These Classic Fudge Walnut Brownies are deliciously rich with a fabulous dense texture. They are quick and easy to make and SO much better than a boxed mix!
When those chocolate cravings strike, these brownies or a slice of my easy One Bowl Chocolate Cake will hit the spot!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This recipe makes one small baking dish full of devilishly rich, perfectly textured Classic Fudge Walnut Brownies.
There are some pretty decent box brownie mixes out there these days so in order to justify going to the trouble of baking them from scratch, there had better be a pretty significant difference.
Well, these babies are significantly better than the boxed variety. They also happen to be quick and easy to put together. A great little weekend baking project!
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, light brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Wet ingredients: Milk, butter, pure vanilla extract, and large eggs.
- Chocolate: The key to the intense chocolate flavor in these brownies is a double shot of chocolate from unsweetened cocoa powder and bittersweet chocolate. I love Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Baking Bars. They are readily available and very good quality.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts.
How to Make Fudge Walnut Brownies
- Mix the dry ingredients: Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and set it aside.
- Melt the chocolate and butter: Place half of the bittersweet chocolate and the milk in a small saucepan and cook over low heat for a minute or two and then add the butter. Cook, stirring constantly, until the butter and chocolate have completely melted. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla
- Combine: Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the flour mixture and stir until slightly combined. Add the eggs, remaining bittersweet chocolate, and 1/4 cup of the walnuts and stir to combine.
- Bake: Pour the batter into a greased 8- or 9-inch baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining walnuts. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging, approximately 20 to 26 minutes.
Serving Tip
Serve these brownies over ice cream for a nostalgic summer dessert. Just set out different flavors of ice cream and let everyone serve themselves. Easy for you and guaranteed to be a hit!
Baking Tips for the Best Brownies
- Timing: Ovens can vary so I recommend setting your kitchen timer for a couple of minutes shy of the recommended baking times and watching them closely towards the end.
- Don’t overbake: Bake the brownies until the edges seem firm but the center is still somewhat soft. The brownies will continue to set up as they cool.
- Cool before slicing: Allow the browines to cool completely in the baking dish before cutting and serving. If you haven’t overbaked them, they’ll still be moist in the center after cooling.
The Best Brownie Baking Pans
You can honestly bake these brownies in pretty much any type of pan you have that is in the 8- to 9-inch square range. But, depending on the size and material of the pan, there can be some differences in baking times and the end result that are worth noting.
Keep in mind that an 8-inch pan will yield a slightly taller, softer brownie. A 9-inch pan is a bit shallower and will yield brownies with crispier edges.
- Most of us have glass or ceramic baking dishes in our cupboards and they will work just fine. They heat slowly and evenly and are useful for a variety of recipes.
- Metal pans made of aluminum, copper, or steel are a popular choice for brownies, especially if you like those crispy edges. Keep in mind that metal pans heat more quickly and may reduce the overall baking time a bit.
- You can also bake brownies in a silicone pan. They come in all kinds of bright, pretty colors but they are flimsy so it’s a good idea to place a baking sheet under them for support while moving them in and out of the oven.
Storage Tips
Store the cooled Fudge Walnut Brownies in an airtight container at room temperature. They should stay moist for up to 4 to 5 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate the brownies for up to a week, or freeze them for up to three months. When freezing, wrap each brownie individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Before serving, let them thaw at room temperature or warm them slightly in the microwave for that fresh-from-the-oven taste!
Sign up for my free newsletter for all the latest recipes and join me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more cooking inspiration!
Classic Fudge Walnut Brownies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, divided
- ⅓ cup milk, 2% or whole
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Place half of the bittersweet chocolate and the milk in a small saucepan and place it over LOW heat. Cook and stir for a minute or two and then add the butter. Continue cooking over LOW heat, stirring constantly, until the butter and chocolate have completely melted. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the flour mixture in the mixing bowl and stir until slightly combined. Add the eggs, remaining bittersweet chocolate, and ¼ cup of the walnuts (reserve remaining nuts for later) to the flour mixture and stir to combine.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup walnuts.
- Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging, approximately 20 to 22 minutes for 9-inch baking dish or 22 to 26 minutes for a 8-inch baking dish. The edges should seem solid but the center will appear somewhat soft and will continue to set up as the brownies cool. Ovens can vary so I recommend setting your kitchen timer for a couple of minutes shy of the recommended baking times and watching them closely towards the end. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the baking dish before cutting and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!
Adapted from Cooking Light
This post was originally published on July 6, 2014. It has been updated with new text and images.
I made these today and these were soooo fudgy yummy. My walnuts were stale so I had to throw those out. The recipe was perfectly fine without them. I also added all the chocolate to the milk since I forgot to divide them out. I _read_ this but I just forgot…and again, everything turned out perfect.
Great recipe! Thank you!
Great recipe and much easier to make now that both Ghiradelli and Nestle make 62% cocoa chocolate chips!
Place 1/2 of the bittersweet chocolate – when do I add the other 1/2?
It’s added just after the eggs – “Add melted chocolate mixture to the flour mixture and stir till slightly combined. Add eggs, remaining bittersweet chocolate, and 1/4 cup nuts to flour mixture; stir to combine.”
Hi Valarie! This looks absolutely delicious! Great recipe!!
The brownies and ice cream! What a perfect way to enjoy the holiday! He hee Bridget likes being safe and comfortable in the kitchen. 😀
Sometimes, I wonder why I would spend so much money buying the good chocolate to make brownies when the box mix is good and is cheaper. But, always after baking a pan of brownies, I don`t care anymore. The homemade version is always either equally delicious, or even better!
Glad you had a great 4th!
Looks wonderful!
Thank you, Nora!
Looks like you had an awesome 4th of July & Bridget is SO CUTE! I love Ghirardelli chocolate… these brownies look perfect for a crowd. We’re having a big cookout/potluck next weekend on the beach, I’m thinking these would make a great dessert!
I’m certain these brownies were a huge hit with your 4th of July company…they look scrumptious!!! I always have a nice stash of Ghirardelli bars in my pantry 🙂
Now this is a perfect 4th of July dessert. Love the pictures of your pup and family.
Thanks, Val. Welcome back!
These look delicious – especially with that vanilla ice cream!!
LOVE the chocolate you used!! Homemade brownies can be soooo good-especially when they’re so fudgy and decadent, like these!