Could I ever convince you that these Whole Wheat Fudge Brownies are, seriously, the Perfect Fudgy Brownies? I’m going to try, because, they are absolutely and absurdly Awesome!
I once took some homemade brownies to a dinner party. The woman who sat across from me remarked, “Wow! These are the only homemade brownies I’ve had that are better than a box mix!” I wasn’t sure how to react. Because, I thought, isn’t homemade always better?
So I tried a few box mixes, and indeed, like cake mixes, box brownie mixes can be pretty darn good. (Trader Joe’s, anyone?) But, I’ve found that when given just a few minutes extra time, and some choice ingredients, you can make a better brownie than a box mix. Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies, for instance are perfectly named, because they are truly outrageously good! But, these Whole Wheat Fudge Brownies – what can I say? They are in a league of their own!
I was reading the magazine section of our local paper when I first saw this recipe. A new restaurant, started by celebrated local chef Edouardo Jourdan, called Lucinda Grain Bar, makes these brownies. The pastry chef who wrote the recipe, Margaryta Karagodina, credits the addition of coconut oil to her recipe for amping up the fudge factor. And, the recipe was in the article! So how could I not test it out and see if it was as “absurdly” wonderful as the author claimed? And, you know what? It is! Absurdly delicious, that is! Because, who would expect a fudge brownie, of all things, to be made better by whole grains?
The cocoa-forward flavor, slight nuttiness from the whole wheat, perfectly fudgy and not-too-sweet, hits all the notes. It could definitely be my new go-too! Yours, too, I would imagine.
Recipe Details
This is a pretty easy-to-make recipe. No mixer required, just a couple bowls, a saucepan, a whisk and a spatula. Just a few steps. First, you’ll want to prepare the baking pan with cooking spray, and, if desired to pull the entire 13×9 brownie from the pan, parchment paper. Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl. After that, in a double boiler or Bain Marie (hot water bath with a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water), melt together the butter, coconut oil, and (good quality, 63-72% cacao) dark chocolate. Add the eggs, then fold in the dry ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake! Not much effort for one of the absolute best and fudgiest brownies you’ve ever had!
So, who wants Whole Wheat Fudge Brownies? As for me, I’ll be taking them to my next dinner party to see if I can sway some more box-mix users to the dark chocolate side!
Enjoy!
If you love Brownies, be sure to check out my Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Tahini Brownies, or Peanut Butter Swirled Brownies, or even Ina Garten’s The Brownie.
PIN Whole Wheat Fudge Brownies ->
Whole Wheat Fudge Brownies
This recipe, from pastry chef Margaryta Karagodina of Lucinda Grain Bar, produces the fudgiest brownie ever! Cocoa-forward and clean-flavored, this brownie has a good chance of becoming your go-to brownie!
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 50 min
- Yield: 24 Brownies 1x
- Category: Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 c (195g) Whole-Wheat Flour
- 1/3 c (33g) Cocoa Powder
- 1 t Kosher Salt
- 1 3/4 c (260g) Dark Chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 6 oz (12T, or 1 1/2 sticks, 165 g) Unsalted Butter (See Note 1), sliced into 1 T sections
- 4 T (60 ml) Coconut Oil
- 1 1/2 c (300g) Granulated Sugar
- 1/3 c (68g) Brown Sugar, packed
- 5 Large Eggs, room temp
- 2 t Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F. Spray bottom of 9×13-inch baking pan. Line with parchment, and spray parchment.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside
- Place a medium saucepan half-full of water over Medium heat, bringing to a simmer. In the meantime, place the following in a metal or glass bowl atop the water (but not touching): chocolate, butter and coconut oil. Stir occasionally, until mixture is fully melted and smooth. Into the bowl, add the sugars and whisk until combined.
- Remove bowl from the heat and whisk in the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla. Do not overmix.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the dry ingredients.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs on it, about 30 minutes. (Mine took exactly 30 minutes) Rotate halfway through baking.
- Let brownies cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
1. At Lucinda, European Butter is used. This butter has a higher milk fat and lower water content. Regular butter will work fine in this recipe, but if you have European butter, it will add to the dreamy texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/24 Recipe
Keywords: Whole Wheat, brownies
My husband really loves fudgy brownies. I love that these are whole wheat.
