5 easy homemade brownie recipes

Craving gooey brownies? Get baking this holiday season!

But how often are you able to make those perfect delectable brownies with oozing deliciousness absolutely matching your standards? Worried that your brownie may have the ingredients a tad bit wrong? A little less fluffy, a little less moist? We know nothing turns the world around like a good hot brownie, and even more when baking might just be the right therapy you need!

The holiday season is here and what is a home without the smell of whisked batter in the oven, the smell of a fresh loaf and a bite to dig into a sinful slice of brownie melting in your mouth?

Your wishes have been answered as we bring to you the Top 5 recipes for homemade brownies that are sure to remind you and your loved ones of the simpler times, the childhood days and the cheer of the holidays!

Classic Chocolate Fudge Brownies

What else will top the list if not the evergreen favourites - the fudgy chocolate brownies! Just one bowl and 5 minutes bringing it all together and surprise, they’re only 144 calories EACH!

Ingredients you need-

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and HOT
1 tablespoon cooking oil, (olive oil or coconut oil are fine)
1 1/8 cup superfine sugar, (caster sugar or white granulated sugar)*
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose (or plain) flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Let’s Bake!

Preheat the OTG to 350°F (175°C).
Lightly grease the baking dish with cooking oil spray. Line with parchment paper (or baking paper) and set it aside.
Combine hot melted butter, oil and sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk well for about a minute. Add the eggs and vanilla; beat until lighter in colour for about another minute.

#BorosilTip: Whisk your butter and sugar well.

Sift in flour, cocoa powder and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until only combined without beating the batter.

#BorosilTip: Do NOT overbeat your batter once the flour and cocoa powder are added. That creates air pockets in the batter which will give you cake-like textured brownies.

Pour batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top out evenly. Top it up with choco chips if you’d like.

#BorosilTip: You can add walnuts to taste.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Test with a toothpick, and for this, the toothpick should come out dirty for fudge-textured brownies.

#BorosilTip: Check them at around the 15-minute mark and keep your eye on them. As some ovens run hotter than others, timing is a guide only.

Bake the brownies on the top shelf in the oven. The middle shelf cooks them a lot faster and dries them out. If your oven runs hotter at the top half, move them to the middle shelf.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing into the most delectable fudgy brownies that you will drool over.

Red Velvet Brownies

Christmas is just around the corner and if you are looking to bake something red for your family and friends, then this might just be the perfect treat you’re looking for - Red Velvet Brownies. They are rich, dense, chewy and full of classic red velvet flavour!

Ingredients you need-

½ cup unsalted butter melted
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla essence vanilla extract
1 tablespoon red liquid food colour
1 teaspoon red gel food colouring
1 teaspoon white vinegar
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder unsweetened
pinch of salt
¼ cup walnuts optional

Cream Cheese Frosting

¼ cup butter at room temperature
¼ cup cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup confectioner’s sugar powdered sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Let’s Bake!

Preheat the OTG to 350 F. Butter a baking dish or pan and line it with parchment paper keeping some extra on the two opposite sides and set aside.
Wet Mixture: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter (approximately 1 min in the microwave) and add the sugar to it. Whisk till combined then add the vanilla, and egg and again mix till the egg is well incorporated. Now add vinegar and food colouring and mix again.
Dry Mixture: In a mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder and salt.
Mix well and fold in the dry mixture with the wet mixture (butter and sugar) until combined.
#BorosilTip: add walnuts to taste
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
#BorosilTip: use the spatula to spread it to be as even as possible.
Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins.
#BorosilTip: insert a toothpick to check. If it comes out clean, it's ready.
Remove to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before cutting.
For Cream Cheese Frosting, in a bowl combine the cheese & butter till soft & fluffy. Then add the sugar, half a cup at a time & keep stirring till all is well combined. Finally, add the vanilla extract & mix. And Voila, our cream cheese frosting is ready.
#BorosilTip: You can also make white chocolate drizzle by melting the white chocolate in the microwave at 30-second intervals and stirring till the chocolate has melted. Now transfer the melted chocolate to a ziplock bag or piping bag and cut to make a small tip. Drizzle the chocolate all over the brownies and finally add some sprinkles of choice. Let the chocolate set for a few minutes and your brownies are ready!

