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
Hi Sally! I love your brownie recipe and I starting selling brownies at office. They love it! But many requesting for extra chewiness and crunchy top and sides. Is there a way to do these? Any tips you can share?
Thank you very much and I love all your recipes! 🙂
Have you tried making brownie cookies before? You get the chewy outer edges with the soft fudgy centers.
Hello! Sounds delic – I may try these today but have a few questions. Sorry – I didn’t read thru all 749 comments to see if you’ve already addressed these. 🙂
1 – What is the difference in a semi-sweet “bar” and “chips”? Can I just use ALL chips for example, or will that make a difference?
2 – Are you partial to a brand of choc bar or chips for this recipe? (not to turn this into an advertisement!)
3 – Do you usually weigh ingredients – specifically FLOUR? I see that you’ve included both volume and weights and I’ve heard to always weigh flour.
4 – AND – do you usually SIFT your flour? (for this or ANY other recipe?)
Thanks so much! I’m newly retired and one of my hobbies is to get back into baking (along with a dozen other hobbies I’ve put off for 30 yrs!) Barbara Hume
Hi Barbara, Chocolate chips are different than a bar. They contain stabilizers in them to help them keep their shape – which makes them ideal as an add-in but makes them difficult to melt smoothly. I don’t have a preferred brand – Hershey’s, Ghirardelli, Bakers and Lindt are all great! I try to always include weight measurements as it’s easier for my international readers. You do not need to sift the flour for this recipe. If you need to sift the flour the recipe will specify “sifted flour”. Enjoy!!
Hey Sally, I really love all your recipes, they always turn out perfect. I have just tried these brownies, but for some reason the batter is runny, it is not thick like yours. I have placed the pan in the oven to bake, hope they turn out good. Will update you. Keep up the good work!!
Hi Maira! Are you using pure chocolate as the base? That guarantees a thick batter.
Hi Sally, would it make much of a difference if I bake this brownie recipe in a 8×8 pan?
Thanks for all your amazing recipes!
The brownies will be super thick and may take longer to bake!
These are the best brownies ever! They’re so fudgy and amazing that the whole batch disappears in no time! I love the idea of frosting them too – I’d never thought of putting frosting on brownies before but WOW they really can get better!
I used a mix of dark and milk chocolate as semisweet doesn’t exist in the UK and I’m not a fan of pure dark chocolate. But, that gave me an idea: do you think that if you used a flavoured chocolate eg. chocolate orange then you’d get chocolate orange brownies? The sugar might need reducing accordingly but that would be the dream!
Hi Sally,
I made these brownies for my children on Wednesday for Valentine’s Day and they loved them. This is the best recipe so far! Tomorrow, I am making your strawberry cake for my daughter’s birthday. The recipe looks fantastic!
Thank you so much!
Hi Sally, I am a huge fan of yours. I have baked many of your recipes and they all turned out amazing and so delicious!!
I have 2 questions regarding these brownies….in your recipe notes you wrote “You can use an 11×7 inch baking pan instead. The bake time is about the same.” In your actual recipe you wrote to use a 9×9 inch square baking pan.
I’m confused. If I use a 11×7 pan won’t the brownies be thinner?
Also, I would like to double this recipe. If I double all the ingredients and bake it in a 13×9 inch pan will that work ok?
You will NOT be disappointed!!!!!! The best brownie that I have ever eaten……
This is a post for someone who cares a lot about brownies.
I have made a LOT of brownies because there are a LOT of brownie recipes out there. Every single one of them tends to promise dense, fudgy and chewy brownies (because those are the words everyone wants to hear) yet I have experienced cakey brownie after cakey brownie. Or dense, but not really chewy. Or way too gooey with no structure. Or way too thick and still not fudgy. Or the middle is good but the edges (which should be the most delicious part) end up crunchy and so wrong. I even tried a recipe from America’s Test Kitchen that swore by using oil in the recipe instead of butter to get a fudgy result, but those weren’t good. I am a seasoned baker (meaning I know how to bake brownies correctly) and I was beginning to believe that nothing could ever compare to box mix brownie chewiness. Truthfully, I started to think that I actually didn’t even like brownies that much. GASP!
Then one Monday I innocently see one of Sally’s brownie photos on Instagram and make her chewy fudgy homemade brownie recipe. I must have been so over trying more brownie recipes that I had never even thought “Duh, I should try one of Sally’s brownie recipes because I make her recipes all the time and they’re foolproof and delicious.”
An hour later, I was eating the most perfect, elusive brownie of my dreams. I have the only brownie recipe I’ll ever need for the rest of my life.
