So, you’ve put in the effort to make the best brownies in the world. You measured the ingredients carefully, made a perfect batter, and let it bake properly.
You took the pan out of the oven, and its incredible smell stimulated every inch of your body. Now it’s time to dig in, right? No, you should let the brownies cool off first.
I know being patient is challenging when it comes to that dessert. That’s why I’ll show you how to cool brownies quickly. Let’s get right to it!
Why Would You Let Your Brownies Cool?
As frustrating as it is, the cooling process is absolutely crucial. You see, brownies are most fragile when they come out of the oven.
If you try to cut a piece right away, it’ll crumble in a second. We don’t want that, do we? Besides, baking isn’t just about flavor. It’s about creating that incredible texture that improves the eating experience tenfold.
When baking brownies, you want a chewy, fudgy, or cake-like texture, which you can’t achieve without letting them cool off. So, be patient, and you’ll get the perfect brownies you’ve always wanted.
How Can You Cool Your Brownies?
Now that you understand how crucial cooling is, let’s see how you can kick that heat out of your brownies.
Let the Brownies Cool Off at Room Temperature
Leaving your brownies to rest at room temperature is the most straightforward way to cool them off. As simple as it is, there’s still some work that goes into this method.
You probably think you can just take the pan out of the oven and let it rest for a couple of hours, right? Wrong!
If you leave the brownies inside the pan, they’ll take forever to cool, as you have to wait for both the brownies and the pan to cool.
You want to take the brownies out of the pan to eliminate that secondary heat source and allow them to cool faster.
But how? Wouldn’t the brownies crumble if you try to cut them? Here’s how you do it:
Step 1: When lining the brownie pan, apply one layer of parchment paper. Make sure you’re using enough to cover the entire pan.
Parchment paper will make it easier for you to take the brownies out of the pan. All you have to do is grab the ends of the paper and pull. The brownies will come out quickly and easily.
Step 2: Move the brownies to a wire cooling rack.
Step 3: Place the rack in the coldest room in your house to speed up the cooling process.
Step 4: Set up a fan near the brownies to provide a cold airflow. You want to set it at the lowest speed and put it a few feet away from the brownies to avoid drying them out.
Ultimately, room-temperature cooling is a slow process. However, these steps should quicken it by an hour or two, depending on the temperature of your house.
Put Your Brownies in the Refrigerator
You don’t want to wait for your brownies to cool off at room temperature. That’s understandable. Who could resist these tempting goodies for that long?
That’s why I recommend putting your brownies in the refrigerator for faster cooling. Here’s what you should do:
Step 1: Take the brownies with the parchment sheet out of the pan, placing them on a wire cooling rack for five minutes.
Step 2: Empty one shelf in your refrigerator and place the cooling rack on it, keeping the brownies uncovered
It’s worth noting that the heat from the brownies might increase the temperature inside the fridge. So, you want to keep the butter away from your brownies.
Step 3: Leave the brownies in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes. If you want a chewier texture, keep it there for 60 minutes.
Haste Makes Waste: How to Make Brownies More Efficiently?
There’s no point in learning how to cool brownies off if you don’t know how to make these delicious treats properly.
It’s all about taking your time and doing every step properly. That’s why I always keep the old saying “haste makes waste” in mind when I’m baking.
Enough stalling. Let me give you a few pointers to help you make brownies that speak to your soul.
1. Choose a Proper Recipe
Brownies come in different textures. You can enjoy it as a fudgy dessert or a cakey treat.
So, before you gather your ingredients and start whisking and blending, you want to decide what type of brownies you want to make.
Trust me. There’s nothing more disappointing than waiting for a fudgy brownie and ending up with a cake-like texture. So, do your research, consider different options, and follow the recipe thoroughly.
2. Cool the Melted Chocolate
If that’s your first time baking brownies, you might be tempted to rush all the steps so you can enjoy that delicious dessert as soon as possible.
Some even don’t give the melted chocolate batter enough time to rest. That’s a recipe for disaster, though.
If you skip the cooling process, you won’t give the batter enough time to firm up and develop its flavor. That means you won’t get these perfect brownies you’re looking for.
So, melt the chocolate over low heat, set it aside, and allow it to cool for about 30 minutes.
3. Use a Brownie Pan
The ingredients and utensils you use for brownies are as influential as your baking skills. So, make sure you’re using the right pan for that task.
Most brownie recipes call for a pan that’s approximately eight or nine inches square. You don’t want to go any bigger or smaller than that.
You see, the size of the pan can determine the texture of the brownies. A larger pan will give you thick, over-baked brownies, while a smaller pan will deliver thin, under-baked ones. So, stick to the pan size specified in the recipe to get the best result.
4. Check Brownies with a Toothpick
So, you followed every step in the recipe to the teeth and put the batter in the oven. How long should you keep it in there?
Some bakers choose to follow the toothpick method. They stick a toothpick in the brownies. If it comes out clean, they take the pan out.
While that works for cake, it’s disastrous for brownies. If you wait until no more batter sticks to the toothpick, you’ll over-bake your brownies, prompting them to turn crumbly and dry.
To ensure you don’t go overboard, start toothpick-testing about 60 minutes before your brownies finish baking. Keep inserting your toothpick until you see moist crumbs sticking to it.
That means your brownies are almost done. Take them out, and the residual heat will continue to bake them while they cool.
What Makes a Brownie Chewier?
Professional bakers and brownie connoisseurs prefer brownies with a chewier texture. If that sounds appealing, you might want to consider the following tips.
The most effective way to make chewy brownies is to use unsaturated fats. You can find numerous unsaturated oils on the market.
I recommend going with canola oil if cholesterol is a concern. Unfortunately, using saturated oils alone won’t give you a delicious brownie.
So, you want to combine saturated and unsaturated fats. In other words, mixing butter and oil will give you a flavorful, chewy treat.
Now comes the million-dollar question: What’s the perfect ratio between saturated and unsaturated fats? Ideally, you want to use butter and oil in a 1:3 ratio for flavorful chewiness.
There’s one more component that influences the chewiness of the brownie, though: Sugar.
Adding brown sugar can take your brownies a long way, as its high moisture content prompts them to become chewier. You can also add some white sugar for that stunning shiny top.
Now it’s baking time. You want to slightly under-bake the brownies. As I’ve already established, the longer your brownies stay in the oven, the dryer they become.
The last step to take is to place the brownies in the refrigerator for an hour for maximum chewiness. Et voila!
Final Thoughts
There you go. A comprehensive guide on how to cool brownies quickly. Whether you’ll let it rest at room temperature or in the refrigerator, the cooling process will take time. So, be patient.
Here’s the thing: Before you contemplate cooling your brownies, make sure you’re following a recipe that meets your demands as a consumer.
That includes choosing the right recipe, using proper tools, and aiming for the perfect texture.
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.