Scratch Brownies - Family Favorite

No Need to Buy Brownie Mixes - Easy Recipe

Jun 7, 2006

It's hard to beat Scratch Brownies. Some desserts go in and out of favor, but brownies never go begging.

Scratch brownies were one of the first easy desserts I ever made. I saw Betty Feezor on TV. She did a local cooking show, and she went over how to make brownies. I wrote everything down and made my first batch followed by many more over the years-over 30 years now. Though I've tried other recipes, I've never found one that beats this one for homemade brownies.

Scratch Brownies

1 cup butter or margarine (melted)
2 cups white sugar
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
2 eggs
½ cup cocoa
2 cups plain flour
optional - nuts, raisins, chocolate chunks, caramel pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream margarine and sugar. This works well with a mixer, but you can do it by hand.
After the creaming stage, do switch to a spoon for mixing. Brownies tend to get tough if worked too much.
Add the vanilla and eggs and mix just until smooth.
Pour in cocoa and flour. Again, mix until smooth and lumps are broken up. But, don't go to wild on the mixing.
If you want to add extras, just fold those in easily.
Bake for 18-20 minutes in 2 pans size 8 inches by 8 inches. You can use a larger pan like the 9 x 9 and cook for a little longer-25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. If you use a single pan, then the Scratch Brownies are thicker.

These are always a hit with my kids, at Scout functions, and at pot luck dinners. They also work out well at barbecues, since they hold up much better than many desserts.

I don't know if Betty Feezor is still alive or not. I thought everyone knew her, since she was on TV. It was much later that I understood that she did a local show and that people in other parts of the country never had the joy of watching and learning from her. I always kept a pen and notebook handy when I'd watch the show with my mom. She was a fun part of my childhood, and I remember Betty Feezor every time I make her Scratch Brownies.

The copyright of the article Scratch Brownies - Family Favorite in Southern Cuisine is owned by Cyndi Allison. Permission to republish Scratch Brownies - Family Favorite in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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Comments

Jun 13, 2006 7:31 PM

Janice Benoit :

Sounds like a great recipe -- I've always just used a mix, but am excited to try this recipe at my next get-together!
~Janice

Jun 17, 2006 2:58 AM

Cyndi Allison :

Hi Janice--Scratch Brownies are quick and easy, and they have a fudgier taste I think than the box versions (which I use some too). Hope you enjoy them.

Aug 22, 2006 6:12 PM

ab :

I'm assuming this is one 350, it worked ok.

great taste!!

Sep 10, 2006 9:20 AM

Cyndi Allison :

Good catch. Yes. The temp is 350 degrees F. I will see if I can get that added to the recipe. TKS!

Glad you liked the brownies.

Aug 1, 2007 8:52 AM

Beverly Goble :

Just saw the 2006 post of scratch brownies recipes from Betty Feezor. Betty Feezor was a big part of my childhood, having grown up in the viewing area of her Charlotte tv station. Sadly, she passed away in the early 70's, but her Carolina cookbooks continue to be availabe via Amazon.com although they are becoming harder to obtain. Her recipes are so reliable and good!!!

Mar 5, 2008 6:33 AM

Cyndi Allison :

I'll have to get a copy of her cookbook. I used to watch her show when I was a little girl. My mom and I would watch that. We copied down the brownie recipe years ago and continue to use that as our favorite today.

Apr 5, 2008 5:51 PM

Cyndi Allison :

Someone who posts photos on Flickr made this recipe and put up a photo. It's a good one. This is what these brownies look like - really rich and fudgy.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/paperseed/2357522483/?addedcomment=1#comment 72157604404812649

Aug 21, 2008 6:31 PM

Guest :

I don't have butter or margarine, can I use shortening?

Aug 21, 2008 6:49 PM

Cyndi Allison :

Yes. You can use shortening (Crisco etc). I prefer butter, but they are still good either way.

Aug 22, 2008 1:52 PM

Guest :

No leavening agent of any kind noted. Could this be accurate?
Diane
New Orleans, LA

Aug 23, 2008 5:46 AM

Cyndi Allison :

Yes. The recipe is accurate. The story floats that someone left the rising agent out of chocolate cake which is how brownies came to be. Brownies are more dense and fudgelike than cakes or cupcakes. That's because they traditionally do not have a rising agent. You may find some that have baking powder; however, expect a more cakelike brownie for such recipes.

Aug 27, 2008 10:52 AM

Guest :

I am making these brownies right now and i am reall excited to tr them this is m first time not making brownies out of a box Thanks :-)

Aug 27, 2008 12:41 PM

Cyndi Allison :

Terrific! It's always nice to know when someone tries out the recipe. We have loved these for years. So glad I copied down the recipe when I was a kid (and that I didn't lose it either).

