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I get so many questions, especially on Instagram, about how to cut perfectly clean and beautiful brownie pieces.
Is it better to cut brownies when they’re hot or cold?
What is the trick to cutting perfect brownie slices without them falling apart?
If you don’t care about food styling or the appearance of your brownies, you might want to skip right to our Brownie Recipes.
But science has shown our visual perception of food actually influences how tasty we perceive food to be. So, taking a few extra minutes to beautify your brownies not only makes them look more impressive when you bring them to work or to a BBQ, but it can actually make them seem even more delicious!
How to Cut Brownies Perfectly
Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Pan
Line your baking pan with parchment paper. I like to cut two sheets of parchment just slightly thinner than the width of my square baking pan. I line them crossways so the bottoms and sides of the pan are lined with an overhang on all sides. If the parchment is extra long and flopping around, I’ll use metal binder clips to clip the paper down to the sides of the pan (yes, they’re oven safe!).
For really perfect-looking brownies, avoid using aluminum foil, which can create a bumpy texture to the edges of your brownies. Also avoid using baking pans that have rounded corners and opt instead for pans with 90 degree angle corners for perfect squares. I love this metal baking pan for brownies.
Step 2: Allow Brownies to Cool
Wait until your brownies have completely cooled to room temperature. As brownies cool, they will solidify and set up, so slicing into them too early can result in brownie squares that fall apart or become a mess very quickly.
Note: I don’t recommend slicing baked brownies until just before you plan to serve them! The more surface area of the brownie that’s exposed to air, the faster the brownies will dry out and stale.
Step 3: Remove Brownies from Pan
Remove the entire brownie from the pan and onto a cutting board. This is where lining the pan with parchment and leaving an overhang comes in handy!
Step 4: Use the Correct Knife
To cut brownies cleanly, use a straight-edge blade rather than a serrated knife or a plastic knife. I like to use a chef’s knife that’s at least 8-inches long so I can make 6 even cuts into an 8-by-8-inch pan of brownies for a total of 9 generously sized brownies. If you use a knife that’s far too small, you run the risk of smudging your brownies and ending up with crumbs everywhere.
The other key step here is the hot knife method. Run the knife under hot water and wipe it off in between EACH slice. This prevents any crumbling or gooey chocolate from smearing the edges of the brownies.
You can also use a ruler to measure each cut into perfectly equal brownie slices.
Cut up and down with each slice and don’t drag the knife out, instead pull it back up, to continue to prevent smearing.
Step 5: Serve Brownies
Use a small offset square spatula, like this brownie spatula, to carefully lift the clean cut brownie pieces up and out to serve. Enjoy with a glass of milk!
Brownie Recipes You’ll Love:
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FAQs
Run the knife under hot water and wipe it off in between EACH slice. This prevents any crumbling or gooey chocolate from smearing the edges of the brownies. What is this? You can also use a ruler to measure each cut into perfectly equal brownie slices.
How do you cut brownies cleanly? ›
Run the knife under hot water and wipe it off in between EACH slice. This prevents any crumbling or gooey chocolate from smearing the edges of the brownies. What is this? You can also use a ruler to measure each cut into perfectly equal brownie slices.
How do you cool brownies to cut? ›
If the recipe you're using gives instructions for a specific cooling method, follow it and wait for your brownies to cool completely. If there aren't specific instructions, leave the brownies in the pan, put the pan on a rack and let them cool completely (which means a 2 to 3 hour wait).
Why won't my brownies cut? ›
when people cut their brownies. is they're not using the right knife. When you use something like a butter knife, it creates a lot of drag on your brownie. because it's a pretty dull knife. Instead, I want you to take the sharpest knife.
How to cut bars evenly? ›
To make precise and accurate cuts, insert three toothpicks, evenly spaced, along all four sides of the cooled bars. Cut diagonally across the bars beginning in one corner—the lower left corner is an easy place to make your first cut—and cutting from one toothpick to the next closest on the perpendicular side.
What is the best utensil for cutting brownies? ›
Instead of using a chef's knife or other sharp knife from your knife block, she turns to something slightly unexpected: a plastic knife. According to the creator, she learned the tip from a catering mentor who recommends doing this when cutting brownie portions for a party or event.
What if brownies are too gooey to cut? ›
We would never attempt to slice a brownie less than 2-3 hours after baking - it'll be a gooey mess. For perfect, fudgy brownies, let them cool in their tin for 1-2 hours after baking, and then put them in the fridge overnight.
Why do my brownies crumble when I cut them? ›
Crumbly Brownies
Various causes include overbaking, underbaking, cutting the brownies too quickly, and lacking oil and fluid contents in the recipe. Underbaked and overbaked brownies turn out to be crumbly. When cut sooner before cooling down can make the brownies crumb.
Are brownies better the next day? ›
If your self-control will allow it, we highly recommend eating your homemade brownies the day after you've baked them. Unlike most baked goods, chocolate brownies actually taste better the next day. It's thought the cooling time allows the flavours to meld together and lock in.
Should you refrigerate brownies before cutting? ›
You can use plastic containers with a lid or a zippered storage bag. This is how to keep brownies from getting hard in the refrigerator. But should you refrigerate brownies before cutting them or cut them into squares before storing? It's best to refrigerate the brownies as a solid block.
You can change the size based on personal preference. For smaller brownies, try making squares about 1 in (2.5 cm). For larger brownies, go with 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm) squares. If you have a larger piece left over at the end, you can trim off the excess so the end row is about 2 in (5.1 cm) as well.
Why do you cut brownies with a plastic knife? ›
Though it may seem odd, a plastic knife is better than a metal one when it comes to cutting brownies because of its non-stick nature. Brownies are less likely to adhere to plastic, so you can cut through them cleanly without worrying about tearing or crumbling.
How do you keep brownies from sticking to the knife when cutting? ›
You can lightly coat the blade of the knife with cooking spray or a small amount of vegetable oil to create a slippery surface. This will help the knife glide through the brownies without causing them to stick.
Should you put brownies in the fridge after baking? ›
Storing brownies in the fridge can keep them fresh for up to two weeks. For the best storage method, wrap each brownie tightly before placing it in the fridge. Because baked goods are porous, they tend to absorb the odors and flavors of the foods around them.
