Chocolate Frosted Brownies
Chocolate frosted brownies are a classic, decadent dessert made with rich, fudgy brownies topped with a thick layer of smooth chocolate buttercream frosting. They’re ultra-chocolatey, soft in the center, and irresistibly indulgent. Perfect for chocolate lovers.
Chocolate Frosted Brownies
If you’re craving something chocolatey that hits with the same cozy nostalgia as flipping through a well-worn VHS collection, these chocolate frosted brownies are here for it.
The chocolate brownies are thick, rich, fudgy, and chewy, the dessert equivalent of a John Hughes movie: indulgent, nostalgic, and impossible not to love.
The rich brownies are smothered with a thick layer of creamy chocolate buttercream frosting as smooth as a Kenny G saxophone solo.
Simple to make and ideal for anyone who worships chocolate, these brownies are best baked with a little 80s soundtrack magic in the background.
If you’re falling hard for these brownies, check out my cocoa brownies, Oreo brownies, and peanut butter swirl brownies.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy brownie recipe: An easy recipe with simple steps using ingredients you may already have in your refrigerator and pantry.
- Double chocolate goodness: Rich chocolate in the brownie and the frosting. A chocolate lover’s dream come true.
- Fudgy, not cakey brownies: A classic fudgy and chewy brownie texture.
- Easy to frost: No piping bags required—just spread and swirl.
- Classic crowd favorite: Ideal for parties, potlucks, or bake sales. Timeless, nostalgic, and always a hit.
Recipe Ingredients
Chocolate Brownies
- All-purpose flour
- Dark cocoa powder – Substitute with dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Instant espresso powder – Enhances the chocolate flavor. You can omit, if preferred.
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar + granulated sugar
- Eggs – Room temperature.
- Vanilla extract
- Vegetable oil – Substitute with any neutral baking oil.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Powdered sugar
- Dark cocoa powder – Substitute with dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Heavy cream – Room temperature.
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
How to Make Chocolate Frosted Brownies
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, dark cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, and salt.
Melt the butter and brown sugar and stir until well combined and smooth.
Whip the granulated sugar and eggs until light and pale. Slowly drizzle in the butter/brown sugar mixture.
Add in the vegetable oil, vanilla, and then the flour/cocoa mixture. Mix until the brownie batter comes together.
Spread the brownie batter evenly into a prepared 8×8 inch baking pan.
Bake the brownies until an inserted toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Make the chocolate buttercream frosting.
Frost the cooled brownies with the chocolate buttercream frosting.
Courtney’s Expert Brownie Baking Tips
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper extending past the sides of the pan for easy removal.
- Use dark cocoa powder or dutch-process cocoa for the richest chocolate flavor. You could also use black cocoa powder, if preferred.
- Whip the granulated sugar and eggs for several minutes until it is light and pale yellow. As there are no leavening agents in the recipe, the whipped air creates the perfect chewy and fudgy brownie texture.
- Very slowly drizzle the hot butter/brown sugar mixture into the egg mixture. This helps to gently increase the temperature of the eggs and prevents the eggs from scrambling.
- Don’t overbake the brownies. The best way to check is to insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies. Moist crumbs = perfect, wet batter = needs a few minutes more.
- Cool the brownies completely before frosting. Warm brownies will melt the buttercream.
- Remove the frosted brownies from the pan to make cutting easier. Chill the brownies for 1 hour before cutting to make it even easier!
- This recipe makes a ton of frosting for you buttercream lovers! If you want a thinner layer of frosting, you can cut the frosting recipe can be easily cut in half.
Frequently Asked Questions
Clean brownie cuts are all about temperature, tools, and patience. Chill the frosted brownies for an hour before cutting. Use a sharp, straight-edge knife. Heat the blade under hot water, wipe it dry, and make the cut. Rather than pulling the knife up, pull it out from the side of the brownies for the cleanest cuts. Clean your knife in between cuts. Rinse and repeat.
For this recipe, use dark or dutch-process cocoa powder to give the brownies and frosting a rich chocolate flavor and deep color. Regular unsweetened cocoa powder will work, however, the brownies will have a lighter chocolate flavor and color. You could also use black cocoa powder for an even darker and richer chocolate flavor.
My favorite trick to get super smooth buttercream frosting is to temper the buttercream. Melt about ½ cup of the buttercream in the microwave for 15 seconds. Add the melted frosting back into the buttercream and mix on low speed to remove air bubbles and create smooth and silky frosting.
No, you can omit the instant espresso powder if you would like. The espresso enhances the flavor of the chocolate. The brownies won’t taste like coffee.
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Chocolate Frosted Brownies
Ingredients
Chocolate Brownies
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (57 g) dark cocoa or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) instant espresso powder
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 (2) large eggs (room temperature)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tsp (2 tsp) vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup (29 g) dark cocoa or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) heavy cream (room temperature)
- 1 ½ tsp (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
Instructions
Chocolate Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ (177℃). Prepare an 8×8 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and parchment paper. Cut the parchment paper so that it extends up past the sides of the pan.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, dark or dutch-process cocoa powder, instant espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the unsalted butter and light brown sugar. Heat the mixture in the microwave for 90 seconds until the butter is fully melted. Whisk the melted butter and brown sugar together until combined and smooth. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, whip the granulated sugar and eggs on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until light and pale in color. The mixture should double in size and become a pale yellow.
- While mixing on low speed, very slowly pour the melted butter/brown sugar mixture into the egg mixture. Once all the butter/brown sugar mixture is added, add in the vegetable oil and vanilla extract and mix on low speed until combined.
- Add in the flour/cocoa mixture and mix on low speed until the brownie batter comes together. Do not overmix the batter. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are well combined.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan and spread the batter evenly with an offset spatula.
- Bake the brownies for approximately 30 to 34 minutes until the center of the brownies is set. Start checking around 30 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies. The toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not wet brownie batter. If there is wet brownie batter, bake for a few more minutes. Remove the baked brownies from the oven and cool to room temperature.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- While the brownies are cooling, make the chocolate buttercream frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter for 5 minutes until light, pale, and creamy.
- Add half of the powdered sugar and mix on the lowest speed setting until fully combined. Add the remaining powdered sugar and the dark cocoa powder and continue to mix on low speed until fully incorporated.
- Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract and salt and mix on low speed until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure the frosting is well mixed.
- Increase the speed on the mixer to medium and whip the buttercream for about 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth and creamy. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix the buttercream for several minutes to remove any air bubbles.
- Optional: To smooth out the buttercream and remove any air bubbles, heat ½ cup of the frosting in the microwave for 15 seconds. Pour the melted frosting back into the mixing bowl and mix on low speed until the buttercream is super smooth and creamy.
Frosting the Brownies
- Once the brownies have cooled completely, use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate buttercream frosting on the top of the brownies.
- To easily and cleanly cut the brownies, chill the frosted brownies for 1 hour before cutting. Lift up on the parchment paper to remove the frosted brownies from the baking pan. Run the blade of a sharp, straight-edge knife under hot water and wipe it dry before making the cuts. Clean your knife in between cuts and repeat the process until the brownies are cut into squares.
Notes
- Room temperature: Store the brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: Store the brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
- Freezer: Store the brownies in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Serve at room temperature for the best taste and texture.
Nutrition
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About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
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