The 1-Ingredient Secret to the Gooiest, Fudgiest Brownies

When it comes to brownie preferences, there are essentially two sides: cakey brownie people and fudgy brownie people. Some like them light, fluffy, and airy, while others want them chewy and dense with stick-to-your-teeth decadence. Well, our newest brownie recipe is for fans of the latter. 

For the fudgiest brownies that will ever come out of your kitchen, there’s one ingredient you need to call on. It has unique properties that can totally transform a standard brownie recipe, making treats that are chewier, more moist, and more flavorful than ever. And that secret ingredient is: sweetened condensed milk.

What Is Sweetened Condensed Milk? 

To start, let's just go over what this ingredient really is. Sweetened condensed milk is a creamy, sweet (and super gooey) product made by simmering milk and sugar down until it’s a thick, concentrated liquid. What makes it distinct from evaporated milk is the addition of sugar. This ingredient stars in dozens of popular desserts, from ice cream to tres leches cake to banoffee pie. 

Because sweetened condensed milk is cooked, it has a distinct caramelized flavor that can add subtle caramel notes to desserts (and if you cook it down even more, you can turn it into a one-ingredient dulce de leche!). Plus, when store-bought, the product has a super long shelf life, so you can keep it in the back of the pantry until the day you’re in need of a delicious batch of brownies. 

Why You Should Add Sweetened Condensed Milk to Brownies

In our Sweetened Condensed Milk Brownies recipe, the milk product plays an essential role in achieving a crisp and chewy texture and intricate flavor. This sticky-sweet addition acts as both a binding agent, lending structure as the brownies bake, and a source of luscious creaminess within. So, you get that under-baked brownie decadence in a fully-baked treat.

The sugar plays two roles, helping the edges crisp up on the outside while keeping the inside moist and tender—aka, what every fudgy brownie aspires to be.

Who knew one ingredient had so much to offer? 

Because the milk-based ingredient is so sweet and creamy, it’ll give your brownies a milk chocolatey flavor, but cocoa powder or even a few tablespoons of coffee can provide the bitterness needed to balance the flavor out. These brownies also bake longer than most other recipes because the extra-gooey batter will need longer to set. So, you’ll need to exercise some patience, but the wait is absolutely worth it.

How to Make Sweetened Condensed Brownies 

Start by heating melted butter and sugar together until combined. This is easier to do on the stovetop, but you can also use a microwave if needed by heating and whisking in 30-second intervals. Remove the mixture from the heat, then stir in chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. The darker the chocolate, the richer the flavor will be. 

After the chocolate mixture cools slightly, add the eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously in between to make sure the eggs don’t scramble from the heat. Then, whisk in the vanilla before adding the dry ingredients.

To the bowl, you’ll add flour, cocoa powder, and kosher salt and stir with a rubber spatula until totally incorporated. Finally, fold in more chocolate chips for extra bursts of melted chocolate in each bite. 

Into an 8x8 square baking pan (prepped with parchment paper and cooking spray), pour the batter and spread lightly until smooth. Place them on the upper third rack of a 350-degree F preheated oven, and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is shiny but not wet to the touch. Let them cool for a full hour before serving.

Optional: At the 30-minute mark, pull them out and sprinkle some flakey sea salt on top. Not only does this help bring out the chocolate flavor, but it also adds extra style points.

Get the Recipe: Sweetened Condensed Brownies