These are chewy, fudgy, and ultra-rich frosted brownies covered in a generous layer of creamy chocolate buttercream. The recipe starts with a combo of melted butter and quality chocolate, which provides a smooth and velvety base for these dense fudge-like treats. Bake these in a 9-inch square pan, then cool for about 1 to 2 hours before frosting.
I originally published this recipe for frosted brownies in 2014.
There’s nothing like indulging in a from-scratch brownie.
But if you cover that brownie in creamy chocolate buttercream, you’re entering another dessert dimension. A moist and dense brownie underneath a blanket of sweet and smooth frosting is pure chocolate luxury.
If you’ve tasted these frosted brownies before, you know I’m not exaggerating.
These are R-I-C-H!
Chewy & Fudgy Frosted Brownies
Here’s what you can expect from this recipe:
- Fresh homemade flavor
- 1 bowl brownie batter + 1 bowl chocolate frosting
- Yields a 9-inch square pan of brownies (about 16)
- Intensely chocolatey
- Crackly, shiny surface before frosting
- Dense and moist, yet still a bit chewy
5 Key Ingredients in These Chewy Brownies
Before you begin, it’s helpful to know the importance of the ingredients you’re using. Especially since you’re taking the time to make a treat from scratch, that could easily be made from a box instead. I wasn’t able to develop this frosted brownie recipe without a little practice and learning. There are 5 main ingredients in your brownie batter—varying the amounts of these ingredients will affect the texture and flavor of the finished product, so I don’t recommend adjustments.
- Butter: Melted butter adds flavor and helps develop a chewy texture.
- Chocolate: Homemade brownie recipes call for cocoa powder and/or solid chocolate. If using all cocoa powder, you need more fat in the brownie batter because cocoa powder does not contain cocoa butter. My brownie recipe uses mostly solid chocolate with a little cocoa powder. Double the chocolate goodness! Semi-sweet chocolate is best here; I don’t suggest using unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate. I prefer Baker’s or Ghirardelli brand chocolate. You need 2 4-ounce bars.
- Flour: I use as little flour as possible to produce a fudge-like brownie that still has some nice structure. More flour = a lighter, more cake-like brownie.
- Sugar: These homemade brownies use 3/4 cup of granulated sugar. I also add 1/4 cup of brown sugar, which adds a bit of moisture.
- Eggs: Eggs perform many functions in baking including binding, adding richness, tenderizing, providing structure, adding lift, and so on. This recipe uses 3 eggs, which give the brownies a tight crumb and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
You also need cocoa powder for both the brownie batter and the frosting. For superior flavor, I recommend dutch-process cocoa powder over natural cocoa powder.
And finally, vanilla, salt, and chocolate chips are the remaining few ingredients. Each add some flavor.
Melted Butter + Chocolate
Melt the butter and chopped chocolate together first. It’s helpful to cut the butter into pieces so it melts quickly and evenly. You can use a microwave or the stove for this step.
Again, this provides unbeatable chocolate flavor and a smooth starting point for your perfect brownies.
Use a bowl or pot that’s on the larger side, because eventually, all of the remaining ingredients will join.
Expect a Semi-Thick Batter
Give the batter a good whisk to ensure there are no remaining pockets of cocoa powder and flour, and then fold in the chocolate chips. Expect a semi-thick batter:
Spread the batter into a parchment paper-lined 9-inch square pan. If you’re looking for a recommendation, I use and love this USA Pan 9-inch square baking pan.
Chocolate Brownie Frosting
There are many different ways to dress up your brownies, and I am no stranger to the varying options including cookies & cream brownies, Guinness brownies, and mint chocolate brownies.
You can also frost brownies with a cooked fudge-like frosting, or a chocolate ganache. I find both to be particularly rich for these, and too similar to the brownie layer in both texture and taste. So, instead, I always opt for chocolate buttercream. It’s lighter, a tad sweeter, and ultra creamy. For the buttercream, I use a variation of my regular chocolate buttercream, a favorite choice for cupcakes and cakes. Most of the ingredients are repeats from the brownie batter, with the exception of confectioners’ sugar and milk.
