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

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