Chocolate Frosted Brownie Recipe

These fudgy frosted brownies are a perfectly indulgent treat for chocoholics! It’s hard to beat homemade brownies topped with velvety smooth chocolate frosting. You’ll be in heaven after one bite!

I grew up eating brownies with chocolate icing, but it’s been years since I made a batch. I forgot how sinfully delicious they are.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good plain brownie, but these took me right back to my childhood. If you have fond memories of eating lunch lady brownies and licking the frosting off your fingers, you’re going to love this recipe!

How to make the best frosted brownies

1. PREP – Chop the chocolate. Line an 8-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Preheat your oven to 350°.
2. WET INGREDIENTS – Melt butter and chocolate at half power in the microwave. Whisk in the sugar, then the eggs and vanilla.
3. DRY INGREDIENTS – Gently stir in the flour and salt, then fold in the chocolate chips.
4. BAKE – Spread batter in the pan. Bake at 350 for 35-38 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with moist crumbs.
   For fudgy brownies, err on the side of underbaking. Cool completely.
5. CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM – Beat the butter, cocoa, salt, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and milk in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
6. FROST – Spread the frosting on the cooled brownies.
   Use the edges of the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and cut into squares.

Leftover brownies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Place them as close together as possible so the sides don’t dry out.

If you want to freeze them, chill them first, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap. Transfer to ziplock bags or a freezer-safe container. They can be frozen for about 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature.

PRO TIPS:

• If you use unsalted butter, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the batter, and use a generous pinch in the frosting.
• Let the pan of brownies cool completely before adding the frosting, or it will melt. You can speed up the cooling process by placing the pan of brownies in the refrigerator.
• Lining the pan with foil not only makes for quicker clean up, you can use the edges of the foil to lift the brownies out of the pan. So much easier to cut them on a cutting board than in the pan!

How do you cut frosted brownies cleanly?

Instead of using a sawing motion to cut brownies with frosting, it works best to use a long knife and push straight down through the brownies. This works best if you remove them from the pan first. That’s why I recommend lining the pan with foil.

FROSTED BROWNIE RECIPE VARIATIONS:

• Instead of milk chocolate, you can use white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips in the brownies.
• These are also seriously delicious topped with half a batch of my cream cheese frosting or even peanut butter frosting.
• In addition to, or in place of the chocolate chips, stir in 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts.

MORE MADE FROM SCRATCH BROWNIES:

• Fudgy Brownie Recipe with Cocoa Powder
• German Chocolate Brownies
• Nutella Brownies
• Chocolate Chip Brownies
• Buckeye Brownies Recipe
• Zucchini Brownies
• Marbled Brownies

Frosted Brownie Recipe

Kara

Made from scratch brownies studded with chocolate chips and slathered in rich chocolate frosting. So rich and indulgent!

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 33 minutes mins

Additional Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 53 minutes mins

Course Dessert: Brownies and Bars

Cuisine American

Servings 16 brownies

Calories 257 kcal

Equipment

• Stainless Steel Wire Whisk Set, Dishwasher Safe, 3 Piece
• Pyrex Basics Square Glass Baking Dish (8in x 8in x 2.5in)
• Brownie Spatula, 1 x 2.25 x 7 inches, Stainless Steel/Wood

Ingredients

  

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Brownie base:

• ½ cup salted butter
• ½ cup unsweetened chopped chocolate
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup all purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup milk chocolate chips

Brownie frosting recipe:

• 6 Tbsp salted butter softened to room temperature
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 4 Tbsp milk more or less

Instructions

 

• Line an 8" square pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place the butter and chopped chocolate in a large microwave safe bowl. Melt at half power, stirring every 30 seconds.
• Stir in the sugar, then the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour and salt, stir just until there are no streaks. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Spread the brownie batter in the prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 33-38 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, but no wet batter.
• Place the pan on a wire rack and let the brownies cool completely.
• For frosting, beat the soft butter, cocoa, salt, powdered sugar, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons of the milk with a hand mixer. Add more milk as needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
• Spread the frosting over the cooled brownies. Lift the brownies out of the pan using the foil. Place on a cutting board, cut into squares, and serve.

Notes

• These brownies are quite rich, so I cut them into 2-inch squares.
• You can store leftover brownies for 4-5 days at room temperature in an airtight container.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 257kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 2gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 90mgPotassium: 94mgFiber: 1gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 344IUCalcium: 22mgIron: 1mg

Keyword frosted brownie recipe

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With chocolate chips and silky chocolate buttercream, these are some of the best brownies that will ever pass your lips!