Frosted Brownies (Lunch Lady Brownies)

Remember those chocolate frosted brownies from the school cafeteria? These homemade frosted brownies take nostalgic lunch lady brownies to the next level with rich, chocolate-packed centers and a thick layer of silky chocolate frosting.

Ingredients for Frosted Brownies

You only need a handful of pantry ingredients to make these brownies. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.

• Butter – These fudgy brownies use butter for both the brownies and the frosting. You can choose to use unsalted butter in order to control the salt content, but I had salted on hand so that’s what I used. Use a good quality butter for best results. It is the base and the fat, so one made mostly of water and not the good stuff won’t give you a rich flavor or produce moist crumbs.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips – There is no such thing as too much chocolate in my book, so in addition to the chocolate frosting, I like to add some chocolate chips to my batter.
• Granulated sugar – we need something to balance out the bitter flavor of the cocoa powder, and obviously sugar is the best option.
• Vanilla extract – Vanilla seems to be a baking staple, and it really helps to blend all of the flavors together in these homemade brownies. Another ingredient to be mindful of the quality. Avoid using brands that are imitation or clear vanilla.
• Eggs – The eggs help to hold everything together, as well as give these brownies an extra rich taste. When baking, I always prefer to use room temperature eggs. Always assume we are using large eggs. Even using an extra large egg in brownies can make them cake like.
• All-purpose flour – Flour provides the base for most dessert recipes, including these from scratch brownies.
• Baking powder – Baking powder is a leavening agent and it helps baked goods to rise.
• Espresso powder – This one is optional, however is can take your frosted brownies to a whole new level flavor wise- really anything with chocolate. It’s sharp and strong, setting them apart from a regular box mix for the rich brownies.
• Cocoa powder – And now we need something to add that chocolate flavor! Cocoa powder does just that, and we also use it in the chocolate icing too.
• Powdered sugar – Also sometimes called confectioners’ sugar, we use this in the chocolate buttercream frosting. The fine texture makes the frosting smooth rather than the gritty texture you’d get from regular white sugar.
• Heavy whipping cream – Who doesn’t love a fluffy frosting? Mixing in heavy cream allows for air to be whipped in for the perfectly fluffy texture.

How to Make the Best Frosted Brownies (Step-by-Step)

Just follow these stimple stpes to lunch lady brownies like you’ve never had.

1. Prepare the pan. I like to not only spray the pan with cooking spray, but also line it with parchment paper. This ensures that your brownies won’t stick to the pan.
2. Melt the chocolate. There are two ways to do this. You can either use a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 30 second intervals, or if you’re comfortable doing so, you can use a double boiler. You will want to melt butter and chocolate together. The double boiler can prevent the chocolate from overcooking and becoming cakey. There is no coming back from that, you’ll need to start over again.
3. Mix the wet ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, eggs and vanilla and cream well. Once the melted chocolate mixture has cooled, add that in as well.
4. Mix the dry ingredients. Sift together the flour, baking powder, espresso powder, and cocoa powder, and then mix the flour mixture into wet ingredients. Don’t skip the sifting!
5. Bake. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake for 40-45 minutes. You can do the toothpick test to check for doneness. Remove the brownies right before you beleive them to be done, not after. They will continue to cook a bit in the hot pan.
6. Make the frosting. Once the brownies are baked, allow the pan to cool on a wire rack. Combine the ingredients for the chocolate frosting in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer.
7. Frost and enjoy! Spread the frosting on top of the brownies, cut, serve and enjoy! Brownies are easily cut using a plastic knife or a sharp knife, but wipe it clean between cuts for clean edges.

Variations

With this brownie base, there are lots of options for you to make them your own! Your best brownies.

• Peanut Butter– Swirl in 1/2 cup of peanut butter to batter or swap our the chocolate frosting for a peanut butter frosting.
• Cream Cheese Frosting– I’m a sucker for tangy cream cheese frosting, so this one is a -brainer for me. Also try my pumpkin cream cheese frosting or gingerbread cream cheese frosting during the holidays.
• Chocolate Chips or Peanut Butter Chips– Toss 1/2 cup of peanut butter or chocolate chips into the batter.
• Sundae Style– If you really want to take these cakey brownies up a notch, serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and fudge sauce while they’re still warm.
• Salty & Sweet– Sprinkle lightly with a flakey dessert salt like fleur de sel for crunch and balance.

Storage & Freezing

Storage: You can store your leftover brownies in an airtight container. If you’d like to make sure they stay moist, you can even wrap them in plastic wrap first. But make sure you wait to do that until after the frosting sets.

Freezing: These brownies can be frozen either before frosting or after being frosted. Wrap well with freezer paper or aluminum foil and freeze for up to 4 months.

More Brownie Recipes

There is nothing better than a pan of baking brownies. Here are some other brownie recipe to try.

Mug Brownie

4.54 from 62 votes

Easy Oreo Brownies

No ratings yet

Applesauce Brownies

4.67 from 9 votes

Ultimate Slutty Brownies

4.80 from 29 votes

Frosted Brownies Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Rich, fudgy frosted brownies made with melted chocolate and topped with creamy frosting. A homemade twist on classic lunch lady brownies!

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 45 minutes mins

Total Time: 55 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Servings: 12

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved! Rate this Recipe

Equipment

• Toothpicks
• Plastic Airtight Containers
• Wire Cooling Rack
• Stand Mixer
• Sifter
• Parchment Paper

Ingredients

Brownies:

• 1 cup butter , salted
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder , optional
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Frosting:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup butter , room temperature
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a 9×12 baking pan by spraying generously with non-stick spray and parchment paper and set aside.
• In a microwave safe bowl, add the 1 cup butter and 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips and heat in the microwave on 30 second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment, blend together the 2 cups granulated sugar, 6 large eggs, and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and mix until well combined.
• Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until well combined and smooth.
• Sift or whisk together the1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon espresso powder, and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder. Mix until just combined and there are no dry spots remaining.
• Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth evenly. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with a paddle attachment, cream the softened ½ cup butter on high speed until smooth.
• Add the 2 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2-3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and mix on low speed until combined. Increase speed to high for about 1 minutes.
• Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix in the heavy whipping cream until you get desired consistency.
• Once the brownies are cool, add the frosting on top and smooth evenly.
• Store the brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
• If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings!

Notes

Storage: You can store your leftover brownies in an airtight container. If you’d like to make sure they stay moist, you can even wrap them in plastic wrap first. But make sure you wait to do that until after the frosting sets.

Freezing: These brownies can be frozen either before frosting or after being frosted. Wrap well with freezer paper or aluminum foil and freeze for up to 4 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 682 kcal, Carbohydrates: 82 g, Protein: 7 g, Fat: 37 g, Saturated Fat: 22 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 148 mg, Sodium: 240 mg, Potassium: 296 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 64 g, Vitamin A: 879 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 59 mg, Iron: 3 mg

Calories: 682

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brownie frosting, chocolate frosted brownies, from scratch brownies, frosted brownies, fudgy brownies, homemade brownies, lunch lady brownies

Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!