How to Know When Your Brownies Are Perfectly Baked

Whether you're using a boxed mix or a homemade brownie recipe, finding the right balance between fudgy and cakey can be tricky. Even though any brownie is a good brownie, knowing the precise moment to pull them from the oven can be the key to turning a decent brownie into a truly amazing one.

What Is the Toothpick Method for Checking Brownie Doneness?

To check if your brownies are done, simply insert a toothpick into the center and remove it carefully.

For fudgy brownies, you should see some moist crumbs on the toothpick when you pull it out. If the toothpick is coated in batter, it means the brownies need more time in the oven. If it comes out completely clean, they might be overcooked already.

For cakey brownies, you should aim for a toothpick that comes out clean or with just a few crumbs stuck to it.

How to Check Brownie Doneness Without a Toothpick

No toothpick? No worries! For cakey brownies, look for a top that’s evenly dry and edges that are just beginning to pull away from the pan.

Fudgy brownies can be trickier to assess without a tool to check doneness in the center. A butter knife works as a substitute for a toothpick—just make sure there’s no excess batter sticking to the knife. However, it can be harder to gauge the “few crumbs attached” consistency with a knife. If you don’t have a toothpick, you can also use a cake tester (they’re reusable!) or even a wooden skewer, like the ones used for kabobs.

Fudgy vs. Undercooked Brownies

Want your brownies fudgy, not raw? Fudgy brownies are intentionally slightly underbaked. The trick is to make sure the center is set, and when you pull out the toothpick, it shouldn’t be dripping with batter.

How Long Should Brownies Cool?

It’s tempting to dive into a warm, gooey brownie fresh from the oven, but waiting at least an hour before cutting helps the brownies firm up in the center, especially if you're making fudgy ones.

For the cleanest cut, chill your brownies in the fridge before slicing. They’ll be much easier to cut into perfect squares when they’re firm from being chilled.

If you're adding frosting to your brownies, make sure they’re fully cooled first. Otherwise, the heat from the brownies will cause the frosting to melt and lose its texture.

When Is the Right Time to Take Brownies Out of the Pan?

Brownies are easiest to remove from the pan once they’ve cooled completely and firmed up. If you want to lift them out in one piece, line the pan with parchment paper so it hangs over the edges. Once the brownies have cooled, you can use the paper to lift them out and transfer to a cutting board for slicing.

Additional Tips for Ensuring Your Brownies Are Perfectly Baked:

• Make sure you’re using the same size pan that the recipe does. Shifting from a 13x9-inch pan to a 9x9-inch pan will give you thicker brownies that will likely take longer to bake (if all of the batter even fits into the smaller pan). Note that the material your pan is made out of will also make a difference, as brownies in a glass baking dishes or pans with a very dark coating tend to bake a bit faster than a lighter-colored pan. 
• Start checking for doneness at the beginning of the bake time range, or even a minute or two early. Most home ovens are not perfectly calibrated (running at the temperature the oven is set for), and if your oven is running hot, your brownies may bake faster than what the recipe says. 
• Speaking of oven temperatures, use an oven thermometer to check how hot your oven really is when it says it’s reached the temperature listed in the recipe. Check your manual – some ovens can be calibrated easily by yourself, but if yours cannot, you can make adjustments by setting your oven higher or lower as needed.