Whether you're baking for a last-minute bake sale, spontaneous celebration, or it's simply time to restock the freezer, this quick and easy brownie recipe is just what you need. The result is four dozen fudgy, nicely chewy, super-chocolatey brownies with an added benefit: their shiny top crust makes them look just as good as they taste!
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a rimmed half sheet pan (about 13" x 18" outside dimensions).
Crack the eggs into a large bowl; the bowl of your stand mixer works well here. Add the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla. Beat slowly until everything is barely combined, then beat at medium speed for about 1 minute, or until smooth.
In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter. Add the sugar and stir to combine. Continue to heat (or microwave) briefly, just until the mixture is hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it.
Add the hot butter/sugar mixture to the egg/cocoa mixture, stirring until smooth.
Add the flour and chips, again stirring until smooth.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top as best you can.
Bake the brownies for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges feel set and the center is very moist, but not uncooked. A knife tip poked into the center shouldn't reveal any raw batter.
Remove the brownies from the oven and cool them on a rack before cutting and serving.
Store any leftovers, well-wrapped, at room temperature for five to six days; freeze for longer storage.
Looking to make a smaller batch? See our recipe for Fudge Brownies, which yields about half as many (though equally decadent) brownies.
Why heat the butter and sugar together? Heating the two will help the sugar dissolve fully in the batter, which helps the brownies to develop a shiny (rather than dull) top crust — as does adding chocolate chips to the batter. The chips soften and partially melt in the batter, and their sugar migrates to the top crust where it caramelizes, along with the dissolved sugar.
When testing to see if brownies are done, take a toothpick or the tip of a sharp knife and carefully poke it into the center of the pan, digging around just enough to see the interior. You should see moist crumbs, but no uncooked batter. Yes, you'll be left with a small divot in the center of your brownies; just cut around it when you're cutting the brownies into squares.
