Brownies Didn’t Rise? Common Causes and Fixes

Brownies Didn’t Rise? (Reasons, Fixes, and the Right Way)

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We bet, if there’s only one dessert that you can’t resist – it’s a rich, fudgy, and chocolatey brownie. It’s really hard not to love this chocolatey dessert. So, you made a brownie and the end result was a flat brownie. So you have your question –

Why Brownies Didn’t Rise?

Normally brownies don’t rise as much as other bakery products as brownies are denser, chocolatey, and fudgy. But if the brownies didn’t rise at all, then the mixture of sugar and eggs needs to be beaten for a longer period of time.

Everyone likes the brownies that are fudgy, cakier, and moist. But we know, no one likes the brownies that are very flat or don’t rise at all. So, if you baked brownies and they turned out to be extra flat so what needs to be done?

You are following the whole recipe, but still, your brownies didn’t rise, then we are here to fix it for you.

This post will share everything about why your brownies are not rising properly. What measures do you need to take, and where are you lacking? Luckily, you have landed on a very accurate post.

No more flat brownies anymore! Let’s begin.

Do Brownies Rise?

The quickest answer is yes! Brownies always rise. However, these square-shaped chocolatey desserts do not rise as much as a creamy cake, but they still rise. So, if your brownies are rising but not as much as a cake does, then these are perfectly fine. 

Do Brownies Rise?
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Most brownie recipes use a 13- by 9- by 2-inch pan, and so brownies baked in such a pan rise to about 1 inch high. But if you want to increase the height of brownies, you can go for using a pan of 9- by 9- by 2-inch pan or 8- by 8- by 2-inch. Using this pan can make your brownies rise more than an inch. 

You can say the height of the brownies depends on the recipe and your preference as well.

Reasons & Fixes – Why Your Brownies Are Not Rising?

Beating the mixture extensively and for more time is the key for fudgy, caky, and delicious brownies.  Otherwise, you can add a very small amount of baking powder so that your brownies will lift a bit more than usual.

Another major reason why your brownies are not getting any height is that you are using a pan that is a bit taller. We recommend using a small pan for the recipe so that you have more dense, thick, and fudgy brownies next time.

Let’s talk about the five mistakes that you might be making, and that’s the reason why your brownies are not as perfect as your friend has. These mistakes, along with their fixes, will help you make perfect brownies next time.

Here they are:

1. You’re not following the right recipe

Remember, brownies are of two types, one is fudgy, and the other is cakey. So, when picking up a recipe, you must know which one you want to enjoy right now.

If you follow a cakey brownie and want to eat a fudgy one, you can never bake the desired brownie.

Fix

Always look for the recipe that you want to bake. “Which kind of brownies do you like to bake” is the foremost question whose answer you need to know beforehand.

After that, select a recipe and ensure that you always have all ingredients available at home and the matter of the right amount.

2. Why don’t you let the chocolate cool after melting?

If you are making a brownies mixture, you will definitely melt chocolate for it.

But if you are in a rush and try to make the mixture and add the hot chocolate together, then you are just wasting the ingredients and, of course, the time.

Always wait for a few minutes to let the chocolate cool before adding it to butter and sugar. 

Fix

Always melt the chocolate on low heat so that it can melt properly. After that, set it aside and let it cool for a few minutes. Add it to the mixture. Make sure that you are following the exact recipe.

3. Oh, your pan is the actual problem!

If you think you can bake the brownies in any of the pans and every pan will give the same result, then you really need to rethink.

Many brownies recipes instruct to use a pan of 9 inches long. Remember using a taller pan can end up in thin or overcooked brownies.

But that doesn’t mean that you use a very small pan as it can, too, resulting in undercooked brownies.

Fix

Always try to go for a pan instructed in the recipe. Never bake on smaller pans as they take more time to cook and result in thick brownies. You need to use the right pan to ensure that cinnamon rolls are not burned at the bottom.

On the other hand, bigger pans take less time to cook and bake thinner brownies.

4. Wait until your toothpick comes clean from the mixture

Do you wait for the toothpick to come out all clean from the mixture, and then you take brownies out of the oven? Then that’s the major reason why your brownies are not rising and are not perfect as well.

Yes, your brownies are crumbling and dry just because of it.

Fix

Never wait for the time when the toothpick has no crumbs around it. Just take them out when you see little crumbs on them. The fact is, brownies keep on cooking as they cool.

5. Cutting the freshly baked brownies

It’s almost impossible to resist cutting a piece of the brownie when the smell of freshly baked brownies is just coming from the kitchen.

We can’t believe that anyone has never dug the knife into the fudgy and moist brownie to melt the chocolate and feel the warmness in the mouth. But next time, you have to wait for a better reward when it’s cooled.

Fix

Wait, and we promise it will be worth waiting. When you give enough time to cool the brownies, they become softer, and you can cut them easily. The taste gets more chocolatey, and the texture becomes more perfect.  

Right Way to Make Brownies – Which Ingredients Can Make Brownies Rise? 

When it comes to lifting the brownies, some very common ingredients can help. These ingredients are easily accessible, and so provide a huge benefit.

The ingredients that help to raise the baking products are known as leavening agents.

Let’s quickly see the five most easily available rising agents:

  1. Yeast
  2. Air
  3. Steam
  4. Baking Powder
  5. Baking Soda

So, for the brownies, baking powder, steam, and air work well. Let’s see how?

1. Sugar and Eggs

No doubt, sugar, and eggs are the two ingredients that make the most of this chocolatey dessert. As we discussed, beating the mixture properly helps enjoy the results. So what happens when you beat the sugar and eggs? 

Actually, while beating the mixture, the air gets mingled into it. When you put the mixture into the oven, the air expands and so the brownies rise.

Mixing Sugar and Eggs for Brownies
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It’s recommended to beat the sugar and eggs for up to 10 minutes so that enough air gets mixed into the mixture.

2. Baking Powder

Most brownie recipes do not include a suitable amount of baking powder, but you can add it as it can lift up your brownie very well.

Baking powder is a dry ingredient that, when added to a brownie mixture, causes an acid-base reaction and emits carbon dioxide when baked in the oven.

This is not preferred for brownies, but as you like brownies with a bit more height so go for it! 

3. Sugar and Butter

If you are making a cakier brownie, you must have noticed that the recipe focuses on beating butter with sugar. In such recipes, beating the sugar with butter adds air into the mixture.

But for the fudgy brownie, you might know that using a soft better instead of melted butter evaporates the water when baked in the oven. In such a case, steam helps in raising the brownie.

Mixing Sugar and Butter for Brownies
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So try to beat the butter and sugar extensively next time!

Here is a video on how to make perfect brownie

Frequently Asked Questions

Why has my brownie sunk in the middle?

If you whisk the ingredients more than needed, you get the brownies sunk in the middle. Always beat the mixture for 10 minutes and get a perfect brownie. 

Why are my brownies not fluffy?

This is because you don’t beat the ingredients well. When you whisk the ingredients, the air gets into the mixture and expands when heated. This results in more fluffy brownies.

Why don’t my brownies rise?

Brownies don’t rise too much because they are more dense and fudge-like. If your brownies do not rise as much as the cake does, then it’s normal. But if your brownies didn’t rise at all, then it’s because you haven’t beaten your eggs and sugar together for a longer period.

Final Thoughts

No doubt, baking brownies are hard to get flawless but not so hard that you can never be perfect baking it.

In this post, we’ve explained everything about brownies, what can make them rise more and how they can be more perfect. 

Do share your experience with us, and if you’ve found this article helpful, share it with your friends as well.

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