If you are looking for the perfect brownie recipe, it’s important that there are a few items that are simply not negotiable. Without these ingredients, your brownies will not come out as juicy, fudgey and delicious as they should. Here’s what to look for.

Melted chocolate

If the brownie recipe you are reading calls only for cocoa powder, it’s not going to turn out quite as delicious. You need melted chocolate in the mixture if you want that gooey goodness.

Real butter

Avoid substitutes like margarine, oil, yogurt or applesauce. Yes, if you are on a strict diet, you might be able to get away with it. However, you’ll soon see that there is no tricking those taste buds! You will know when real butter was not included in the brownie recipe.

Quality chocolate

Many people make the mistake of thinking that melted chocolate does not need to be good quality. If you use cheap chocolate in your brownie recipe, you cannot expect them to turn out as creamy as they should. You want them to melt in your mouth which makes quality chocolate essential.

Types of flour

A brownie recipe that includes whole wheat flour will be heavier and not as fluffy as it should be. Cake flour is the superior choice in this case because brownies are usually heavy due to the chocolate. If you make them heavier by using an alternative type of flour, it will affect the texture dramatically.

Little something extra

Never underestimate the great effect of even the smallest ingredient like a dash of vanilla extract. These seemingly minor additions have a subtle effect on the flavour of your brownies which will make them even more scrumptious.

With these brownie recipe tips, you now know exactly what to look for. If you are planning on making brownies for the holidays, make sure that you try out your new recipe ahead of time. This way, if you need to make any adjustments, you have time to do so.