How to Tell When Brownies Are Done: 7 Quick Ways (2024)

FAQs

How to Tell When Brownies Are Done: 7 Quick Ways? ›

To test for doneness with a toothpick, insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies and pull it back out. For fudgy brownies, you'll want to see some moist crumbs attached to the toothpick when you pull it back out. If it looks like it's covered in brownie batter, the brownies will need to bake a bit longer.

To test for doneness with a toothpick, insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies and pull it back out. For fudgy brownies, you'll want to see some moist crumbs attached to the toothpick when you pull it back out. If it looks like it's covered in brownie batter, the brownies will need to bake a bit longer.

Our Favorite Alternative to Toothpicks

Look at your knife set and find the one with the thinnest blade. Then insert the blade into the center of the cake. If the knife comes out clean, the cake is done. If batter or crumbs stick to the blade, let your cake bake a few minutes more and retest with a clean knife.

The first check is a visible check of the brownie tray. You will want to see cooked edges around the tray and a slight shrinking away from the side of the pan. Importantly you should see shiny cracks in the crispy top of the brownie.

Problem 2: My brownies are too GOOEY

Honestly, there is a slim chance they are underbaked, but it's more likely that they just need to firm up in the fridge.

Gently shake the pan back and forth a few times and look at the middle of the brownies—if you're cooking fudgy brownies, they should wobble or jiggle slightly. They'll finish cooking after you take them out of the oven. If you're cooking chewy or cakey brownies, you shouldn't see any movement in the middle of the pan.

Place a toothpick into the brownie halfway between edge and center. A toothpick covered in brownie batter means a wet batter and will need to bake a bit longer. Moist crumbs on the toothpick means the middle of the pan is still gooey.

Similarly, for moisture-sensitive recipes like banana bread and brownies, opening the door can lead to an uneven bake, where the edges might be overcooked by the time the center catches up. This inconsistency can ruin the texture and overall appeal of your desserts.

Wait until your brownies have completely cooled to room temperature. As brownies cool, they will solidify and set up, so slicing into them too early can result in brownie squares that fall apart or become a mess very quickly. Note: I don't recommend slicing baked brownies until just before you plan to serve them!

Should brownies be gooey or cakey? ›

It's a sliding scale, and you can make just about any brownie texture from very gooey, to very cakey. Some might call brownies that fall in the middle chewy, however, we'll just call them slightly gooey, or slightly cakey.

Recipes for chewy brownies use more flour than those for fudgy brownies, which results in a more structured, chewy bite and less dense texture.

Do Brownies Need to Be Refrigerated? Brownies don't need to be refrigerated, but they'll hold up a few more days if they are. Unless your brownies include more perishable ingredients like fresh fruit or cream cheese frosting, they'll be fine at room temperature as long as they're stored in an airtight container.

The temperature

Pre-heating your oven is of utmost important. Brownies also sink in the middle because they weren't baked for long enough.

If you think your brownies are baking too quickly, cover them with a layer of foil to help reflect some heat away.

Nigella's Brownies (from HOW TO BE A DOMESTIC GODDESS) should be fairly squidgy and soft when cool. To check if they are done insert a cake tester into the centre - it should come out with damp crumbs attached, rather than raw brownie batter.

If the recipe you're using gives instructions for a specific cooling method, follow it and wait for your brownies to cool completely. If there aren't specific instructions, leave the brownies in the pan, put the pan on a rack and let them cool completely (which means a 2 to 3 hour wait).

You'll have to pick up around where you left off while accounting for the time it takes the food to heat up. So for brownies that need about 5 more minutes in the oven, get the oven heated to the right temperature while letting your brownies come to room temperature. Then pop them in the oven for 2 minutes.