Brownie preferences vary just like cookies. Sometimes a chewy and fudgy warm brownie topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is needed to round off a meal. Other times a cakey brownie with a light and fluffy texture is just what the doctor ordered. Turns out adjusting a few key ingredients can transform a chewy brownie into a cakey one (and vice versa)! Whether you are a chewy brownie or cakey brownie enthusiast, Jocelyn Delk Adams of Grandbaby Cakes is back to share with us versatile recipes for both to add to your Classic Eats library.

Chewy and Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tbps. oil
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium sized bowl, add melted butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix with your hand mixer on medium speed.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition to incorporate.
4. Mix in oil and vanilla extract.
5. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Reduce speed of mixer.
6. In intervals, add flour mixture to wet mixture until all ingredients are incorporated.
7. Add brownie batter to baking non-stick sprayed 8×8 sized baking pan.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out just barely clean. Don’t overbake.
9. Remove brownies and cool on cooling rack. Cut and serve.

Notes for Making Brownies Chewier

More brown sugar increases moistness due to the addition of molasses.
The addition of oil helps keep the brownies super moist.
This recipe has fewer eggs than the cakey version which helps create fudge-like texture.
The baking time is slightly less than the cakey brownie. Underbaking keeps the brownies soft and chewy.

Cakey Brownies

Ingredients

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium sized bowl, add melted butter and granulated sugar and mix with your hand mixer on medium speed.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition to incorporate.
4. Mix in oil and vanilla extract.
5. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Reduce speed of mixer.
6. In intervals, add flour mixture to wet mixture until all ingredients are incorporated.
7. Add brownie batter to baking non-stick sprayed 8×8 sized baking pan.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Remove brownies and cool on cooling rack. Cut and serve.

Notes for Making Brownies Cakey

By cutting out all brown sugar and just using granulated sugar, we also decrease the moist factor.
The addition of both baking soda and baking powder helps to lift the brownies, creating that cakey texture.
By adding one more egg, the entire structure of the brownie is changed from chewy to cakey.
Adding a bit more flour also helped get rid of some of the moistness in the recipe.