You’ll never make boxed brownies again after you make these easy one bowl brownies from scratch! All you need are pantry staples like cocoa powder, flour, sugar, butter and eggs for a delicious pan of homemade cake like brownies.

cut brownies on a piece of parchment paper

These are my favorite brownies for turning into extravagant creations. They work really well because they are slightly less sweet than normal brownie mixes so adding tasty extras doesn’t put them crazy overboard.

I love to top them with caramel and toasted coconut (hello! Like those Girl Scout Samoas), strawberry jam and cream cheese frosting, or turning them into yummy smores brownies!

You could even use this as the base for an ice cream cake- if you need an idea see my cherry chocolate ice cream cake (wink wink).

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter, melted
½ cup cocoa
2 Tablespoons sugar
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 ¾ cup flour
½ Tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Possible substitutions or additions:

1 cup, chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped chocolate or chocolate chips

Like I said above these brownies are absolutely perfect for making into luscious desserts, so feel free to add anything you may like! They make especially good brownies a la mode!

How to make this:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13 baking pan.
In a large bowl, add the melted butter, 2 Tablespoons sugar, and cocoa. Stir until completely combined and mixture is totally smooth.
Add the remaining sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt and any additional ingredients, if using. Mix well.
Spread mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the center comes out clean and the edges are beginning to pull away from the pan.
Cool completely before adding any toppings or frostings.

Trouble shooting section

Make sure the butter and cocoa mixture is not too hot before you add the remaining ingredients. If the butter is too hot it can begin to cook the eggs.

If you want to make it easier to cut the brownies, place parchment paper into the pan after greasing, making sure there is a bit of overhang on each side to use as handles. This is especially handy for when you want to add extra toppings or frostings.

Can you freeze them?

They also freeze very well! Cut them into pieces and keep in a freezer Ziploc for 2-3 months.

Cutting them into pieces means you can take one out when you want them. Microwave for 45-60 seconds until warm through.

Top Tips for cooking with kids

Brownies are always a fun treat for kids and these are just as easy to make as the boxed brownies. To make it as easy as possible make sure you:

Have all ingredients out before you start baking.
If working with young children you can have all ingredients measured so they are only adding ingredients to the bowl.
Mixing and stirring are good for any age group (and so is looking the bowl or spatula)

If you are looking for more tips for cooking with kids, see my guide for must know tips and essentials tools!

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Easy One Bowl Homemade Brownies