Brownies

Skillet Brown Butter Brownies

Chewy in the middle, crinkly on top, crispy at the edges. The butter browns right in the hot skillet while the oven heats, so you get those toasty little bits in every bite.

Prep 20 minBake 25–30 minCool 20–30 minServes 12
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Photo: the whole skillet, fresh from the ovenPhoto: the whole skillet, fresh from the oven

What makes these special

Oven-browned butter. Melting the butter in the skillet as the oven heats gives a nutty, toffee-like flavor and coats the pan for crispy edges.

Melted dark chocolate. No cocoa powder here, just real chocolate melted into the hot brown butter for a deep, fudgy flavor.

More white sugar than brown. That balance gives a shiny, crinkly top while keeping the center chewy.

The recipe

12-inch cast-iron skillet, 350°F, about 12 slices

Ingredients

  • 128g (1 stick + 1 tbsp) unsalted butter
  • 255g (about 9 oz) dark chocolate, 60–70%, chopped
  • 180g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) granulated sugar
  • 120g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) packed light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs + 1 yolk, room temperature
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 150g (1¼ cups) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ tsp kosher salt
  • 195g (about 1 cup) chocolate chunks for the batter
  • 60g (⅓ cup) chocolate chunks for the top
  • Flaky sea salt

Directions

  1. Put the butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet and place it in the oven as it heats to 350°F. Let it melt and keep going until it smells nutty and has golden-brown bits.
  2. Carefully take out the skillet. Swirl the butter to coat the pan, then pour the rest over the chopped chocolate in a large bowl. Let it sit a minute, then stir until smooth.
  3. Whisk in both sugars.
  4. Once warm but not hot, add the eggs, yolk and vanilla. Whisk hard for 1 to 2 minutes, until thick and glossy.
  5. Fold in the flour and salt, then the chocolate chunks for the batter.
  6. Spread into the buttered skillet and press the remaining chunks into the top.
  7. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, checking at 22, until the edges are crispy and a toothpick in the center has moist crumbs.
  8. Sprinkle with flaky salt right away and cool at least 20 to 30 minutes before slicing.

Barbs' notes

Using a 10-inch skillet? Make two-thirds of the recipe. If most of your melting chocolate is semisweet chips, cut the total sugar by about 40g, since chips are sweeter.

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