✔ Updated · fixed bake time + weighed amounts, new photos
These copycat Starbucks brownies are dense, fudgy and double chocolate, with a shiny crackly top and melty chunks in every bite. Everything happens in one bowl, and they're out of the oven in about 25 minutes.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Pull the pan when a toothpick still has moist crumbs on it. Brownies keep cooking as they cool, and that's what keeps them fudgy.
Why You'll Love These Brownies
- Double chocolate: cocoa in the batter plus chunks inside and on top.
- One bowl, no mixer, and pantry ingredients you probably have right now.
- Coffee-shop texture: a crackly top and a dense, fudgy middle.
What Makes These Taste Like Starbucks Brownies?
The coffee-shop double chocolate brownie is dense and fudgy rather than cakey, with chunks of chocolate all through it. This copycat-style version gets there with melted butter, plenty of cocoa, very little flour and a short bake.
I love one warm-ish with an afternoon latte. For more coffee-shop bakes, browse our Starbucks copycat recipes, or try the Starbucks banana bread and lemon loaf.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Whisk the eggs and sugar hard. A full minute of whisking dissolves the sugar and gives you that shiny, paper-thin crackly top. It's the bit people always ask me about.
- Use Dutch-process cocoa if you can. It bakes up darker and smoother, closer to the deep color of a coffee-shop brownie. Natural cocoa works too, just a little lighter and tangier.
- Don't overbake. Moist crumbs on the toothpick means done. A clean toothpick means cakey. My oven runs hot, so I start checking at 20 minutes.
- Metal pan, not glass. Glass holds heat and overbakes the edges. If glass is all you have, drop the oven to 325°F and add a few minutes.
- Be patient before cutting. Warm brownies smear. After an hour on the rack they slice into clean, fudgy squares, and the corner piece is mine. Always.
- A pinch of espresso powder doesn't make them taste like coffee. It just makes the chocolate taste more chocolatey.
Starbucks Double Chocolate Brownies (Copycat)
9
brownies15
minutes25
minutes300
kcal1
hour40
minutesCopycat-style Starbucks double chocolate brownies: fudgy, crackly-topped squares made in one bowl with melted butter, cocoa powder and semisweet chocolate chunks, baked in an 8×8 pan at 350°F.
Ingredients
- For the Brownies
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (63 g)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-process for the darkest color (43 g)
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chunks, divided (130 g)
Directions
- Make the Batter
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on two sides so you can lift the brownies out.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave, then pour it into a large bowl and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla to the butter and whisk hard for about 1 minute, until the mixture turns paler, glossy and slightly thick. This gives the brownies their shiny, crackly top.
- Sift the flour, cocoa, espresso powder (if using) and salt over the bowl and fold them in with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chunks, saving the rest for the top.
- Bake and Cut
- Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top and scatter over the remaining chocolate chunks.
- Bake for 22 to 27 minutes, until the top is set and crackly and a toothpick poked into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Don’t wait for it to come out clean.
- Cool the brownies in the pan on a rack for at least 1 hour, then lift them out and cut into 9 squares with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts.
Like this recipe?
Follow us @recipefairy on Pinterest
Variations
- Nutella swirl: dot spoonfuls of Nutella over the batter and swirl with a knife, or try our Nutella brownies.
- White chocolate: swap half the chunks for white chocolate chips for a cookies-and-cream look.
- Nutty: fold in 1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans.
- Salted: sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top right after baking.
- Mocha: use the full teaspoon of espresso powder and serve with a latte or our copycat Starbucks iced coffee.
Storing and Freezing
- Room temperature: airtight, up to 3 days. Leave them uncut if you can, they stay moister.
- Fridge: up to 5 days. Chilled brownies are extra fudgy.
- Freezer: wrap squares individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for an hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of brownie does Starbucks sell?
Starbucks has sold a double chocolate brownie in its bakery case: a dense, fudgy square with chocolate chunks. Bakery items vary by season and location, so check the Starbucks app for your store. This copycat-style recipe aims for that same fudgy, double chocolate bite.
How do I get a crackly top on brownies?
Whisk the eggs and sugar into the warm melted butter for a full minute, until the mixture looks pale and glossy. That dissolves the sugar, which forms the thin, shiny crust as the brownies bake.
Why are my brownies cakey instead of fudgy?
Usually too much flour or too long in the oven. Spoon and level the flour, or weigh it at 63 grams, and take the pan out when a toothpick still shows moist crumbs. Overbeating after the flour goes in can also make them cakey.
How long do homemade brownies last?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like them slightly chilled, when they get even fudgier.
Can I freeze these brownies?
Yes. Cool them completely, cut them into squares, wrap each one and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, or warm one in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
Can I double the recipe?
Yes. Double everything and bake in a 9×13-inch metal pan for 28 to 35 minutes, checking with a toothpick from 25 minutes.
){kind=link}