Sep 7, 2008 8:15 AM

Guest :

how many eggs, two?
Norm

Sep 7, 2008 8:23 AM

Cyndi Allison :

Yes. Two eggs. See ingredient list at top of recipe. Tks, Cyndi

Sep 16, 2008 6:25 AM

Guest :

Probably just my inexperience here, but I thought it important to emphasize that the butter should be melted, not just softened. I made the mistake of only softening it, and it wasn't liquidy enough to moisten the mix when the flour/cocoa was added.

Sep 16, 2008 7:30 PM

Guest :

I am making these right now! I hope they turn out good! They sound great! Thank you for sharing the recipe!!

Sep 18, 2008 6:55 PM

Guest :

My supervisor at work made brownies for me last week and since then I've been craving them. I'm used tyo making the box version but now I'm tempted to try this recipe. Thanks. Question... could I use brown sugar instead of white sugar?

Sep 18, 2008 7:01 PM

Cyndi Allison :

Yes! Do actually melt the butter (or margarine) as noted. Brownie batter is thick by nature. That's why most boxed mixes call for oil. The butter makes them extra good though, and it's worth it to take the time to melt.

Sep 18, 2008 7:05 PM

Cyndi Allison :

Hum . . . I've never used brown sugar in this recipe. The texture on brown sugar is thicker and the taste is richer. It's also more expensive. I use brown sugar in a recipe that is kind of like a brownie but with no chocolate. That one has a dryer texture, so I'm thinking brown sugar would not work so well in traditional brownies with that ooey, gooey feel and taste. I think it would be dry and more cakelike and awfully sweet too.

Sep 23, 2008 7:46 AM

Guest :

Sounds amazing can't wait to make them. Thanks for posting it.

Oct 5, 2008 11:42 AM

Guest :

mmmmmmmmmm tasyt

Oct 21, 2008 7:41 PM

Guest :

Cyndi, thanks for the post. I too grew up watching Betty Feezor. I had lost my brownie recipe. Thanks my family loves these!!!

Oct 23, 2008 10:15 AM

Guest :

about how many brownies does this reciepe make?

Oct 24, 2008 10:31 PM

Guest :

thank you so mush for this brownie recipe i love brownies and i am 50 years old and i have tryed lots of differnt recipes but this one i realy love this one

Oct 25, 2008 1:43 PM

Guest :

This is better than the mix!!!

Nov 4, 2008 12:23 PM

Guest :

is the mix suppose to look a little creamy

Nov 4, 2008 12:24 PM

Guest :

im making these brownies right now. i hope they taste great. or else hahaaha :DD

Nov 4, 2008 2:12 PM

Cyndi Allison :

I'd say the mix looks a bit gritty. The sugar does not appear to bind well. It is overall kind of creamy, but the texture is a little rough - like sandy maybe. The brownies cook up fabulous though. The batter just looks a little different than . . . say . . . cake batter. Then, the taste is heavier and chewier than cake. It's a very classic brownie texture.

Nov 20, 2008 2:19 PM

Guest :

someone brought brownies into a meeting today and explained how she made them and it sounds just like your recipe. i am anxious to try them!!! now I don't have to wait and wonder if she is really going to give me the recipe! thanks so much for posting...and that picture of the brownies is beautiful!! what perfect looking brownies!!

Nov 20, 2008 2:19 PM

Guest :

Nov 23, 2008 3:44 PM

Guest :

Do you have the amounts for a 9X13 pan. I have a Large (7) family.

Nov 23, 2008 5:48 PM

Cyndi Allison :

For the 9 x 13 pan, double the recipe. Add about 10 minutes to the cooking time. It's hard to test brownies for done-ness. Ovens vary. Go with double amounts and 35 minutes. If they are a bit gooey, then add a few minutes the next time.

God bless big families. Mine was too !

Nov 25, 2008 12:29 PM

Guest :

What can you use instead of cocoa powder?

Nov 26, 2008 8:02 PM

Guest :

its a really good recipe my husband loves me even more now lol

Nov 27, 2008 6:13 PM

Guest :

A.S:

I don't have vanilla flavoring can i use something else other than that?

Nov 28, 2008 11:56 AM

Guest :

i used choclate chips instead of cocoa and it was good the kids loved it

Nov 29, 2008 3:56 PM

Guest :

I decided to make a half recipie but it ended up being really thick so i added water is that ok?

Nov 29, 2008 3:57 PM

Guest :

I decided to make a half recipie but it ended up being really thick so i added water is that ok?

Nov 29, 2008 7:38 PM

Cyndi Allison :

I always use cocoa powder. It's inexpensive, and it keeps well. That's one of the reasons this is a favorite family recipe. But, other types of chocolates can be used as the reader who used chocolate chips.

