Chris Morocco's Ultimate Brownies Recipe

Jun 02, 2025 0

There is no terror more thrilling than developing a recipe for an iconic baked good. Like certain species of cookies, brownies bring out the psychotically opinionated in all of us. Here, we offer you our best brownie recipe: The chewy, crackly topped, chocolate-loaded version that requires only a bit more work than the boxed mix. We promise, they’re worth it. Watch Chris’s development process here, and read more about his journey here!

Chris Morocco, Food Director at Bon Appetit magazine, calls these the “fudgy, crackly brownies of my dreams.” Chris baked 144 brownies before declaring these his ideal version of brownies. His hard work, patience and determination paid off.

As much as we love peanut-butter-spiked or cheesecake-swirled fudge brownies, this triple-chocolate brownie recipe is our everyday hero. It has (you guessed it) three types of chocolate. Melted bittersweet chocolate forms the fudgy-smooth base for the brownies; unsweetened cocoa powder adds pure, intense chocolate flavor and reduces the amount of flour needed as a binder; and semisweet chocolate chips provide textural contrast, forming molten pools while the brownies are warm and hardening into crunchy chocolate chunks once cooled.

No need for an electric mixer: Simply combine the melted butter-chocolate mixture with the sugar and eggs over a double boiler, then remove the bowl from the heat to fold in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips (be sure not to overmix, which will result in dry brownies).

For crisp edges and a dense center, bake the brownie batter in a metal pan, as it transfers heat more readily than glass.

Lining the pan with parchment paper will make it much easier when it’s time to lift out the brownies once they are cooled. Since parchment paper is a bit stiff, it’s best to cut two separate pieces that are the same dimensions, then overlap them. This will allow for neater corners.

These are exquisite chocolate-loaded brownies that have perfect rich, fudgy centers and slightly crisp edges. Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit magazine

How to Make Chris Morocco's Chocolate Tahini Brownies (Gluten Free!) | Bon Appetit Test #33

Ingredients

For the Brownies:

Nonstick vegetable spray
½ cup (62g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (50g) Dutch-process cocoa powder (such as Guittard cocoa rouge)
1 ¼ teaspoons Diamond Crystal or ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt (increase Diamond Crystal to 1 ½ teaspoons and Morton to ¾ teaspoon when using unsalted butter)
½ cup (1 stick) Earth Balance Buttery Sticks or unsalted butter
4 ounces (113g) bittersweet chocolate (60% or 70%) broken into pieces
1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 ounces (113g) semisweet chocolate chips

Tahini Swirl Brownies:

3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
4 tablespoons tahini, divided
2 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon light agave nectar

Essential Equipment:

Read also: Chris Mubiru's football journey

Metal 8x8-inch baking pan
Parchment paper
Heatproof bowl
Saucepan
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Digital scale (recommended)

It is recommended to use a digital scale. I am leading with weights in the ingredient list because if you don’t have a scale by now, I want you to make this recipe your excuse to get one. (If you insist on measuring by volume we see you too, way in the back, and there are cup equivalents too.)

Using a digital scale ensures accuracy in measurements.

Directions

Preparing the Pan:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a generous overhang on two sides.
Lightly coat parchment with nonstick spray.

Mixing Dry Ingredients:

Whisk flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a small bowl to combine.

Melting Chocolate and Butter:

Read also: Baking with Chris Morocco

Combine Earth Balance Buttery Stick (or unsalted butter) and bittersweet chocolate pieces in a medium heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (bottom of bowl should not be touching water, see photo above).
Heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and smooth, about 5 minutes.

Melting chocolate and butter over a double boiler.

Combining Wet and Dry Ingredients:

Whisk in granulated sugar, then add eggs one at a time, whisking very vigorously between additions.
Once all eggs are incorporated, continue to whisk 1 minute more.
Remove bowl from heat and whisk in vanilla extract, then whisk in dry ingredients.
Using a rubber spatula, stir in semisweet chocolate chips.

Baking:

Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth surface.
Bake brownies until set across top and tester inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 27-30 minutes.
Let cool in pan at least 1 hour before removing from the pan and cutting into 12-16 pieces.
If you live in a warm climate, transfer the pan to the refrigerator once cool enough to place on the refrigerator shelf and chill for 30 minutes. This will help firm up the brownies.

Tahini Swirl Variation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8" baking dish with 2 overlapping pieces of parchment, leaving overhang. Whisk cornstarch and cocoa in a bowl until no lumps remain. Heat chocolate, oil, and 1 Tbsp. tahini in a small saucepan over low, stirring, until melted and smooth, about 1 minute; remove from heat.

Step 2

Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat eggs and both sugars in a large bowl until light, smooth, and doubled in volume, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to medium and beat in salt and vanilla. Scrape in chocolate mixture and beat to incorporate; beat in cornstarch mixture. Increase speed to medium-high and mix until batter is thick and stiff, about 1 minute. Scrape into prepared baking dish and smooth top.

Step 3

Stir agave nectar into remaining 3 Tbsp. tahini in a small bowl. Dollop spoonfuls over batter in 5 or 6 spots; drag a skewer or toothpick through to swirl.

Step 4

Bake brownies until edges are puffed, top is browned, and a tester inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 22-26 minutes. Let cool. Remove from pan; cut into squares.

Step 5

Brownies can be baked 3 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.

Tips for the Best Brownies

Butter or Oil? Butter, for sure. Using plain butter is easier. And I suspect the water content in the butter also helps achieve that optimal fudgy-yet-not-too-dense structure, dissolving marginally more sugar and activating marginally more gluten in the flour.
Cocoa or Chocolate? Both. Melted 70% bittersweet chocolate forms a fudgy base, essential for the best texture. Dutch-process cocoa powder adds pure chocolate flavor, and because it’s a dry ingredient, it reduces the amount of flour needed as a binder. Lastly, semisweet chocolate chips send it over-the-top-forming gooey pools while the brownies are warm, then once cooled, studding them with bright pops of flavor that walnuts could only dream of.
Pan Preference? Brownies should be baked in a metal pan. Compared to glass, metal transfers heat more readily and creates a more dynamic relationship between a crisp outer edge and dense inner center.

Troubleshooting

Why are my brownies dry?

Overmixing the batter can lead to dry brownies. Be sure not to overmix after adding the dry ingredients.

How do I get a fudgy texture?

Use a metal pan, and don't overbake the brownies. They should be slightly underbaked in the center.

Can I use a different type of chocolate?

Yes, you can adjust the type of chocolate to your preference, but keep in mind that it will affect the overall flavor and texture.

Related Recipes

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