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Supernatural Brownies

These Supernatural Brownies are some of the best I’ve ever made! They’re fudgy and rich, with that irresistible crispy, flaky brownie layer on top. 

Stack of 3 brownies with top brownie bitten into

The Best Fudgy Brownie Recipe

I think I’d classify these Supernatural Brownies as a brownie lover’s brownie. Do you have a weakness for deeply fudgy brownies that are more dense than cake-like? Do you delight in biting into that flaky crust that forms on the top of brownies after baking? Then these are the brownies for you, my friend!

The recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Chocolate by Nick Malgieri. Obvious choice for a chocolate recipe, right? Walnuts and pecans are suggested as variations in the book, but I decided to use lightly toasted chopped hazelnuts instead. I highly recommend giving hazelnuts a try if you’re a fan, but if not, you can go with more traditional walnuts or pecans, or skip the nuts altogether.

Overhead view of supernatural brownie ingredients

What You’ll Need

The ingredient list here is simple; what sets this recipe apart is proportions and technique. Here’s what you’ll need.

  • Unsalted butter
  • Bittersweet or semisweet chocolate – I prefer bittersweet for a more intense chocolate flavor. (If you’re looking for a brownie recipe that uses cocoa powder, try my Dark Cocoa Powder Brownies.)
  • Eggs – Your eggs should be room temperature, so take them out of the fridge before you start the recipe.
  • Salt
  • Granulated sugar
  • Dark brown sugar – Dark brown sugar has a richer flavor than light.
  • Vanilla extract
  • All-purpose flour
  • Chopped nuts – As noted above, these are optional.

How to Make Supernatural Brownies

Get ready for the best brownies you’ve ever eaten! Here’s how to make them, step-by-step.

Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan, then line the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and grease the lining.

Overhead view of chocolate pieces and butter in metal bowl

Melt the butter and chocolate. To do this in a double boiler, bring a saucepan of water to a boil, then turn off the heat. Set a heatproof bowl over the water, and add the butter and chocolate. Let the mixture sit, stirring occasionally, until it’s melted. To use a microwave, heat the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl at half-power in 30-second increments until the butter has melted and the chocolate melts when you stir it.

Make the brownie batter. Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl, then stir in the salt, sugars, and vanilla, followed by the chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour and nuts, then stir until just combined.

Overhead view of brownie batter in parchment-lined pan

Bake. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly. Bake the brownies for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top forms a shiny, flaky crust and the brownies are moderately firm.

Overhead view of cut brownies

Cool. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool before cutting. 

Tips for Success

I’ve made these brownies a lot over the years! Here’s how to make sure they turn out perfect.

  • Use a high-quality chocolate. This makes a difference! There aren’t many ingredients in this recipe, which means the chocolate is the star here.
  • Testing for doneness. Since these brownies are so fudgy, a tester might not come out clean when inserted in the center. This means you kind of have to eyeball it! The brownies should be set; when you pull them out of the oven, the center shouldn’t jiggle.
  • Cutting squares. If you’re making these for a party or bake sale and want even, clean-cut squares, you can carefully pull the brownies out of the pan by lifting the foil or parchment paper. Transfer them to a cutting board and use a chef’s knife or pizza rocker to make swift, clean cuts.
Overhead view of brownies cut into squares, with center brownie set on its side

How to Store

Store these brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate them for up to 5 days. 

Can This Recipe Be Frozen?

Yes, you can freeze brownies and enjoy them whenever the craving strikes! Place them in a zip-top bag or wrap them well and freeze for up to 2 months. Let them thaw on the countertop overnight or warm them up in the microwave.

Cup of milk with brownie resting on edge and additional brownies in background

Supernatural Brownies

Yield 24 2-inch brownies
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

These Supernatural Brownies are some of the best I’ve ever eaten! Make them with or without nuts, or customize them with your favorite mix-ins.

