Bakery Style Brownies With no Cocoa Powder+VIDEO+TIPS (2024)

Brownies with no cocoa powder!! Ever wonder how bakeries get their brownies so fudgy and delicious? Without even using a dusting of cocoa powder?! Well, you are in luck because today I am going to spill the tea on all the little secrets that you need to know to make the best bakery worthy dark chocolate brownies!

Shared in 2019 and updated on October 21, 2020

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You are on the right page is you are looking for how to make homemade brownies from scratch in less than an hour! Sure you might have to wait for them to cool down to get that perfect square slice… But if you want to dig in with a spoon, go ahead! I won’t tell!

I have been holding off on posting this recipe specifically because I knew that the second I made it, I was going to eat the whole tray of brownies… I was able to contain myself but not for long… They are calling my name through that airtight container I put them in!! Someone send help…

This is the best brownies without cocoa powder recipe ever!

These classic super fudgy brownies are something I make on a weekly basis, for my family as well as for friends. People seriously request it more than any other recipe I’ve made before. It’s that good!!

Anyways, today I want to teach you what I learned last year around in this time when I was interning in a French pastry shop here in Las Vegas. Keep reading to get all the deets on how to make brownies at home without any cocoa powder and impress everyone with your baking skills!

What is so special about this no cocoa powder brownie recipe?

When I shared this a while back, everyone absolutely loved it! This brownie recipe went viral on multiple platforms and many people sent their feedback on how their recipes turned out! Some of the highlights were that:

• These brownies are rich and decadent
• They are soft and chewy brownies
• Top them with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and you got yourself a super fancy brownie dessert
• They use melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder
• These brownies will make your house smell like a bakery in less than 30 minutes!

So if you are still wondering if this internet famous brownie recipe is for you, let me reiterate it again… These are the world’s best no cocoa powder brownies, so yes they’re perfect for you! So seriously, what are you still waiting for 🙂 ?!

More recipe you’ll absolutely love

• The best Fudgy 1-minute Brownie Mug Cake
• Out of this World Pretzel Brownies without cocoa powder
• Easy Hazelnut Brownie Cookies – Chewy and delicious!

What’s the secret to fudgy brownies?

This shouldn’t be a secret but somehow it is! I’m spilling the tea on everything you need to know to make your fudge brownies always soft. chewy, and melt in your mouth.

• Higher amounts of fat- That is one of the reasons why we use melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder in this recipe. That combine with high amounts of fat gives us the perfect fudgy brownie.
• Lower amounts of flour- The more flower you use the more of a cakey brownie you will get. Respectively, the less flour you use the more fudgy and chewy your brownie will be. This is because the more flour you add the more it will suck all the moisture from the brownie batter, and of course we don’t want that!
• Not over-mixing your ingredients– Over-mixing your brownie batter after adding the flour is the enemy here. You will end up creating too much gluten and you will get a harder less fudgy brownie if you do that.
• Under-baking your brownies just a little– Slightly under-baking the brownies is what will make them as fudgy as can be. Don’t be alarmed if your brownies still look a bit raw in the center. They will continue baking as they cool and you will end up with a perfectly dense and melt in your mouth brownie bite.

Ingredients to make no cocoa powder brownies

To make this decadent and rich brownie recipe, you will need the folowing ingredients:

• 70% bittersweet chocolate– Because this is a brownie recipe, you will need to use good quality chocolate.
• Butter– Butter will give that rich flavor and texture to these brownies.
• Light brown sugar– Brown sugar is moist and will yield a better, fudgier, and softer brownie. The brown sugar also helps give that extra depth of flavor to our brownies.
• Eggs– The eggs are what is going to hold this brownie together.
• Granulated sugar– The granulated sugar helps keep the brownie moist as well and create that beautiful crinkly top.
• Salt– Always add salt to your sweets! It balances them out perfectly 🙂
• Vanilla– Vanilla helps add a little more depth of flavor as well.
• FLour– This recipe doesn’t require too much flour, just enough to give it some structure and keep it fudge as well.

