Eggless Sheet Pan Brownies (Feeds a Crowd!)
Need brownies for a crowd? These eggless sheet pan brownies bake up in one half sheet pan and slice into 35 fudgy squares with that signature crackly top. They’re rich, irresistibly chocolatey, and made without a single egg, so everyone at the party can grab one.
Quick Look: Eggless Sheet Pan Brownies
Total Time: 45 minutes (plus at least 20 minutes to cool).
Ingredients: (all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, butter, white sugar, vanilla, whole milk, chocolate chips).
Equipment Needed: Half sheet pan (18 x 13), parchment paper, LARGE microwave-safe bowl, and a whisk.
Top Tip: Start checking at 23 minutes, you don’t want to overbake the brownies!
My eggless fudgy brownies are the brownie recipe I make most often, but a 9 x 9 pan disappears in about five minutes when you’re feeding a crowd. Not long ago a reader asked how to make a huge batch for an upcoming event, and I realized I had never actually tested the recipe in a bigger pan. So I headed to the kitchen to find out.
I doubled the batter and spread it into an 18 x 13 half sheet pan. These bake up a bit thinner than my usual brownies, but they’re still fudgy in the middle with that crackly, shiny top, and the bake time drops to just 25 to 30 minutes. One pan slices into 35 brownies, which makes this my go-to for holiday parties, potlucks, hosting, or bake sales.
One heads-up from my testing: because the layer is thinner, these go from perfectly fudgy to overbaked faster than a smaller pan. Set your timer for 25 minutes and check them, even if your oven usually runs cool. Also grab your biggest mixing bowl. A double batch is a LOT of batter to fold together!
Note from Lexi: Why This Recipe Works
It’s always my goal to create reliable eggless recipes that everyone will enjoy. These sheet pan brownies without eggs are a recipe you will come back to time and time again when hosting. I’ve done all the testing and I hope you simply enjoy these brownies with your family and loved ones!
How they are egg-free: When you take eggs out of a brownie, you lose moisture and some of the structure that holds that fudgy center together. This recipe uses whole milk to bring the moisture back, and a little cornstarch and more flour than normal to thicken the batter so the brownies stay dense and fudgy instead of turning cakey. Warming the butter and sugar together (and then whisking in the milk until the sugar dissolves) is what creates the crackly top.
– Lexi with Our Slice of Home
Ingredients and Substitutions
- All-purpose flour: Measuring by weight matters even more in a big batch, since a little extra flour multiplied across a half sheet pan can leave the brownies dry. If you don’t have a scale, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
- Baking powder: Gives the brownies a small lift since there are no eggs to do that job.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and makes the chocolate taste richer.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the batter for that dense, fudgy texture. In the UK, look for cornflour in the baking aisle.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: The main source of chocolate flavor.
- Unsalted butter: I always bake with unsalted so I can control the salt. If you only have salted butter, leave out the added salt.
- White granulated sugar: Sweetens the brownies, and once it dissolves, it’s the secret to the crackly top.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the chocolate flavor.
- Whole milk: ! The extra fat in whole milk keeps the brownies rich and moist. You can swap in 2%, oat, almond, or soy milk.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Pockets of melty chocolate in every bite. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips work too.
How to Make Eggless Sheet Pan Brownies
First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your half sheet pan with parchment paper, making sure it covers both the bottom and the sides. That overhang is your handle later for lifting the whole slab of brownies out in one piece. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cornstarch, and baking powder, then set it aside.
Place the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl and melt it in 20-second bursts, stirring between each one. Once it’s fully melted, add the sugar and whisk for a full minute, then pop the bowl back in the microwave for 30 more seconds. Take it out, add the cocoa powder, and whisk for another minute until it’s glossy and smooth.
Pour in the vanilla and milk and whisk until the sugar granules are dissolved. Don’t rush this part! Dissolving the sugar is what gives you that shiny, crackly top, so keep whisking until the mixture no longer feels gritty. Then add the dry ingredients and stir just until no flour streaks remain. It’s a lot of batter, so take your time, but don’t overmix or the brownies will turn out dense.
Fold in the chocolate chips, then pour the batter into your parchment-lined pan. Use a spatula to spread it into an even layer, pushing it all the way into the corners. An even layer means every brownie bakes at the same rate, so you won’t end up with dry corners and an underdone middle.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is crackly and brown and the edges are set. Let the brownies cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes. Remove the brownies and slice on a cutting board, or slice them right in the pan! Slice into 35 brownies (5 rows by 7 rows) and get ready to share!
FAQ
This recipe makes 35 brownies. Cut the slab into 5 rows by 7 rows for even, party-sized squares.
