How to Cut Brownies Cleanly for the Perfect Slice

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Do you know how to cut brownies cleanly without completely destroying them? From fun shapes to clean squares, we’re showing you how to avoid a big mess and have perfect brownies every time!   

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The Secret to Getting those Sharp Edges

The best way to get those perfectly clean edges and pristine results starts with one thing: how well you prepare your baking pan before making homemade brownies.

Our favorite way to do this is by lightly spraying the brownie pan with nonstick cooking spray and lining it with parchment paper. Doing this will make it much easier to remove your cooled brownies and keep them from sticking to the sides of the pan. After preparing your baking dish the right way, you can then proceed to pour in the brownie batter and bake according to the recipe directions. 

Steps to Take Before Going in for that First Cut

• Pan Prep: Be sure that you have the appropriate size pan for whatever baked brownies recipe you’re making. Avoid using baking dishes with rounded corners. You can purchase our favorite one here. As we mentioned in the paragraph above, lightly spray the inside of your pan with cooking spray then line with parchment paper. 
• Cooling Process: Once you remove the hot pan of brownies from the oven, place it on a wire rack and allow them to come to room temperature. Carrying out this process will make it much easier to remove fudgy brownies from the pan and avoid a crumbling mess. 
• Right Surface: After brownies have cooled down, remove them from the pan by carefully lifting them out with the parchment paper attached. Place them on a flat surface, like a cutting board. 
• Tools: Have your choice of cutting tools ready to go. 

You can follow these same steps even when baking a sheet of brownies. 

How to Cut Brownies Cleanly: The Different Methods

Explore various methods, from using a hot knife to a pizza cutter. Whichever method you choose, you can count on it resulting in cleanly cut brownies.

Hot Knife Method

Using a chef’s knife for this method offers an advantage due to its extended blade length, allowing for a single swipe across a pan.

Run the blade of your knife under hot water in your kitchen sink or submerge it in a large glass of hot water. Place the tip of your knife down first and create one smooth slicing motion downwards. This method will create the perfect cut.

Wipe the knife blade with a damp cloth or paper towel and run under hot water again. Repeat this process for the next cut and each one that follows. This is a popular method used for cutting other desserts like chocolate cake.

Wipe blade clean after each cut and repeat.

Plastic Knife Method

Using a disposable plastic knife is another great option as they are made to be nonstick. However, the downside to using plastic knives is that they do not span the full width or length of a baking pan in a single cut.

After making your initial cut, gently lift the knife up, wipe with a damp cloth or paper towel and proceed with completing the cut down to the end of your brownies. Repeat these steps for each cut.

We’ve tried the seesaw method with a plastic knife and it doesn’t quite work as well as the method we just mentioned. 

Cooking Spray Method

The cooking spray method is basically anytime you’re using cooking spray on the tools that you decide to use for cutting brownies. You can do this with any regular knife by spraying the blade, making your first cut, wiping the blade clean, spraying again and repeating the process. 

Cookie Cutter Method

Using cookie cutters is a fun way to cut and enjoy this great dessert, especially around the holidays! You can use different shapes such as gingerbread men for Christmas or hearts for Valentine’s Day.

To use these, simply spray the inside of the cutter with cooking spray and press it into your cold brownies. After lifting the cookie cutter out, the brownie piece should slide out with a few taps. Once it is out, clean with a paper towel, spray and repeat these steps. Start at the very edge of your brownies and work your way across. 

Other Methods for How to Cut Brownies Cleanly

Here are some alternative methods worth exploring for achieving clean brownie cuts:

• Biscuit Cutter: This method is similar to using a metal cookie cutter. Spray the inside of the biscuit cutter before pressing down into the brownies. The brownie piece should slide out with a few taps. If needed, you can gently press down on the brownie to release it. Wipe with a paper towel, spray and repeat.

• Bench Scraper: Spray both sides of the scraper with non-stick spray and press down into the brownies, starting at the top edge. Lift the scraper up in a sawing motion and wipe clean with a paper towel and repeat this process for each cut.
• Brownie Divider: Using a brownie tray divider is great way to make equal rows and the perfect 2-inch-sized brownies if using an 8×8 pan. To use this, pour brownie batter into a prepared baking pan, spray divider with non-stick spray and insert it into the batter. Proceed with baking. Remove the divider from the pan once warm brownies have cooled down. 
• Pizza Cutter: We personally love the ease of using a pizza cutter to cut clean edges. All you need to do is spray both sides of the metal blade with non-stick spray. Next, you’ll want to press it down firmly and run the pizza cutter from one end of the brownies to the opposite end. Do this in one, quick swipe. Wipe the blade with a damp cloth or paper towel. Spray again and repeat this process until you have your desired amount of square brownies. 

Methods We Don’t Recommend

• Serrated Knife: Using a serrated knife is guaranteed to leave you with messy edges. This type of knife should be saved for cutting things like rustic loaves of bread. The serrated edges of the knife are not compatible with brownies’ soft texture.
• Dental Floss: Using dental floss is probably the worst way that someone could cut brownies. We’ve seen articles that state this is a good option because of the waxy coating. However, if you have crispy brownie edges, it’s going to be very difficult to cut through them and get consistent sizes for all your pieces. 

Serving Up Your Beautiful Brownies

Now that you’ve cut the perfect squares, they’re ready to serve and enjoy. Use a small offset spatula to carefully lift up your perfect brownie squares. Serve on a flat plate with a big scoop of ice cream on top!

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