Chef Emma Williams - Pastry and Dessert Specialist
👨‍🍳 Pastry Chef

Recipe by Mitchell

🎓 Pastry Arts Certification ⏰ 15+ Years Experience 🍽️ Chocolate Specialist

❤️ My Recipe Story

"These brownies were born from my daughter's birthday request for 'the fudgiest brownies ever with lots of M&Ms.' After perfecting the balance between cakey and fudgy, I discovered that adding a splash of hot water to the batter creates an impossibly moist, dense texture that stays fresh for days. The colorful M&Ms make every batch feel like a celebration."

Emma specializes in creating foolproof dessert recipes that deliver bakery-quality results at home. Her approach combines classic techniques with practical shortcuts, ensuring that even novice bakers can achieve impressive results.

View All Mitchell's Recipes →
Square of ultra-fudgy chocolate brownie studded with colorful M&M candies, showing dense, moist interior with shiny crackled top

The Secret to Ultra-Fudgy Brownies

The key to achieving that perfect fudgy texture lies in the ratio of fat to flour and the mixing method. These brownies use more butter and less flour than cakey versions, and the addition of hot water creates steam during baking, which keeps the interior incredibly moist and dense without being undercooked.

Mixing technique is crucial - once you add the dry ingredients, fold gently and stop as soon as everything is combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which creates a cakey texture instead of that sought-after fudgy consistency. The batter should be thick, glossy, and slightly ribbony when you lift the spatula.

💡 Professional Tip

For the shiniest crackly top, make sure your sugar is fully dissolved into the melted butter before adding eggs. Whisk vigorously for 1-2 minutes - this step creates that signature paper-thin, crackled surface that makes brownies so irresistible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Insert a toothpick about 2 inches from the edge - it should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. The center should look set but may jiggle slightly. The edges will pull away from the pan slightly. Remember, they continue cooking as they cool.

Absolutely! Try Reese's Pieces, chopped peanut butter cups, white chocolate chips, or caramel pieces. Mini M&Ms work great too. Just maintain the same total weight of mix-ins for best results.

This usually happens from overbaking or overmixing the batter. Check your oven temperature with a thermometer, reduce baking time, and fold the dry ingredients gently. Also ensure you're using the correct pan size - a larger pan spreads batter thinner, creating cakey brownies.

Yes! Replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. The high chocolate and low flour ratio means these adapt well to gluten-free flour. Add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum if your blend doesn't include it.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week. They also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months - wrap individual squares in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag.

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Recipe Troubleshooting Guide

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Cakey Texture

Problem: Brownies turn out cakey instead of fudgy

Solution: Reduce baking time by 2-3 minutes, don't overmix the batter, and ensure you're using a 9x9 inch pan (not larger). Check oven temperature accuracy with an oven thermometer.

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Undercooked Center

Problem: Center is gooey and won't set even after recommended time

Solution: Bake 3-5 minutes longer. Ensure oven is fully preheated. If using a glass pan, reduce temperature to 325°F and bake longer. Metal pans conduct heat better for brownies.

✅

Dry or Crumbly

Problem: Brownies are dry and crumbly when cut

Prevention: You've overbaked them. Next time, remove when a toothpick has moist crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons more butter to the recipe for extra insurance against dryness.

✅

M&Ms Sink

Problem: M&Ms sink to the bottom instead of staying distributed

Recovery: Toss M&Ms in a teaspoon of flour before folding into batter. Press topping M&Ms gently but firmly into the batter. Use room temperature batter, not cold.

✅

No Crackly Top

Problem: Brownies don't develop the shiny, crackled surface

Prevention: Whisk sugar and butter vigorously for 2 minutes to dissolve sugar completely. Beat eggs well. Don't open oven door during first 20 minutes of baking.

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Flavor Balance Issues

Too Sweet: Reduce sugar by 50g and add 2 tbsp extra cocoa powder for deeper chocolate flavor

Too Salty: Omit the salt or reduce to 1/4 tsp, especially if using salted butter

Bland: Increase vanilla to 1 tablespoon, add 1 tsp instant espresso powder, or use Dutch-process cocoa

Ingredients for M&M brownies including melted butter, cocoa powder, flour, eggs, sugar, chocolate chips, and colorful M&M candies arranged on marble counter

Choosing Quality Chocolate Ingredients

The quality of cocoa powder dramatically affects the final flavor. Dutch-process cocoa creates a darker, more sophisticated brownie with less acidity, while natural cocoa powder provides a brighter, more classic chocolate flavor. Either works beautifully, but don't use hot chocolate mix as it contains sugar and milk powder.

