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.
These are excellent brownies and the frosting makes just enough. I had and used the 9 inch pan suggested and the bake time was accurate. Thank you for the recipes.
I am sure this recipe is amazing but do you have a cake like brownie recipe or can this be altered to make it fluffier and less dense? I love all of your recipes! Thank you so much!
Hi Michelle, I don’t. You could try my Guinness brownies which are a bit lighter. Or you could try adding a bit more flour and perhaps some baking powder to this recipe, to lighten it up and add some lift.
Just curious for those of us living in Europe where they only seem to have milk and dark chocolate what would be considered bittersweet?
I would use dark chocolate in this recipe. Semi-sweet is considered a dark chocolate.
This recipe is really really great! They were a bit softer than I wanted; I was hoping more chew than soft. Is there something I could’ve done wrong or is that just how this recipe is? I weighed all of my ingredients and everything was at room temp 🙂
I never comment on recipes but these brownies are perfection!! I used an 8×8 pan because it’s all I had and baked for about 35 mins. They were soft and chewy but not underdone.
I’m keeping this recipe. Change the semi-sweet to dark chcolate bars and chips. I also reduced the sweetness to fit my family’s taste buds. Tried to mix the sugar and eggs with a hand mixer for 5minutes before adding it to the chocolate mixture. The brownies came out glossy and crisp.
Thanks for sharing your recipes, Sally. You’ve been a great part of my homebaking journey
I want to try this next week. I love a good fudgey chewy brownie and baking with kids is a great excuse to quench my sweet tooth. I’ve never attempted brownies before, I have two questions:
1. Can I use a Pyrex dish as I don’t have a brownie pan?
2. What should I expect the batter consistency to look like before pouring in the pan? (Runny like a cake, or thick like chocolate chip cookie, or somewhere in-between like a banana bread?)
Thanks
Hi Jalissa, you can use an oven-safe Pyrex dish of the same size. The batter will be a bit thicker than most cake batters, but not quite as thick as a cookie dough. It should still run easily out of the mixing bowl and into your pan. Hope you and your kids enjoy the brownies!
This was my first time making brownies from scratch. You’re right, I don’t think I can go back to the boxed mixes ever again. This recipe is just too easy and delicious! I used the Ghirardelli 60% cacao and dark chocolate chips and it was the right amount of sweetness for us. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
Is there a way to reduce the sweetness level? Would that just require cutting down the sugar? Also, any thoughts on using one of those “only corner piece” brownie pans and how that would affect baking time? Thank you!
Hi Michelle, you can try reducing the sugar, but keep in mind that it also plays a role in the texture and structure of baked goods, so the end product will be different. You could try using a darker chopped chocolate bar for a less sweet brownie. We haven’t tried one of those specific pans, but bake time should be about the same, maybe just a bit shorter. Keep a close eye on them and use a toothpick to test for doneness!
Do you not put baking powder in this recipe?
Hi Trish! For the most dense and chewy brownies, we don’t add baking powder.
Of all the brownie recipes out there (in books and online) this is my go-to- PERFECT brownies recipe
Hi! This recipe looks delicious? Can you add walnuts to it? If so, at what point do you put them in?
Hi Kacey, sure can! Fold the walnuts into the batter before spreading into the baking pan. You can add anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 cup, depending on how much you’d like.
This brownie recipe is superb. I just tried it for the first time with just one modification and it came out perfectly chocolatey and fudgy and chewy just as I love my brownies to be. I just added a teaspoon or less coffee granules to the butter and chocolate and melted all 3 together.
Everyone loved it.
Thanks Sally for this amazing recipe.
Love from Sri Lanka.
This recipe is fantastic. I’ve made it several times and each time the brownies have been perfect and delicious. Thank you so much for all of your recipes, you are truly a culinary godsend! 🙂
Loved it! We only had 1.5 bars of Baker’s chocolate so used up some 86% cacao dark chocolate for the rest and they turned out perfect still. This is a great recipe. Will be making again.
I just went ahead and made the recipe as is. I think these are way too fudgy (not chewy at all) to be considered brownies… So dense, more like a flourless choclate cake—but I feel like even that has more crumb. I guess it wasn’t kidding when it said “like eating a square of dark chocolate fudge.” But the pictures looked good, so I tried it anyways. Sadly we didn’t enjoy these at all. In my opinion a brownie should have some crumb… and not just be as dense as fudge?? Not sure how this has so many high reviews unless people like brownies that have no crumb at all and are basically just fudge?? …do people even eat fudge???
Another keeper recipe. Fabulous and with Sally’s buttercream icing…heavenly
Yep, these are the best brownies I’ve ever made! So easy and so delicious! Thanks, Sally
I love this recipe sooo much!!! I have a question though, can i premake tghe batter ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until needed?
Hi Phoenix, I don’t recommend that. The butter will solidify and the brownie batter will become a brick! Best to bake right away.
Made these in 2014 for the first time and am coming back to it 8 years later! Sally, can we leave out the chocolate chips? If so, do we need to make any other modifications to the recipe? Thank you 🙂
Hi Pooja, you can omit the chocolate chips if desired. No other changes needed. Enjoy!
I love the flavor and texture of this recipe. Can you answer the great pan debate question? Do you prefer pyrex or metal pans for baking brownies, and if you use Pyrex, do you reduce the oven temperature?
I have the same question. I’ve discovered my cakes and bakes seem so much better baked in oven-safe glass however I can’t afford replacing all my bakeware at this time. I wondered if it really matters or not. I’d prefer finding out it’s not such a big deal.
Hi Jennifer! Different pans work better for different things – glass pans bake baked goods more slowly, while metal can give a nice brown crust and conducts heat quickly – we use a mix of both in our baking! We usually use a metal pan for brownies. You can see all our recommended baking pans in this post if you’re interested.
If you want to add walnuts, should you change the recipe in any way? I saw the Walnut Brownie Chunk Cookies, but I don’t have the supplies or time to make that (even though I really want to!) Thanks! 🙂
Hi Amanda, sure can! Fold the walnuts into the batter before spreading into the baking pan. You can add anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 cup, depending on how much you’d like.
I followed this recipe exactly and love it! Chewy, fudgy, great edges! I used a 11 x 7 pan and baked for 30 minutes.
Loved it! Followed the recipe exactly. Chewy, fudgy, great edges too!
This recipe is fantastic and my go to for all my brownie bakes. Your chewy cookie recipe also never fails me.
Thank you for your recipes my kids love my baking haha
Hi Sally, I need to use a 13 x 9 sheet pan for the brownies. What accommodatrions do I need to do to make this work? Should I increase the ingredients in order to have some height in the brownies or just decrease baking time and lreave them as is? Please help as this is for a very special top on the finished product. and happening this weekend. Thank you so much.
We recommend our Seriously Fudgy Homemade Brownies for a 9×13 pan of from-scratch brownies – enjoy!
These brownies were perfect! I used a 9×13 pan because that’s all I had available and they still turned out perfect. Yummy and chocolatey, nice and chewy with a crisp crackly top. Very sweet, but it’s a brownie, so it’s to be expected. I think I might omit the chocolate chips next time. But so, so good.
These brownies are so chocolaty and delicious. I usually bake them with bittersweet chocolate in an 8” square pan. They are one of my family’s favorite recipes.
The best brownies recipe on the internet.
Delicious recipe! Everyone loved it and it was gone in minutes!