Sarah Kieffer Brownies

About Sarah Kieffer’s Brownies

Sarah Kieffer’s brownies are light-yet-chocolaty, fudgy-yet-chewy, and complete with a shiny top that crinkles and flakes when sliced! The recipe comes together quickly, with a batter that is mixed by hand. This is the perfect brownie recipe for folks who love boxed mix brownies, and want something a little lighter and less intense than a dense and thick homemade fudge brownie recipe!

Wait, who is Sarah Kieffer?

Sarah Kieffer is the baking blogger behind The Vanilla Bean Blog and author of multiple baking cookbooks like The Vanilla Bean Baking Book, 100 Cookies, and Baking for the Holidays. She is most famous for her cookie recipes. In particular, her chocolate chip cookie recipe was featured in New York Times and instructs you to bang the pan repeatedly to get its signature crispy crinkles. Personally, she’s one of my favorite food bloggers. I trust all her recipes wholeheartedly and rely on her recipes for all kinds of baked goods (like this New York-style cheesecake, or these Neapolitan cookies).

Why You Should Make The Recipe

Here are all the reasons to try Sarah Kieffer’s brownies:

Sarah Kieffer’s brownie recipe is perfect for those looking for a lighter and less intense brownie experience.

Of all the brownie recipes I tried this month, Sarah’s was the lightest in terms of texture and flavor. Don’t get me wrong—they were still plenty chocolaty. They just weren’t quite as ganache or fudge-like when compared with the other recipes. I think this would be a great brownie recipe to bake if you think that brownies are too chocolaty and intense.

Sarah Kieffer’s brownie recipe comes together quickly and does not require any specialty baking equipment.

One of the things I liked best about Sarah Kieffer’s brownies is that the recipe came together quickly. The batter only takes 15 minutes or so to make, and its Prep Time can be sped up with the right ingredients. You also don’t need a stand mixer to make the brownies—you simply use a whisk and a rubber spatula to mix everything by hand.

Sarah Kieffer’s brownies store well.

Because of the melted chocolate, brown sugar, and oil in the batter, Sarah Kieffer’s brownies stay fresh and moist for days. In fact, I like them best the day after they’re made. Why? Overnight, the caramel and butterscotch flavors from the brown sugar in the batter really develop and stand out, leading to more flavorful and nuanced brownies.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Now that I’ve convinced you to make Sarah Kieffer’s brownies, here’s everything you need for the recipe:

Shopping List for Sarah Kieffer’s Brownies

Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the exact ingredient quantities—hit the “Jump to The Recipe” button on the page for a quick shortcut!

• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• kosher salt
• dark chocolate (between 60% to 70% cacao), from whole fèves or a high-quality chocolate bar
• unsalted butter
• Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• large eggs
• granulated sugar
• light OR dark brown sugar
• canola oil
• pure vanilla extract

And let’s talk about some of the recipe’s key ingredients and any potential substitutions:

Kosher Salt

You need ¾ teaspoon kosher salt to make Sarah Kieffer’s brownies.

Why You Should Use Kosher Salt When Baking

I like to use kosher salt (as opposed to table salt) when baking. Its larger crystals make it difficult to confuse with granulated sugar. However, not all kosher salts are created equal. Some kosher salts have smaller granules than others, which will result in saltier tasting baked goods.

For consistency, I recommend sticking to one brand, and one brand only: Diamond Crystal kosher salt. It’s the only brand of salt I use when I develop recipes for Hummingbird High. Why? Diamond Crystal kosher salt is one of the few 100% pure salts in the grocery store. Other brands have additives that can add unexpected flavors to your desserts.

I can’t find Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Is Morton’s Coarse kosher salt okay?

Yes, with reservations. Morton’s Coarse kosher salt granules are much smaller, denser, and crunchier than Diamond Crystal. According to this Food52 article, the two are different shapes and sizes because of how they’re made. Morton’s is made by flattening salt granules into large thin flakes by pressing them through high-pressure rollers, whereas Diamond Crystal is formed by a patented method in which “upside-down pyramids [are] stacked one over the next to form a crystal.” You can even see a visualization of the different sizes in this Cook’s Illustrated article.