That’s what I love about them, too! They are a lovely and super-fudgy brownie, and no one has to know you’ve added a scoop of healthy to them! 😉
Absolutely love the texture of these brownies.. Plus these are whole wheat so my kind of recipe..
★★★★★
Thanks, Priya! They are heavenly! My kind of recipe, too!
love how fudge-y these look! and that crackly top and the salt- mmmm.
Thanks, Heather! These brownies are super-fudgy! Thanks for visiting!
Laura, these brownies look wonderfully fudgy! I’m so curious to know the effect the whole wheat will have. Can’t wait to try it!
★★★★★
Kelly, Hope you get the chance to try these, you may, as I did, change your mind about wholegrain treats!
I want to grab one right off my screen Laura! These look totally decadent and rich!
Thanks, Mary Ann! I think you’re screen is correct – these are worth grabbing! Thanks for visiting!
Laura, I love the hummingbird plate. Your whole wheat brownies look smashing. I love the idea of using coconut oil in addition to the butter in the recipe. I’ve used coconut oil in cookies and liked the extra crispiness it gave them. I’ve pinned this to my “Cookies I Like to Make” board and will be giving this a try very soon. Thanks for sharing.
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Ron! The plate was a gift from my sweet daughter, I love it, too! Hope you get the chance to bake these brownies, they are indeed pretty awesome! And, I, too, think the coconut oil adds something magical to these. The author of the recipe feels it makes them more fudgy. I’m all for that!
Pinned for later! I love the texture and how healthy these are and of course, chocolate brownies make it all the better!
★★★★★
Thanks, Kim! I agree with all of that! These are the reasons they are so good for us, right? 😉
Because these have whole wheat I can eat extra, right 😉 ?? Seriously, though, these look super chocolatey and wishing I had, like, 3 right now!
★★★★★
Of course! Good thing the recipe makes a big 13×9!
You had me convinced and then I read your comment “terrific for your mental and emotional health, while adding some antioxidants and fiber”. How can I not make them as soon as possible. 😀
Hi, Karen! I think I listed the health benefits in order of magnitude, don’t you? I agree, make them ASAP!
I try to use whole wheat as much as possible when making treats for the kids! I’m a brownie kind of girl, so these would be right up my alley! They look so delicious, Laura!
Katherine – thanks for your visit! I love using whole wheat, too! This is one of those treat recipes where it really works well, and in brownies(!), so I’m all over that!
I’m definitely intrigued. Box mix brownies are one of my favorite guilty pleasures but I never mind spending a few extra minutes in the kitchen to make something delicious. Adding these to my baking list now!
★★★★★
Thanks, Kelsie! LMK how it goes. They are indeed delicious!
I can’t remember the last time I made Brownies from a box mix Laura. Always home-made for me please. And these brownies look amazing. Using whole wheat flour too? Now you’re talking my language. Yummy!
★★★★★
Thanks, Neil, we’re on the same page, then! There are some reasonably good box mixes, but homemade is my jam, too! I always like incorporating something healthier into something as scrumptious as a brownie, so this recipe has your name all over it, as well as mine!
While I don’t use box cake mixes at all, I would say it differently: there could be some brands that are as good (or almost) as homebaked desserts. And even though I haven’t tried these brownies, I can easily see I’d like the recipe. They have that fudgy texture and the “flaky” top – excellent!
Thanks, Ben! Hope you get the chance to try them. They are nice and fudgy and dare I say a bit “addictive”! Thanks for visiting!
I love baking breads with whole wheat flour (or a mix of all purpose and whole wheat), but I would never ever have guessed that whole wheat flour makes for a delicious brownie! Like you and that newspaper article, I’m super intrigued now. I kinda want to see how these taste! Plus, I’ll never turn down a good brownie. And since these are whole wheat, that makes ’em healthy, right? 🙂
★★★★★
David, these are indeed a *health food*. They are terrific for your mental and emotional health, while adding some antioxidants and fiber!
Mmmmm brownies are the best! I so need to try with whole wheat flour! They look so fudgy and delicious 🙂
Kelly, yes, do try these if you get the chance. I think you’ll agree – they are a game changer!
Dear; I would also be totally confused if someone says that kind of thing to me ! Always vote for the food from scratch. Pinned 🙂
★★★★★
Thanks, Davorka! So I’m not going crazy, then? Thank goodness!