Divine Homemade Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 1 ounce unsweetened dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cups un-sweetenend cocoa powder
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• *Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Line a 9x9 baking dish with parchment paper, bringing it up the sides and to the top of the pan and lightly grease the parchment paper with butter.
3. In a small saucepan melt the butter and chocolate over low heat. Stir as needed. When melted shut off and set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl stir together the sugar, cocoa powder. Add the melted chocolate to this and stir to combine with a wooden spoon.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time stirring in with a wooden spoon just until each is blended in. Add the vanilla and stir in.
6. Add the flour in increments, stir in after each addition. Do not over mix. If you are using nuts, stir in now.
7. Transfer to the prepared cooking pan.
8. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Remove and let cool in the pan on a cooling rack.
10. Use the parchment paper to lift the brownie from the pan.
11. Once cooled, cut into squares.