
a brownie is just perfect isn’t it?! so, so good. these look perfect. everyone needs a go-to brownie recipe!
One can never have too many brownie recipes–these look wonderful. I’ll try them soon.
That texture looks perfect! And, I love those glossy tops too.
It’s hard to get enough of good brownie recipes!! I’d love to try these!!
These brownies look almost like fudge for me, which means extremely tempting and dangerous!
I haven’t made brownies in ages but I think you just convinced me to make this recipe. A friend is coming to town for a short visit tomorrow and she is a chocolate fanatic so I think we could have a wonderful afternoon sipping tea, talking, and munching down on a batch of these! Thank you!
The brownies look amazing!! Lucky Nick! My mom never sent me back to IU with brownies… I need to have a talk with her. ;-D
The more the brownies the better. Interesting technique and I do love the smoother texture.
What a wonderful looking brownie this is! lovely pictures… yes for these brownies anytime!
One can never get enough brownies. And I am totally impressed with your engineering skills in the art of stacking. Great photos!
Wow, those are rich-sounding brownies. You must have made your hubby so happy. Interesting recipe technique from your description. Have a good rest of the week!
There can NEVER be too many brownie recipes. These look as fudgy and decadent and they sound. YUM!
DL has the best recipes! These brownies are beautiful.
These look so fudgy and delicious, exactly the way I like my brownies!
I’m so weak to those “best” recipes. 😀 And these do look like a perfect brownies too! Saving this recipe to give it a try!
I have a love affair with David Lebovitz 🙂 Don’t tell Mr. J
These look beautiful! And so delicious! There can never been too many brownie recipes 🙂
For me there will never been too many brownie recipes or brownies 😀 And most of them are the best 🙂
Liz:
I am crazy over brownies and other chocolate treats…I only have one word for this one: divine!!!
Where do I sign up for one of those brownie towers?!
I honestly don’t think that you can have too many brownie recipes, so you will hear no complaint from me. I have made these from David’s recipe, and I have to agree that they are absolutely fabulous – thanks for the reminder of how good they are!
I must have missed this in my first read of Sweet Life. These are a must make for me. I told staff I would bring snacks to a late afternoon meeting this week. Maybe these will make the meeting sweeter!
Oh my, these do look so incredibly fudge, I bet they stuck to your teeth! I doubt I could resist this one. Delightful that it doesn’t have much flour.
Thick Fudgy and delicious 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
You can never have too many brownie recipes — besides it give us the excuse of “research” and getting to enjoy the finished product.:) This does sound like a fantastic recipe. Thanks for sharing Liz!
One can never see too many brownie recipes. I love how dense these look xx
Gorgeous brownies, Liz. Your son is a lucky fellow.
Interesting about the whisk note, when I learned a chocolate cake recipe in Tokyo, there was a lot of whisking =)
I will never complain or tire of brownie recipes, bring ’em on!!! One of these days I hope to cut mine as clean and neat as yours.
Ahhhh! So many brownies so little time!
Dear friend Liz.
My God, these brownie is a temptation. Very moist and delicious with a shell over it, hummmmm!! David Lebovitz know the good things and you adapted it very well.
kisses
Those look like fudge! Such an incredible, dense texture. I’d share another brownie recipe if it looked like that too 🙂
It’s always a good time for brownies. Those are some perfect chocolaty brownies! Will need to check out David’s book!
I’ve never seen such a perfectly square brownie – These look so delicious, Liz! Thanks for sharing!
I’d certainly eat these in Paris but I’d be happy to eat them in the middle of now where also, they sound wonderful. I know your family are expert brownie reviewers so I totally trust their opinion 🙂
Eek. How bad is it that I don’t think I’ve ever made anything from David Lebovitz even though I’ve heard his name around. Of course, I don’t do much with cookbooks, huh. 🙂 The brownies do look amazing, Liz. I’d be sampling the edge pieces too if given the chance. Odd as it sounds, every once in a while I get a craving for a hot fudge brownie sundae. This looks like the perfect brownie to hold up the rest of that dessert.
Leave it to Mr. Lebowitz to tweak a brownie. Must try (I have the book) – how did I miss this? Want to grab one of the page for breakfast.
Delightful brownies! DL’s recipes are always a winner!
Lizzy , we can never have too much brownie recipe lol I’ve been eyeing the brownie recipe from his book , The great book of chocolate , but I’ll bake the cookies first 😀 Your brownies as always look fantastic !
You cut these brownies so perfect,clean and shape and looks so YUMMY 🙂
These do look like winners indeed! Yummmmmm.
Liz…you have just created the brownie that I will make asap too! I love David Lebovitz!…I adore his ice cream cookbook! These look absolutely scrumptious!
Always good to find another good brownie recipe and another good david L. recipe. I make his ice creams a lot and they´re always winners. Interesting twist in this recipe!
Lizzy, bring on the brownies! I can never get enough of them 🙂
They look so luscious and smooth underneath that tempting crackled top! 😀
Jason is a brownie fanatic so I most definitely have to make this for him! He’ll be so thrilled!