These triple chocolate brownies are any chocolate lover's dream. They have a thin crinkly top, a fudgy rich center, and PLENTY of chocolate chips!
Full disclosure, I spent more time developing this recipe than I normally do. I must have made at least 10 variations of brownies because it is SO important to me to make the PERFECT brownie recipe. I'm incredibly picky when it comes to brownies, but I have to say that these are about as perfect as a classic brownie can get!
Anyone who knows me is fully aware that my love for chocolate runs deep. I have many rich, chocolatey desserts on my blog, so if you're a chocolate-lover like me, here are my FAVORITE chocolate recipes that I recommend that you try next:
Mini Chocolate Oreo Cheesecake
Reese's Stuffed Double Chocolate Cookies
The Secret to Decadent Brownies
The secret to decadent, melt-in-your-mouth brownies is the CHOCOLATE. You may be thinking, well that's a no-brainer, brownies are 90% chocolate. While that's true, not all chocolate is created equal! And when a recipe contains so much of an ingredient, its quality is MUCH more important.
While it may be tempting to use generic brands of cocoa powder and chocolate chips, I recommend my personal favorite brand, Ghirardelli. It's high quality chocolate, and never disappoints. For this recipe, I use Ghirardelli Dutch-process cocoa powder, semi-sweet chocolate chips, AND milk chocolate chips. In my opinion, using the same brand for all 3 ingredients helps the flavors blend together seamlessly. Ghirardelli's triple chocolate brownie mix is widely accepted as one of the best brownie mixes, and this homemade recipe is an elevated version of it. (No disrespect to the Ghirardelli brownie mix, it's good! But homemade brownies will ALWAYS be better.)
Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder
You may be accustomed to using normal cocoa powder when baking, but I highly recommend taking your brownies to the next level by using Dutch-process. It has a richer, smoother flavor, and a darker color. Dutch-process cocoa powder adds a depth of flavor that you'll love. Combining it with both milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate in this recipe creates a remarkable complex flavor.
How to Make Triple Chocolate Brownies
Prep the Oven and Pan
First, preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit so that it has plenty of time to warm up. Then grease an 8x8 metal pan and set it aside. Metal pans are better heat conductors than glass pans, so you'll get a more even bake. However, if you only have a glass pan on hand, that's fine--you may have to cook your brownies for a few more minutes, and the edges will be crisper. Also, if you are using a 9x9 pan instead of an 8x8, your brownies will be thinner and will bake faster (take about 2 minutes off your total bake time).
Make the Batter
Next, whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch) and set them aside. Mixing the dry ingredients beforehand will ensure that your ingredients are evenly distributed without over-mixing the batter. Next, melt the butter and combine it with the cocoa powder, and then the melted semi-sweet chocolate chips. Stir until it's smooth, and then set this mixture aside so that it can cool.
After preparing your dry ingredients and your chocolate/butter mixture, use a hand-mixer to beat the eggs with the vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and sugar for about three minutes. Beating the sugar with the eggs will dissolve most of the sugar, which gives the brownies a shiny, crinkly top. For that reason, I recommend NOT mixing by hand on this step, and to beat them for the full three minutes so that most of the sugar dissolves. Also, make sure that your eggs are at room temperature--this will help them mix well with the other ingredients, and will give the batter a smoother consistency.
Next, add the chocolate and butter mixture to the batter (eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla mixture). Beat with the hand mixer until combined. You'll know it's mixed enough when the batter is one continuous color. Then add the dry ingredients to the batter, and stir by hand with a rubber spatula or spoon. Add the milk chocolate chips halfway through stirring in the dry ingredients so that you don't overmix. Stop mixing once there aren't any more pockets of flour.
Bake the Triple Chocolate Brownies
Pour the brownie batter into the greased pan, and bake for about 22-24 minutes. I like my brownies to be gooey, so I typically take them out after 22 minutes--but if you like your brownies to be crisp, leave them in a bit longer. My general rule for knowing when brownies are done is if the center is set, or mostly set. Lightly jiggle the pan with an oven mitt to see how cooked your brownies are.
Remember, if you use a 9x9 inch pan, your brownies will take less time to bake because they will be thinner. If you use a glass pan, your brownies may take a few extra minutes.
Substitutions
To get the desired results, I don't recommend changing the recipe too much--but here are some substitutions that will work:
- Unsalted vs. Salted Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter in this recipe, but if you don't have any on hand that's fine. Use salted butter, but only use ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt when whisking the dry ingredients.
- Brand of Chocolate: If you don't have Ghirardelli chocolate chips on hand, that's okay--other brands will work. Guittard chocolate chips are also great! Just make sure to use Dutch-process cocoa powder. Here is the brand that I like to use.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: These brownies have a dark, rich chocolate flavor, with hints of sweeter chocolate from the milk chocolate chips. However, if you want a super sweet, milk chocolate brownie, sub out the melted semi-sweet chocolate chips for melted milk chocolate chips.
- Vegetable Oil: Canola oil works great if you don't have vegetable oil.
How to Serve Triple Chocolate Brownies
Get Clean-Cut Brownies
If you're like me, you'll want to dig into these brownies with a fork the minute they're out of the oven! However, if you're planning to share and want a clean cut like in the picture above, here are some steps to do so:
- After the brownies have cooled for at least 20 minutes, put the brownies in the refrigerator for a few hours, or the freezer for an hour, until hardened.
- Use a butter knife to separate the edges of the brownies from the sides of the pan, then gently turn the pan upside-down to remove the brownies.
- Place the brownies on a cutting board, and put a sharp knife in hot water to warm it up. Dry it off, and then slice the brownies, heating up and drying the knife in between cuts.
- Let the brownies warm to room temperature before serving.
What to Serve with Brownies
These triple chocolate brownies are great all by themselves, but I love pairing them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You could even add some hot fudge or caramel to make them into a delicious sundae. Add some chopped nuts or crushed oreos and whipped cream, and you've struck gold!
My favorite way to eat brownies is fresh out of the oven, with fresh scoops of vanilla ice cream in the pan. Everyone can grab a spoon and dig in. There's nothing better than warm, soft brownies with melting ice cream on top. Yum!
If you try out these triple chocolate brownies, I’d LOVE to hear about it. You can leave a comment below the recipe, or if you post a picture on Instagram, be sure to tag me! Getting any feedback on my recipes is both rewarding AND helpful as I write and edit recipes in the future.
Now get baking, and enjoy!
Triple Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (Ghirardelli)
- ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted (Ghirardelli)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature*
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 ¼ cup cane sugar
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips (Ghirardelli)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease an 8x8 metal pan and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch and set aside.
- Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for 45 seconds, or until melted. Stir in the cocoa powder until smooth.
- Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a separate microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir the chocolate, and then microwave in 15 second increments until melted, stirring in between until smooth.
- Add the melted semi-sweet chocolate chips into the cocoa powder and butter mixture. Stir until smooth.
- In a large bowl, add the room temperature eggs, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and cane sugar. Using a hand mixer, mix on medium speed for about 3 minutes until creamy. Don't mix for less time, mixing for 3 minutes will help the sugar start to dissolve (it will still be a little bit grainy).
- Add the chocolate and butter mixture to the egg mixture, and mix with a hand mixer on medium speed until the batter is an even color. Then add in the whisked dry ingredients, and mix by hand with a rubber spatula. Halfway through mixing, add the milk chocolate chips. Then continue to stir until there isn't any loose flour. Don't overmix!
- Add the brownie batter to the greased pan, and smooth the top over with a rubber spatula. Bake for about 22-24 minutes, until the center is barely set. Let the brownies cool for at least 15 minutes, and enjoy!
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