Okay, but what does that mean, exactly? 1 teaspoon of Morton’s will taste saltier than 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal. Wild, right? So if you follow my recipes exactly as they are written but use Morton’s instead of Diamond Crystal, the results will come out saltier. In fact, sometimes they will come out TOO salty. So if you’re using Morton’s instead of Diamond Crystal, reduce the salt in the recipe by half.

Want to learn more about Diamond Crystal versus Morton’s Coarse kosher salt? Definitely check out the Food52 and Cook’s Illustrated articles I linked to above, as well as this Taste article.

I can’t find Diamond Crystal OR Morton’s Coarse kosher salt. Can I just use table salt?

Yes, with reservations. If you use table salt, you’ll need to reduce the recipe’s salt quantity by half.

If you read my little essay about Diamond Crystal and Morton’s, you learned that Diamond Crystal kosher salt granules are larger than Morton’s kosher salt granules. The same principle applies to table salt versus kosher salt. Table salt granules are much smaller than kosher salt granules. As a result, 1 teaspoon of table salt tastes much saltier than 1 teaspoon of kosher salt… simply because it can hold more granules! Wild, right?

So if you follow my recipes exactly as they are written but use table salt instead of kosher salt, the results will come out saltier. If you’re using table salt instead of kosher salt, I recommend reducing the salt in the recipe by half. 

Dark Chocolate

You need 8 ounces (227 grams) dark chocolate to make Sarah Kieffer’s brownies.

Bittersweet versus Semisweet versus Dark Chocolate

Whenever I share a recipe that uses dark chocolate, many of you ask if you can use bittersweet or semisweet chocolate. Many manufacturers make chocolate bars that are specifically for baking; these are often labeled “bittersweet”, “semisweet”, or “unsweetened”. You’ll notice that “bittersweet” and “semisweet” typically don’t include cocoa percentages. That’s because there’s no official benchmark for each designation. Specifically: it’s up to the manufacturers to determine how much cocoa to use, and cacao percentages for each type will vary greatly between brands.

That’s why in my cookbook, I advise folks to ignore these bars and instead stick with the ones that list their cocoa percentages. That’s truly the only way to know what you’re getting! In a pinch, however, you can use either bittersweet or semisweet chocolate for these fudgy brownies without too much consequence.

Do I really need to chop chocolate for this brownie recipe? Can I just melt chocolate chips instead?

Honestly, yes, you can get away with melting chocolate chips in this recipe. However, I don’t recommend it.

Why?

Most grocery store brands—even the ones that offer products specifically made for baking—contain all sorts of additives like paraffin wax and palm oil. These ingredients compromise the flavor and texture of your results. I’ve stopped using chocolate chips in 90 percent of my recipes, and my baked goods have tasted so much better as a result. 

That being said, there are some brands that sell high-quality chocolate chips perfect for this recipe. Chocolate chips made by Guittard, Nestle Artisan Collection, and Valrhona use minimal stabilizers and preservatives. Those are the only chocolate chips I recommend for this recipe.

Wait, you’ve scared me off chocolate chips. But I *HATE* chopping up chocolate bars. Is there a halfway point between chocolate bars and chips?

Absolutely! If you want the convenience of chocolate chips but the quality of chocolate bars, I recommend buying chocolate discs or fèves instead.

Discs and fèves are used by fancy chocolatiers to make their own bars and bon bons. They typically don’t use the same preservatives and stabilizers as chocolate chips.

Wait, what are chocolate fèves?

Chocolate fèves are a fancy pastry school term for a flat, bean-shaped disc of chocolate. The most prominent maker of chocolate fèves is one of my favorite chocolate makers, Valrhona Chocolate. For these brownies, I used Valrhona’s Caraibe 66% chococlate fèves You can buy them online and/or at select Whole Foods Market locations.

I don’t have chocolate. Can I substitute the chocolate in the recipe with cocoa powder?

Many of you also asked if you could substitute the chocolate in the recipe with cocoa powder. Unfortunately, the answer is no. That would change the recipe completely and it would no longer make Sarah Kieffer’s brownies.

If you only have cocoa powder on hand, I highly suggest checking out the Better-Than-Box-Mix Cocoa Brownie recipe in my cookbook. Although it’s currently not on my blog, my friend Jeanine recently published the recipe on her site, Love and Lemons.

Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder

You need ¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder to make Sarah Kieffer’s brownies.

Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder versus Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder

Cocoa powder, when used in baking recipes, often comes in two varieties: natural unsweetened, and Dutch-processed.

Natural unsweetened cocoa powder is more typical and is cocoa powder in its purest form. It is slightly reddish brown in color and results in deeply flavored chocolate goods. Because it is slightly acidic, it is often paired with baking soda in baking recipes to help create a chemical reaction that will cause the baked good to rise in the oven.

Dutch-processed cocoa powder is natural unsweetened cocoa powder that’s been treated with alkaline to neutralize its acidity, giving it a darker color and milder flavor. It is the cocoa powder that is used for making midnight-black baked goods like Oreos.

I only have natural unsweetened cocoa powder. Can I use that instead?

Yes! You can substitute natural unsweetened cocoa powder for the Dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe, no problem. Just a head’s up—your brownies will look and taste just ever-so-slightly different than mine. They will have a more reddish-brown color instead of a blackish-brown one. They’ll also taste a little bit sharper from the acidity of the cocoa powder.

Brown Sugar

You need ½ cup tightly packed dark OR light brown sugar to make these fudgy brownies.

Light versus Dark Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is granulated white sugar with a touch of molasses to give it its signature color and flavor. Because brown sugar contains molasses, it adds more moisture baked goods than granulated sugar otherwise would.

Brown sugar is available in two varieties: light or dark. Dark brown sugar is my personal preference; because it contains more molasses, I find it to be more flavorful. However, you can use either in this fudgy brownie recipe without altering its flavor too much.

I don’t have any brown sugar. Can I use all granulated white sugar instead to make these brownies?

Technically yes, but I don’t recommend it. The brown sugar is what gives Sarah Kieffer’s brownies their unique, fudgy texture, as well as subtle caramel and butterscotch flavors without being overly sweet. If you use all white sugar, the texture will be a little different and they’ll taste a LOT sweeter. And trust me—these brownies are plenty sweet already!

Can I use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar?

Yes, with reservations. Coconut sugar is more similar to granulated sugar when it comes to moisture levels. If you use coconut sugar in this recipe, your brownies will have a slightly drier, less fudgy texture than mine. I recommend checking for doneness a few minutes earlier than what’s stated in the recipe below.

Canola Oil

You need ½ cup canola oil to make Sarah Kieffer’s brownie recipe.

Can I use another oil instead?

Yes! You can use whatever oil you have on hand instead. Vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, and peanut oil work best to replace the canola oil because they are also neutral in flavor. However, you can also use flavored oils like coconut or olive in this recipe. Just note that your brownies might have a subtle coconut or olive oil flavor to them, too.

How To Make The Recipe

Here are the basic steps to make Sarah Kieffer’s brownies from scratch:

1. Prep the ingredients for the brownies. (Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes)
   It usually takes 5 minutes to prep—that is, measure out all the ingredients needed for the recipe itself—for most of the recipes on Hummingbird High. However, if you’re using chocolate bars to make these brownies, you need to chop up the chocolate. Doing so usually takes around 5 minutes.
   
   To save yourself time, buy thin chocolate bars that are easier to slice. You can also use a food processor to chop the chocolate. But my personal recommendation is to use chocolate discs or fèves for the recipe! You won’t need to chop them before melting.
   
   
2. Start making the brownie batter by melting the chocolate and butter together. (Work Time: 10 minutes)
   Combine the chopped chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler (or a homemade one—see FAQ for more info!). Melt over medium heat until smooth. Whisk in the cocoa powder, then set aside to cool slightly while you work with the rest of the ingredients.
   
   
3. Make the rest of the brownie batter. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
   The rest of the recipe goes by in a breeze. Whisk together the eggs, sugars, and vanilla. Add the melted chocolate, whisking to combine. Then, mix in the remaining dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula. That’s it!
   
   
4. Assemble the brownies. (Work Time: <5 minutes)
   Pour the brownie batter into an 8-inch square pan lined with parchment paper. Spread the batter evenly across the pan with an offset spatula, and smooth its top if necessary.
   
