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Lunch Lady Brownies are thick, fudgy, and not too “dark”. They are perfect for the milk chocolate lovers in your life. What makes them so delicious? The thick layer of frosting on the top.
Is there a more classic dessert than brownies?! I love homemade brownies because they taste delicious but they are also quick to whip up, easy to serve, you can make in advance, and they travel well. Sounds like a winner in my book.
Chocolate frosted brownies are really easy to make and perfect for a budding chef to bake. In a large bowl add the melted butter, cocoa, and sugar. Then add the eggs, vanilla and then mix well. Add the flour and stir until combined. Now place the batter in the baking dish making sure to spread it out nice, even, and all the way to the edges and bake for 22-25 minutes.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
• Simple to prepare, making them perfect for busy schedules or last-minute dessert needs.
• With a rich, fudgy texture and a chocolate frosting that melts into the warm brownies, they’re irresistible to chocolate lovers.
• These are great for any occasion, travel well, and can be made ahead of time, making them ideal for parties, potlucks, or just a treat at home.
• Easy steps make this a great kid friendly recipe to try their hand at baking.
Recipe Ingredients
- Butter
- Cocoa
- Sugar – You will need white and powdered
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Flour – all-purpose
- Milk
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities
How to Make Lunch Lady Brownies
Step 1. Add the melted butter, cocoa, and sugar to a large bowl and beat until well combined, about 3 minutes.
Step 3. Spread batter evenly in baking dish and spread it out evenly. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 2. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Then Add the flour and stir until combined.
Step 4. To make the frosting add the butter, milk, vanilla, and cocoa to a large bowl and beat until the mixture comes together then add the powdered sugar and salt and beat until combined. Frost the brownies while they are still slightly warm.
Recipe FAQs
The best way to make sure your brownies are cooked all the way through is to insert a toothpick into the center of the pan. If it comes out clean they are done.
As tempting as it is to dive into a pan of brownies, you’ll get the best results if you wait to cut them until they are completely cooled. If you cut them before they are thoroughly cooled, you will end up with a gooey mess. To get nice, clean edges just wait to cut them. And because we have frosted these brownies, making sure they are cool will help the frosting not to melt too.
Brownies taste the best when they are eaten in 3-4 days. However, it is rare that they make it past day 1 at our house. That being said, I think these brownies with chocolate frosting on top last longer than a traditional brownie. The frosting seems to help hold in the moisture.
Expert Tips
- Frost the brownies while they are still warm for the most delicious results.
- Beat the butter, cocoa, and sugar well to fully incorporate air, creating a lighter, chewier brownie.
- The batter will be thick, so use a spatula to spread it evenly to the edges of the pan to ensure uniform baking.
- Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, the brownies are ready.
How to Serve and Store Lunch Lady Brownies
Lunch Lady Brownies are delicious by themselves, but can also be topped with fresh berries, vanilla ice cream, nuts, my homemade caramel dip, or whipped cream.
If you store your brownies at room temperature in an air tight container, they will last about 3-4 days. They will last about a week in an air tight container in the fridge. For longer storage, wrap individual brownies in a piece of plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in a freezer safe bag. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature to serve.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!
Lunch Lady Brownies
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
For the Frosting
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. and grease a 9 by 13 inch baking dish well.
- In a large bowl add the melted butter, cocoa, and sugar. Beat until well combined, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
- Add the flour and stir until combined.
- Place the batter in the baking dish and spread it out evenly. It will be very thick, so make sure it gets to all of the edges of the pan.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- To make the frosting add the butter, milk, vanilla, and cocoa to a large bowl and beat until the mixture comes together, about 2 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar and salt and beat until combined. Frost the brownies while they are still slightly warm.
- Let cool and them cut and serve. You are going to love these!
I have made these twice in the last week to rave reviews! I took one pan to a family dinner and everyone kept coming back for these. I do love a good bake-and-frost recipe like this where you get to mix it all up, toss it in the pan, bake it and frost it as soon as it’s out of the oven so you can make it and be done. I ended up subbing melted coconut oil and 1/2 tsp. salt for the butter in the brownie part of the recipe but still used butter in the frosting and it was still fabulous! Thank you for another keeper!
My 11 year old made these for dinner tonight! They are amazing!! She made them last night and didn’t add the frosting until today. They are so yummy!
You are so sweet Melissa. I follow you on instagram and love your recipes! I think your a wonderful mother. I’m sorry you’ve had such a rough few weeks.
Such beautiful words ~ I thank you for your generosity. Blessings to you and your family ?
I circled back around to this post today to tell you how much it has helped me the last couple days. I have two out of three kids throwing up from a stomach bug, so I know well the desperate prayers whispered over the sick and likely soon-to-be sick. The Love Does mantra is helping me through the loads of laundry and endless calls for help, so thanks.
Love definitely DOES. What a beautiful post 🙂 Hugs to you!!
Thanks Aimee. You are a blog ninja, I’m pretty star struck you commented…
Bless you and your family. You are an amazing young lady.
Kind words are so welcome Kathy. Thank you.
So sorry for your difficult times you’ve been having! Thank you for the reminders of why we sometimes just need to change our perspective. These brownies are the perfect way to remember Joan.
Thank you Tonia, I think she’d agree. Long live the Lunch Lady Brownie.