Chewy Chocolate Brownies

You know what I love? Brownies! Know what I love even more? Chewy chocolate brownies made from scratch! So that’s just what I made.

My husband’s gotten pretty good at box made brownies. In fact, I haven’t made them in years because he’s figured out the secret and has it all under control. Well, folks! I’ve finally gotten in out of him. Wanna know the secret? Here it is…Oil! Yup, the box mix calls for oil, and he’s perfected the ratio of oil to water. Also, mix and get out! Stop mixing once the ingredients come together. Pretty simple, huh?

I want to take what he’s taught me and find out what the actual ingredients are in those boxes. So I took to Pinterest looking around for some recipes and found a few that I’m really excited to try. I’m linking you out to Karina @ Cafe Delights for the recipe I tried this weekend. The reason I chose this one is because she’s also figured out some secrets to making perfect chewy brownies from scratch. Also, she has a VIDEO guide!! I love my visuals! Plus, there’s tons of reviews for this recipe (a pretty new feature to Pinterest) and I know you won’t be let down!

**Note: I didn’t have the chocolate squares on hand to add before baking, so mine DID NOT turn out as hers did. However, the basic recipe is a total keeper, so I just had to share.

Be sure you take time and read her post, she’s got some really “Ah-Ha” steps. If you ever wondered how to get that crackly crust on the top, or how to make sure your brownies come out with a moist center, then she’s got what you need. I’m all about figuring out how to take recipes to the next level, so this post was a really great find. I don’t just want to make brownies, I want to make the BEST chewy chocolate brownies! I want to gather the “best of” from all the recipes I read, then put them all together to create one EPIC dessert. Okay, let me take a step back for a moment. Clearly my pursuit of legendary status is getting the best of me. But seriously, doesn’t every mom want to hear “my mom makes the best…“?!

I do have a few things I want to try next time, so I’m sharing some ideas with you to get your creativity flowing:

Boost your Brownies

• Espresso powder/chopped, whole coffee beans
• Strong coffee & powdered sugar to create a glaze
• A dash of cinnamon
• Chopped pecans, walnuts, butterscotch or chocolate chips
• Add a few dollops of Nutella before baking (this would be perfect for brownies made in a cupcake pan)
• Caramel layer brownies-this duo has figured out the perfect way to add caramel to the center of their brownies! This is a semi-homemade recipe, meaning brownies from a box. I’m totally OK with that, I have no shame is admiring that box brownies with a twist may be the way to go! And you know how much a love a good visual, there’s a video tutorial!!! This will be my next brownie adventure, for sure.

So, there you have it. An awesome recipe for chewy chocolate brownies & some inspiration to make it even better! You can check out my Pinterest boards for some other “from scratch” ideas. And to see what other Pins I’ve been working on, click here.

Let me know if you have any other tips and tricks for getting the perfect brownies, together we’ll conquer the brownie lovin’ world!!