Success tip for the milk: Instead of milk, you can use heavy cream. Regardless of which you use, warm it up for a few seconds in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove. Adding slightly warm liquid to the frosting helps to thin it out and creates a smoother, more satiny finish.
The satiny frosting glides onto the cooled brownies seamlessly:
You can, but I don’t recommend it. I find the added sugar helps to develop the brownie’s shiny, crackly crust. In fact, this is an experiment many bakers have tried, including the crew over at King Arthur Baking. How fascinating! And, as always, be sure to whisk the sugar into the warm melted butter and chocolate, as that also helps develop a crisp crackly top.
Not for this recipe. Instead, try my seriously fudgy homemade brownies, and you can leave out the 2 ounces of melted chocolate and 2 ounces of chopped chocolate in that recipe. (Or try my coconut cheesecake brownies or brownie ice cream sandwiches!)
This isn’t enough batter for a larger 9×13-inch pan. Instead, try my seriously fudgy homemade brownies.
Chewy Fudgy Frosted Brownies
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (includes cooling)
- Yield: 16 brownies
- Category: Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These are chewy, fudgy, and ultra-rich brownies covered in a generous layer of creamy chocolate buttercream. The recipe starts with a combo of melted butter and quality chocolate, which provides a smooth and velvety base for these dense fudge-like treats. Bake these in a 9-inch square pan, then cool for about 1 to 2 hours before frosting.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter
- two 4-ounce (226g) semi-sweet chocolate bars, coarsely chopped*
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (84g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 Tablespoons (10g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder (I prefer dutch-process)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Chocolate Frosting
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 cup (27g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder (I prefer dutch-process)
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream or milk, slightly warm (see Note)
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Make the brownies: Cut the butter into smaller pieces so it melts down quicker. Place it in a heatproof bowl or in a medium saucepan. Add the chopped chocolate. Melt in the microwave in 20-second increments stirring after each until melted, or, if you’re using a saucepan, melt it over low heat on the stove. Cool for just 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Whisk the granulated and brown sugars into the cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Whisk in the eggs, and then the vanilla. Whisk in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt until no pockets of dry ingredients remain. Once combined, fold in the chocolate chips. The batter is semi-thick.
- Pour and spread batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 32-35 minutes, or until the top appears set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist (not wet) crumbs. All ovens are different, so keep an eye on your brownies. Check them at 30 minutes. Mine usually take 32 minutes. Tip: Err on the side of underbaking, because brownies continue to set as they cool.
- Place the pan on a wire rack and cool brownies for 1 to 2 hours. Once cooled, lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper on the sides. Set aside as you make the frosting.
- Make the frosting: With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, heavy cream/milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 full minute. Taste. Beat in another pinch of salt if desired.
- Spread over mostly cooled brownies (it’s ok if the brownies are still a bit warm). I usually use an offset spatula to spread the frosting. Cut into squares. For neat squares, I use a very long and sharp knife and wipe it clean with a paper towel after each cut.
- Unfrosted brownies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week. Frosted brownies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, these frosted or unfrosted brownies freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Saucepan/Pot or Glass Mixing Bowl | 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Whisk | Cooling Rack | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Offset Spatula
- Chocolate: Quality chocolate is ideal. Chocolate is the main ingredient and will be melted down, so using chocolate chips (which contain stabilizers) will negatively affect the taste and texture. (Chocolate chips are an add-in in this batter, and not used for melting with the butter.) For all my recipes calling for chopped or melted chocolate, including this one, I use 4-ounce (113g) chocolate baking bars, found in the baking aisle. I like Baker’s, Lindt, and Ghirardelli brands. You need 2 for this recipe. I used Baker’s brand in the pictured brownies.
