The ubiquitous and irresistable chocolate brownie is not only a cafe culture staple, it's also one of the first forgiving bakes many of us attempt at home.
In fact, chocolate brownies are the childhood treat that never gets old, although the recipe might be taken up a gear to appeal to a more sophisticated crowd.
There are so many variations on the theme, but we've rounded up ten of the best brownies worth baking.
Different brownie textures
Not all brownies were created equal. Such a simple treat can polarise fans into two camps: the hardcore chocolate lovers who go for the dense, rich, compact and fudgy brownies; and those who prefer a ligher and airier brownie experience with a cake-like crumb.
These dense and chocolatey brownies set the benchmark for the classic fudge-like brownie, with zero leavening agents required - just lots of chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs and flour. Get the recipe for baked brownies at Brown Eyed Baker.
For extra-nutty crunch, try adding chopped walnuts to your mix, or even decorating the top of your bake, to add extra interest and flavour. Discover our easy walnut brownie recipe.
For the ultimate soft and sticky-centred gooey brownies, try our chocolate fudge brownies recipe. Set the slices down and watch them go.
Blondies
Forget chocolate here, and discover a world of buttery, chewy crumb with these golden brownies harnessing the power of brown sugar. The Kitchn has done the hard work here, sifting through recipes to find the ultimate blondie recipe with a chewy texture, a rich butterscotch flavour. Here's Smitten Kitchen's shortlisted trustworthy recipe for blondies.
Nutella brownies
Nutella fans can make even more out of their jar by trying this easy three-ingredient Nutella brownie recipe, as featured on Bon Appetit, with each slice becoming fudge-like after chilling.
Peanut butter brownies
Peanut butter cup fans will appreciate the salty-sweet notes of peanut butter brownies. Preppy Kitchen has the perfect fudgy, gooey and decadent peanut butter brownie recipe, with swirls of salty peanut butter.
Cream cheese brownies
Much like peanut butter swirls, chocolate brownies are perfectly at home with swirls of cream cheese. Preppy Kitchen also has a fine cream cheese brownie recipe.
Coffee and dark chocolate are a tried and tested match made in heaven. The Kitchn has delicious coffee brownies recipes in two keys, one for a moist and gooey experience, and the other for an altogether cakier crumb.
Vegan brownies
Brownies are equally adaptable for any dietary requirements, and excluding dairy products still yields just a tasty bake with a little bit of creativity. Try this nutty recipe for pecan, vanilla and sea salt vegan brownies from Jamie Oliver.
With so many chocolate brownie flavours to choose from, why not experiment and find your favourite?
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