Brownie S.O.S. - Common Brownie Fails And How To Fix Them (2024)

We’ve all tried our fair share of not-up-to-scratch brownies, but when you invest time and money intobaking your own, it can be frustratingwhen they let you down or don't go according to plan.

As a professional baker, I can assure you that it probably isn't your fault -baking is a science, and alarge number of factorsplay into your baking process togive you picture-perfect results. The recipe writing, equipment used, the ambient temperature, the oven temperature, the specific ingredients used - it's a minefield!

Below, we share ourbrownie troubleshooting guide for the most common brownie fails - what to do when your brownies justaren't behaving.

  1. My brownies are TOO DRY
  2. My brownies are TOO GOOEY
  3. My brownies are NOT CHOCOLATY ENOUGH
  4. My browniesDON'T HAVE A SHINY CRUST
  5. My brownies are TOO BITTER
  6. My brownies are SINKING

Brownie S.O.S. - Common Brownie Fails And How To Fix Them (1)

Problem 1: My brownies are DRY

A dry brownie is, IMO, a cardinal sin. It's the onlytype of failed brownie that will end up in mybin. Too-gooey brownies I can work with, but dried out brownies with burnt edges are a no-go for me.

If your brownies are turning out dry, it's for one of two reasons - either you’ve overcooked the brownies or there is too much flour in your recipe.

Overcooked brownies?

You can tell the difference using the edges; if they area little burnt-looking and very dry, it’s likely that the brownies are overcooked. If the edges are overcooked but the centre is not, the temperature of your oven was too hot.

To avoid overcooking, remember thatbrownies will firm up A LOT once taken out of the oven; thebrownie shouldstill be wobblyin the middle when you take it out of the oven (there is a lot of butter and chocolate in the mix, both of which are basically liquid when hot, but firm when at room temperature).

To determine when it's baked, wewould recommend looking for a solid crust on top of the brownie, but a good wobble in the centre when you shake the pan.

If the middle is rawbut the edges are burning, your oven is too hot. For a standard recipe, cooked in an 8 inch square tin, we'd look to cook the brownies low-and-slow - around 30 minutes at 160C.

Too much flour?

Go back to your edges - if they're not burnt, look a good colour (similar to the centre) but the brownie is too cakey and dry throughout, the recipeprobably included too much flour.

One of thekey differences between a sponge cake recipe and a brownie recipe is the ratio of dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, etc) to wet ingredients (butter, eggs, etc). A sponge cake has a much higher proportion of dry ingredients than a brownie. A good brownie recipe - and by good, we mean paper-thin crinkly crust and FUDGY middle - shouldhave a relatively small amountofthe dry ingredients, ie. flour and cocoa powder. They don't need a lot of flour - the butter and chocolate, once solidified at room temperature, create the fudgy texture that we want.

If you've checked your cooking time and temperature but still can't get that fudgy centre, look at your recipe and compare it to other well-reviewed ones - I suspect that your brownies have too much flour in them.

Extra tip: adding too much sugar can make brownies more susceptible to burning, you can always cover with aluminium foil if the top is going too dark.

Problem 2: My brownies are too GOOEY

(Is there such thing?)

Honestly, there is a slim chance they are underbaked, butit's more likely that they just need to firm up in the fridge.

Our brownies arebasically a chocolaty puddle when they come out the oven.

If you think about it, theingredients that create that fudgy texture - the chocolate and butter - are completely liquid when hot, but solid at room temperature.

We would never attempt to slice a brownie less than 2-3 hours after baking - it'll be a gooey mess.For perfect, fudgy brownies, let them coolin their tin for 1-2 hours after baking, and then put them in the fridge overnight. Using a hot knife, you'll be able to slice them straight from the fridge and achieve those perfectly neat, sharp edges.

Solution: if you still think they're too soft once cooled, cook them for a few minutes longer next time. But first, pop them in the fridge overnight and have a bit of faith.

Problem 3: My brownies are NOT CHOCOLATEY ENOUGH

Perhapsthe biggest offence to brownies is using just cocoa powder, and no actual chocolate. Even worse if you use low quality cocoa powder. This is where the chocolate flavour will come from.

Also, actual chocolate isn't only needed to make the brownies rich and chocolaty - it also plays a crucial role in creating the right texture. The fats in the chocolate will soldify and help the butter to create that fudgy centre.

Abrownie can only be as good as the chocolate it’s made with. Make sure you use a chocolate that you would love to eat. It doesn’t have to be premium, extortionately expensive chocolate, but equally, discount supermarket own-brand chocolate isn’t going to do you any favours.

Problem 4: My brownies don't have a SHINY CRUST

Tastes good, but I WANTED A SHINY, CRINKLY CRUST!

Whileyour brownie may taste just as good, a dull-topped brownie is never as inviting as a shiny one.

The paper-thin crinkly crust can only form if the sugar in the brownies has fully dissolved and broken down. The best way to achieve this is by making sure you thoroughlybeat the sugar and the eggs. We would recommend whisking the eggs and sugar to 'ribbon stage' - this isachieved when you reach a thick, foamy consistency (and when you lift the whisk, a ribbon should form on top of the mix for a few seconds). We would recommend an electric whisk for this stage, or be prepared to go all-out with a hand whisk.

Recipes calling for melted butter also tend to give a better crust - as butter is made up of 20% water, heating it will allow the sugar to dissolve more readily.

Problem 5: My brownies are TOO BITTER

It’s worth remembering that unsweetened cocoa powder is a very bitter thing in itself. Good quality dark chocolate is also 70% cocoa solids, which most people would consider quite bitter.

