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Hi Bold Bakers!
Brownies always feel like the ultimate treat, especially if you bake them correctly! Good homemade brownies should have lots of different textures: they should be a little crisp on the outside, somewhat chewy as you bite in, and incredibly moist inside. Personally, I think the ultimate brownie should also have a crisp, crinkle top that has a delicious, moist brownie peeking through.
Of course, to make the Best-Ever Brownies, you need to use high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder, brown sugar, and, in my opinion, bittersweet chocolate (70%) chunks!
But what is the secret to crinkle top brownies?! I recently switched up my brownies techniques, and I figured it out—it’s all about how you prep the eggs! Before you add the eggs into the batter, whip them up just by themselves. Then, add them into the batter and mix until it is JUST combined. The secret to perfect, crinkly top brownies is to under-mix the batter once the eggs go in!
What Are Crinkle Top Brownies?
Crinkle top brownies are everything you know and love in a lot of my brownie recipes, including my Best-Ever Brownies, but with an irresistible crinkly, crispy top. It’s obvious you need good quality chocolate to make good brownies, but who knew so much power laid in the hands of the humble egg?!
The Secret To Crinkle Top Brownies
When you whisk the eggs in a separate bowl before adding them to the batter, you are essentially adding air to the eggs. That air is what makes the top of your brownies crinkle, creating a crispy texture, with cracks of gooey, moist chocolate peeking through.
Sometimes, one extra step seems so unimportant that you’ll skip it altogether. Who hasn’t thought, “Well, it’s all going to the same place, so I might as well toss it all in at once!” Trust me on this one! This step is worth it!!
What You Need To Make Crinkle Top Brownies
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 8×8-inch baking tray
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Sifter
How Do You Make Crinkle Top Brownies?
Making crinkle top brownies is a lot like making any other brownie, with just one essential step to ensure the most perfect crinkly top! Here is how you make crinkle top brownies (and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, down below):
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare an 8×8-inch baking tray by buttering it and lining it with parchment paper. Set the pan aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, oil, and both the white sugar and dark brown sugar.
- Here’s the secret step! In a separate, small bowl, whip up the eggs by themselves and then add them to the other wet ingredients. Mix the eggs in until they are JUST combined. The secret is to under mix once the eggs go in.
- Add in the vanilla and salt, and whisk it until it is evenly combined.
- Over the wet ingredients, sift in the flour and cocoa powder. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet until it is JUST combined. Don’t over mix! Then, fold in half of the chocolate chunks.
- Pour your brownie batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Generously top with the remaining chocolate chunks.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the center of the brownies no longer jiggle and is JUST set to the touch.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool to room temperature before removing them from the baking tray! Slice into 9 brownies.
Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips For making Crinkle Top Brownies
- You want to bake the brownies until it is just set and the jiggle is gone from the middle. If you over-bake your brownies, they won’t have that gooey texture you want.
- Use bittersweet chocolate (70%). It gives a great richness to your brownies.
- Dark brown sugar gives brownies lovely, deep, caramel notes. If you can’t buy it, you can always make your own!
- Don’t be shy with the salt and vanilla extract! These two ingredients are what make these brownies so irresistible.
- When serving, I like to warm the brownies in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. It makes them so gooey!
- Make sure to buy unsweetened cocoa powder; it will say it on the tub.
How Do I Store Crinkle Top Brownies?
Crinkle top brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. These brownies can also be frozen for up to 1 month. Be sure to let the brownies come to room temperature before serving!
Get More Brownies!
And don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
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Crinkle Top Brownies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8oz/225g) butter (melted)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (coconut or canola)
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (6 1/4oz/177g) dark brown sugar
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 1/4oz/227g) white sugar
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (5oz/142g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (4oz/115g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (9oz/255g) roughly chopped bittersweet chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) then butter and line an 8x8 inch baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine melted butter, oil, and both sugars.
- In a separate, small bowl whip up the eggs by themselves and then add the beaten egg to the wet ingredients. Mix in until JUST combined. (The secret here is to under mix once the eggs go in.)
- Add the vanilla and salt then whisk for about one minute until evenly combined.
- Over the same bowl sift in the flour and cocoa powder. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until JUST combined (do NOT over mix). Fold in half of the chocolate chunks.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, then smooth the top. Generously top with the remaining chocolate chunks.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the center of the brownies no longer jiggles and is JUST set to the touch.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before removing from the baking tray and slicing into 16 brownies. Enjoy!
I love this tip!!! I have one other tip, but it is not about making the brownies. I heard it years ago, and it has always worked for me. When cutting your cooled brownies, use a plastic knife. The brownie will not stick to the knife, and you will have nice, clean cuts!
I’ve been trying for an entire year to perfect my brownie recipe to get that lovely, shiny crinkle top, but it never worked, until I saw this new updated recipe! I think you should call THIS your best ever brownie recipe because it totally nailed the crinkle top! I made my own alternations though, by using powdered white and brown sugar so that they mix properly, and using all oil instead of butter to get rid of the water content. After that I followed your extra step of aerating the eggs. It resulted in super fudgy brownies with a gorgeous… Read more »
This recipe hit my inbox right before noon. I went straight to the kitchen and whipped up a batch exactly as written. Oh my gosh!! Heaven in a pan with a lovely, fudgy center and perfect crinkles on top. What a winner!! thanks Gemma!!
Hi Gemma!
I love your recipes! They are my go-to every time I feel like making a dessert!
I wanted to know if I can freeze this batter? And for how long? And will it still result in a crinkle top?
Hi Gemma
It is Marium here.
I have made these brownies and they are amazing.
I have always used eating chocolate so I wanted to ask that do you use eating chocolate or baking chocolate because the eating chocolate is not supposed to melt so what do u use ?
Loved the crinkle top brownie recipe..it’s the best
I made these in mini-cupcake form. They were crazy good!! Crunchy and gooey.
Hi, would like to ask if I could bake two brownies at the same time using convection mode for this recipe?
Hey Gemma! Thank you so much for this recipe. I had a question..what oven setting and rack would you recommend. The top of my brownie ends up burning very quickly so i don’t get the crinkle top while the underpart is way more undercooked
Hello Gemma – Can’t wait to try these! Wondering if they freeze well? Has anyone tried freezing them and how did they thaw out? Still yummy?!