Stack of 3 brownies with nuts

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter
  • 8 ounces (226g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 cup (200g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chopped nuts, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9"x 13"x 2" baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Butter the lining.
  2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a double-boiler or in the microwave. Double boiler: Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Turn off the heat. Set a heatproof bowl over the water, and put the butter and chocolate in the bowl. Melt, stirring occasionally. Microwave: Heat at half-power in 30-second increments until the butter has melted and the chocolate melts when stirred.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the salt, both sugars, and the vanilla.
  4. Stir in the chocolate and butter mixture.
  5. Fold in the flour and nuts, stirring just until combined.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until done. The top will form a shiny crust and the batter will be moderately firm.
  7. Cool the brownies in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into bars.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Nick Malgieri’s Chocolate.

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    15 Comments on “Supernatural Brownies”

  1. Yum! Those look amazing! I had to go get a glass of milk after just reading about them.

    After you guys move up here to Carolina… these are the changes to the recipe I request:

    – Definely, definely bittersweet.
    – No nuts

    😉

    Davak

  2. These look delicious! I really need to use that book more often. I tend to break it out and look at the food porn inside make mental notes of the things I want to try and then get distracted by the other hundreds of things that I want to bake. 😀

  3. Hello,
    I recently made these for the first time and loved them so much I made them again two days later. They are delicious! And, since I was the only one eating them, I cut them up and froze them so as not to get stale. I had read somewhere that they are delicious directly from the freezer and it is sooooo true!

  4. Those brownies do look supernaturally delicious!

  5. Did you add chocolate chips or chunks to the batter? It looks that way in the picture.

    Also, what is the final texture: cakey, fudgey, or in between?

  6. T, there aren’t any chocolate chips in the batter. Now that you mention it, it does look a bit like there are some in there.

    The final texture was more toward cakey. They were quite dense, though, making them a little fudgey.

  7. I love your recipes…even though I sometimes don’t take the time to make them! I knew your taste was great…found out in the newsletter that you are also from Mississippi. I’ve traveled but still think MS has the best food ever! Keep tempting us!

  8. You can’t go wrong with Nick Malgieri. 🙂

  9. yum! these look delish. I’ve had the darnest time finding a brownie recipe that suits me. I love fudgy brownies and most I’ve tried are more cakey than fudgy or the fudgy ones just don’t have the right flavor. These look pretty promising though. I’ll have to give them a shot!

  10. As always your food looks amazing. I’ve been having a hard time finding the perfect brownie recipe, so I think I’ll add this one to my ‘to try’ list, along with Dorie’s. 🙂 Thanks for the recipe!

  11. Funny…As I was looking around your blog for inspiration, the title of these caught my eye. Supernatural. I’d see that before. Then, as I read through, I saw Nick’s name. Bingo. I attended a really great class on bread making with him this past fall in California. We made Supernatural Crumb Buns, his take on the crumb buns back East. Great class and I learned a ton from him, especially about not being afraid of yeast dough. I will make these brownies, that is certain! Thanks for the post and for sharing such a lovely blog with us. 🙂

  12. Jennifer, I love Nick Malgieri’s anything and I have done the same thing with his brownie recipe so I guess now is the time. Love Yor Sit And your recipe’s are great. Thanks, Judith

  13. Hello from Texas! I’m a 79 y/o great-grandmother and I’ve made my share of brownies. But the technique that eludes me was from a San Antonio bakery called Mrs. Camp’s. Our grandmother took my sister and me there often for her chewy brownies. These brownies were thin, about 1/2 an inch thick and so chewy they were almost like licorice. You had to bite down with extra strength to get your teeth all the way through the bar. They didn’t string out or break off, but showed teeth marks..Once in my mouth, they were similar to any other chewy brownie. It is hard to envision, I know, but these were the ABSOLUTE BROWNIE. No icing, no chocolate chips, a few nuts, probably Texas Choctaw pecans, studded these brownies. I have tried oat flour, half butter and half oil, chilling the bars after baking, using all brown sugar, cutting back on the eggs or adding an egg or two, My experiments were still edible (I hate to waste things) but not what I wanted.
    Can you help me?
    I would really appreciate it.

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