Old-Fashioned Fudgy Frosted Brownies
Homemade Fudgy Brownies with Buttercream Frosting 🍫🤎are EASY, one-bowl, SCRATCH brownies that are perfectly fudgy and FAST to make when you're craving chocolate! The vanilla buttercream gives them a nostalgic taste that everyone LOVES!
Servings: 12
Calories: 512cal
Equipment
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 cup unsalted butter coarsely diced or cubed
- 4 ounces semisweet baking chocolate coarsely chopped (I used Trader Joe's 72% Pound Plus Bar)
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar sifted; plus more if necessary for frosting consistency
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk or as necessary for consistency
Instructions
- Brownies - Preheat oven to 300F, line a 9x9-inch pan with aluminum foil for easier cleanup if desired, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- To a large microwave-safe bowl, add the butter, chocolate, and heat on high power to melt, about 45-60 seconds to start. Stop to check and stir. Heat in 15-second bursts until chocolate and butter have melted and can be stirred smooth.
- Add the sugar and whisk vigorously to combine; mixture will be a little granular. Wait a couple of minutes before adding the eggs if your mixture is still very warm so you don't scramble the eggs.
- Add the eggs, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, salt, stir gently until just incorporated; don't over mix.
- Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no batter; allow brownies to cool for about 1 hour, or until cool enough so that they won't melt the frosting.
- Frosting - To a large mixing bowl, or to the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and beat on high power to cream it, about 2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and beat on high power for about 3 minutes, or until very fluffy. Depending on the stiffness and consistency of the frosting, and how you prefer it, add the milk to thin it. If you accidentally add too much, you can add a bit more confectioners' sugar.
- Add the frosting to the brownies in a smooth, even layer. Serve immediately. Brownies can be stored airtight at room temp for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
Storage: I can go either way with this recipe as to store them chilled in the fridge or not. In the summer, I think they'd be lovely served chilled from the fridge whereas in the winter, room temp is more to my liking. Store airtight at room temp for up to 4-7 days.
If you're a fan of chilled chocolate desserts or brownies, by all means, store them in the fridge airtight for up to 7-10 days.
If you're more of a room temp person but worry about the frosting not being refrigerated, I personally don't worry about buttercream frosting that's stored at room temp for a few days. Generations of grandmothers have been doing it and we're all here, but of course to each their own storage paths.
You can also freeze unfrosted brownies airtight for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 512cal | Carbohydrates: 62g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 124mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 797IU | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
