First Step: Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C). Lightly spray an 8×8 inch baking pan, line it with parchment paper, and spray the parchment as well. This ensures your brownies won’t stick and makes cleanup a breeze. The parchment paper also helps lift the brownies out easily once they’re cooled.

Second Step: In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, chocolate chips, and salt. It’s important to sift your cocoa powder and powdered sugar if they appear lumpy to ensure smooth incorporation.

Third Step: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, water, and vanilla extract. Make sure to whisk until the mixture is well combined.

Fourth Step: Gradually sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet ingredients and fold gently until just combined. The batter will be thick, which is normal and desirable for fudgy brownies. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough brownies.

Fifth Step: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Make sure the batter is evenly distributed to ensure uniform baking.

Sixth Step: Bake for 40 to 48 minutes. Test doneness with a toothpick that should come out with a few moist crumbs for fudgy texture. It’s better to slightly underbake than to overbake brownies, as they will continue cooking as they cool.

Seventh Step: Allow the brownies to cool completely, about two hours, before slicing to achieve a gooey consistency. This step might be tempting to skip, but it’s crucial for developing the perfect texture.

Eighth Step: Once cooled, cut into squares and serve. For a special presentation, you can dust with powdered sugar or serve with vanilla ice cream.