Easy One Bowl UK Brownie Recipe (Guaranteed Rich and Fudgy!)

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Dry, cakey brownies are a tragedy. These absolutely aren’t those. This easy one bowl recipe makes the most gloriously fudgy chocolate brownies, every single time. No faff, no fancy equipment, and no converting from US cups. Just pure, rich, indulgent perfection.

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Why you'll love it 💛
Ingredient notes
Emma's top tips
Timings
Product suggestions
Step by step picture recipe
How to store
FAQs
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Easy One Bowl UK Brownie Recipe
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Why you'll love it 💛

There are literally THOUSANDS of chocolate brownie recipes out there. It's enough to make your head spin! You never know if they're going to turn out great, or make dry, cakey bars of disappointment.

And even when you've found a great chocolate brownie recipe, there are tons of variations! Like Kinder Bueno brownies and white chocolate raspberry brownies for example.

But let's focus on perfecting a straightforward uk brownie recipe today. I promise, the Kitchen Mason version couldn't be easier! Mix the ingredients in one bowl, pour into a lined tin, and bake. That's it.

I've made this recipe more times than I can count. And it's never failed me. Not once! I even used it as a base for these incredible millionaire brownie bars. But that's another story for another day.

Chocolate brownies on a book and one on a plate.

Ingredient notes

Confused about what ingredients to buy? Not sure about a substitution? Here's everything you need to know...

Butter - Always use unsalted butter in baking. It gives you control of the salt content, which affects flavour. Obviously brands like Lurpak taste incredible, but cheaper brands will still taste great!
Chocolate - See the FAQs section for tips on the best chocolate to use.
Eggs - I tend to use large free range organic eggs, but whatever you have will work well. Just make sure they're not really small.
Sugar - Golden caster sugar is my go to, for it's lovely caramel hint. Regular caster sugar will work just as well though. Don't use a coarse sugar like granulated though, as they may not blend into the batter as well.
Vanilla - A good quality vanilla paste or extract like Little Pod vanilla is worth every penny. Supermarket own brands are fake, flavourless and a waste of money. Trust me, you'll taste the difference!
Flour - Plain (all purpose) flour is all you need. Don't substitute for self raising as it could result in cake instead of brownies!
Salt - Table salt is absolutely fine. It really helps bring the flavours together though, so don't skip it!
Cocoa powder - Don't use drinking chocolate powder as these have added sugars. This will make your brownies far too sweet. Instead, use a good quality baking cocoa powder like Cadburys Bournville or Green and Blacks.

Emma's top tips

Here are some tips you'll find helpful when making this recipe.

Allow your brownies to cool completely. If you try to cut them while they're still hot, you'll end up in a chocolatey mess.
Don't switch out the dark chocolate for milk chocolate. It'll make your brownies too sweet.
Ingredients blend best when they're all at the same temperature. Allow refrigerated items to come to room temperature before using. (Leaving them on the kitchen side for 30-60 mins should do the trick.)
Add the eggs one at a time. They will incorporate into the batter more easily, and spare you a fair bit of elbow grease.

Not a confident baker yet? Check out baking for beginners for a knowledge and confidence boost.

Chocolate brownies on a plate with a fork.

Timings

Have limited time? Struggle with recipe timings? Or juggling around other things? Here's some time managing info to make your life easier.

Hands on time for this recipe is about 15 minutes.
The baking time is 20-25 minutes. Remember to allow time for preheating the oven though!
Ensure you allow enough time for your brownies to completely cool. (Yes, even before cutting!) Baking them the night before may help, as they can cool overnight.

Product suggestions

Life in the kitchen is SO much easier when you have the right equipment! Here are the tools I used and recommend...

You can't go wrong with a set of Pyrex glass mixing bowls! These beauties are built to last.
A 20cm square loose bottom tin makes it easier to remove once baked.
Electric hand whisks save you a good amount of elbow grease. It's always worth having one of these in your cupboard!
A cooling rack is a kitchen staple. Really cheap, and really handy.

