Calling all serious chocolate lovers to the table with these black cocoa brownies! They’re a deep, dark chocolate with an Oreo-like flavor the rich, fudgy texture of a classic brownie!
This recipe is the black cocoa version of my Better Than Box Mix Brownies, which has been a reader favorite for years. I started swapping in black cocoa just for fun on Instagram, and they kept getting so much attention that it was time to give them their own post.
They’re dense and fudgy with a deep, smooth chocolate flavor (think Oreo cookie, but in brownie form). The almost-black color is the showstopper. Bring these to a cookout or bake sale, and people will most certainly stop you to ask what they are!
Fudgy Black Cocoa Brownies
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Their striking appearance! They’re dark, dramatic, and make a statement.
- Ultra fudgy. They’re dense, chewy, and perfectly fudgy.
- Simple pantry ingredients. It takes just basic pantry staples to make these dark cocoa brownies.
- Customizable. Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt or a swirl of peanut butter on top (like in my peanut butter swirl brownies).
Helpful Tools
- 9×13 Aluminum Baking Pan: Metal pans bake more evenly than glass and give you cleaner edges.
- Parchment Paper: Line the pan with overhang so you can lift the whole slab out for easy cutting.
- Small Saucepan: For melting the butter and dissolving the sugar together.
- Hand Mixer: You’ll need it for the egg and cocoa mixture, but you can stir the rest of the batter by hand.
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump- Black cocoa powder: The dark color comes from the ultra-Dutch-processed, heavily alkalinized cocoa, which has a mild flavor due to low acidity. It’s what Oreo cookies are made from!
- Dry ingredients: Granulated sugar, white sugar, baking powder, salt. For the best texture, it’s really important to measure flour correctly.
- Wet ingredients: Salted butter, eggs, vanilla extract. Use room temperature eggs. Cold eggs can cause the melted butter to seize up and affect the texture. Pull them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start.
- Chocolate chips: I use Ghirardelli baking chips. Use what you like, but try and use a good quality chocolate. In my Starbucks chocolate chunk brownies, I use chocolate chunks, which you could try!
How to make Black Cocoa Powder Brownies
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step One: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 baking dish with parchment paper, letting it hang over the edges. Spray with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Step Two: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once it’s fully melted, add the sugar and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Don’t let it boil. Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl to cool slightly.
- Step Three: In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, black cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed for about a minute, until fully smooth and incorporated.
- Step Four: Pour the egg mixture into the cooled butter mixture and stir to combine. Add the flour and chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed. Don’t overmix.
- Step Five: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (not clean, not wet batter). Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting out with the parchment overhang and cutting into squares.
- Line your pan with parchment. Leave an overhang on the sides so you can lift the whole slab out cleanly before slicing. It makes a big difference for neat, even cuts.
- Use good quality black cocoa. The cocoa is the star here, so it’s worth using a quality brand. I order & use Modern Mountain black cocoa more often than not, but Hershey’s Special Dark is usually easy to find at most markets.
- Don’t overbake. Because black cocoa is darker than regular cocoa, it’s a little harder to judge when it’s done. Start checking at the 20-minute mark. The edges should look set, and the center should have just a slight jiggle (this is fine, because you want it fudgy!).
- Don’t skip the resting time. These brownies need time to set up after baking. Cutting too early will give you a gooey mess (delicious, but not pretty).
- Maintaining fudgy texture. These are best enjoyed at room temperature!
Storage & Leftovers
How to store leftovers
Store black cocoa brownies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Stack them with parchment paper between the layers to prevent sticking. You can also refrigerate them for up to 1 week, if preferred.
Freezing Instructions
To freeze them, wrap the individual brownie squares in plastic wrap and then keep them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours before serving.
FAQs
Yes! You can use regular Dutch-processed cocoa powder and make my Better Than Boxed Mix Brownies instead. They won’t be as dramatic, but they’ll taste just as good.
Most likely too much flour or too many eggs. Spoon and level the flour if you don’t have a scale. Also, overbaking can dry them out, so be sure to pull them out when the center looks slightly underdone.
Absolutely. Try white chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or flaked sea salt on top.
Need more brownie recipes? Try these:
Click here to view my entire collection of bars and brownies.
Black Cocoa Brownies
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) salted butter
- 2 cups (396 g) granulated white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups (105 g) black cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (280 g) chocolate chips I use Ghiradelli baking chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Line a 9×13 baking dish parchment paper, allowing it to hang over the edges. Spray with non-stick spray and set aside.
- In a small pot, melt butter over medium low heat. Once completely melted, add in the sugar and stir together. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring continually, until the sugar has dissolved, but don’t let the mixture boil.1 cup salted butter, 2 cups granulated white sugar
- Pour the butter/sugar mixture into a large mixing bowl.
- In another mixing bowl, while the butter mixture is cooling, add the eggs, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until fully incorporated, approximately 1 minute.4 large eggs, 1 ¼ cups black cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Pour the egg mixture into the butter mixture and stir to combine.
- Stir in the flour and chocolate chips until evenly distributed.1 ½ cups all purpose flour, 1 cup chocolate chips
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
- Once cool, lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment overhang and cut into squares.
- Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Use good quality black cocoa. I use Modern Mountain black cocoa more often than not, but Hershey’s Special Dark is usually easy to find at most markets.
- Don’t overbake. Start checking at the 20-minute mark. The edges should look set, and the center should have just a slight jiggle (this is fine, because you want it fudgy!).
- Cut with a plastic knife. For the cleanest cuts, use a plastic knife.
- Leftovers. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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