What kind of chocolate do you use for fudgy brownies?

To make the best brownies, we have to start at the source. The chocolate you use is very important because this recipe is, after all, a chocolate dessert recipe.

So when purchasing chocolate for your brownies always aim for the highest quality you can find because that will directly affect the flavor of your brownie. I always get a good chocolate bar and chop it to make the best tasting brownies ever. I do understand though that that’s not always an option. I’ve had times where I made my brownies with semi sweet chocolate chips because it was 10PM and I didn’t want to go to the store that late. So here are a few good chocolate chip brands you can go with:

• Semi-sweet or dark Ghirardelli chocolate chips
• (this is the exact same one we used to use at the French bakery! Such an amazing taste.) Semi-sweet or dark Callebaut chocolate chips
• Valrhona chocolate
• Semi-sweet or dark Guitard chocolate chips

Why don’t you use cocoa powder in this brownie recipe?

I didn’t use cocoa powder in this recipe because I wanted to let the melted chocolate shine both in texture as well as in flavor. The chocolate will be the main thing that flavors these brownies and the high fat content in the melted chocolate will help the brownie stay super fudgy and chewy!

How to make brownies from scratch without cocoa powder?

This is one of my favorite brownie recipe because it is very simple to make. The hardest to do here yet again is going to be to wait for this bakery style brownie to cool down before cutting it.

I personally recommend making it the night before after brushing your teeth. (little tip here on how to not over eat at night. Always brush your teeth before starting baking something this delicious!) So make this the night before that way it will have enough time to cool down before you cut into it.

Anyways… enough with the blabering and let’s get into how to make the easiest brownie recipe ever!

First you will want to preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, then grease and like an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Set this aside.

The next step is to melt the chocolate. Since we are making a bakery style brownie recipe, we are going t melt the chocolate in a Bain Marie. This means melting your chocolate in a hot water bath.

Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place it over almost simmering water. Stir the chocolate frequently until it is completely melted. Remove the bowl from the heat and add in the butter and the brown sugar, whisk until combined.

In a different bowl or stand mixer bowl, crack the eggs, add in the granulated sugar, vanilla, salt, and beat until the eggs are thick and lighter in color. Then whisk in the melted chocolate mixture and fold the flour in.

Time for baking! Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Let the brownie cool for at least an hour before pulling it out of the baking pan using the parchment paper.

For easier slicing, place the brownie in the fridge for an extra hour after cooling.

Can I add mix-ins to this brownie recipe?

Absolutely! Mix-ins are always welcome in my book. I love getting creative when it comes to things you can add in brownies! Here are a few of my favorite options:

• Regular chocolate chips in the batter and mini chocolate chips on top
• Chopped nuts think pecans, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, or even hazelnuts.
• Peanut butter chips
• Chopped peanut butter cups
• Pretzels on top

How do you know when the brownies are done?

Usually, we use the knife or wooden skewer method inserted in the center to know if the cake is baked or not. The technique is pretty similar for these brownies except we don’t check for doneness in the center. If we did that the brownies will be too dry and not fudgy at all.

To check for the doneness of brownies, you will want to insert your wooden skewer about an inch or so from the edge of the baking sheet. If it comes out clean you will know that your brownie is ready to come our of the oven.

Tips for the perfect bakery brownies recipe

Brownies are one of those staple recipes. Everyone loves brownies but sometimes they can be a pain in the butt. So with these tips you will never have a failed brownie batch again!

1. First, you are going to need to know which kind of brownie you want to make. These are my absolute favorite and they taste so so good to me… But if you are into a more cake-y brownie you might hate them. So pick your poison and roll with it!
2. When baking brownies, you want to make sure that your ingredients are of the BEST quality possible! Using premium quality ingredients will ensure that the final product will taste luxurious. Since Brownie recipes oftentimes don’t call for that many ingredients, you will end up tasting every little component. So buy the best of the best if possible! For example instead of using Hershey’s chocolate chips which in my opinion are not even made with real chocolate, use Ghirardelli chocolate, Lindt, Guittard, or even Valrhona.
3. Read the recipe and understand all the steps before starting! When you are ready prepare all your ingredients ( mise en place) and then start baking, not the other way around. This will help you make sure that you do all the steps correctly without forgetting the ingredients.
4. Going back to the previous tip, these bakery-style brownies use no cocoa powder. So when you melt the chocolate and have your chocolate brown sugar and butter mixture ready don’t go adding it to your eggs right away. You don’t want to end up with a nice chocolate scramble… gross I know. When you read the recipe, you will see that you have to melt the chocolate and then set it aside while you beat the eggs. This should give it a little time to cool.

Want more tips?

1. Speaking of eggs, make sure your eggs are at room temperature. The whites and yolk will combine way more easily this way. I also know that sometimes we all forget to pull out our eggs 30 minutes before we start baking, so my tip is to put the 3 eggs in a warm water bath for 10-15 minutes while you are melting the chocolate.
2. Follow the recipe to the T and don’t go under-baking the brownies. I know a lot of us love under-baked brownies, but most of the time that is going to be factored into the recipe. Like I said in the first tip. If you want under baked, soft gooey brownies look for a recipe that will result in that. If you start changing baking times you might end up with something that is pretty much raw still, and who wants that…
3. Be patient! Don’t dig into the brownie the second it comes out of the oven. It won’t be set just yet, and you will end up with a chocolate-y mess, which is by no means a horrible thing. But come on you’ve come this far, why not wait a little longer for an out of this world result. Letting set and cool down in the pan will also help it develop more flavor!

How to cut brownies like a pro?

Cutting brownies is an art in itself. To get the perfect little brownie squares you want to let your brownies cool completely, then remove them from the baking pan and place it on a cutting board.

Run your large knife under hot water, wipe and start slicing. Make sure to wipe your knife clean after each slice to ensure a beautiful professionally cut brownie. Feel free to run your knife under hot water when needed.

I make sure to show you exactly how to cut your brownies in the video below.

How long do brownies last?

Not long in my household. I can tell you that much! But you can store these brownies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Up to 7 days in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer

Exactly how to I freeze brownies?

making brownies ahead of time can be a blessing in disguise. I always love having a sweet treat around that time of the month, so my frozen brownies come in very handy.

To freeze your brownie, make sure it has cooled completely first, then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap, after that wrap it again with aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

If you want to wrap each individual brownie bite like me, use the same technique but wrap each one individually! Once you are ready to enjoy your brownies, let them thaw on your counter top for a few hours or just microwave them if you can’t wait any longer

Check out this how-to make no cocoa powder brownies video!

This brownie recipe with no cocoa powder has its own recipe video now! This will help show you the step by step process to make your next batch of fresh homemade brownies without cocoa!

Bakery Style Brownies With no Cocoa Powder

If you ever wondered how to make brownies gooey and fudgy well this recipe is totally for you! If you tried this recipe make sure to give it a 5 star review! It would help me greatly 🙂

Brownie variation ideas

Want to take your brownie game up a notch? Try one of these options:

• Add 2-3 tea spoons of instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder for a richer and deeper flavor. This variation is always loved by coffee lovers.
• Add a layer of chocolate ganache or frosting of choice. This one makes these brownie a whole lot more rich, so proceed at your own risk!

Still want more recipes?! Check these out.

• Small batch coffee frosting
• 5 minute air fryer donuts
• The easiest trail mix energy bars

As always if you loved and tried these homemade brownies without cocoa powder make sure to leave a comment below. It would let me know how you liked them and what you thought!

I put a lot of effort into making these recipes for you guys and would love your feedback.

Have a great rest of your day.

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