Chewy Coco brownies

These brownies prove you can cut back on sugar without giving up the fudgy chew. They’re made with a granulated sugar replacement in place of regular sugar, so they land lighter on the sugar count while still tasting rich and chocolatey, handy if you’re watching your intake but not willing to skip dessert.

They also keep things simple by using cocoa powder rather than melted chocolate. That means no double boiler and no chopping bars, just whisk the wet ingredients, stir them into the dry, and you have a one-bowl batter. Cocoa still delivers deep, true chocolate flavor.

The trick to keeping them chewy rather than cakey or dry is the bake time. Pull them toward the earlier end of the window, when the center is just set but still looks slightly soft. They firm up as they cool into dense, chewy squares, with or without a handful of nuts folded in.

Chef Tips

• Pull them when the center is just set; overbaking is what turns chewy brownies dry and cakey.
• Sift the cocoa powder if it’s lumpy so it blends smoothly into the batter.
• Let them cool fully in the pan before cutting, so they set into clean, chewy squares.

Variations

• Fold in chopped nuts, or a handful of sugar-free chocolate chips for extra richness.
• Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor.