JB’s Best Brownies are amazing! These classic bar cookies are easy to make, chewy, moist, and fudgy, and taste fantastic – with or without frosting!
About 25 years ago, I started making this recipe for brownies. I truthfully have no recollection of how or where I stumbled upon this recipe. But two things I DO know… my nickname is JB… and these are my very best brownies! There you have it… JB’s Best Brownies!
Truly these are amazingly good brownies! I’ve published the recipe before in a couple of school cookbooks and have received several notes from people telling me that JB’s Best Brownies are their favorite brownies!
They are so very easy to make. **NOTE: I WAS MAKING A DOUBLE BATCH WHEN I TOOK THESE PHOTOS. Recipe as written below, is for single batch.
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
How To Make JB’s Best Brownies
Blend the butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl (no need for a mixer, just use a wooden spoon). Add eggs. Mix well by hand until all ingredients are fully combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir dry ingredients into the batter.
Add the chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts), if using. Stir the batter well, to combine.
A Helpful Tip
Spread the batter for JB’s best brownies into a greased 9″ square pan (or if doubling recipe – use a 9×13 pan). It’s very helpful to line the baking pan with parchment paper.
Make sure the parchment paper is extended over the edges of pan and sprayed with non-stick spray. You can see this in the photo below.
Once the brownies have cooled, you can lift out the entire tray of JB’s best brownies by using the parchment paper and lifting them out. They will be much easier to frost, cut and serve this way, but is not necessary.
If you are NOT using parchment paper, you only need to spray your baking pan with non-stick spray, fill with batter, and bake.
Time To Bake!
Bake the brownies at 350°F. for 20-25 minutes. Start checking them around the 20-minute mark (times will vary depending on the size of the pan you are using).
A toothpick inserted into middle of pan should come out clean when done. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack, to cool.
Make The Frosting
While the brownies are baking, you can make the creamy chocolate frosting. Combine the softened butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla.
Mix the creamy chocolate frosting easily using a spoon until the frosting is thick and lump-free.
Add powdered sugar to the frosting mixture. Mix the frosting very well, to combine. Stir in 1-2 Tablespoons of milk (and more, if needed), to make a thick, spreadable frosting for the brownies.
Frost The Brownies
Once JB’s best brownies have completely cooled, they are ready to frost. NOTE: If you used parchment paper in the pan, carefully lift the entire pan of brownies out of the pan by holding the edges of parchment paper and lifting.
Evenly spread the frosting over the cooled brownies, then let them rest for 10-15 minutes (if you can wait!). Cut JB’s best brownies into desired serving sizes and serve!
Serve JB’s Best Brownies Frosted Or Unfrosted!
I love frosted brownies, but my husband doesn’t like frosting on his. So… I usually make a double batch, then only frost HALF the brownies, so we are BOTH happy!
Here’s an “up close and personal” view of an un-frosted brownie (see below). This is my husband’s preferred way of eating them.
Shown below is an “up close and personal” view of one of the brownies with frosting. YAY! I’m being serious about the frosted kind, because they are my absolute favorite!
These delicious bar cookies are chewy, very chocolatey, and have bits of nuts in them. Oh, my goodness. They are so good!
Enjoy JB’s best brownies with a big, cold glass of milk. Yum. Good thing I don’t make them too often, because I could eat the whole pan! No… really!
I hope you have the opportunity to make and enjoy JB’s Best Brownies! If you are a fan of brownies, check out my Crème de Menthe Brownies, Irish Cream Layered Brownies, or Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies because they’re yummy, too!
Thanks for stopping by and I invite you to come back again soon for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, may God bless you, and have a wonderful day.
Looking For Additional Bar Cookie Recipes?
You can find ALL of my bar cookie recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have some fantastic bar cookie recipes to choose from, including:
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↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
- 1/2 cup butter , melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
- 3 Tablespoons room temperature butter (do not melt)
- 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoons light corn syrup (or honey)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk
- Blend butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl (no need for a mixer, just use a wooden spoon). Add eggs. Mix well by hand until all ingredients are fully combined.
- In separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir dry ingredients into the batter. Add chopped nuts, if using. Stir well, to combine.
- It's EASY to lift pan of brownies out of pan to frost and cut if you line the baking pan with parchment paper, leaving edges of paper hanging over the side of pan. Spray the parchment paper with non-stick spray. If not using parchment paper, just spray baking pan. Spread batter into prepared 9" square pan (or if doubling recipe - use a 9x13 pan). Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. A toothpick inserted into middle of pan should come out clean when done.
- Cream together softened butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla (Just use a spoon-no mixer needed).
- Add powdered sugar. Mix well to combine. Add 1-2 Tablespoons milk (and a little more, if needed), to make a thick, spreadable frosting.
- When finished baking, remove cooked brownies from oven to a wire rack. Once brownies have cooled completely, you can lift out the entire tray of brownies by holding the parchment paper and carefully lifting them out. They will be much easier to frost, cut and serve this way, but is not necessary.
- Once brownies have COMPLETELY cooled, you can frost them, let them sit for a bit, then slice and serve!
9x9 pan yields 12 small brownies or 9 medium sized brownies.
If recipe is doubled, a 13x9 pan yields 24 small or 12 large brownies (large ones are in my photos). I double the recipe a lot (we love brownies!). If you double recipe, it will fill a 9x13 pan with no trouble. Continue to check for "done-ness" beginning around the 20 minute mark.
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!