Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour an 8x8 inch or 9x13 inch baking pan, or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy lifting.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar until well combined and slightly lighter in color. Stir in the vanilla extract.1 cup unsalted butter, 2 cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture is smooth and glossy.4 large eggs
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.1 cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- If using, gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips.1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes for an 8x8 inch pan, or 25-30 minutes for a 9x13 inch pan, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached (not wet batter).
- Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This is crucial for easy cutting and shaping. Rushing this step will lead to crumbly brownies.
- Once fully cooled, lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Place them on a clean cutting board. Using your heart-shaped cookie cutter, press down firmly to cut out your desired heart shapes. You can re-roll scraps gently if needed to get more shapes.
Notes
Storing: Room temperature for 3-4 days, refrigerated for up to a week. Reheating: Microwave for 10-20 seconds on 50% power, or oven at 300°F (150°C) for 5-8 minutes. Freezing: Wrap individually and freeze for up to 2-3 months.