Chocolate Frosted Brownies
These frosted brownies feature a rich, fudgy, espresso-enhanced chocolate base and a thick layer of creamy chocolate frosting. Ready to eat in under an hour, they’re perfect for every occasion and are guaranteed to make you the star of any party!
We love a good homemade brownie recipe here at HappiHomemade. With options like our peppermint brownies and low calorie brownies, we’re prepared for every occasion.
However, we found we needed an all-purpose brownie we could whip out for everything from birthday parties to holidays. So, we got to work on these one-bowl chocolate brownies with chocolate frosting!
Soft and fudgy brownies with perfectly crisp edges and the perfect layer of sweet, chocolatey goodness, they’re definitely not lacking in the flavor department. Even better, we find they’re just as easy as a box mix! One bite, and they’re guaranteed to become your new go-to brownie recipe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details!
- Butter – We always recommend using unsalted butter to avoid an overly salty taste. If needed, feel free to use plant-based butter to keep your brownies dairy-free.
- Sugar – A combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar creates the perfect sweet taste while keeping the texture soft and tender.
- Vanilla – High-quality pure vanilla extract infuses the brownies with vanilla flavor and enhances the taste of the rest of the ingredients.
- Large Eggs – We don’t recommend using egg substitutes for this recipe! They’re likely to make your brownies too dense.
- Cocoa Powder – A must in any brownie recipe! Use unsweetened cocoa powder like Dutch-processed cocoa. Use dark cocoa powder for an even more indulgent taste.
- Espresso Powder – We promise this doesn’t make your dessert taste like coffee! Instead, it enhances the rest of the ingredients and really brings out the chocolate flavor. Feel free to use decaf espresso powder, or omit it completely.
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour forms the base of the batter. If needed, you can use a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to keep this recipe gluten-free-friendly.
- Baking Powder – Make sure it’s fresh, or your brownies won’t rise!
- Salt – Just a pinch enhances the rest of the ingredients.
- Frosting – Use our homemade chocolate brownie frosting, buttercream frosting, powdered sugar, or your favorite store-bought frosting.
Let’s Talk About the Frosting
Technically, you could omit the chocolate brownie frosting. But why would you?! You can never have too much chocolate, right? Plus, it’s what truly takes this recipe over the top, setting it apart from other brownie recipes. You can’t have frosted brownies without frosting, after all!
To make it, you’ll need:
- Butter – Again, use unsalted butter for the best results, and opt for plant-based options if you need your brownies to be dairy-free.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- Honey – Corn syrup works well as a substitute if preferred.
- Vanilla Extract
- Milk – We use whole milk for the richest taste and creamiest consistency. However, you can use any milk or plant-based milk you have on hand.
- Powdered Sugar – Do NOT substitute granulated sugar, or your frosting will be grainy!
How to Make Chocolate Brownies with Chocolate Frosting
Before you begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, grease a 9×13 metal pan (Make sure it’s metal!) with cooking spray, and set it aside.
- Whisk the wet ingredients (except the eggs) in a large bowl. Then, add the eggs, cocoa powder, and espresso powder, and whisk to combine.
2. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients just until smooth. Be careful not to overmix!
3. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan, and bake until set. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs!
4. Set aside to cool completely.
5. In the meantime, mix the butter, cocoa powder, honey, and vanilla for the frosting in a bowl until smooth. Then, add the milk and powdered sugar.
TIP: Add more milk or powdered sugar as needed to achieve your desired consistency.
6. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled brownies. Slice into squares, and enjoy!
Common Questions
You can store leftovers tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. However, if you happen to have leftovers any longer than that, move them to the fridge for up to 2 more days. If your house is warm, immediately store the brownies in the fridge for up to 5 days!
Yes! Once cool, leftovers freeze beautifully with or without frosting! Wrap them tightly with plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil. Or, transfer them to an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to serve.
Sure! Feel free to include chopped nuts, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, or whatever you like best!
More Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
Chocolate Frosted Brownies Recipe
Equipment
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (see notes)
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Chocolate Frosting
- 3 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon honey (see notes)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ Tablespoons milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and spray a 9×13 metal pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until combined.1 cup 2 sticks butter, melted, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add in the room temperature eggs, cocoa powder and espresso powder. Whisk until smooth.4 eggs, room temperature, ¾ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- With a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt until a smooth batter forms. Do not overmix.1 cup all purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pour the batter into the greased 9×13 pan. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, but not wet batter. The edges of the brownies will have slightly pulled away from the sides of the pan as well (see notes). Do not overbake!
- Cool the brownies completely before adding the frosting. To speed up the cooling process put the brownies in the fridge for 30 minutes after they have cooled at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- In a small mixing bowl, add the softened butter, cocoa powder, honey, and vanilla extract. With a spoon, mix until smooth.3 Tablespoons butter, softened, 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 Tablespoon honey, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Stir in the milk and powdered sugar until a smooth frosting forms. Add more milk (1 teaspoon at a time) if the frosting is too thick to spread or more powdered sugar (1 Tablespoon at a time) if the frosting is not thick enough.1 ½ Tablespoons milk, 1 cup powdered sugar
- Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the brownies.
- Cut into squares if serving immediately or wait to cut until serving as this keeps the brownies moist and fresh for longer. Store the brownies tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days then move to the fridge for 2 more days. If your house is warm, immediately store the brownies in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you make and enjoy this Frosted Brownies recipe? We would love for you to leave a comment and rating if so! And don’t forget to follow and tag us in your creations on Instagram! We can’t wait to connect.
This is our go-to brownie recipe! They are absolutely delicious, decadent, and PERFECT! …don’t skip that frosting – it’s amazing!