Copycat Starbucks Double Chocolate Brownies — The brownies are rich, fudgy, not cakey, perfectly chewy, and so easy to make. One bowl, no mixer, and studded with chocolate chunks!
Copycat Starbucks Double Chocolate Brownies
Recently, I was waiting in a long Starbucks line, peering into their bakery case, studying it actually, to see what I could remake at home. Remaking restaurant recipes and coming up with homemade copycat versions is what I do for fun.
‘Fun’ may not be the right word, but after 8+ years blogging about food, self-imposed challenges like this inspire me. In fact, my copycat Starbucks Lemon Loaf is one of the most popular recipes on my site.
I personally have been partial to this brownie recipe I created in 2014. I’ve remade it umpteen times, but it relies solely on melted chocolate.
However, when I was reading the Starbucks site it says their brownies are made exclusively of cocoa powder, which is a twist I wasn’t expecting. So I turned to a brownie recipe I made in 2013, courtesy of Alice Medrich, doctored it up, and voila we have copycat Starbucks Double Chocolate Brownies. My family raved about these.
They’re rich, fudgy, not cakey, perfectly chewy, and so easy to make. One bowl, no mixer, and studded with chocolate chunks.
You can save yourself the $2.45 per brownie and when it’s homemade the calories don’t count either.
iPhone photo of the real thing that inspired this recipe
What’s in These Double Chocolate Brownies?
These cocoa powder brownies require very few ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make copycat Starbucks brownies:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Salt
- Semi-sweet chocolate chunks
How to Make Chocolate Brownies
To make this brownie recipe with cocoa powder, you’ll first need to whisk together melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Then, stir in the dry ingredients before folding in the chocolate chunks.
Turn the batter into a greased 8×8-inch baking dish that’s been lined with foil. Sprinkle more chocolate chunks on top, then bake the double chocolate brownies until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
These chocolate chip brownies will need to cool for 2 hours before you can slice and serve them. Trust me, the wait is worth it!
Can I Double This Recipe?
Yes, you can double the ingredients for these copycat Starbucks chocolate brownies and bake them in a 9×13-inch pan.
Can I Make These Gluten-Free?
I haven’t tried it myself, but if you have a gluten-free flour blend that you trust, I say go ahead and try it in this chocolate brownie recipe!
Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Brownies
If your cocoa powder is lumpy, you may want to sift it before adding it to the brownie batter. You don’t want lumps in your chocolate brownies!
Also, if you don’t have chocolate chunks on hand you’re welcome to use chocolate chips instead. Stick with semi-sweet though so these brownies aren’t too sweet.
I haven’t been able to make perfectly fudgy, chewy brownies with canola oil, which is why I always use melted butter. As such, I don’t recommend subbing oil for the butter in this recipe.
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Starbucks Double Chocolate Brownies {Copycat Recipe}
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil for easier cleanup and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- To a large, microwave-safe bowl add the butter and heat on high power to melt, about 1 minute.
- Add the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
- Add the cocoa powder and stir to combine (Note – If your cocoa powder is particularly lumpy, you may wish to sift it before adding it).
- Add the flour, salt, and stir to combine.
- Add 1 1/2 cups chocolate chunks and stir to combine.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan (it will be thick) and smooth the top lightly with a spatula.
- Evenly sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chunks on top, lightly tapping them down so they adhere.
- Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.
- Allow brownies to cool in pan on a wire rack for about 2 hours before slicing and serving. I sliced them into 8 generous rectangles similar to how Starbucks does it. Store in an airtight container at room temp or in the fridge if you like your brownies chilled.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Originally posted February 24, 2017 and reposted January 28, 2022 with updated text.
Found this recipe this afternoon. Made them. Then ate & enjoyed them! Simple, easy to make & so delicious…the only hard part was waiting for them to cool!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you found the recipe and right away you were able to make them!
Have you had any success with using egg substitutes in this recipe?
I haven’t tried so can’t say for sure how the results will be.
Nothing from Averie ever disappoints. Her recipes are easy and thorough. I made these as written and they were a huge hit. I let them cool the 2+ hours, and it’s so necessary – especially with chocolate chunks. Speaking of which – I used Aldi’s Belgian chocolate chunks (part dark & part semisweet to use up open bags), and they were perfect! Melted just right and looked great on top. I cut into 8 servings for a pic, and then cut into 16 to serve. Rich & delicious. I was totally amazed how fudgy they were for being made solely with cocoa powder. This recipe is a keeper!
Nothing from Averie ever disappoints. Her recipes are easy and thorough. I made these as written and they were a huge hit. I let them cool the 2+ hours, and it’s so necessary – especially with chocolate chunks. Speaking of which – I used Aldi’s Belgian chocolate chunks (part dark & part semisweet to use up open bags), and they were perfect! Melted just right and looked great on top. I cut into 8 servings for a pic, and then cut into 16 to serve. Rich & delicious. I was totally amazed how fudgy they were for being made solely with cocoa powder. This recipe is a keeper!
What a lovely sentiment and compliments and thanks for the 5 star review! Glad you were impressed with how fudgy they were and that the recipe is a keeper for you!
Hi I made these today and they turned out awesome I had to control myself from eating all of em! I didn’t refrigerate what I had left over I left them on my counter in a tight sealed container.
I’m checking out your other recipes cause they all look good!
I rate this a 10!!!
Hi I made these today and they turned out awesome I had to control myself from eating all of em! I didn’t refrigerate what I had left over I left them on my counter in a tight sealed container.
I’m checking out your other recipes cause they all look good!
I rate this a 10!!!
I’m glad you loved these and would rate them a 10!
Hai Averie. For the cocoa powder, can i subtitute with the chocholate bar or cholate chips to melted it?
This recipe was tested exactly how I wrote it and if you start using melted chocolate in place of a dry powder, the results will be different and not sure how the brownies will turn out.
If you want to make brownies with melted chocolate, check the Related Recipes for countless options.
It was truly amazing & totally satisfying!!! but, what can we use instead of eggs for veg brownies????
Would appreciate if you could recommend a substitute for the eggs. The recipe looks so simple will definitely try it with eggs too. Thanking you in advance.
I really have never made brownies without eggs so can’t say.
Thank you so much! They are amazing. I waited patiently….
DO you have to wai tTwo hours?
Wait until they are cool enough to slice and not ruin them. If they are too hot when you cut them they’ll rip.
Thanks YOU I waited
Glad they are amazing and that you waited for them!
How many brownies does this recipe make?
It makes an 8×8 pan so depending on the size you slice them will determine how many it yields.
What is this sorcery? I have created (thanks to you) the same brownie I crave from Starbucks! Thank you for my new go-to brownie recipe!
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad you re-created your favorite Starbucks brownies!
My son said he wanted a brownie like Starbucks, so I searched it and found this recipe. I knew it would be good, because I’ve made many other of your recipes. I doubled it because we really like brownies. Turned out great as far as I’m concerned. My son hasn’t tried them yet because he went out. Hopefully he’ll love them. Took 38 min in my oven, and I forgot to try the espresso powder, next time I will add it.
Thanks for the five star review and I’m glad these turned out great as well as other recipes of mine that you’ve tried!
My son wants to make this for his classmates, but an 8×8 pan won’t be enough. If we are using a 9×13 pan, would we just double your recipe?
Yes that’s what I would do
Wow, these are absolutely delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
Glad they came out wonderfully for you!