- Gluten Free? Many bakers have tried these brownies with a 1:1 swap of gluten free flour blend for the all-purpose flour. I have not tested it myself, but all have said it works wonderfully. Or you can browse my gluten free recipes.
- Heavy Cream/Milk in Frosting: Regardless of which you use (both work wonderfully in the frosting), warm it up for a few seconds in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove. Adding slightly warm liquid to the frosting helps to thin it out and creates a smoother, more satiny finish.
- Baking Pan: You can use an 11×7-inch baking pan instead. The bake time is about the same. This isn’t enough batter for a larger 9×13-inch pan. Instead, try my seriously fudgy homemade brownies.
Keywords: frosted brownies
This is my favorite recipe of brownies ever! They are so fudgey and yummy! I did this recipe once and I loved it! A few months later, a bit after easter I did this recipe once angain but added miniatures Reese’s peanut butter cups to replace the chocolata chips. So good.
Hi, Sally! Since this recipe has neither baking soda nor baking powder, would it be okay to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder? Thanks!
Either works! Use your favorite.
I am looking to create a go-to homemade brownie mix. Could I mix all the dry ingredients together and store them for when I ant to make a batch?
You sure can. Then just add the wet ingredients when ready.
Oh dear god were these ever amazing!! I made these into brownie bites using mini muffin pan and baked for about 24 min and got 34 brownies. My guests ate almost the whole batch!!
Oh my god. These are UNREAL. I’m horrible at baking brownies and these are fudgy and flaky and chocolatey and amazing. I almost ate the entire lot of them and blamed it on my pregnancy but then decided against it and shared with my coworkers. Great work lady, amazing recipe!
Hi Sally! I recently got brownie baking pans. The pan holds 12 individual 2½” x 2½” x 1″ wells and is 16″ x 11″ overall. How much should I adjust the baking time, if any at all?
My guess is the baking time will be slightly less. Keep your eye on them!
I made these today in a nonstick pan, AMAZING. So fudge and deliciously chocolate. But I made changes, I didn’t use white sugar, I just used 1/2 cup brown sugar. All I had available! Thanks!
These are seriously the best brownies EVER! I love boxed brownie mix but seriously, nothing compares to these brownies! SO YUMMY!!! 🙂
Just made these with the kiddos. FYI I could not find a good brownie recipe. They always ended up so hard and just not good to be honest. These are THE BEST brownies I have ever had!! Thanks so much for the recipe. Definitely a keeper!!
Made these today and they were sooo good!!
I just made these and they were delicious! I used a 10-inch cast-iron skillet instead of a baking pan and the bake time was closer to 30 minutes, but they turned out amazingly chocolaty and fudgy! Thank you so much for this recipe, I will definitely be making these again!
These are sooooo good! My husband I are chocolate freaks and couldn’t wait for these to cool and they are yummy and fudgy. Will definitely save these to make again. A mix is most certainly cheaper but these taste so much better!!
Made this today! Added some walnuts! Turned out lovely! I baked it for 25minutes next time I think I might leave it in the oven for 20minutes! just wanted to say your blog is fantastic! Thanks for all the wonderful recipes!!
Hi, Sally! I’ve been wanting to make these brownies since a long time and I finally did so this evening.
THEY ARE AMAZING. I’m obsessed with chocolates and brownies are my favourite so I’ve eaten a lot of them, which is why I wanted to let you know that these are probably the best ones I have ever had. I love the taste, THEY COULD NOT BE BETTER.
I’m in love. Thank you so, so much for sharing this.
OMG!!!… These brownies are amazing!!, I made them for work and I cannot stop eating them from my co-workers!!. I made these brownies at around 2 pm and it is now going on 11:30 pm, they are still soft, fudgy and delicious!.. This recipe is my go-to brownie recipe. Thank you so much!
Made these tonight for the kids as it is so cold here in Melbourne (Australia) right now. And the kids and hubby ate half of the batch! Will make this my regular brownie recipe – thank you!
