• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Fall Favorites
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Main Dishes
    • Pantry Staples
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
  • About

The Frozen Biscuit

go to homepage
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Categories
    • Fall Favorites
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Main Dishes
    • Pantry Staples
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Side Dishes
    • Snacks
  • About
  • follow along

    • Email
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Desserts » Crinkle Top Fudgy Brownies

    Published: Jul 29, 2020 · Modified: Dec 23, 2020 by Erin · This post may contain affiliate links

    Crinkle Top Fudgy Brownies

    68shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    brownie squares with crinkle tops cut into squares on white parchment paper and marble counter top

    You won't miss boxed brownies with these delicious, fudgy brownies... with the crinkle top!

    brownies with shiny flaky tops cut into squares on white parchment paper

    Achieving a crinkly, tissue thin top begins with properly combining the sugar and eggs in the beginning by hand.

    When I started cooking solely from scratch, one thing kept me very frustrated, for a long time. Homemade brownies never tasted as good as the boxed brownies. They were missing a certain taste, and that shiny, tissue thin flaky top. Until now 🙂

    Dutched cocoa powder

    The missing something flavor-wise is in the cocoa. Cocoa powders can be processed several different ways, and the result yields widely varying tastes. In the homemade brownies (or chocolate cakes for that matter) we can get that taste using Dutch processed cocoa.

    Dutch processed, or double Dutch processed, or even Dutched black cocoa, (the latter being the kind used in things like Oreos) is a completely different tasting cocoa powder. 

    pictorial display of the color differences in three types of processed coco powders

    Dutch processed cocoas typically are darker, and have a smoother, less acidic flavor.

    The difference has to do with the processing of the cocoa, and the resulting alkalinity. It’s actually kind of interesting. Basically, these Dutch cocoas lack the acidity of your basic Hershey's cocoas and other regular cocoas. This results in a smoother, more mellow taste like in boxed brownies. 

    How to get a flaky top on brownies 

    Another major woe of switching from boxed to homemade brownies is the frequently lacking shiny, crinkly tops. This is not something we have to live with! Whisking the eggs and sugar together in the beginning until it lightens up, before adding the rest of the ingredients will guarantee that tissue paper top.

    • You must beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture lightens up in color.
    • I do not recommend using a mixer for this, as you can over do it and ruin the brownie's fudgy texture and flaky top. Opt for the old fashioned bowl and spoon way. 

    Then you can begin folding the rest of the ingredients in. This is a thick, spreadable batter. You'll need to scrape it out of the bowl and spread it out evenly. It won't just pour out and settle like a cake batter.

    Because of this, these are very dense, chewy, fudgy brownies. The way every brownie should be 🙂

    Also try:

    • LoftHouse copy cat Sugar Cookies 
    • Chocolate Sheet Cake
    • Everything Brownies

    Crinkle Top Brownies

    Dense, chewy, fudgy brownies, with a tissue paper thin crinkle top
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: brownies, crinkle, flaky
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 28 minutes
    Servings: 9 brownies
    Calories: 539kcal
    Author: Erin
    Cost: $1

    Ingredients

    • 1 egg
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 1 tbsp vanilla
    • ½ cup vegetable oil
    • ½ cup cocoa powder dutch process
    • 1 cups flour
    • 1 tsp salt
    • ⅓ cup water
    • 1 cup optional semi sweet chocolate chips or coarse chopped chocolate of choice (optional )

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x9 inch square baking pan, or line with parchment paper.
    • Mix or whisk sugar, eggs and vanilla for up to 10 minutes until lightened in color.
      eggs, sugar and vanilla being mixed until pale in color
    • Gently fold in remaining ingredients, just until mixed.
    • Spread into a 9x9 inch baking pan.
      brownie batter being spread into a square, parchment paper lined baking pan
    • Bake for 20-28 minutes until edges are set. Center should feel soft but will set as they cool.
      freshly baked brownies with shiny tops in a square pan
    • Cool for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before cutting.
      close up of brownies cut into squares

    Notes

    • Pull the brownies out of the oven when the edges are set, and the middle is still gooey-they'll set as they cool. It's better that they're under done than over cooked. 
    • Avoid using an electric or stand mixer for crinkle top brownies, as they can hinder the result of a shiny, flaky top and make the brownies cakey.
    • Fold the ingredients together only until things are just combined and no further. 
    • If using a 9x9 inch square pan, you'll likely need to reduce cooking time by 4-6 minutes. 
    • If using a 13x9 inch rectangular pan, reduce cooking time by 5-7 minutes. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 539kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 278mg | Potassium: 311mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 67g | Vitamin A: 68IU | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheFrozenBiscuit or tag #thefrozenbiscuit!
    Previous Post: « Apricot BBQ Sauce
    Next Post: Cabbage Salsa »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Vicki says

      August 16, 2020 at 12:33 pm

      What temperature should the oven be? The directions say 3 degrees....obviously an error. I'm wanting to make them now, so will set the temp at 350 degreee. Also....I'm not going to mix the first three ingredients by hand for ten minutes...it doesn't matter to me if the top of the brownies is shiny and crackly, I just want them to taste good! To tell the truth. I've never thought box brownie mix tasted as good as homemade.

      Reply
      • Erin says

        August 19, 2020 at 10:16 am

        Vicky, that's 350 degrees, thank you 🙂

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I'm Erin, I enjoy creating rustic, from-scratch recipes that are tasty, comforting, and use basic pantry staples. More about

    Light Pasta Dishes

    Sliced chicken breast on a bed of pasta primavera with Parmesan cheese and lemon.

    Pasta Primavera with Chicken

    Cast iron skillet with taupe towel filled with orzo in a yellow, creamy sauce, topped with chicken breast.

    Creamy Yellow Tomato Chicken Skillet with Orzo

    Linguine pasta tossed in a green vegetable pesto with pine nuts.

    Green Pasta

    Orchietta pasta with yellow squash, lemon and red pepper flakes in a skillet.

    Summer Squash Pasta

    More Posts from this Category

    This Month's Top Recipes

    Ramekin of beer cheese by a salted soft pretzel on parchment paper.

    Beer Cheese Dip

    glass jar filled with dry buttermilk powder

    How to Make Buttermilk Powder

    Round casserole dish filled with cheesy, browned casserole.

    Sausage Gravy Breakfast Casserole

    cast iron pan of homemade hamburger helper lasagna

    Homemade Hamburger Helper Lasagna

    Zip lock plastic freezer bags containing frozen fresh pasta for freezing.

    How to Freeze and Store Fresh Pasta Dough

    copy cat Arby's beef and cheddar sandwich with homemade Arby's sauce

    Arby's Beef n Cheddar with Copycat Arby's Sauce

    FeedFeed

    Footer

    Copyright © 2020 The Frozen Biscuit on the Brunch Pro Theme

    Privacy Policy

    Disclaimer

    Accessibility Statement