A standard half sheet pan measures 18 x 13 inches with a rim around the edge. It’s the same size many people use for sheet pan dinners and cookies.
The batter is spread over a much larger surface than a square baking pan, so the brownies come out a bit thinner. They’re still fudgy with a crackly top, and the thinner layer means they bake faster and cut neatly into lots of servings.
Yes! If you’re not feeding a crowd, my eggless fudgy brownies are the smaller version made in a 9 x 9 pan and cut into 16 thicker brownies.
Look for a crackly, browned top and edges that are set. Skip the toothpick test! The fudgy center won’t leave a toothpick clean, even when the brownies are perfectly baked.
Yes. Bake them the day prior and store them in an airtight container on the counter. For longer, freeze them (see storage section) and thaw on the counter the morning of your event.
Equipment Needed
- Half sheet pan (18 x 13 inches)
- Parchment paper
- Kitchen scale (highly recommended for the flour)
- Large microwave-safe mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk and silicone spatula
- Sharp knife for slicing
Allergy-Friendly Swaps
Dairy-free: Use a vegan butter in a firm block (not a spreadable tub), a dairy-free milk such as oat, almond, or soy milk, and dairy-free chocolate chips.
Gluten-free: Swap in a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum, measured by weight.
Nut-free: This recipe is made without nuts. Check your chocolate chip label for any cross-contact warnings.
How to Store
Store the brownies in an airtight container on the countertop for about 3 days. To freeze, wrap the brownies in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag, then thaw them on the countertop when you’re ready to serve. If you’re bringing them to a gathering, you can also cover the cooled brownies right in the sheet pan for easy transporting.
Tips for Success
–Dissolve the sugar. Whisk the milk mixture until it no longer feels gritty. This is what creates the crackly top.
–Start checking at 23 minutes. The thinner layer bakes faster, and I’d always rather slightly underbake than overbake. The brownies keep cooking as they cool in the pan.
–Spread to the corners. An even layer means every one of the 35 brownies bakes the same.
–Weigh your flour. Extra flour is the most common cause of dry or cakey brownies, and in a double batch it adds up fast.
–Let them cool before slicing. Wait at least 20 minutes. The longer they cool, the cleaner your cuts will be.
Variations and Add-Ins
- Dark chocolate chips: Swap them in for the semi-sweet chips for a richer, less sweet brownie.
- Toasted walnuts (if you don’t need them to be nut-free): Fold chopped, toasted walnuts in with the chocolate chips. Toasting brings out their nutty flavor. Heads-up: adding nuts means the brownies are no longer nut-free, so let your guests know.
- Vanilla buttercream: Spread a layer of my easy vanilla buttercream frosting over the cooled slab before slicing.
- Chocolate buttercream: For a double chocolate treat, spread my easy chocolate buttercream frosting over the cooled slab before slicing.
- Powdered sugar dusting: Dust the top right before serving for a simple, pretty finish.
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream (my personal favorite): Serve a brownie warm with a scoop on top for an easy party dessert.
More Eggless Desserts for a Crowd
- Easy Eggless Vanilla Sheet Cake
- Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Eggless Chocolate Cake (Moist + Rich)
If you made this recipe, I’d be so grateful if you left a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a quick comment sharing how it turned out. And if you haven’t already, follow along here:
– Lexi with Our Slice of Home
Eggless Sheet Pan Brownies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (390 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (100 g)
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter
- 2 ⅔ cups white granulated sugar (550 g)
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a half sheet pan (18 x 13) with parchment paper. You want the paper on the bottom and sides of the pan to easily lift and remove the brownies after baking.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, cornstarch, and baking powder. Whisk together and set aside. NOTE: I recommend measuring flour in grams. If you do not have a kitchen scale, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife.2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Place the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until the butter is fully melted. Add the sugar and whisk for 1 minute. Return the bowl to the microwave and heat for another 30 seconds.1 ½ cups unsalted butter, 2 ⅔ cups white granulated sugar
- Remove from the microwave. Add the cocoa powder and whisk for an additional minute.1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pour in vanilla and milk. Whisk together until the sugar granules are dissolved. This is what creates the crackly top on the brownies.4 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 cup whole milk
- Pour in the dry ingredients and stir together until just combined. This is a large batch of brownies, so there is a lot of batter! Mix just until combined and avoid overmixing, as this will create cakey brownies instead of fudgy.
- Add the chocolate chips and mix them in. Pour the batter into the parchment-lined pan.1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Smooth the batter into an even layer, including all the corners.
- Bake 25-30 minutes. You will know they are done when the top is crackly and brown and the edges are set.
- Allow the brownies to cool for at least 20 minutes. Slice into 35 brownies (5 rows by 7 rows). Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
