These fudgy brown butter chocolate brownies sit right between gooey and chewy, with crisp edges and plenty of chopped dark chocolate running through the middle. Cocoa powder gives them a deep chocolate base, while the browned butter adds a warm, nutty flavor that regular melted butter can’t quite match.

Whisking the eggs, yolk, and sugar until pale helps create that thin, delicate crust on top, so it’s one step worth taking your time with. Remove the brownies while the center is still slightly soft, since they’ll continue to set as they cool. For a frosted version, try these red velvet brownies with cream cheese frosting. When you need a quicker shortcut, the Ghirardelli brownie mix recipe is another rich chocolate option.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 30–40 minutes
Yield: 9 large or 16 smaller brownies

Ingredients

• ½ cup plus 2 teaspoons (65 g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 7 tablespoons (100 g) unsalted butter
• 1¼ cups (250 g) caster or superfine sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (50 ml) vegetable oil
• 7 ounces (200 g) dark chocolate, roughly chopped and divided

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
2. Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until it smells nutty and the milk solids at the bottom turn golden brown. Remove from the heat and cool for 5–10 minutes.
4. Add the sugar and vanilla bean paste to a large bowl. Rub them together with your fingertips until the sugar is evenly scented with vanilla.
5. Add the two eggs and extra yolk. Whisk until the mixture becomes paler, slightly thicker, and increased in volume.
6. Slowly whisk in the cooled brown butter, followed by the vegetable oil.
7. Reserve a small handful of chopped chocolate for the top. Add the dry ingredients and remaining chocolate to the bowl, then fold gently until no dry streaks remain. Avoid overmixing.
8. Spread the brownie batter evenly in the prepared pan and scatter the reserved chocolate over the top.
9. Bake for 30–40 minutes, until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs rather than wet batter.
10. Let the brownies cool in the pan before lifting them out and slicing. Allow them to cool completely for the cleanest cuts.

Tips for the Best Brown Butter Brownies

• Measure carefully. Brownies contain very little flour, so even a small excess can make them dry. Using the gram measurements will give you the most consistent texture.
• Watch the butter closely. Remove it from the heat once the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty. If those specks become black, the butter will taste bitter.
• Let the butter cool. It can still be warm when added, but it shouldn’t be hot enough to cook the eggs.
• Whisk the eggs thoroughly. Whisking the eggs, yolk, and sugar until pale and slightly thick helps create a delicate, shiny crust.
• Fold instead of beating. Stop mixing as soon as the flour and cocoa disappear. Overmixing can leave the brownies firm rather than fudgy.
• Check them early. Begin testing at 30 minutes. A toothpick should come out with several moist crumbs, not completely clean.

Chocolate and Add-In Options

Dark chocolate containing around 60–70% cocoa gives these brownies a rich flavor without making them overly bitter. Semi-sweet chocolate can be used for a sweeter result.

For extra texture, fold in ½ cup (60 g) of toasted walnuts or pecans with the chopped chocolate. You can also whisk 1 teaspoon of espresso powder into the dry ingredients to deepen the chocolate flavor without making the brownies taste strongly of coffee.

How to Store Chocolate Brownies

Let the brownies cool completely before storing them, since trapped warmth can create condensation and make the surface sticky. Place them in an airtight container, with parchment paper between layers, and keep them at room temperature for up to four days.

For longer storage, refrigerate the brownies for up to one week. Chilling makes them firmer, so let them sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving.

How to Freeze Chocolate Brownies

Wrap each cooled brownie tightly and place them in a freezer-safe container or resealable bag. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw them while still wrapped at room temperature or leave them in the refrigerator overnight.

Serving Suggestions

These brownies are especially good at room temperature, once the chocolate and brown butter flavors have had time to settle. For a softer, gooier center, warm an individual brownie in the microwave for about 8–10 seconds before serving.

This spinach artichoke dip recipe turns two cans of artichokes and a bag of frozen spinach into the dish that empties fastest at any party. It bakes up thick and creamy, studded with garlic and melted cheese, and there’s nothing fussy about pulling it together on a weeknight or right before guests walk in the door. The whole thing lives in one bowl until it goes into the pan, so there’s barely any cleanup standing between you and a hot dip on the table.

Bring it to a game day spread next to a bowl of buffalo chicken dip and it disappears just as fast. It also holds its own on a holiday table alongside deviled eggs or a platter of baked feta, since all three bake low and slow while you handle the rest of the meal.

If you’d rather skip the oven entirely, French onion dip is the cold, no-bake option worth keeping in your back pocket, but this one earns its oven time. The filling comes together in one bowl in under fifteen minutes, and it bakes while you set the table, slice bread, or refill drinks. What comes out of the oven is thick enough to hold its shape on a chip instead of sliding right off, which is really the whole point of a good baked dip.

