Made with simple, nostalgic ingredients and a one-bowl method, this incredibly delicious brownie recipe is perfect for both beginners and experiences home-bakers.
These brownies are soft, moist, addictive, chocolate heaven awesomeness. For years I’ve tried to make the perfect brownies, trying countless recipes from various sources because let’s face it the boxed kind just don’t cut it. I tried all sorts of recipes to no avail. Once I even tried a recipe made with Baileys cream. I thought it would be delicious, but it was… well, let’s leave it at I had to throw out the entire batch.
You know how on every episode of some medical procedural, the doctor gets that epiphany look on his or her face? That was the look I had when I finally realized I should go to the source. The source being Hershey. 
My dad is an avid and very talented baker that will put many professional bakers to shame. He makes the best Mexican breads and Polish Kolachky among many other great treats. He always had Hershey cocoa and Hershey products in the house. I remember seeing a brownie recipe on the back of a box or package. I’ve been perfecting this recipe for the past year and every time it yields delicious results. Soft, moist and to a chocoholic almost orgasmic. The anticipation is high, the smell in the air can be torturous and I can never wait for them to cool off before taking my first bite.
These heavenly brownies are ones that must be shared with friends. Though it’s hard to hand over the box of freshly baked brownies and watch it disappear as you watch your friend carry it off down the sidewalk. You wipe the tears and hurry back home to bake yourself another batch. Don’t worry you can do an extra hour of yoga this week to burn off all the oh so worthy extra calories. Brownies for breakfast, oh yes that’s the breakfast of champions. This has been the confessions of a brownie addict and her chocolate vice.
How to Make Hershey’s Brownies
Prepare Your Baking Dish
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with butter or cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper for easier removal.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir until well blended.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with a spoon or whisk after each addition.
Combine the Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. This ensures even distribution and removes any lumps.
Create the Batter
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until fully incorporated. Be careful not to overmix; stop as soon as no dry streaks remain.
- If using nuts, gently fold them into the batter.
Bake the Brownies
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Cool and Serve
- Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting them into 16 squares.
- Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
101 Guide to Succeeding with Hershey’s Brownies
Tips for the Perfect Brownies
- Avoid Overmixing: Overworking the batter can lead to tough brownies. Stir just until combined.
- Don’t Overbake: Brownies continue to cook as they cool. Remove them from the oven when the center still appears slightly underdone for fudgier results.
- Room Temperature Eggs: This helps the eggs blend more easily with the batter.
- Customize Your Mix-Ins: Add chocolate chips, dried fruit, or even a swirl of peanut butter for extra flavor.
Texture Preferences
- Fudgy Brownies: Use only 1/4 teaspoon baking powder or omit it entirely for a denser result.
- Cakey Brownies: Add an additional egg and increase the baking powder slightly (up to 1/2 teaspoon).
Awesome Hershey’s Brownies
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 16 brownies 1x
Description
Made with simple ingredients and a one-bowl method, this incredibly delicious brownie recipe is perfect for both beginners and experiences home-bakers.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, melted
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (40 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder (Hershey’s or similar)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 1/2 cup (60 g) chopped nuts (e.g., walnuts or pecans)
Instructions
Prepare Your Baking Dish
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with butter or cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper for easier removal.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir until well blended.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with a spoon or whisk after each addition.
Combine the Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. This ensures even distribution and removes any lumps.
Create the Batter
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until fully incorporated. Be careful not to overmix; stop as soon as no dry streaks remain.
- If using nuts, gently fold them into the batter.
Bake the Brownies
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Cool and Serve
- Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting them into 16 squares.
- Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Storage: Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Freezing: Wrap individual brownie squares tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Substitutions: Use margarine instead of butter if preferred, or experiment with coconut oil for a subtle flavor twist.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 brownie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Really good stuff!
These are indeed 100% 1000% 10000% AWESOME!
Trust me, I’ve tried many brownie recipes, but this one is by far the easiest and most delicious!
Mine were perfectly moist and juicy and absolutely decadent. Fabulous recipe!!
Turned out pretty great, but I think I overdid them a little bit. Mine were slightly dry, but the taste was exceptional!
These are, indeed, awesome!
