Fans of fudgy brownies say this is the recipe of their dreams. In fact, it’s one of our all-time reader favorites. The brownies are versatile, too—they’re equally welcome packed into a picnic basket or stacked atop a cake stand and presented at the end of a dinner party.

　　

Ingredients

makes 9 large or 16 small

　　6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan

　　6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

　　1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

　　3/4 cup all-purpose flour

　　1/4 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

　　1 cup sugar

　　2 large eggs

　　2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

　　

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a buttered 8-inch square baking pan with parchment, allowing a 2-inch overhang. Butter lining (not overhang).

　　

Step 2

Put butter, chocolate, and cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water; stir until butter and chocolate have melted. Let cool slightly.

　　

Step 3

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium speed until pale, about 4 minutes. Add chocolate mixture; mix until combined. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix, scraping down sides of bowl, until well combined.

　　

Step 4

Pour batter into prepared pan; spread evenly with a spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted into brownies (avoid center and edges) comes out with a few crumbs but is not wet, about 35 minutes. Let cool slightly in pan, about 15 minutes. Lift out; let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares. Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

　　Martha Stewart's Cookies