How to Cut Brownies Into Equal Squares (9x13 and 8x8)

To cut brownies into equal squares, let the pan cool completely, lift the slab out, and cut each side by halving: in a 9x13 pan, halve the 13-inch side then cut each half into thirds, and halve the 9-inch side twice, for 24 even pieces about 2.2 by 2.25 inches.

The pan does the measuring for you. You just have to stop eyeballing thirds.

A tray of brownies looks like the easiest thing in the kitchen to share. It is a rectangle. The lines are straight. And yet most trays end with one row of fat corner pieces and one row of slivers.

The problem is not the knife. It is the order you cut in, and guessing at thirds by eye.

Pick your grid before you cut

Decide how many pieces you want, then turn that into rows and columns. The table below covers the three most common pans. Sizes are for the pan's inside measurements, so real pieces run a touch smaller once the brownie pulls away from the sides.

For a 9x13 pan, 24 pieces is the usual answer. The pieces come out almost perfectly square, and it is enough for a crowd.

Cut by halving, not by counting

People judge halves well and thirds badly. So build every grid out of halves wherever you can.

• 4 strips: cut down the middle, then cut each half down its middle.
• 6 strips: cut down the middle, then cut each half into thirds. Thirds of a small piece are much easier to see than sixths of a big one.
• 8 strips: halve, halve, halve.
• 3 strips: this is the one you cannot halve. Use a ruler, or mark it with the toothpick method below.
• 5 strips: cut one strip off the end first, then cut the rest into four by halving.

Do all the long cuts first, across the full slab, then turn it a quarter turn and do the cross cuts. Two sets of simple judgments beat a mess of small ones.

Step by step: 24 even brownies from a 9x13 pan

• Cool it all the way. Warm brownies tear and smear. Leave them at least an hour on the counter. For fudgy brownies, 30 minutes in the fridge after that makes the cleanest cuts.
• Lift it out. If you lined the pan with parchment and left the ends hanging over, use them as handles. Cutting on a board lets the knife go straight down to the bottom with no pan sides in the way.
• Trim the edges if you want them identical. The outer edge is usually chewier and darker. Taking a thin strip off each side gives you a cleaner rectangle and a cook's snack.
• Halve the long side. Lay a ruler across, find 6.5 inches, and cut straight down. Do not saw. Press, lift, and wipe the blade.
• Cut each half into thirds. That gives you six strips about 2.2 inches wide.
• Turn the slab and halve the short side. Cut at 4.5 inches.
• Halve each half again. Now you have 24 pieces.

If you have no ruler, use something you already have. A US dollar bill is about 6.1 inches long. A standard sheet of printer paper is 8.5 by 11 inches. Our guide to measuring without a ruler has more.

The toothpick trick for odd numbers

Thirds are where most trays go wrong. Before you cut anything, push toothpicks into the top of the brownie along both long edges where each cut should go. Step back and look. If the gaps look uneven, move them. Toothpicks are free to move. Cuts are not.

Once both edges are marked, cut from toothpick to toothpick. The line stays straight because you are aiming at a target, not drawing one freehand. That matters, because nobody can draw a straight line freehand for long.

Getting clean edges

• Use a long knife. A blade longer than the slab is wide lets you make each cut in one press.
• Wipe between every cut. A damp paper towel keeps crumbs from dragging through the next line.
• Warm the blade for fudgy brownies. Dip it in hot water, wipe it dry, and cut. It glides instead of sticking.
• A bench scraper works too. Press it straight down. It makes square edges with no sawing at all.

Why this matters more than it seems

Everyone can see exactly what everyone else got, so one big square next to a small one starts an argument. For two people, the old rule still works: one cuts, the other chooses. Here are seven fair ways to split anything.

And if you want to find out how good your eye for a half really is, try Halfsies. It is a free daily game where you cut three hand-drawn objects in half by eye and a scale weighs both pieces. A brownie slab is the easy version.

FAQ

How do you cut a 9x13 pan of brownies into 24 pieces?

Halve the 13-inch side, then cut each half into thirds for six strips. Turn the pan, halve the 9-inch side, then halve each half again for four rows. Six times four is 24 pieces about 2.2 by 2.25 inches.

How many brownies are in an 8x8 pan?

Usually 16, cut four by four into 2-inch squares. Nine pieces gives big 2.7-inch squares, and 25 gives small 1.6-inch bites.

Should you cut brownies hot or cold?

Cold. Let them cool completely, at least an hour, and chill fudgy brownies for about 30 minutes before cutting. Warm brownies smear and tear.

Why do my brownie squares come out uneven?

Usually because the cuts were guessed one at a time from one side. Plan the grid first, build it from halves, mark odd splits like thirds with toothpicks, and finish all cuts in one direction before turning the pan.