These chewy molasses brownies have a deep, rich flavor, crinkly top, and they stay soft for days! They're so easy to make and taste better than a box mix. Check out all my tips to get the best chewy brownies recipe!
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Brownies will always be my favorite treat.
They're soft, chocolatey, and can be enjoyed straight from the pan or with extra goodies like frosting or cream cheese. I like to try as many different brownie recipes as I can, and this time I landed on something that's a little bit classic and a little bit special.
Chewy cocoa powder brownies
This is a pretty straightforward cocoa powder brownie recipe, except we're adding a little molasses. This complements the chocolate flavor and helps keep the brownies soft for days (not that they're going to last that long).
I'm also going to show you how to get that classic crinkly top and a thick, chewy brownie. Let's go!
Ingredients
- Salted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap)
- Pure vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Cocoa powder
- Unbleached all purpose flour
- Sea salt
- Semisweet chocolate chips
- Flaky salt, optional
How to make chewy brownies
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line an 8x8 metal baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place the butter in a large bowl and microwave until melted.
- Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and molasses. Whisk to combine. Microwave for another 30 seconds and whisk until completely combined.
- Add the vanilla and eggs and whisk for about one minute or until smooth and glossy.
- Add the cocoa powder and whisk gently until combined.
- Fold in the flour and salt with a rubber spatula.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and smooth out evenly. Top with a sprinkling of flaky salt if desired.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
- Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before using the parchment paper to remove them from the pan. Slice and serve.
Top tips
Use a good quality, Dutch processed cocoa powder
Any cocoa powder will work in this recipe, but a good quality Dutch processed cocoa powder will give you the best chocolate flavor. I used Rodelle Dutch processed cocoa (affiliate link).
How to get a crackly top on brownies
Box mix brownies make it easy to achieve that classic crackly top. But how can we get that in homemade brownies?
The trick comes in the steps where you're whisking the sugar and the eggs. The recipe instructions tell you to melt the butter before whisking in the sugar. There's a lot more sugar than butter in this recipe, so it can get a little sandy in texture.
I recommend microwaving this mixture again before adding the eggs. You don't want it to be so hot that it will cook the eggs, but you do want it hot enough that some of the sugar will dissolve and mix with the eggs creating almost a meringue-like batter that creates that beautiful delicate crust.
Also, don't be afraid of over-whisking when adding the eggs. We want to dissolve that sugar and whip in some air to keep things light and fluffy. After adding the flour you'll want to stir as little as possible to prevent them from becoming dense.
Tips for customizing cocoa powder brownies
- Swap the semisweet chocolate chips for dark, white, or milk chocolate, or try peanut butter or cinnamon chips
- Skip the salt on top if you prefer
- Use your favorite 1:1 gluten free flour blend to make these gluten free
- Swap the Dutch process cocoa powder for regular unsweetened cocoa powder
- If using unsalted butter, add ½ teaspoon of extra salt to the batter
FAQ
My trick for really soft, chewy brownies is adding a little molasses. Molasses helps retain moisture, which is crucial for a perfectly soft brownie.
If you're experienced in picking out flavors you might be able to taste the molasses in these brownies, but for the most part they taste like a regular, rich, chocolatey fudge brownie. The molasses enhances the chocolate flavor rather than standing out on its own.
I used Rodelle dutch processed cocoa powder in this recipe. Chocolate is the primary flavor in cocoa powder brownies, so using a high quality cocoa does make a difference. However, any dutch processed cocoa powder will work.
You can also swap the Dutch cocoa powder for unsweetened cocoa powder since there is no leavener in this recipe (baking soda or baking powder). This will result in a different flavor profile in the final result.
Dutch cocoa powder has been treated with a solution to neutralize its acidity. It's darker, richer, and earthier than natural cocoa powder. It pairs beautifully with the molasses flavor in these brownies.
No, I do not recommend using blackstrap molasses in this brownie recipe. This contains less sugar than regular molasses and would give the brownies an undesirable, bitter taste.
More brownie recipes
- Sweet Potato Brownies
- Vegan Mug Brownies
- Vegan Single Serving Brownie
- Vegan Zucchini Brownies
- Single Serve Vegan Chocolate Brownie Cookie
- Cream Cheese Ice Box Brownies
- Grandma's Brownies
- Refrigerator Bakery Brownies
If you make this recipe, be sure to rate it, leave a comment, or tag #theliveinkitchen on Instagram!
Recipe
Chewy Molasses Brownies
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 tablespoon unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ⅔ cup unbleached all purpose flour
- Pinch of sea salt
- ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Flaky salt, for topping, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line an 8x8 metal baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place the butter in a large bowl and microwave until melted.
- Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and molasses. Whisk to combine. It should be a little sandy looking. Microwave for another 30 seconds and whisk until completely combined.
- Add the vanilla and eggs and whisk for about one minute or until smooth and glossy.
- Add the cocoa powder and whisk gently until combined.
- Fold in the flour and salt with a rubber spatula.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish and smooth out evenly. Top with a sprinkling of flaky salt if desired.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
- Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before using the parchment paper to remove them from the pan. Slice and serve.
Notes
Tips for customizing cocoa powder brownies
- Swap the semisweet chocolate chips for dark, white, or milk chocolate, or try peanut butter or cinnamon chips
- Skip the salt on top if you prefer
- Use your favorite 1:1 gluten free flour blend to make these gluten free
- Swap the Dutch process cocoa powder for regular unsweetened cocoa powder
- If using unsalted butter, add ½ teaspoon of extra salt to the batter
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