Nov 29, 2008 7:52 PM

Guest :

These browines were awesome. My only issue I had was the toothpicks came out clean yet when I cut the brownies they were still uncooked inside... Never had this happen before. Any hints?

Nov 29, 2008 9:21 PM

Cyndi Allison :

I've never found a toothpick to be a good test for brownies. The texture is different from cakes. Brownie batter/mix is thick. It's not likely to leave behind the dough like cakes on a toothpick. Since different stoves cook different, it may take a time or two to get the right temp and time. This is a case where it's a good idea to keep notes. If they were undercooked, add 5 minutes or so. See if that works. If so, note that time for your stove and the brownie recipe.

Dec 4, 2008 9:35 PM

Guest :

Sounds like a great and delicious recepie im going to try and prepare it from scratch because i myself alwayz use the mix but i wanted to try something diffrent this year

Dec 6, 2008 1:43 PM

Guest :

this is GREAT! im was talkin w/ my friend nd teachin ha how to make it

Dec 7, 2008 8:36 AM

Guest :

I only have unsalted butter. Should I add salt to the recipe?

Dec 7, 2008 1:06 PM

Cyndi Allison :

I probably would not add salt, since the chocolate is the key flavor. You can add 1/4 tsp per stick for unsalted butter which can make a difference in some recipes. With the texture and flavor in the brownies, I'd not worry about it though.

Dec 7, 2008 3:09 PM

Guest :

This recipe turned out fantastic. Thank you for sharing it! I added some white chocolate chunks and nuts. ;-)
Corrinna

Dec 7, 2008 3:43 PM

Cyndi Allison :

I've never added white chocolate chunks, but that sounds yummy. This is a nice basic recipe, and I'd think most any brownie extra would be fine. They can also be frosted, but I prefer brownies without frosting esp when they are the homemade type of brownies.

Dec 29, 2008 10:31 AM

Guest :

Add chocolate chunks!! It makes the mix really choclatey ,thick,
and sweet. I loved them!!! I will deinatley make them with my kids. My ollerskids liked the chunks, they thought the chunks were mini tresures!! Thank you so much for the delicious recipe I will make them again and pass the recipe on to my friends and family. Thanks again.
- Alexandra
p.s. I love your website I get all my recipes from it. They are all delicious.

Dec 31, 2008 6:52 AM

Cyndi Allison :

I'll have to try the chunks some time too. That does sound good.

Glad you like the recipes (and site). These are ones that my boys especially like too.

Jan 1, 2009 3:21 PM

Guest :

these are the best brownies I have ever eaten before.

Jan 9, 2009 12:44 PM

Guest :

i made these brownies for my team and they were a HIT!

Jan 9, 2009 3:50 PM

Guest :

I didnt over mix but my batter was super think almost like homemade cookie dough. Is it supposed to be that thick? I followed the recipe to a T.

Jan 10, 2009 4:22 PM

Cyndi Allison :

Yes. The mix is thick. You may have to spread with a spoon a little. One thing - did you melt the butter? That's pretty important. You don't want it just soft - you want to melt it.

Jan 17, 2009 7:09 PM

Guest :

i like the way it looks in the oven and how its all bubbly.

Jan 19, 2009 8:52 AM

Guest :

I made these brownies for my boyfriend's family, and they love them. These are much better than the mixes I used to buy. After I mix everything, the mix is very thick and its easy to put in the pan.

Jan 22, 2009 8:01 PM

Guest :

great recipe thanks...

BTW this works perfect for a 9x13 at 20min

Jan 24, 2009 7:13 AM

Guest :

Always on the lookout for a scratch brownie recipe, especially a really good one...can't wait to check out the results. Anyone as thick as me and not see the butter was to be melted? If so, did they still turn out? That is the problem with multi-tasking

Jan 27, 2009 5:22 PM

Guest :

wickked. thanks. my sister is using this recipe to make and have a bake sale to raise money for world water! thanks for posting it!

Feb 11, 2009 11:42 AM

Guest :

me and my sister wanted brownies SO bad, but we didn't think we had the right stuff for it. and then I came across this site and were superr excited. usually my mom uses the box. so this is a first.
but were making them now, and we cant wait to see how they turn
out.and I looked at the picture, they looked superr yummy! (:
-thanks.

Feb 11, 2009 1:16 PM

Guest :

Iam only 12 and love cooking but when I want to make brownies I always have to go to the store and sometimes I cant even go because I dont have a car but for this recipie I had everything I needed and now I cant wait to try them.

Feb 21, 2009 4:25 PM

Guest :

I don't have cocoa, but have a couple bars of hershey's chocolate. Is it true that i can substitute a bar of chocolate for chocolate powder?

Feb 22, 2009 10:39 AM

Guest :

Is the batter supposed to be thick??? I thought I did something wrong but I followed all the directions to the T?

