Gooey Brownies

I can't take credit for this wonderful recipe. I got this from a good friend and it has become a staple in our home. My husband LOVES these and I've made them for a few dinner parties we've had in our home. They are always a hit... and the best part is... they are SUPER easy!!! The recipe is very basic and easy to follow. I used to be a "brownies from the box" person only. But this recipe has changed my mind. They are so quick, I'm SOLD! (and hopefully you will be too!)

Here's a picture of the ingredients:

I'll share the recipe with you and then tell you all the "tips" I've found to really make these work well and taste perfect every time... so keep reading!

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

handful of coconut

Mix and cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat each time to end with a "fluffy" mixture. Add Vanilla and salt, mix again. Then add flour and cocoa powder and mix. Finally add the handful of coconut and mix one last time. Bake in a greased 9 X 13 inch pan @ 350° for 25-30 minutes.

Some tips:

- Take your butter out of the fridge at least 2 hours before making them. Softened butter works much better when trying to incorporate the sugar. It works best to let it soften on its own rather than microwaving it because it softens much more evenly.

- When you add the eggs, one at a time, make sure to beat the mixture for a minute or two each time. This really helps the final product be more "fluffy" (which is what you want).

The picture below on the left shows what it should look like after the eggs are all incorporated. On the right shows what it should look like right before pour into the baking dish.

- The coconut is used to keep them moist and not dry out. My husband HATES coconut and didn't even notice it for the first year I made them. If you have a "coconut hater" in your home and think you can sneak it in, I would recommend it. Otherwise you could also use a handful of chocolate chips. They help to keep it moist and also keep the coconut haters happy. If I am making them to be eaten the same day, I don't add either. They are very gooey and moist on their own!

- When pouring the mixture from the bowl to the baking dish, do so carefully. You have just spent all this time mixing to incorporate air in the batter to keep them nice and fluffy. You don't want to smash all the air out. Just dump it, do a quick spread around the pan, and leave it alone!

- I NEVER bake them for the full 30 minutes. I always take them out at 25 minutes or even earlier. Brownies always continue to cook in the pan after you take them out of the oven, and let's be honest, who doesn't LOVE gooey brownies!?