My family loves brownies (especially warm ones with ice-cream), and I simply have not, in all my years, found a made-from-scratch recipe that renders a good brownie. I like them chewy. I end up settling for boxed brownies all the time. They are good, but I prefer to make them myself (from scratch) I like to eat the sides and the corners because they are the chewiest pieces. Most recipes I’ve tried either taste nothing like brownies, or they are too cake-like.

On a whim I decided to try a recipe from the Hershey’s site titled, Hershey’s Best Brownies.  The family, always the brownie critics, gave them a thumbs up – which is a step in the right direction. As far as flavor goes, they were delicious. I’m still working a bit on the chewy part (they were given out as gifts and I didn’t have a real chance to “test” them) and will make them again to try. But for the most part, this is a recipe I can work with. If I can find a brownie recipe that I can make from scratch and not have to buy a box for, I’ll be happy.

HERSHEY’S Best Brownies

Ingredients:
* 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 4 eggs
* 3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa or HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup chopped nuts(optional)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Place butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 2 to 2-1/2 minutes or until melted. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with spoon after each addition. Add cocoa; beat until well blended. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat well. Stir in nuts, if desired. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost if desired. Cut into bars. About 36 brownies.