Chocolate brownies in a loaf tin and one on a plate.

Step by step picture recipe

(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)

Please note, this recipe includes both UK metric and US Cup measurements.

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to make 9 large bars or 16 smaller bars.

110g (½ Cup) Unsalted Butter, room temperature
110g (3.9 oz) Dark Chocolate, broken into pieces
2 Eggs, room temperature
225g (1 + ⅛ Cup) Golden Caster Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract or Paste
¼ teaspoon Salt
60g (½ Cup) Plain/All Purpose Flour
2 tablespoon Cocoa Powder

Essential equipment

20cm (8") Square Baking Tin
Large Microwavable Bowl
Spatula
Sieve

Instructions

Grease and line the base and sides of your baking tin and preheat your oven to 180ºC/Fan 170ºC/356ºF.

Lazy liner like me? Line the base and two sides of your tin. Then use wooden pegs to hold up the paper on each side.

First, cube the butter (110g | ½ Cup) and this along with the dark chocolate (110g | 3.9 oz) into a large microwavable mixing bowl. Heat it in 20 second intervals and stir well between each time until completely melted.

Next, add the eggs (x 2) one at a time. Beat them well so they're fully incorporated into the batter.

Melted butter, chocolate and eggs mixed in a bowl.

Then add in the sugar (225g | 1 + ⅛ Cup) and beat vigorously with a spatula until it doesn't feel grainy on the bottom of the bowl anymore.

Brownie batter ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Time to add in the vanilla (1 tsp) and salt (¼ tsp). Mix briefly to distribute through the batter.

Chocolate brownie ingredients in a glass bowl.

Finally, sieve in the flour (60g | ½ Cup) and cocoa powder (2 tbsp). Fold gently through the mixture until there are no more visible streaks of flour.

Chocolate brownie batter in a mixing bowl.

Then pour the brownie batter into your prepared tin and smooth out.

Chocolate brownie batter in a square baking tin.

Like my pegs? Haha! Place your baking tin into the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. The top should be crispy and a skewer inserted into the middle should still have chocolate batter on it.

Don't worry though! This is good. It will firm up once it's cooled down.

Baked chocolate brownie in a square tin.

Allow to cool completely in the tin before attempting to remove and slice. I know it's difficult, but it'll be worth it I promise!

How to store

In my experience, the best way to store brownies is in a metal tin at room temperature.

Sugar sweats when stored in plastic. This can really alter the texture of your bakes. And not in a good way! Temperature can also affect your bakes. For example, placing baked goods into a fridge can really dry them out.

This is why I've had the best results storing chocolate brownies in a metal tin at room temperature. Best consumed within 1 week.

FAQs

What makes brownies fudgy?

Brownies are more fudgy when a higher fat to flour ratio is used. In this recipe, the fat comes from butter and dark chocolate, with very little flour in comparison. That’s what gives them that gloriously dense, gooey texture!

What’s the best chocolate to use in brownies?

You don’t need to splash out. I’ve used Aldi own brand dark chocolate bars before, and they’ve tasted amazing. That said, a more premium chocolate will take things up a notch. Look for dark chocolate with 65% cocoa content or higher. I’ve tried Lindt 70%, Green & Black’s 70%, and Tesco/Asda own brands with great results. It really comes down to personal preference. So experiment and find your favourite!

How do I know when brownies are done?

The top should be crispy, but a skewer inserted into the centre will still come out with batter on it. Don’t panic! That’s exactly what you want. It will firm up as it cools.

Can I freeze brownies?

Yes, brownies freeze very well actually! Allow them to cool completely, then wrap individual bars in cling film and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for a couple of hours before serving.

Can I add extras to this brownie recipe?

Absolutely! Chocolate chips, chopped nuts, a swirl of peanut butter, or crushed biscuits all work brilliantly. Just fold them in gently after the flour. Remember, don’t over mix!

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Super fudgey brownies in a stack against a dark blue backdrop. A text overlay says 'Easy one bowl super fudgy brownies'.