Thanks a lot,

Valencia Sanders

Feb 22, 2009 12:52 PM

Cyndi Allison :

Hi Valencia - Yes. The batter is thick. I spread it a bit with a spoon. If it's super thick then, did you melt the butter? The butter really does need melted to mix these up.

Feb 22, 2009 12:54 PM

Cyndi Allison :

I don't know about putting in chocolate bars. They'd need to be grated or melted in a double boiler or something, because the chocolate needs to be mixed through.

Also - the candy has sugar in there. Cocoa powder does not. Those might be some terribly sweet brownies.

Cocoa powder is much cheaper, so I always use that.

Feb 24, 2009 3:06 PM

Guest :

happy,
Very good

Feb 24, 2009 4:43 PM

Guest :

these turned out really good!!

Feb 27, 2009 3:30 PM

Guest :

Jessica Jean:

this sounds great.one day my daughter came home and wanted brownies i didn't have mix so i said no. she asked again about scrach and i said fine. sge used google.com and saw your sight these are really great and easy!

~jessica

Mar 18, 2009 9:18 AM

Guest :

thank u very much for this recipt as its quick and simple brill to do with kids and looking forward to making them cheers

Mar 21, 2009 10:49 AM

Guest :

im makin this for my church members! lets see if theyll like it! :P

Apr 2, 2009 12:21 PM

Guest :

I just tried this recipe, and I love it! It's so easy, and usually you have everything you need in the house already, just in case that chocolate fix hits you...like myself just now. Thanks!

Apr 2, 2009 2:43 PM

Mrs. Amy Ritchie :

Thank you so much for posting this! My husband and I are newly married and I ran out of brownie mix. So while he is at work I just made the brownie batter and it is delicious! Thankyou!

Apr 11, 2009 4:46 PM

Guest :

GREAT RECIPE!!!!!!

Apr 13, 2009 3:19 PM

Guest :

Brownie mixes be expensive depending on the brand. Now that I have found the PERFECT recipe for Scratch Brownies I no longer have to worry about the price. Byt he way, with this recipe I put in dark chocolate chips and raisins. They were great. Can't wait to bring it to a potluck. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

Apr 18, 2009 8:22 AM

Guest :

I'm 41 years old and never made homemade brownies in my lifetime. Tried this recipe and they came out PERFECT! Were a hit for Easter! I used dark chocolate cocoa, added semi-sweet chocolate chips and doubled the recipe.

Apr 19, 2009 2:43 PM

Guest :

hmmmm i wonder if i have cocoa...........

Apr 22, 2009 3:42 PM

Guest :

Fantastic recipe. I tried a diferent "gourmet" brownie recope last night, and they came out so bad I threw them away. Tasted like the institutional brownies that you get on airplanes. So I was looking for a simpler recipe and found yours, and I am completely stoked. Just took the pan out of the oven, and they smell SOOOOOO goood. Thanks so much.

Apr 26, 2009 10:57 PM

Guest :

i dont have cocoa can i use choclote syrup in place of cocoa for brownies. guest

Apr 29, 2009 7:20 PM

Guest :

Hey I'm going to try this recipe out I have a question do I have to put water or milk???

May 1, 2009 7:31 AM

Guest :

jayrome williams are they are good i had one

May 2, 2009 11:01 AM

Guest :

I don't know if it is white sugar or brown sugar

Jun 8, 2009 4:55 AM

Guest :

I'v tried making brownies though the taste is really good but it always gets burned at the bottom n sticks to the pan .......even though i grease the pan n sprinkle flour so that it does not stick but no use....wht do i do ????

Jun 8, 2009 7:28 AM

Cyndi Allison :

If it's just the bottom, then try raising the oven rack up higher.

If the overall brownies are cooked too much, then your oven may heat hot. Drop the temp by 25 degrees and see it that takes care of the problem.

You could also try reducing the cooking time a bit - maybe 5 minutes less.

Jun 10, 2009 6:12 PM

Guest :

Thanks for the recipe, I was craving some brownies one night, and googled it and yours was the first one i saw that looked easy and appealing. I tried it and forgot to melt the butter first, after i mixed everything in, i looked back online and saw that it was supposed to be melted prior to adding to the sugar, so i melted a little more and added it and they were fine (i just wanted to say that, for people who forget to melt the butter) also i made them with "Earth Balance" which is a 0 trans fat buttery spread. Worked like a charm. Thanks for your Recipe.

Jun 12, 2009 4:45 PM

Guest :

I am pregnant and had a major chocolate craving! Thank you so much!!! I added peanut butter chips to mine. They are about to come out of the oven and I can't wait to eat them!

Jun 24, 2009 2:29 PM

Guest :

yes 350 degrees works but my oven is newer and cooks faster. great tasting recipe!!! my family loved it!!

86 Comments