Do not swap out the dark chocolate for milk chocolate - it will ruin your brownie. Even if you normally prefer eating milk chocolate, milk chocolate will not be able to impart enough chocolateflavourwhen combined with the other ingredients, making your brownies taste bland. Dark chocolate also plays an important role in the texture.

If you're finding your brownies too bitter, look at alternative recipes containing more sugar and / or less cocoa powder.

While less common, bitter browniescould be caused by other factors:

  • Your chocolatecould have beenslightly burnt - this is common if you melt your chocolate it in the microwave,
  • Your oven might have been too hot - slightly burnt edges can impart a nasty bitter taste
  • You might have used too much baking powder - leavening agents can create an acidic taste

Problem 6: My brownies are SINKING

Ah, the horrible feeling you get when you look in the oven to see the skatepark that has formed in your brownie.

WELL, most likely you just over-whisked your brownie mix. The only step that should be whisked with an electric beater is the eggs, everything else is best done by hand. This prevents the brownie from gaining too many air bubbles, aerating in the oven and then collapsing back down.

Another common culprit is too much flour / too much leavening agent (ie. baking powder) in your recipe.

Brownies are perfect when the middle is just baked, so it sets to a fudgy, moist consistency - if your flour and baking powder are causing theedges to rise, cook and set too quickly, they will give the appearance of a sunken centre, even if the centre is perfectly cooked.

Brownie S.O.S. - Common Brownie Fails And How To Fix Them (2)

Brownie S.O.S. - Common Brownie Fails And How To Fix Them (2024)

FAQs

Why do my brownies always fail? ›

Brownies fail to rise due to the insufficient batter in your baking pan and not enough air has been infused, or your batter may not have enough egg or other key leavening agents.

How do you fix a collapsed brownie? ›

Brownies also sink in the middle because they weren't baked for long enough. Even when your toothpick comes out almost clean but you start noticing a dent in your brownies, bake them for 4-5 more minutes. These last few minutes do their magic.

How to fix gooey brownies? ›

Solution: if you still think they're too soft once cooled, cook them for a few minutes longer next time.

What happens if you overmix brownies? ›

Overmixing the ingredients can cause brownies to turn out tough or for a thin crust to form on top.

What makes brownies fudgy vs cakey? ›

Fudgy brownies have a higher fat-to-flour ratio than cakey ones. So add more fat—in this case, butter and chocolate. A cakey batch has more flour and relies on baking powder for leavening. The amount of sugar and eggs does not change whether you're going fudgy or cakey.

Should you chill brownie batter before baking? ›

Recently, as I was reading through the comments on all our brownie recipes, one suggestion in particular stood out: Refrigerate the batter overnight for a richer, chewier brownie.

Should brownies still be liquid in the middle? ›

If the brownies still look wet or aren't pulling away, they aren't done. Even fudgy brownies will pull from the edges once they've finished baking. You'll see that the edges look dry while the middle still looks soft or slightly wet. Chewy and cakey brownies will have dry edges with firmer-looking centers.

Why do my brownies fall apart when I cut them? ›

Wait until your brownies have completely cooled to room temperature. As brownies cool, they will solidify and set up, so slicing into them too early can result in brownie squares that fall apart or become a mess very quickly. Note: I don't recommend slicing baked brownies until just before you plan to serve them!

How thick should brownie batter be in the pan? ›

Brownie batter tends to be thick enough to not want to naturally fill a pan on its own. My favorite tool for spreading it is an offset spatula, but the back of a spoon works as well. Take the few extra seconds to ensure the batter is in an even layer.

Can I bake brownies at 350 instead of 325? ›

Most recipes call for baking brownies at 350°. If a fudgy inside and crackly top is your goal, stick with that temperature. Brownies baked at 325° will take longer to bake and will become chewier in texture.

Can I rebake undercooked brownies? ›

Put the brownies back in the 300 degree oven and bake until a cooking thermometer reads 195 degrees, or about 30 more minutes.

Why did my brownies turn out spongy? ›

A brownie recipe with baking powder should be avoided as you'll most certainly end up with a cakey texture. Another reason your brownies may be cakey is too much mixing or beating during the cooking process. Of course make sure you have a high fat to flour brownie recipe.

How to make brownies soft again? ›

Heat a non stick pan on medium heat for about 5 minutes. On an electric stove turn off the heat, Put about 5 ml (1 teaspoon) of water in the pan, quickly put the brownies in and cover it with a lid. Let it sit about 5 minutes.

What not to do when making brownies? ›

To make the best brownies, it's essential to avoid making some common mistakes.
  1. Using the wrong recipe for the texture you desire. ...
  2. Omitting complementary ingredients. ...
  3. Not adding enough moisture. ...
  4. Overmixing the batter. ...
  5. Using oil as the primary fat. ...
  6. Using the wrong type of sugar for shiny brownies. ...
  7. Forgetting the shiny top.
Feb 5, 2023

What does too much egg do to brownies? ›

They give brownies a lighter, drier, and more cake-like texture. If you prefer this over the chewy variety, then go ahead and crack in that additional egg. On the other hand, too many eggs will yield brownies that are hard, heavy, and tough.

Why do my brownies always turn out like cake? ›

If you've ended up with cakey brownies and wanted fudgy you've probably used too much flour. It is difficult to play around with flour levels in brownies and cake recipes so if you're going to innovate then be prepared for several batches that may not result in perfect brownies.

Should you cover brownies while baking? ›

If you think your brownies are baking too quickly, cover them with a layer of foil to help reflect some heat away.

How to get brownies to cook evenly? ›

As brownies don't rise much, it may also help to rotate the pan by 180 degrees halfway though the cooking time, particularly if the batter in the corners is too well-cooked. Hot and cool spots should not be an issue in a fan oven, but it may help if the air circulation isn't completely even.

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