Hi Sally,
Can’t wait to try this recipe!! Just wondering, I read a comment about using the “mini brownie pan”, that’s what I was going to use. It would be pretty difficult to foil or parchment pan this little squares, can I just use a Pam spray instead?
Thanks, Patti
Yep! Pam spray would work!
I tried these brownies yesterday and they turned out SO AMAZING!!!!!!! The recipe is so exact and produces the exact quantity of batter. Only thing was that the bottom of the brownies got stuck to the foil. But they taste simply FAB. Perfect gooey fudgy texture and so rich and yummy!!!
Fantastic! Thank you, they were delicious!!
I made this today and they were divine! take note of the word “were”. It was gone that fast!!! thanks for this recipe!
I rarely leave comments on any website, but I just made these brownies and couldn’t resist..the brownies or the opportunity to say thank you! These remind me of the delicious brownies at Starbucks that are my occasional treat. I’m concerned that I have a whole pan of these to myself until tomorrow when they will most definitely disappear at the potluck they are going to (and I had to try them because you can’t take something somewhere without making sure …right?!). Oh wow…this is my new brownie recipe!!!!
These brownies are PHENOMENAL ! BY FAR the BEST brownies I have ever made. I can’t emphasize this enough. I used milk Chocolate chips not semi sweet because thats what I happened to have in the house at the time. I omitted the cocoa powder and added extra chocolate. I also used only a tiny bit of brown sugar since the milk chocolate chips are already so sweet. I baked them in an 11×7 pan. They were so beautifully moist. Thank you so much for this recipe lol I have made home made brownies before but they did not turn out as REAL as these.
If they didn’t turn out as wonderfully for you then you do not know what you are doing in the kitchen although these have many good reviews I can’t see these ever not turning out for someone!
I doubled the recipe and found them very easy to make. They pulled away from the foil with ease after 30 minutes (used 2 different sized pans). Quite delicious and just the right amount of sweetness without frosting. I think I overcooked them just a bit since they were slightly on the “cakey” side. Can’t wait to try making them again!! Thank you for the easy to follow recipe. My first time making brownies from scratch and I’ll never go back to the box!
I had a go at these for a friend’s birthday and they were an absolute delight! Everyone loved them and they were the rich fudgy brownie they were promised to be. They weren’t overly sweet and the recipe was very easy to follow. Thank you so much for the recipe!
So I will add to the sea of comments that gains this post popularity. This is a very good brownie recipe. Very simple and results are yummy. But if I had to choose between this recipe and her death by chocolate brownies in her cookbook I would pick the latter. The ones in the book are far richer in flavor…tbh those are the best homemade brownies I have ever sunk my teeth into. For those who dont have a copy of her book (please buy it) this is a treat worthy recipe. 🙂
Just made these. Hands down best brownies ever! Thanks SO much for sharing!!! 🙂
I made these brownies for the first time and they were great. This was my first time making brownies from scratch, so I didn’t know what to expect. I often make the cookie recipes from this site and they too always come out wonderfully. The brownies were so indulgent and decadent. I added chunks to the batter instead of chips so that they were more gooey when cut into.My husband has already requested I make these again!
I followed the recipe exactly as written. These were the worst brownies I have ever tasted. I didn’t know there could be such a thing as a bad brownie. They didn’t look anything like the picture, or even taste good! The frosting was delicious but unfortunately I had to dump the brownies. What a waste of expensive organic eggs, and two bars of ghirardelli chocolate.
This is THE. BEST. BROWNIE. RECIPE. EVER. I made them over the summer and then I lost the recipe. I finally found it again and I’m never going to lose it again. I will never try another brownie recipe again.
Hi Sally, I made this recipe, left off the frosting, and substituted the chocolate chips for PEANUT BUTTER chips and they came out AMAZING!!! They were a hit in my house and I’ll definitely keep this as my go to brownie recipe. Thanks!