By Erin Jeanne McDowell
- Total Time
- About 50 minutes
- Rating
- 5(926)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This skillet brownie has it all: It’s chewy at the edges, and gooey in the center. (For maximum gooeyness, err on the side of underbaking slightly.) Topped with more chocolate and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt, this easy recipe is a chocolate lover’s dream.
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Ingredients
Yield:10 to 12 servings
- 6ounces/170 grams finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
- 4tablespoons/55 grams unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for the pan
- ½cup/120 milliliters neutral oil, such as vegetable or coconut
- 1cup/220 grams light brown sugar
- ½cup/100 grams granulated sugar
- 1⅓cup/170 grams all-purpose flour
- ½teaspoon baking powder
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3large eggs
- 1½teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6ounces/170 grams finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
- ¾cup/180 milliliters heavy cream
- Flaky sea salt, as needed
For the Brownie
For the Ganache
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
396 calories; 19 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 56 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 42 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 246 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 10-inch oven-safe skillet. Fill a medium pot with about 1½ inches of water, and bring to a simmer. Place a medium bowl over the pot and add the chocolate, butter and oil. Heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate and butter are melted. (Alternatively, place the chocolate, butter and oil in microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Continue to microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring after each, until the butter and chocolate are melted.) Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. (The mixture will be grainy.)
Step
2
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. To the chocolate mixture, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared skillet and spread into an even layer using a spatula.
Step
3
Bake the brownie until the surface appears set: A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs attached, 30 to 33 minutes. Let cool completely.
Step
4
While the brownie cools, make the ganache: Place the chocolate in a medium, heat-safe bowl. Bring the cream to a simmer in a small pot over medium heat. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it stand undisturbed for 15 seconds. Stir the ganache until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly.
Step
5
Once the brownie is cool, spread the ganache onto the brownie in an even layer. (It will have thickened slightly. If it’s not thick enough, you can refrigerate it for 10 minutes or so; if it thickens too much, you can microwave it in 10-second bursts in a microwave-safe bowl until it’s spreadable again.) Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
Ratings
5
out of 5
926
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Cooking Notes
kathy
just a question: why the skillet instead of a baking pan? does this change the flavor, the ...something?
mslibba
Line a 10-inch cast iron skillet with an over-sized round of parchment paper. This will really help getting the brownie out of the pan and as a bonus, add a kind of neat fluted edge to the finished product.
Peggy
Is there any reason not to just use a 10 inch spring form pan for this recipe?
RoLo
Skillet baking is a thing right now on all the cooking sites; the cast iron evidently encourages the most brownie-like texture - crusty edges, gooey centers, etc. I say "evidently" because I too have a cast iron skillet that would be unfortunate in a dessert context (instead of a "wonderful" patina, mine has charred crust of an undetermined nature). Here's Stella Parks on why cast iron: https://www.seriouseats.com/2018/01/how-to-make-chocolate-chip-skillet-c...
Inez
I like the metric. That and celsius don't take away from the recipe . . .
LK
Enough with the metric and celsius, there are a plethora of places to calculate conversions.
E. Brown
Sounds trialworthy :-) Thanks for including metric portions - it would be perfect if temperature were given in °C also.
Janet
Chips are made to hold their shape, bar chocolate is not. Bar chocolate is usually superior.
Britta
Just a tip, use bittersweet chocolate chips instead of chopping a bar. Chopping chocolate makes a huge mess and takes a lot of work! Using chips instead will really reduce the effort of this dish.
Lily Rose
Why using the metric system? Because most of the world uses metric. Where have you been LK?
JDM
It's good. Although the brownie is a little bland and overly sweet. The bittersweet chocolate was overpowered by sweet. I made the ganache with a bit of espresso powder to diffuse. Maybe I will add that the next time to the batter, too -- or cut back on the sugar. For fun, I added chili powder to the ganache since I had messed with the recipe by adding espresso. That and the salt...my, my. Definately will make this again. And the pan is necessary for that great hard, chewy crust!
Colette
Breath in breath out. Repeat.
Joanie
Doesn't anyone use a double boiler or a bain marie anymore for melting choc, etc? Microwaving cheats bakers of such a marvelous pleasure of inhaling melting chocolate.
Mark Vigeant
I've made this many times and it is by far the best brownie I've ever had in my life, and I have received that as a compliment on multiple occasions. This brownie is the BEST.
Lola
I have made this dessert many times, but I made this again yesterday, and I found some serious faults, although I am still pleased with the previous results. There is way too much sugar in the recipe, and the previous time I have used less, but this time I forgot, and it is really not very pleasant. It also overlooks easily, so you should watch the oven.
theboken
Hard to mess up a brownie — this one was fantastic and better the next day. Took advice of another commenter and reduced sugar — used about 200g light brown and 75g white sugar — and it was still plenty sweet, esp w ganache. Could even go down more on sugar next time. Sprinkling of Maldon salt on top of ganache (while it’s still spreadable) is a must. Chopped nuts might also be nice.
Deb
Loved this recipe. Simple and delicious. However, I only had a 12 inch skillet which cooked the brownie faster than expected (it was bit dry) but the frosting on top with a dollop of whip cream- YUM! Will def. make again and shorten the bake time to 20 min.
Nolabillie
I loved this. My bookclub would love this. My five year old gave it -7 out of 10 and said it would give her nightmares (ie this is a delicious grown up brownie but not the typical brownie).
Kerry
24 mins and it was dry as a bone. Might be because I tried the applesauce oil swap, which I also do not recommend.
Anaid
Made it in a dutch oven and had to leave it longer - it ended up beautifully!
carolyn
These were truly awful. They were tasteless! I followed the recipe to the letter!
becca
Reduce white sugar to 1/4 CCast iron, line w parchment, bake and check at 23 mins
Melissa
Delicious
GBCopy
Best brownies ever. I found it impossible to get them neatly out of the pan - but I don't care. So good - chewy, chocolatey, super rich. Embrace the messiness and enjoy!
Gordon
consider adding a tablespoon of red chile powder--it will really make this recipe pop. I've really gotten into the habit of adding a tablespoon of red chile to chocolate recipes, and a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa to chile recipes.
mary kaltenbach
I expected more from this recipe, maybe crispier sides baking in the cast iron. Nonetheless, it had a gourmet taste and texture. Was not at all crumbly and my guests enjoyed it very much.
Vida
This is a really nice recipe. The ganache is lovely. It's like a mix between a brownie and a cake. Be very careful about the baking time, it can be a little tricky to get it just right. I'd recommend starting to check it at 15 minutes. I reduced the granulated white sugar to 1/4 cup and left the brown sugar the same, and it was the perfect sweetness.
Jill
I cooked for the thirty minutes and the brownies were dry - check them at twenty minutes if you have a convection oven!
Jeff
Absolutely delicious, though I'd advise checking for doneness at about 23 minutes. I checked at 26 minutes and the toothpick came out clean. It was not gooey in the center but moist, rather like the consistency of a flourless chocolate cake. The ganache is to die for.
np
Cooked In muffin tins - 21 minutes and appropriately gooey!
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