Best Brownies - Ever

These are a Hershey's recipe. They are my very favorite. I never add nuts and I never frost them - they don't need it!!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
   
   
2. 2 Place butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 2 to
   2-1/2 minutes or until melted. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time,
   beating well with spoon after each addition. Add cocoa; beat until well blended.
   Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat well. Stir in nuts, if desired. Pour batter into
   prepared pan.
   
   
3. 3 Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan.
   Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Frost if desired. Cut into bars.
   About 36 brownies.

Here's a 9x9 version:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions

1. 1 Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
   
   
2. 2 Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon.
   Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to egg mixture,
   beating until well blended. Stir in nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
   
   
3. 3 Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan.
   Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING;
   spread over brownies. Cut into squares. About 16 brownies.
   
   
   CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING
   
   
4. 43 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
   
5. 53 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa
   
6. 61 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey
   
7. 71/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
   
8. 81 cup powdered sugar
   
9. 91 to 2 tablespoons milk
   
   Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar and milk; beat to spreading consistency. About 1 cup frosting.