Ingredients

• 2 (14 oz) cans artichoke hearts (drained and roughly chopped)
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry)
• 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

1. Prep the oven and pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9-inch baking dish or cast iron skillet with butter or cooking spray. This keeps the edges of the dip from sticking once the cheese starts to bubble and brown.
2. Drain the spinach and artichokes: Squeeze the thawed spinach in a clean kitchen towel or a few layers of paper towels until no more water comes out; this step matters more than any other for keeping the dip thick instead of watery. Drain the artichoke hearts well and chop them into rough, bite-sized pieces.
3. Mix the creamy base: In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the sour cream and mayonnaise until smooth with no lumps left. Stir in the minced garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using.
4. Fold in the spinach, artichokes, and cheese: Add the chopped artichokes, squeezed spinach, ¾ cup of the mozzarella, and ½ cup of the Parmesan to the bowl. Fold everything together with a spatula until the greens and cheese are evenly distributed through the base, not clumped in one corner.
5. Assemble and top with cheese: Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Scatter the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan over the top so it melts into a golden crust as it bakes.
6. Bake until bubbly and golden: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the top is golden brown in spots. Let the dip rest for 5 minutes before serving; it firms up slightly and is much less likely to burn your tongue.

Tips for the Best Warm Spinach Artichoke Dip with Melted Parmesan

• Squeeze the spinach dry twice if you can, once right after thawing and again right before mixing. Leftover water is the number one reason this dip turns out soupy instead of thick.
• Use block-style cream cheese, not the whipped kind sold in a tub. Whipped cream cheese has more air and water beaten into it, so the dip won’t set up as firmly once it bakes.
• Swap half the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt if you want a lighter version; it keeps the tang without cutting the creaminess by much.
• Grate your own Parmesan instead of using the pre-shredded bags. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in anti-caking starch, which keeps it from melting into the smooth, stretchy texture you want here.
• If the top isn’t browning the way you like after 25 minutes, switch the oven to broil for 60 to 90 seconds and watch it closely; it goes from golden to burnt fast.
• Marinated artichoke hearts work too if that’s what you have on hand, just rinse and pat them dry first so the marinade doesn’t throw off the flavor balance.
• Taste the mixture before it goes in the oven and adjust the salt then, not after. Parmesan and mozzarella both bring their own saltiness once melted, so it’s easy to over-season a dip that tastes bland raw but turns out fine once it bakes.

Storage

Let leftover spinach artichoke dip cool to room temperature, then move it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, or warm the whole dish in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes until it’s hot through again; the oven does a better job of bringing the cheese back to that stretchy texture than the microwave does. To freeze it, let the baked dip cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven, since microwaving straight from frozen tends to leave the center cold while the edges overcook. If you’re planning ahead, you can also freeze it unbaked, wrapped tightly in the dish you plan to bake it in, so all you have to do on the day is thaw it and slide it into the oven. According to Ohio State University Extension’s food safety guidance, perishable food like this shouldn’t sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours before it needs to go in the fridge.

FAQ

Can you make spinach artichoke dip ahead of time?

Yes, and it’s one of the easier party appetizers to prep early. Assemble the dip completely, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it unbaked for up to 2 days before you need it. Bake it straight from the fridge, adding about 5 extra minutes to the bake time since it’s starting out cold instead of at room temperature.

Can you freeze spinach artichoke dip?

You can freeze it either before or after baking, and both work well. Cool it completely, pack it into a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking or reheating so the cheese melts back together instead of separating. Skip thawing on the counter, since dairy-based dips shouldn’t sit at room temperature for the hours it would take to defrost that way.

Why is my spinach artichoke dip watery?

Almost always it’s spinach that wasn’t squeezed dry enough before it went into the bowl. Marinated artichoke hearts that weren’t drained and patted dry are the other common culprit, since the oil and vinegar they sit in adds extra liquid that has nowhere to go once the dip bakes. If it still turns out thinner than you’d like, stir in an extra ounce or two of shredded mozzarella before baking; it thickens back up as it melts.

What do you serve with spinach artichoke dip?

Tortilla chips and toasted baguette slices are the classic choice, but sturdy crackers, pita chips, or a plate of raw vegetables like carrots and celery work just as well for scooping. Leftover dip also makes a good spread for sandwiches or a topping for a baked potato. It pairs naturally with other party appetizers too, so setting it out next to wings or a plate of deviled eggs rounds out a spread without much extra work.

Peach cobbler shows up in two very different forms online: a biscuit-topped version that takes real dough-making skill, and this one, a dump-and-bake cake cobbler that a beginner can pull off on the first try. You melt butter in the baking dish, pour a simple batter over it, spoon sweetened peaches on top, and walk away. The batter rises up and around the fruit as it bakes, so you get a golden, slightly crisp top with soft, cake-like layers underneath, and no rolling, cutting, or worrying about tough dough from overworking it.

