owned by 
Website: Smitten Kitchen
Best Cocoa Brownies
Page: smittenkitchen.com/2010/01/best-cocoa-brownies/
| Course Type: Cakes
View photos (1)Recipe Reviews
I made these because I had to improvise; I had planned to use a different brownie recipe but had forgotten to get chocolate squares. I did have good quality cocoa, though, and picked this recipe instead. A happy accident! Everyone loved these. I swapped in whole wheat flour for about half of the all-purpose flour and they were still rich and fudgy. I used chocolate chips instead of nuts for my stir-in.
This is a simple recipe that folks seem to enjoy. Richer than any chocolate cake and certainly not dry, these have a slightly fudgy texture without being gooey. I'm no Brownie expert, (more of a "Blondie" girl myself) but I thought these were plenty chocolatey with terrific texture. I did add walnuts.
(edited 5th July 2019) (0) comment (1) useful
I love this recipe- but they definitely make cake-like brownies, rather than fudgy ones. It is great to have an option that uses only cocoa powder.
BethNH from , NH
These did not end my search for the perfect brownie. I'm not ashamed to admit I'm looking for brownies with that nice shiny top that crackles and a fudgy interior - basically brownies just like those from a box.
These brownies did not satisfy. They are much too thin - about 3/4 inch. They are not nearly chocolatey enough. They just don't have the right taste.
They are decent tasting but they don't end my search and they're not even close to the best cocoa brownies I've ever made.
(edited 4th July 2011) (1) comment (2) useful
Queezle_Sister from Salt Lake City, UT
A tad too sweet (and I cut sugar by 1 T). But wow - the perfect balance of very chocolaty, an excellent butter flavor, and perceptible vanilla. A clean perfect fudgey brownie and so easy to make with ingredients that are probably in your pantry. Why aren't you making them right now?
For me, a 25 minute cooking time worked well. I cannot wait to try again with walnuts.
Note that initially I rated these a 4, but after they cooled properly, they definitely were a five. Yummm.
(edited 1st May 2011) (0) comment (1) useful
mandelicious from ,
I made these when I wanted to bake brownies, but didn't want to leave the house to get ingredients. The ingredients are all things I'm almost guaranteed to have in the pantry and fridge -- cocoa powder, flour, sugar, salt, vanilla, butter and eggs. I also used walnuts and added 2 tbsp of dark coffee. I melted the butter, sugar and cocoa mixture in the microwave. microwaving the bowl on high for 30 second increments until it reached the right consistency. Like Deb's, my brownies required 35 minutes of baking, maybe because I used a glass pan.
These were very good brownies, and required only minimally more effort than making brownies from a mix. Mine turned out slightly more densely cakey than fudgy. Unlike other reviewers, I didn't find these brownies overly sweet, possibly because of the nuts and coffee. If you are looking for a quick homemade brownie fix, these really hit the spot.
(edited 10th April 2010) (0) comment (2) useful
trbriones from San Francisco, CA
Too sweet for me and not chocolatey enough, but I think some of the fault belongs with my oven.
wester from Soesterberg, Utr
I don't know about 'the best'. as this is the only cocoa brownie I've tried so far, but it certainly is good: moist and chocolatey. A tad too sweet, maybe, but that was easily remedied by taking less sugar (240 grams instead of 280). And it's good it can be made completely from store-cupboard ingredients - I can't be the only one who has some trouble keeping chocolate in the pantry for long.
25 minutes baking was plenty for me.
ETA: Even better with 200 g of sugar and 20 mins baking.
(edited 1st April 2013) (0) comment (3) useful
Login or register to add your own review of this recipe.