22 Homemade Brownie Recipes That Will Wow At Every Bake Sale

These brownie recipes prove that you can't go wrong with chocolate.

By

Mary Shannon Wells

Updated on July 20, 2024

Southern Living Brownie Pudding in bowls to serve with ice cream — Photo:
Molly Bolton

Brownies are a crowd-and cook-favorite dessert for plenty of reasons. They're easy to make, have a high yield, and of course, taste delicious. Although we have several tried-and-true classic brownie recipes, we love coming up with creative new ways to enjoy those fudgy brownies you know and love. Yes, there are dozens of ways to mix up your brownie batter, but you can't go wrong with any one of these recipes. Just be sure to save us a corner piece!

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Caramel Brownies

Caramel Brownies — Stacy Allen, Prop Stylist: Caleb Clarke, Food Stylist: Jen Riley

Caramel and chocolate are unarguably one of the best flavor mixes in any dessert, and these caramel brownies are the perfect way to experience that sweet, salty, and rich combination.

02 of 22

Deep-Dish Skillet Brownies

Deep-Dish Skillet Brownies in a cast iron skillet — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell; Food Stylist:Ruth Blackburn

If you're the type of person who prefers a rich and fudgy brownie, this recipe is meant for you. The skillet helps bake the brownie batter into a thick texture and gives the outsides a gorgeous crust.

03 of 22

Cake Mix Brownies

Southern Living Cake Mix Brownies on plate with a fork — Hannah Zimmerman

If you're not looking to spend too much time baking dessert, this recipe is the perfect way to go. With just 10 minutes of active time and four ingredients, you'll whip up a delicious crowd-pleaser with little effort.

04 of 22

Brownie Pudding

Southern Living Brownie Pudding in bowls to serve with ice cream — Molly Bolton

If you're a fan of a chocolate molten lava cake, this is the make-at-home recipe for you. Brownie pudding is baked to gooey perfection with a crisp, chocolatey top. Pair it with a scoop of vanilla or coffee-flavored ice cream and you have a crowd-pleaser on your hands.

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Peppermint Brownies

Peppermint Brownies — Alison Miksch; Food Stylist: Karen Rankin; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

Whether it's the holiday season or not, these beautiful peppermint brownies are a delicious dessert for all to enjoy. These brownies are minty, fudgy, and sweet, and contain a hint of mocha for a deeper flavor.

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Homemade Brownies

Southern Living Homemade Brownies on a plate to serve with a glass of milk — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

While box mix brownies are delicious and a quick option for a fudgy treat, there's nothing like a brownie made from scratch. This recipe has perfected the classic brownie recipe for a fudgy, cakey texture with that fabulous crackled top.

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Pecan Pie Brownies

Pecan Pie Brownies — Micah A. Leal

Southerners will absolutely swoon over this dessert that combines the best of pecan pie and brownies.

08 of 22

Triple Chocolate Brownie-Mousse Stacks

Triple Chocolate Brownie-Mousse Stacks — Photo: Hector Sanchez

These mini desserts are the ultimate make-ahead treat for holiday parties. Put them together the night before and let them chill while you prep everything else the day of!

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Cream Cheese Brownies

Cream Cheese Brownies — Micah A. Leal

Has there ever been a dessert recipe that tasted worse with the addition of cream cheese? We think not.

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Pumpkin-Chocolate Brownies

Pumpkin-Chocolate Brownies — Greg DuPree

Hello, Fall! The homecoming bake sale has met its most popular treat of the year.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter-Fudge Bars

Peanut Butter-Fudge Bars — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

These triple-decker bars are the quintessential treat for chocolate-peanut butter lovers.

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Chocolate Trifle

Chocolate Trifle Recipe — Hector Manuel Sanchez

Even the most novice bakers can bring a picture-perfect dessert to the holiday party with this layered recipe.

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Best-Ever Brownies

best-ever brownies — ANTONIS ACHILLEOS; PROP STYLING: KAY E. CLARKE; FOOD STYLING: EMILY NABORS HALL

These super fudgy brownies are ready for any and every occasion.

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Cast-Iron Skillet Brownies

cast iron skillet brownies — Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Christine Kelly Food Stylist: Ali Ramee

Some of the best dessert recipes come right from your trusty cast-iron skillet, which provides the ideal crisp crust.

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Football Brownies

football brownies — Frederick Hardy II

These football brownies will be the cutest addition to your tailgate lineup. A little extra time spent decorating will make all the difference between these touchdown-worthy treats and a plain batch of brownies.

16 of 22

Dr Pepper Brownies

Dr. Pepper Brownies — Shikha Singh

Soda is the secret to many of the vintage cakes in Mama's kitchen, and it lends a rich flavor to this brownie recipe, too.

17 of 22

Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches

Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches — Photographer Victor Protasio, Food Stylist Ali Ramee, Prop Stylist Heather Chadduck

Soft brownies are the ideal "bread" for your best ice cream sandwich yet. Roll them in rainbow sprinkles for a colorful touch.

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Red Velvet Brownies

Red Velvet Brownies — Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

These colorful treats would be right at home on a Christmas or Valentine's Day dessert spread.

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Brownie Cookies

Brownie Cookies — Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

These fudgy cookies give that box of brownie mix a whole new job. You need just a few ingredients to bring a batch of these to the next book club meeting.

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Mint Julep Brownies

Southern Living Mint Julep Brownies sliced and ready to serve — Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Marianne Williams, Prop Stylist: Tucker Vines

These brownies are inspired by a classic Derby cocktail. We added flavors of mint, bourbon, and simple syrup to a classic brownie base to get these delicious desserts.

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Peanut Butter Brownies

Southern Living Peanut Butter Brownies sliced and ready to serve — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

We can all agree that peanut butter and chocolate are a match made in heaven, but take the two and form them into a soft and chewy brownie? The pairing doesn't get much better than this. Top with a mix of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.

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Cookies-And-Cream Cheesecake Brownies

Southern Living Cookies-and-Cream Cheesecake Brownies — Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

If you're an Oreo lover, go ahead and save this recipe. From the velvety cheesecake and fudge brownie layers to the crunchy crushed Oreo cookie garnish, these brownies are unlike anything you've had before. Plus, you'll need just 15 minutes to prep them before the oven takes over.

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