   
5. Bake the brownies. (Bake Time: 25 minutes)
   Sarah Kieffer’s brownie recipe bakes for between 30 and 35 minutes. When baking brownies, it’s always better to pull them out of the oven early. Leaving them in too long means that they’ll turn out tough! Check out the recipe and FAQ below for more tips.

Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ

FAQ: All About The Baking Equipment You Need To Make The Recipe

Is it better to use a glass or metal pan when baking brownies?

Alright, here we go—when you google the answer to this question, the first few search results will tell you that it is better to use a glass pan when baking brownies. THEY ARE 100% INCORRECT. It is my *FIRM* opinion that it is always, ALWAYS better to use a metal pan when baking brownies.

Why? Glass pans are slow to heat up; however, when hot, they retain heat for much longer. This quality often results in uneven baking. By the time the interior of whatever you’re baking is done, the exterior of it is often overcooked, dry, and overly dark.

What does that mean for these fudgy brownies? If you’re baking the brownies in a glass pan, they’ll continue to bake LONG after being pulled out of the oven because the pan continues to retain so much heat. That usually means dense, dry, and overcooked brownies that are not fudgy at all.

Metal, on the other hand, conducts heat. Because metal heats up faster than glass, it leads to brownies with a better rise (but without being cake) with crispier edges. And because metal pans lose heat quickly after being pulled out of the oven, your brownies will too. That means the brownies will cool faster, and they won’t be overdone. Instead, they will instead be perfectly fudgy and set. So please use a metal pan for this recipe!

Finally, if you want to be a perfectionist, choose a light colored metal pan over a dark metal pan. Dark pans absorb more heat, which, like glass, can cause the exterior of the brownies to bake too quickly. I always use pans from Williams-Sonoma’s Goldtouch Pro Nonstick line for my baking.

What’s a double boiler and why do I need one for baking?

A double boiler is a special type of sauce pot that looks like two pans stacked on top of each other. Typically, you fill the bottom pot with 2 to 3 inches of water, and place what you want to cook in the top pot.

Why? Typically, if a recipe instructs you to cook something in a double boiler, that means it’s sensitive to heat. It might burn or scorch if cooked in a traditional pot. But in a double boiler, the water in the bottom pot will transfer a gentle, steady heat to the top pot, avoiding these issues.

I don’t have a double boiler. What can I use instead?

Good news! There’s no need to buy a double boiler specifically for this brownie recipe. You can use a homemade double boiler instead. In fact, it’s what I do—I’ve even included instructions on how to do so in the recipe below.

But to do so, simply set a heatproof bowl—I like the glass bowls by Pyrex—on top of a medium, heavy-bottomed sauce pan filled with a few inches of water. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. That’s it!

FAQ: Customizing The Recipe

Can I half the recipe and bake it in an 8- or 9-inch square pan instead?

Yes! You can easily half the amount of ingredients in the recipe and bake it in an 8- or 9-inch square pan instead. However, I would start checking for doneness 5 minutes earlier than the recipe’s Bake Time (at 25 minutes instead of 30 minutes).

FAQ: Troubleshooting Common Mistakes and Cooking Errors

Help! My brownie batter came out lumpy. What did I do wrong?

This recipe instructs you to pour melted chocolate and butter into a mixture of eggs and sugar. If the melted chocolate and butter is too hot, it can potentially scramble the eggs, causing a lumpy batter and bad brownies!

To prevent this from happening, melt the chocolate and butter first. Set it aside on a wire rack to cool slightly while you prep the rest of the ingredients. This will give the melted chocolate and butter enough time to cool slightly. If you want to be extra safe, pour the melted chocolate and butter into a separate bowl than the pan or bowl it was melted in, too. Doing so will help the mixture cool faster!

The ideal temperature of the melted chocolate and butter will be similar to that of a warm bath. Dip your finger in it—it should feel warm and comfortable like a hot bath. It should not burn or scald you!

Help! My brownies don’t have the shiny paper crinkle top like yours do. What did I do wrong?

It’s likely that you either:

a) used too much flour
b) used too little sugar
c) baked the brownies for too long and/or used the wrong type of pan to make them.

