The Best Brownies in a 9×13 Pan

This easy homemade brownie recipe is perfect for everything from everyday cravings to life’s sweetest celebrations.

Rich, fudgy, and deeply chocolatey, these brownies bake perfectly in a 9×13 pan, yielding 12 large or 24 smaller servings.

Whether you’re looking for the best brownie recipe for a party, potluck, or just a chocolate fix, this one delivers every time.If you’re looking for an easy homemade brownie recipe…

This rich, fudgy chocolate brownie recipe delivers everything brownie lovers crave—including that irresistible crackly top.

Packed with deep chocolate flavor and a chewy, gooey texture, you’ll be sinking your teeth into pure chocolate bliss in no time!

How do you make chocolate brownies?

You’ll need a few ingredients, and then you’ll be ready to get mixing. You don’t need a mixer, just a mixing bowl, and wooden spoon, or a firm spatula.

With just 7 simple ingredients, you won’t believe how delicious these homemade brownies are:

• butter
• sugar
• vanilla
• eggs
• flour
• cocoa
• salt

What else can I add to these brownies?

You can add a cup of chopped nuts, or chocolate chips, you can add a teaspoon of almond extract for a fun flavor option.

And if you do, maybe top the brownie batter with a third cup of sliced almonds.

Chocolate raspberry is a fun flavor option, so go ahead and add a teaspoon of raspberry extract. If you prefer white chips, go ahead and add those in.

For a fun peanut butter flavor added you can add in chocolate chips, or use 1/4 cup of peanut butter into the mix.

More of my 13×9 pan recipes:

• Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
• Chocolate Cake with Pink Frosting
• Vanilla Layer Cake
• Baked Ziti
• Broccoli Cheddarella Baked Ziti
• French Bread Stuffing

If you want to write on top of the brownie, make sure it’s completely cooled.

Place some frosting into a piping bag and either; use a small round piping tip or cut a small hole into the piping bag with a pair of kitchen shears.

Write your message across the brownies, add on some rainbow sprinkles for decoration maybe you want a little bit of sprinkles or maybe you want a lot!

This will fulfill all your chocolate cravings.

To line a rectangular pan (or square pan), place the pan over the parchment paper and look at the “corners.” You can draw a line with a pencil, marking the corners you’ll be cutting to remove out of the parchment paper. Cut the outer four corners of the parchment paper.

Then the parchment paper will easily fold, meeting the cut edges together so the corners are crisp and square.

You can spray a little baking spray in the bottom of the pan so the parchment paper doesn’t move, then lightly spray the top of the parchment paper for easy removal of the baked brownie. Then fill the pan with brownie batter, and bake the brownies.

There can be some tiny bits of unmixed cocoa, that’s ok. Overmixed brownie batter makes for dry brownies, and those few tiny bits will bake up just fine.

Swirl the top of the brownie batter after spreading it out.

Tips on cutter brownies:

Allow the brownies to cool before cutting (about 30 minutes) for smooth lines.

It’s best to use a serrated plastic knife, either a small disposable knife or the type of plastic lettuce cutting knife that works great. Plastic serrated knives won’t damage the pan (if you don’t use parchment paper) and allow for nice cut lines that won’t squish the brownies. You can cut the brownies warm, but they won’t look as good, but they’ll still taste great!

What can I top these brownies with?

You can slather on the fudge frosting for nice fudge-topped brownies, and add in cosmic sprinkles to replicate those fun cosmic brownies.

There are a few more frosting recipes to try, like cream cheese frosting, pink buttercream (or any color to match the occasion you’re celebrating) Oreo Frosting is another great option.

Add in a tablespoon of crushed instant coffee to the batter and top the brownies with coffee frosting for an added java jolt!

And for the added rich chocolatey deliciousness, add on some cooled (spreadable)or hot fudge and serve it with ice cream, brownies are always a great idea!

This is the 13×9 baking pan I use to bake easy homemade brownies. I love the squared corners and the pan bakes very evenly.

• Dust with cocoa
• Dust with powdered sugar
• Drizzle with glaze icing (any color)
• Cut into squares, and place a piece of wax paper or parchment paper at an angle to create a triangle, and dust that portion with cocoa or powdered sugar for a fun design.

Items I use to make this recipe

• Mixing Bowls
• Measuring Spoons
• Measuring Cups
• Stand Mixer
• 9×13 pan
• parchment paper
• Rainbow Sprinkles

Tips to remember when making these brownies

1). Over-mixing often causes problems in baking. As soon as the ingredients are mixed with maybe a bit of dry cocoa “streaks” it’s done.

2). The crackle comes from the sugar dissolving into the eggs and rising to the surface.

3). Use a metal pan, (glass pans take longer to heat up)

4). Preheating the oven  for 15 minutes, this ensures a hot oven and the batter rising right away, helping that crackle

5). Melted Butter, the warmth of the butter helps with the crackle too.

6). Be sure to add the eggs one at a time and mix enough so it’s incorporated.
Brownies can be underbaked for that fudgey consistency vs being cake-like
And Dutch process cocoa can give a fudgier “taste” consistency, but the “hack” of just adding baking soda might not give the same effect.

Print Recipe

5 from 25 votes

Brownie Recipe 9×13

rich delicious chocolate brownies with a crackle top that will win over any chocolate lover.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 large, 24 small brownies

Author: Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter melted 2 sticks (I use salted butter, but unsalted can be used as well)
• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cocoa I like using dutch process cocoa or dark chocolate cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon salt you can use half or leave out if using salted butter

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Line a 9×13″ pan with parchment paper and spray lightly with a baking spray. (add some spray so the paper sticks to the pan, then spray the paper so all the brownie recipes from the parchment easily)
• In a large mixing bowl whisk butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
• Add in the eggs one and a time and mix after adding each egg.
• Add in flour, cocoa, and salt and stir to combine.
• Place batter on top of the parchment-lined pan, spread evenly, and smooth the top, or use a toothpick to create a swirl pattern.
• The batter is thick, so press it down with an offset spatula and slowly spread it to the corners for the best result.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick come out without “wet” batter but can have chocolate on it, don’t overbake until the toothpick comes out clean the brownies will be dry. Remember they will remain hot until cooled which will continue to bake the brownies once you remove the pan from the oven.

Does it matter if I bake in glass or metal pans?

Yes, baking in a metal pan results in faster, more even cooking and a chewier texture with crisp edges, while a glass pan leads to a longer baking time, softer texture, and sometimes undercooked in the center, as glass pans are better insulators that retain heat, metal pans conduct more efficiently and consistently for more uniform baking.