Lisa Bower's Brownies

These brownies are built on cocoa powder instead of melted chocolate, which makes them simpler to mix and gives them a deep, straightforward chocolate flavor with no tempering or double-boiler fuss.

A full cup of melted butter mixed with cocoa, four eggs, and two cups of sugar creates a rich, glossy batter. The flour goes in unsifted (one less step to worry about), and two full cups of coarsely chopped walnuts get folded in at the end. That’s a lot of nuts, and they show up in every single bite, adding crunch and a toasty richness that balances the sweetness.

The whole thing mixes in one bowl, spreads into a 9×13 pan, and bakes for 35 to 40 minutes. No fussy steps, no special equipment. Just a bowl, a spoon, and an oven.

Chef Tips

• Use good quality cocoa powder. Dutch-process cocoa gives a darker color and smoother chocolate flavor. Natural cocoa works too but will taste slightly sharper.
• Beat the batter until smooth after adding the flour. This develops just enough structure to hold the brownies together without making them tough.
• Check at 35 minutes. A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. Overbaked cocoa brownies dry out faster than chocolate-based ones.
• Let them cool completely in the pan before cutting for the cleanest edges.

Variations

• Swap walnuts for pecans or leave the nuts out entirely for a plain chocolate version.
• Stir in a cup of chocolate chips for double-chocolate intensity.
• Dust the cooled brownies with powdered sugar for a simple, pretty finish.