the classic recipe
Best cocoa brownies (Alice Medrich)
Alice Medrich's cocoa brownies are American chocolate baking at its smartest — high ratio of sugar and cocoa to flour produces that elusive shiny-crackly top, dense fudgy interior, and chocolate flavor that's deep, not sweet. The 40-stroke beating after adding flour is the technical heart of it: it's what creates the meringue-like top crust everyone obsesses over. One pan, one wooden spoon, 40 minutes, no chocolate bars required — just cocoa powder. Born from Medrich's decades of testing, this is the brownie recipe that ends the brownie debate.
yields 16 servings·214 kcal per serving·cuisine American
The traditional recipe
Instructions
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325°F (160°C). Line an 8×8-inch metal pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal.
Combine 140g (10 tbsp) unsalted butter, 250g (1¼ cups) granulated sugar, 80g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder, and ¼ tsp salt in a heatproof bowl set over a skillet of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until the butter is melted and the mixture is hot and fully combined.
Remove bowl from heat and let cool until just warm to the touch, not hot — about 5 minutes.
Stir in ½ tsp pure vanilla extract. Add 2 cold large eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition until the batter is thick, shiny, and well blended.
Add 65g (½ cup) all-purpose flour and stir until no flour is visible, then beat vigorously for exactly 40 strokes with a wooden spoon or spatula. This step is essential: it builds the structure for the shiny crackly top and dense fudgy interior.
Fold in 100g (⅔ cup) chopped walnuts or pecans if using. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
Bake 20–25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out slightly moist with batter. Do not overbake — the brownies will firm as they cool.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool completely before cutting. For the cleanest cuts, refrigerate for 30 minutes after cooling to room temperature. Lift out using the parchment overhang and cut into 16 squares.
Who this dish is for
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