This version works with whatever peaches you have on hand, fresh in the summer or canned the rest of the year, with an exact swap ratio spelled out below so you’re not guessing. It’s the kind of dessert that holds its own next to a brioche cinnamon roll at a Sunday brunch or a frozen blueberry pie at a summer cookout, and if you like fruit desserts with a little more structure, a Viennese apple strudel is worth trying next. Scoop the cobbler warm, straight from the dish, and let a scoop of vanilla ice cream melt into the cracks before it hits the plate.

Ingredients

• 6 cups sliced peaches (about 6 to 7 medium), fresh or 2 (29-ounce) cans, drained
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
• ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons turbinado or other coarse sugar, for topping

Instructions

1. Melt the butter: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Put the butter in a 9×13-inch baking dish and set it in the oven for about 5 minutes, just until melted. Swirl the dish to coat the bottom, then pull it out.
2. Season the peaches: In a bowl, toss the peaches with ½ cup of the sugar, the lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon of the cinnamon. Set the bowl aside while you make the batter, the fruit will release some juice as it sits.
3. Mix the batter: Whisk the flour, the remaining ½ cup sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the milk and vanilla just until combined; a few small lumps are fine.
4. Assemble without stirring: Pour the batter evenly over the melted butter in the baking dish. Spoon the peaches and their juice over the top. Don’t stir the layers together, the batter needs to stay on the bottom so it can rise up around the fruit as it bakes.
5. Bake: Sprinkle the remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon and the turbinado sugar over the top. Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cake layer comes out clean.
6. Rest before serving: Let the cobbler sit for 10 minutes before serving. It firms up as it cools, so slicing or scooping right away tends to leave a puddle instead of a clean serving.

Tips for the Best Peach Cobbler with a Buttery Cake Topping

• Swap in canned peaches without guessing at ratios: two 29-ounce cans, drained well, equal about 6 cups and work exactly like fresh fruit here. Skip the lemon juice since canned peaches already come packed in syrup or juice, and go easy on the sugar since canned fruit is usually sweeter than fresh.
• If the filling looks soupy once it’s baked, the peaches released more juice than the batter could soak up. Stir 1 tablespoon of cornstarch into the sugar before you toss it with the fruit next time, it thickens the juice without changing the flavor at all.
• Skip peeling the peaches if you’re short on time. The skins soften completely in the oven, and once the cobbler is baked and topped with ice cream, almost nobody notices they’re still on.
• Don’t stir the batter and peaches together before baking, even though it looks like it needs it. The batter has to stay on the bottom of the dish so it can puff up and surround the fruit as it bakes; mix them and you end up with a dense peach cake instead of a cobbler.
• A ripe peach gives slightly under gentle thumb pressure near the stem end. A peach that’s still rock hard will bake up bland no matter how long it’s in the oven, so let underripe fruit sit on the counter for a day or two first.
• Reach for turbinado or another coarse sugar for the topping if you have it. Regular granulated sugar melts in, but the coarse crystals stay crunchy on top even after 40 minutes of baking.
• Double the recipe in a 9×13 dish if you’re feeding a crowd, or split it between two 8-inch dishes if you’d rather have individual portions that reheat faster as leftovers the next day.
• Use a light-colored metal or glass baking dish rather than dark nonstick. Dark pans absorb more heat around the edges, so the cobbler at the sides can turn tough and overdone before the center is fully set.

Storage

Cover the baking dish tightly or move leftovers into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or warm the whole dish, loosely covered with foil, in a 325°F oven for 15 minutes to bring the topping back to life instead of going soft in the microwave. For longer storage, portion the baked cobbler into a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. This lines up with the USDA’s guidance on cooked leftovers, which recommends getting dairy-based dishes like this one into the fridge within two hours of coming out of the oven. If the top layer ever feels slimy or smells off, toss it, that’s usually mold starting on the moist cake layer rather than something you can scrape away.

FAQ

Can I make peach cobbler with canned peaches?

Yes, use two 29-ounce cans of sliced peaches, drained well, in place of the fresh fruit called for here. Skip the lemon juice, since canned peaches are already packed in syrup or juice, and taste the filling before adding the full amount of sugar, since canned peaches tend to be sweeter than fresh ones.

Why is my peach cobbler soggy in the middle?

It usually means the peaches gave off more juice than the batter could absorb while baking. Stir a tablespoon of cornstarch into the sugar you toss with the fruit, and let the cobbler rest the full 10 minutes after it comes out of the oven; the center firms up as it cools.

Can you freeze peach cobbler?

Yes, both baked and unbaked cobbler freeze well. Baked cobbler keeps for up to 3 months in an airtight container, and you can thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it in the oven. If you’d rather freeze it unbaked, wrap the assembled dish tightly and bake it straight from frozen, adding about 15 extra minutes.

Do I need to peel the peaches first?

No, peach skins soften completely during baking, and most people don’t notice them once the cobbler is done. If you’d rather have a smoother filling, blanch the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then move them to an ice water bath; the skins slip right off.