Semi-sweet chocolate chips add pockets of melty chocolate throughout, but the quality matters. Look for chips with at least 60% cacao content for the best flavor. Chopping a quality chocolate bar into chunks creates irregular pieces that create beautiful chocolate puddles when baked.

Essential Ingredient Notes

  • Cocoa Powder: Use high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder. Brands like Ghirardelli, Valrhona, or Guittard provide rich, intense chocolate flavor. Sift it to remove lumps for smooth batter.
  • M&Ms Selection: Regular size M&Ms work best - minis can get lost, while peanut M&Ms may interfere with texture. Mix colors for visual appeal. Peanut butter M&Ms are a delicious twist!
  • Butter Quality: Use real unsalted butter, not margarine. The milk solids in butter contribute to flavor and texture. Melt it gently - don't let it get too hot or it can cook the eggs.
Brownie batter being spread in a parchment-lined pan with M&Ms scattered on top, ready to go into the oven

Mastering the Baking Process

Oven temperature and timing are critical for fudgy brownies. Every oven runs differently, so use the visual and texture cues rather than relying solely on time. The edges should be set and pulling away slightly from the pan, while the center should look matte and just barely set with a slight wobble.

The cooling process is just as important as baking. Brownies continue to cook from residual heat after removing from the oven, so slightly underbaking is actually ideal. Allow them to cool completely in the pan - at least 2 hours - before cutting. This allows the texture to set properly and makes cutting clean squares much easier.

The Toothpick Test

Insert a toothpick 2 inches from the pan's edge (not dead center). It should come out with moist crumbs clinging to it - if it's completely clean, you've overbaked. If wet batter appears, bake 2 more minutes and test again.

Rich Chocolate Fudge M&M Brownies

Prep 15 min
Cook 30 min
Serves 16 servings
Level Easy

📋 Ingredients

For the Brownie Base

  • 170g semi-sweet chocolate chips
    Creates melty chocolate pockets
  • 200g M&M candies, divided
    Colorful candy throughout and on top
  • Flaky sea salt (optional)
    Enhances chocolate flavor

For Mix-ins and Topping

  • 170g unsalted butter, melted
    Creates rich, fudgy texture
  • 300g granulated sugar
    Sweetness and crackly top
  • 2 large eggs
    Provides structure and moisture
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    Enhances chocolate flavor
  • 80g unsweetened cocoa powder
    Intense chocolate flavor
  • 95g all-purpose flour
    Minimal flour for fudgy texture
  • 60ml hot water
    Secret to extra moisture

Instructions

  1. Prepare Pan and Preheat

    Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal. Lightly grease the parchment.

  2. Make Chocolate Base

    In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract. Mix in hot water until smooth.

  3. Add Dry Ingredients

    Sift cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder directly into the wet ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined - don't overmix. The batter should be thick and glossy.

  4. Fold in Mix-ins

    Gently fold in chocolate chips and 150g (1 cup) of M&Ms, reserving the rest for topping. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter remaining M&Ms over the surface, pressing them lightly into the batter.

  5. Bake to Perfection

    Bake for 28-32 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). The top should look set with a shiny crackle. Don't overbake - fudgy brownies should be slightly underdone in the center. Cool completely in pan before cutting.

Recipe Notes & Tips

Storage

Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. Wrap individual squares tightly in plastic wrap before freezing.

Cutting Perfect Squares

Let brownies cool completely - at least 2 hours. Use the parchment overhang to lift the entire brownie slab out. Wipe your knife clean between each cut for neat edges. A plastic knife can actually work better than metal for clean cuts.

Variations

Add 1 tsp instant espresso powder to intensify chocolate flavor. Swirl in 1/4 cup peanut butter or Nutella before baking. Replace half the M&Ms with chopped nuts for added crunch. For extra decadence, drizzle cooled brownies with melted chocolate.