Quick Answer: How To Cut Brownies Cleanly?
Brownies are a classic treat. They are easy to make, taste delicious, and look perfect when they come out of the oven. Brownies are also messy when it comes to cutting the brownies into neat squares. If you want to cut brownies cleanly, you should use a knife or a metal offset spatula to carefully cut through the brownie layer.
Are you struggling to effectively cut your brownie’s cleanly and aren’t sure what to do?
Maybe you end up with chocolate and chunks of brownie everywhere when you cut them and don’t know how to stop this? No matter your reason, we are here to help!
Cutting brownies can be a messy business. One wrong move and you are left with a tray of mangled chunks, rather than the perfect squares we all know and love.
But when you head online to find out how you can rectify this, you are met with conflicting and contradicting advice.
Overwhelmed and frustrated, you start to wonder if you will ever find out how to effectively cut brownies cleanly.
Well, no more! Today we have the answers for you! Keep reading to see 5 effective ways you can use to cut your brownies cleanly every time!
We also have some handy tips on what to avoid and the tools to use to cut your brownies. Keep reading to find out more.
Brownie Vs Chocolate Cake
You might not have realized it, but brownies and chocolate cake are quite similar. Both require the same ingredients, but end up with different textures!
Your chocolate cake is light and fluffy and is super easy to cut, while your brownies are thick and dense, and are usually challenging to cut.
But why the difference in texture?
It’s down to the amount of leavening ingredients used in cake compared to brownies. Cakes are made with baking soda, baking pose, or whipped eggs which helps the cake rise and turn out light and fluffy.
Brownies, however, tend to have no leaveners. This leaves you with a dense mixture that doesn’t rise when it cooks, giving us dense and gooey brownies!
Cake recipes often have twice as much flour as brownies, which helps give them their soft texture. Brownies will tend to have far more cocoa powder and chocolate than cakes, giving them their dense and rich taste.
It is these differences that make brownies and cakes two different desserts, even though they have similar ingredients and are made similarly.
It is also why you can usually slice a cake easily and cleanly, but are left with brownies that slice like mush!
Why Are Brownies Hard To Cut?
So why are brownies hard to cut? We touched on this earlier, but it’s mainly down to their soft and dense texture.
The chocolate used in brownies mashes together when the pressure of a knife is applied to the brownie.
As you push down on the knife, the soft brownies will move around, leaving you with messy pieces rather than the clean edges you get when you purchase a brownie or slice a cake.
If you have struggled to slice brownies before, you aren’t alone! It’s a common issue that causes stress to the most experienced baker!
Brownies are soft and feature an almost entirely chocolate texture that makes them far harder to cut than a cake.
Although cutting your soft and dense brownies can be tricky, we are here to help and put a stop to your difficulties!
Today our guide is full of tips and tricks that will allow you to create sharp lines and clean edges on every slice of brownie you cut!
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How To Effectively Cut Brownies Cleanly (Every Time)?
Let’s get into what brought you here today and look at how you can cut brownies cleanly every time! Below are five effective ways you can cut your brownies cleanly.
Be sure to check out each method to find the one that works best for you!
Before we show you any method, it’s worth noting that you should let your brownies cool completely before you attempt to cut them.
Cooled brownies are far easier to cut than warm brownies, which tend to be gooey and messy.
Leave your brownies to cool in their pan. You can speed this process up by placing your brownies in the refrigerator.
The cooler they are, the more solid the chewy texture of the brownie will be, making them far easier to cut!
Method 1 – Hot Knife
This is the quickest and easiest way to cut your brownies! Take a glass of hot water and submerge the blade of your chef’s knife into it. Leave the knife in the water for a few minutes, until the blade is hot.
Next, remove the blade from the water and dry it using a kitchen towel. Once dry, it can be used to slice your brownies.
Take your cooled brownies and use the dry knife to slice through. You should notice that your hot knife moves through the cooled brownies easily.
After each cut, you will want to submerge the knife back in the hot water.
This helps to clean off any brownie residue, eliminating the chance of rogue crumbs ruining your brownie pieces! Let the hot water clean and reheat the blade before you dry it and repeat the process.
Compared to using a cooled knife, this can take a little longer, but compared to the other methods, we found this to be the quickest and easiest!
Just be careful when handling the hot water, as you don’t want to burn yourself!
Method 2 – Freeze Your Brownies
If you aren’t planning to eat your brownies immediately, then this is the method for you!
Once your brownies have reached room temperature, flip them onto a sheet tray or flat plate. Wrap your brownies and place them in the freezer.
Leave the brownies in the freezer for several hours until they are completely frozen.
Next, unwrap your brownies and pop them on a cutting board. Taking a sharp chef’s knife, you can place it slowly into the brownies to slice them.
You will need a firm hand to do this, as frozen brownies can be tough to slice through.
Once the brownies have been cut, leave them on a plate or tray to warm up to room temperature before eating!
Brownies freeze well, so you don’t need to worry about the texture of them changing. They will taste the same too, so you can enjoy your perfectly sliced brownies with ease!
You can expect clean edges with this method, you just need to allow plenty of time for them to freeze and thaw before you can take a bite into them!
Methods 3 – Apply Cooking Spray
We know cooking spray isn’t something you usually want near your brownies, but trust us!
Simply spray your chef’s knife lightly with your cooking spray of choice. This will help the blade move easily through soft brownies.
The knife will make clean cuts without compromising the integrity of the brownies! After each clean cut, wipe the blade clean and reapply the oil before making another cut.