Sally! I LOVE you! EVERYTHING I have made have tasted INCREDIBLE! I don’t know how you do it. So, let me tell you a story about these brownies. I baked them a couple of years ago and ate the entire pan in one sitting. My husband came home and was very sad that I didn’t even leave any for him. I vowed to NEVER make these brownies again and started looking for “healthy” brownie recipes. I tried to make “healthy” brownies over and over again and was disappointed and downright sad whenever I made them. I would eat once piece and then throw out the entire pan. I FINALLY convinced myself to come back to these brownies because while they are sinfully delicious and not healthy in any sense of the word, they are worth it once in a while. Please never take this off your site as this is the only brownie recipe that makes me deliriously happy and is PERFECT in every sense of the word. Thanks, Sally!
These brownies were super delicious, and I loved the crackly top!
Hi Sally.
Can I use this as a base in a brownie fruit pizza?
Hi Heather! I fear the brownie batter will spread too much on a pizza pan, so I suggest a cake pan. If you have a 9 or 10 inch springform pan, that would be ideal because the brownie pizza will rise quite high. OR you can divide between 2 9-inch cake pans for flatter/thinner brownie pizzas.
I have made these brownies 3 times so far and i must say they are beyond amazing. This has become my go to brownie recipe. last time i made it i paired them with your salted caramel and some vanilla ice cream. Just heaven!!!!
Hi Sally! I tried these and they turned out great, with an awesome fudgy texture. My only issue was that they really tasted a bit too bitter for me. Any suggestions to sweeten without going overboard? Would using milk chocolate instead of semi sweet make a difference? Thanks!
A sweeter chocolate will definitely help. Milk chocolate is a wonderful sub!
Sally, I have come to just love your blog and am excited every time a new email pops up in my inbox! 🙂 I got a little behind and just yesterday caught up on Sprinkled, which is so well done! I am very interested in trying this brownie recipe. Question…you mentioned in the notes that an 11×7 pan could be used if you adjust the cooking time. Could I also use two (2) 9×9 square baking pans and make a double batch? Would I have to make any cooking time adjustments if I wanted to bake 2 pans at the same time? Thanks!
Hi Susan! Thank you so much for the sweet comment. So glad you’re enjoying Sprinkled!! When baking 2 9-inch pans at a time, you’ll need to increase the bake time as the oven will take longer to cook both. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.
My son, who is a sophomore in high school, had a homework assignment to make brownies from scratch. Of course I immediately directed him to your website to get a recipe. We chose this one because we already knew how good they’d be since I’ve made the peanut butter stuffed version (yummmmm). The directions were so detailed and easy to follow he barely needed any supervision from me. He made them yesterday and brought them into school today. They were very well received and he got 100% on the assignment. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
These brownies are AWESOME! I’ve made them plain, I’ve made them with the layered peanut butter recipe, I’ve made them with the peanut butter buttercream recipe, and I’ve made them with a salted caramel ripple and they turn out mind blowingly, fanstically fudgey and delcicious every time. I’ll also mention that I have only ever made them using gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill + xanthan gum) and continually get comments from people that are not gluten free about how good they are. Hiiiiiiighly recommend this recipe to anyone, especially if you’re looking for something that can be adapted to gluten free without sacrificing deliciousness!!!
Best brownies ever. My only comment is it doesn’t have a shiny top. But the TASTE AND TEXTURE? Just beyond words. Thanks for such an amazing brownies recipe.
These are the Best Brownies Ever! My daughter and I have been searching and making many brownie recipes and we are thrilled to have found THE ONE! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Hi Sally. Thank you for this delicious recipe. I’ve made them twice already. They both turned out great! Only problem was there were bubbles on the top of the brownies, making the crackly top not smooth and not really nice looking. How do I get nice smooth brownies top like yours? Thanks.
Oh my goodness, these are AMAZING. I used half chocolate chips and half white baker’s chocolate that I cut into small pieces. The frosting on top takes it over the edge and I have a feeling these will be gone very soon.
This will now be my go to recipe for brownies! Made them last night and it was my first from scratch brownies. The hubby and I ate half the pan He kept saying how good they were then said, “why do you ever make boxed brownies?!”. I thought they were perfectly chewy without being too fudgy or too caked. Great chocolate flavor. Crinkly top, though not shiny like I hoped. Very easy to make. The only thing I did differently was not add chocolate chips. Oh and I baked in an 11 x 7 ceramic baking dish, took about 40 minutes. Can’t wait to snack on these today!
This is hands down the BEST brownie recipe I have ever come across and I have made it countless times. I use it as a “base” recipe for different types of brownies as well and it has not failed me yet. It always turns out so gooey and rich.
Thank you for blessing the world with this recipes
Hi Sally,
I wondered if you use a fan oven or a conventional oven? It’s always a hit and miss situation because of this. However they come out, my daughter can’t get enough of these! I try to be good, but they are too tempting for a chocolate addict…
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Conventional. My general rule from experience is to always lower the temp by 25 degrees F if using fan-forced.