These are, truly, awesome. I love these brownies!
I am so in love with this recipe. I will also add a good handful of milk chocolate bits and cover them in the batter. I have also tried the bittersweet bits and they’re equally as good. Hershey cocoa brownies are really wonderful??
It’s no longer on the canister of cocoa I’m glad you shared it.
Thanks so much,
Ellie
Ps I line my pan with tin foil so I can easily remove and cut them without any crumbling. Simply put them on a cutting board.
I lived in Saudi Arabia 50 plus years ago and remember a tiny shop that got in herseys chocolate chips. Thought I went to heaven in a Muslim nation!
I have been cooking for over 40 years. This is the first time I have made this recipe and it is OUTSTANDING!! I rate this a 5 out of 5 and my company loves it also. These taste nothing like box but are MUCH MUCH better than box. You and dad have a talent.
Randomly found this recipe through internet search. I was looking for a cocoa brownie that didn’t require frosting. I doubled it and baked in a 9×13. They were perfect!! Printing and saving this one!! Thanks!!
Brownies were very good!! Next time I will be putting chocolate chips or butterscotch chips in them. This time I only put pecans in them! My husband-to-be loved them & put a scoop of ice cream on his brownie!! LOL
Has anyone put peanut butter on these brownies before?
My husband-to-be was craving something sweet & all I had in the pantry was Hersheys cocoa. So I went online & located this brownie recipe. I doubled the batch after I had already mixed the sugar, butter, eggs & vanilla flavoring after realizing my 9×13 baking pan would be too big for one batch. The brownies are in the oven now. After they are done & cooled I will let y’all know what my husband-to-be says about them. Stay tuned…LOL
p.s. I am a huge brownie lover as well!! ;-)
Definitely a very good recipe. Making them for a second time tonight ( :
Mmmmm. This is my 1st time making homemade brownies and my, my. I must say, THESE ARE DELICiOUS!
Going to try these. Don’t know how they’ll turn out but I’m willing to try it. I will be back with my review. : )
Every time I make brownies or cake with Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder they taste horrible.
They’re dry and sticky, and they have an odd flavor.
I follow the directions exactly, as well as the ingridients, but they just suck.
Is there a reason for this?
Just made these brownies. I doubled the recipe so I’mm wondering how long to cook them?? Anyone have any ideas??
I found it’s amazing if, after you pour the mixture into the brownie pan, you push frozen blueberries into the mixture,then bake- the acidity in the blueberries is a nice contrast to the chocolatey goodness!
looks good =P
looks good =P
Great recipe. I’m at 6100 ft and I had to add 2 tbs of flour. They come out a little greasy, like Sarah said, but you see that a lot here.
me and my best friend made these brownies and now i cant stop making them… so good..im in love with this recipe. best one ive found so far.
SOOOO GOOD! I just made these for the first time. I will never buy a box mix again!
I sprinkle M & M candies on top…..
Well the browines look really good ,but i need a recipe that doesn’t involve butter and sugar
These were WONDERFUL! I had a terrible craving for brownies last night – almost to the point of being teary-eyed! (No – I am not pregnant… I just am that big of a brownie girl!) These hit the spot! I live in a high altitude area, so next time I’ll probably try tweaking the ingredient amounts slightly. I’d probably cut back a little on the butter and/or maybe add an extra Tablespoon of flour so they aren’t quite so noticeably greasy. That is sometimes a problem with some baked goods recipes here. (They were still DelICIouS!) Definitely keeping this recipe as my ‘go-to’ from-scratch brownie recipe! ALSO – I am a “brownies are totally okay for breakfast” kinda gal. My husband just doesn’t understand… *sigh* :-) Thanks for the great recipe! I think I may have to try adding a little coffee sometime.
You know what Nancy? Brownie is something that I have been wanting to bake for long now. I would love to give your recipe a try. They looks so fabulous :)
Hi Nandita, Oh you must try baking Brownies. If you like chocolate it’s a must try treat. I hope you like them and do let me know how they turn out. Thanks !
Brownies for breakfast…I’m in :) They do look fantastic and love the photos of course :)
Yes they make a really great breakfast, hehe. Thank you sweetie :)