Hazelnut Brownies

Fudgy, rich, and so easy to make, these chocolate hazelnut brownies come together quickly and they’re pretty much guaranteed to satisfy all your chocolate cravings!

Ingredients you need-

1/2 cup unsalted butter cut into several chunks
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate finely chopped
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
1/2 cup Nutella

Let’s Bake!

Preheat the OTG to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Combine the chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

#BorosilTip: If you don’t have unsweetened chocolate you can use dark chocolate or even semi-sweet.

Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Stir the eggs and sugar into the chocolate mixture, mixing well. Mix in the vanilla, baking soda, and salt until well combined.

#BorosilTip: If you only have salted butter you can use that, just omit the salt in the recipe and know that your brownies will turn out a little saltier

Fold in the flour, until just combined (just mix until you no longer see streaks of flour in the brownie batter).
Fold in the hazelnuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Dollop the Nutella over the brownie batter and use a butter knife to swirl the two together.

#BorosilTip: You can skip the Nutella swirl but who doesn’t love the extra pop of flavour and gooeyness that it adds?

Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top of the brownies, look set. Set the pan on a wire rack and cool completely before slicing and serving.

Plum Brownies

Christmas cake is a tradition that began as plum porridge. People ate the porridge on Christmas Eve, using it to line their stomachs after a day of fasting. Soon dried fruit, spices and honey were added to the porridge mixture, and eventually, it turned into Christmas pudding. A version of it that we now relish is the holiday season special Plum Cakes! Let’s try our hand at plum brownies which are sure to be just as sinful!

Ingredients You Need-

200g plums stoned
1 tbsp Armagnac or brandy optional
200g dark chocolate
150g unsalted butter diced
180g golden caster sugar
4 medium eggs
80g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
icing sugar for dusting

Let’s Bake!

Preheat the OTG to 350 F. Butter a baking dish or pan and line it with parchment paper keeping some extra on the two opposite sides and set aside.
Cut the stoned plums into dice about 1cm · 1⁄2 in size. Place in a medium bowl, sprinkle over the 2 tbsp sugar and set aside for 20 minutes to draw out some of the juices.
Drain in a sieve set over a medium bowl reserving the fruit and juices separately. If including the Armagnac add it to the reserved juices.
Break up the chocolate and gently melt it with the butter in a large bowl set over a pan containing a little simmering water.
#BorosilTip: only after you remove it from the heat, then stir in the sugar.
Add the eggs to the chocolate mixture one by one, beating after each addition, and continuing to beat until the mixture is very glossy and combined. Sift over the flour and baking powder and fold in without overmixing. Stir in the plum juices, then fold in the plums.
Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and smooth the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edge is risen and slightly cracked (a skewer inserted into this section should come out with just a few gooey crumbs) and the centre a little stickier.
#BorosilTip: To avoid overcooking, check after 25 minutes and then at 2-minute intervals.
Run a knife around the brownie and leave it to cool, then loosely cover it with foil and chill overnight. Dust with icing sugar and slice into squares the size of your choice. They will keep well for several days.

Vegan Chocolate Brownie-

Contrary to popular belief, brownies are for EVERYONE!

Ingredients you need-

2 tablespoon ground flaxseed
6 tablespoon brewed coffee can use for water
2 cups vegan chocolate chips divided
1 cup coconut sugar * See notes
6 tablespoon vegan butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour can use gluten-free all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup cocoa powder

Let's bake!

Preheat the OTG to 180C/350F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

#BorosilTip: For easy removal, keep an inch of extra parchment paper/baking paper hanging over the sides.

Prepare your flax egg by combining your ground flaxseed with your brewed (chilled) coffee. Let it sit for 10 minutes, to form a gel.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt one cup of chocolate chips of your choice. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add your vegan butter and coconut sugar, and whisk well. Add in the prepared flax eggs, melted chocolate, vanilla, and almond extract, and mix well, until glossy.
Sift through your flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder and mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Fold through the remaining chocolate chips.

#BorosilTip: Make your brownies gluten-free by Swapping out the flour for gluten-free all-purpose flour that has added xanthan gum.

Transfer your brownie batter to the lined pan.
Bake the brownies in the oven for 27-30 minutes.

#BorosilTip: For ultra-gooey brownies, remove them around the 30-minute mark. If you’d prefer more chewy vegan brownies, keep them closer to 35 minutes.