Repeat this process until your brownies are cut! This method is quick and easy, but be sure to not use too much cooking spray, as it can leave your brownies feeling oily.
Method 4 – Use A Plastic Knife
If you have some plastic knives left over from BBQs or picnics, then this is the ideal method for you!
Take a plastic knife and push it through your brownies to slice them. Wipe the plastic knife after each cut to prevent any crumbs or melted chocolate from ruining your edges!
Plastic knives are naturally non-stick, so can slice through brownies easily without getting caked in the gooey chocolate in the center of your brownie features.
If you don’t have any plastic knives to hand, you can purchase multipacks online for a reasonable price!
Method 5 – Use A Cookie Cutter
Finally, you can use a cookie cutter to slice your brownie. We recommend this method if you want brownies cut into specific shapes rather than slices.
Take a metal cookie cutter with the shape you want your brownies to be and place it in a shallow bowl of hot water for roughly one minute to warm up.
After a few minutes, remove your hot cookie cutter from the water and dry it with a kitchen towel. Take the dry cookie cutter and press it straight down into the tray.
Once the cutter is in the brownie, push the brownie gently out of the cutter. Depending on the shape of the cutter, this can be a little fiddly, so be sure to take your time here.
Next, wash the cookie cutter in hot water to remove any brownie residue. Dry the cutter and repeat the process until you have cut all the brownies.
You are sure to be left with some scraps that you can enjoy! That is the perk of being the chef after all.
What To Avoid When Cutting Your Brownies?
Now that we have looked at our top five methods to effectively cleanly cut your brownies, let’s move on to look at some tips. You can use these to see what you should avoid doing when cutting your brownies.
By knowing what not to do, you have an increased chance of success and will approach your next batch of brownies with the confidence that you know how to cut them cleanly! Let’s get into our tips now!
Don’t Saw Them
Avoid showing your brownies with the knife. Don’t drag the knife back and forth like you are sawing a plank of wood!
This sawing motion will pull the brownies apart, leaving you with messy edges and crumbs everywhere!
Instead, place the knife directly into the brownies and press straight down to cut them.
Don’t Cut Hot Brownies
We’ve said it before, but we will say it again, don’t cut hot brownies! Hot brownies are soft and a nightmare to cut! Instead, leave your brownies to cool completely before you take a knife to them.
Wipe The Knife
After every cut, wipe the knife clean. You don’t want any brownie residue on the knife as it can leave you with messy cuts rather than clean edges.
These tips might seem super simple, but the difference they make is unbelievable! Follow all three of our tips and you are sure to enjoy clean slices of brownies every time you cut them!
What Tools Do I Need For Cutting Brownies?
If you regularly make brownies, then it might be worth investing in some tools. The following tools will make it far easier for you to cut and store your brownie slices.
They are ideal for those selling brownies as part of their business or making bulk batches of brownies. Let’s take a quick look at these tools now!
1. Brownie Tray Divider
First, we have this brownie tray divider! The grid-like metal divider is placed in your brownie pan and separates your pan into even squares.
All you need to do is pour your batter into the band and bake as normal. Once your brownies are cool, you can lift the brownie divider and push each individual brownie out of the pan.
You are left with square brownies that are perfect every time, and there’s no need to cut!
You can also use the divider on brownies you have already baked! Simply spray the divider with some cooking grease and press it into your cooled brownie sheet.
Your brownies should all be cut in one go, leaving you with slices that are ready to enjoy!
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2. Brownie Baking Pan
Another option is this individual brownie baking pan. The pan looks a little like a muffin pan, but with square spaces rather than round ones.
To use, simply spray the pan and pour your batter into each square evenly. As the brownies are smaller, they can cook faster than usual, so make sure you keep an eye on the brownies!
Once they are cooked and cool. You can pop the brownies out and enjoy a perfectly shaped brownie without needing to cut them!
Final Thoughts
And there you have it, five effective methods you can use to cut your brownies! Each method will allow you to enjoy perfectly sliced brownies without any mess.
Say goodbye to messy edges and crumbs everywhere, now you can enjoy the perfect slice every time!
Make sure to try all methods to find one that works best for you and to follow our tips for success. Good luck!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Better To Cut Brownies When They’re Hot Or Cold?
It’s better to cut brownies when they’re cold. Brownies can be tricky to cut because they’re very moist and sticky, and when they’re hot, they can easily tear and become messy.
Why Do Brownies Need To Cool Before Cutting?
If you try to cut brownies too soon after they are out of the oven, the warm brownies will stick to the knife and your brownies will be ruined. It is important to allow the brownies to cool for at least 15 minutes before attempting to cut them.
What Is The Best Tool To Cut Brownies?
There are a few common tools that people use to cut brownies, but the best tool to cut brownies is a chef’s knife.
A chef’s knife is a long, thin, single-edged blade that is designed to stick into food without piercing it, while the handle is meant to provide a stable, secure grip.
The blade of a chef’s knife is made of steel, which is also the material used for the handle.
Hi! My name is Jessica, and I recently decided to set up the site My Baking Heart, as an extension of my love for baking. It is something I have enjoyed since being a young child, when I would bake cookies and cakes with my grandma
Over the years, I have developed my skills and love to try all kinds of baking, from genoise sponges, to peach cobbler, and everything in between. New recipes are so much fun to follow and recreate.
Through this site, I hope to teach others the basics of baking, from how to use certain equipment, to the best types of recipes to follow. My site is a mixture of useful informational content, recipes, and of course, review of the best types of baking equipment.
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