First, let’s talk about measuring ingredients. A lot of people don’t have the right technique when using measuring cups. It’s easy to use too much flour when using volume measures. Don’t use the measuring cup to scoop the flour in the bag and pack it down into the cup. Instead, set the measuring cup on the counter and then spoon the dry ingredients into it. Once it’s formed a small mound, don’t pack it down. Use a butter knife or bench scraper to level it off.

While this technique works best for ingredients like flour, you’ll need to do the exact opposite for measuring brown sugar. Spoon the brown sugar into the measuring cup. Once it’s formed a small mound, pack it down, then add more brown sugar until it is level with the top of the measuring cup.

Finally, if you used the techniques above OR used weight measures (which I always recommend, since you won’t need to fuss with the techniques I just outlined) and are STILL experiencing issues, it’s likely that the brownies were overbaked. Check out the FAQ above on why you should always use a metal pan when baking brownies, as well as the baker’s notes below on how to test brownies for doneness.

Help! My brownies came out tough. What did I do wrong?

It’s likely that you either a) overmixed the batter or b) baked the brownies for too long and/or used the wrong type of pan to make them.

When mixing the dry ingredients into the rest of the batter, simply mix just until the flour disappears! If you mix beyond that, your brownies will come out dense and tough. I will legit cry for you.

If you’re convinced you didn’t overmix the batter, it’s likely that you overbaked them. First, make sure to use a metal pan when baking brownies. I’ve already explained why it’s important to do so in the FAQ above. But the TL/DR is that gass pans tend to overbake brownies!

Finally, when testing for doneness, stick a skewer in the dead center of the brownies. Pull it out—it should still have a few crumbs attached. If it’s wet with batter, the brownies still need more time. If the skewer is completely dry, uh-oh! You’ve overbaked the brownies.

FAQ: How To Store The Brownies

How To Store Sarah Kieffer’s Brownies

The brownies can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze this brownie recipe?

Yes! You can freeze the baked brownies.

To freeze the brownies, individually wrap any leftover bars in two layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will prevent the bars from absorbing any other flavors or odors in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.

When ready to serve, transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight. You can eat the brownies straight from the fridge, or rewarmed in the microwave.

More Brownie Recipes

• Almond Flour Brownies (Small Batch)
• Baileys Brownies (Small Batch)
• Brookie Bars (Small Batch)
• Claire Saffitz’s Brownie Recipe
• Flourless Gluten Free Cheesecake Brownies
• Milk Chocolate Brownies
• My Best Fudgy Brownie Recipe
• Slutty Brownies (Small Batch)
• Small Batch Brownies
• Stella Parks’ Brownie Recipe
• Supernatural Brownies

What I Really Think of Sarah Kieffer’s Brownies

Of the four brownie recipes I made this month, Sarah Kieffer’s brownies tasted the most like boxed mix brownies. They were lighter, less intense, and less chocolaty than the other brownie recipes in contention.

I’m pretty sure it’s because, of the four recipes I tried, it was the only one that used a leavener (baking powder). The baking powder gave the brownies a lighter, airier texture. I am always suspicious of brownie recipes with either baking powder or baking soda in their ingredients list. Leaveners tend to make brownies more cake-like. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Sarah Kieffer’s brownies still had a fudge brownie texture—just not one quite as fudgy as my recipe, Stella’s, or Claire’s.

Another thing that distinguished Sarah’s recipe from the other brownie recipes was her use of oil. Her recipe uses more oil than the other brownie recipes I tried this month. While using oil can make brownies chewier, it can also make them blander. At the end of the day, I think the high amount of oil in her brownies are the reason why Sarah’s brownies tasted less intense and chocolaty.

Although it sounds like I didn’t love Sarah’s recipe, I actually liked her brownies a lot! I think her recipe is a good one to make if you want brownies that are less heavy and rich. I also appreciated that, unlike Claire’s or Stella’s recipes, her recipe came together quickly and easily. There were no surprising or time-consuming steps. It was the only recipe that I didn’t make any major changes to (though, I did increase the Bake Time slightly because I found the time listed in her book to be too short).

I definitely want to make Sarah Kieffer’s brownies again. However, I think I would play around with its butter and oil ratios. In the future, I plan on increasing the amount of butter relative to oil to give the brownies more flavor.