A recipe for frosting made especially for brownies. Rich, chocolate flavor, just the right amount, and easy to make.
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Frosting for Brownies
I find frosted brownies ridiculously delicious. It's like cake, but better, and I'm pretty particular about my baked goods.
Frosted brownies pairs fudgy, rich brownies with that delicious stuff typically reserved for cake and cupcakes: frosting!
FROST MY ULTIMATE BROWNIE RECIPE
What makes a good frosting for brownies?
• The frosting is chocolatey and smooth.
• A delicate crust forms on top of the soft frosting as it sets.
• It's complimentary to the brownies and neither overpowers the other.
Find more frosted brownies here: Think Outside Of The Box Brownies
Even though chocolate on chocolate is divine, here are other frostings that I like and would be delicious for brownies:
Making Creamy Brownie Frosting
You only need a few ingredients to make frosting for brownies. Most likely you already have them in the pantry.
- Butter
- Confectioners' sugar
- Unsweetened cocoa
- Milk
- Vanilla extract
Melting the cocoa with the butter activates the chocolate flavor and makes the frosting really smooth.
I like to let the melted butter mixture cool a bit before mixing the frosting. I find this helps make the frosting lighter and a bit fluffy. It pairs perfectly with fudgy brownies.
Vanilla extract balances the sweet flavors and compliments all the ingredients.
Is brownie frosting different than cake frosting?
You could use this frosting on cake, cookies or cupcakes. It's really not different.
I have made the recipe to make just the right amount to cover a 9-by-13-inch pan of brownies with the perfect thickness of frosting. That is about the only difference!
Add nuts!
I have a few folks in my family who think brownies without nuts are a sin. Add nuts! You can sprinkle nuts on top of the frosting before it sets. This way you can add nuts to just half the pan if you have a mixed crowd!
Use pecans or walnuts for a classic flavor. Chop them coarsely for extra crunch.
📖 Recipe
The Best Brownie Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1½ cups confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- In a large heatproof bowl, microwave the butter and cocoa powder until butter is melted. Beat together with a hand mixer until smooth. Add the vanilla and milk and stir.
- Add the confectioners' sugar and stir, slowly at first, until incorporated; then beat on medium speed until frosting is smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. use immediately on cooled brownies, or store, covered at room temperature, for up to a day.
Video
Notes
- Fluffy Vanilla Frosting for cake, cupcakes and cookies.
- Caramel Frosting for cupcakes and spice cake.
- Classic Cream Cheese Frosting perfect for cake or cookies.
- The ultimate Milk Chocolate Frosting.
Nutrition
The Best Frosting Recipes
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
Recipe & Photography Tara Teaspoon. 6/19
molly says
My frosting wasn’t smooth no matter how long I mixed it. I had to microwave it. There was also WAY too much sugar and ruined the recipe
Julie Fleischhacker says
Molly, I am so sorry to hear you feel this way about the frosting recipe. I have had a lot of success with this recipe and I think that it compliments brownies well. I don’t know what smoothness level you were looking to achieve, but it is a frosting made with confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), so it should have a tiny bit of graininess but also smoothness from the butter. Thank you, Tara
EH Oliver says
Mine as well. I think the cocoa is old. Also too sweet.
Sharon causey says
Try sifting powdered sugar, especially if it’s old
Jennifer says
Cocoa powder is flammable - should not be microwaved!
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Jennifer. Most food is flammable! Cocoa works great in the microwave and unless you have a faulty microwave it is perfectly safe. Microwaves are designed to heat food (and here I combine cocoa with other things) and not catch them on fire. Thanks for your concern though. Tara
Gigi says
I used a glass bowl on top of sauce pan on my stove. It turned out great and I didn’t need the mixer, just a whisk. I did sift the powdered sugar. The frosting was darker than I anticipated. It seemed more like a ganache.
Mike says
I thought it was more rich than sugary. It was smooth enough and tasted amazing. With your description it must be something you did
Snibb says
I just made this frosting and it was excellent. Try following the instructions next time meat.
Mary B says
Wow! This recipe is divine! I guess brownies aren't brownies without frosting and this one is wonderful! It is a hit at my house!
Tara Teaspoon says
Thanks again Mary! As you may know, I LOVE frosting! Glad your family enjoyed them as much as I do. Tara
Danielle says
Made this recipe tonight, following it exactly, and it turned out AMAZING!! It was SO smooth, creamy and delicious. It was the perfect finishing g touch for our brownies. Thank you!
Tara Teaspoon says
Yeah! So thrilled you enjoyed the frosting (and the brownies)!! It's the perfect addition to an already perfect treat. Thanks for sharing - Tara
Harry says
First time using the recipe and it turned out as promised. You can always tweek an icing with a touch more milk or cream for a thinner icing or a little more icing sugar to thicken it up. Try to make sure your butter chocolate ratio is pretty close.
Thanks for the recipe!
Tara says
Ah lovely. Absolutely! that's a great trick for the icing.
Kari says
This recipe is awesome! I used 1/2 reg. unsweetened cocoa and 1/2 dark chocolate. I took brownies to a memorial service and now people are asking for the recipe.
Tara Teaspoon says
Great idea for substitutions! I love when my readers get creative with ingredients. Thanks for commenting - Tara
Wendy says
THE BEST! Just made it!
Tara says
Oh fantastic!! Glad you love it!
Cecilia says
This recipe is awesome! My family loved the frosting and I will make again!
Tara Teaspoon says
So glad to hear you and your family liked the frosting AND that you'll be making it again. Enjoy! Tara
Ami Idowu says
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe and have been using it for a while, but I am curious and recently wanted to substitute the whole milk. Did you have any suggestions? Almond milk? No milk?
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Ami, I am so happy to hear you like this recipe. It's one of my favorites and I hope you try some of my other frosting recipes. You can absolutely substitute different types of milk in this recipe because you aren't baking it - nut or soy milk will work great. If you exclude milk completely, the recipe will work but may be thicker. As long as the texture works for your recipe, you can leave it out completely. Thanks Tara
Ami Idowu says
Thanks so much for replying so quick! I’ll definitely try the almond milk and let you know how it came out.
Sara Pecchia says
Hi Tara
I am planning to make this tomorrow. Would I be able to use cream instead of milk I don’t have any and for such small amount to buy milk just for this. Would I get the same results.
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Sara, You absolutely can use heavy cream instead of milk and in a pinch you can use water too. Enjoy! Tara
Mrs. Jacqueline Quinn says
I didn’t realize I was out of milk so I open the can of evaporated milk and use that. I ended up using closer to 4 tablespoons. I’m sure it would be sweeter with whole milk. But it turned out delicious. I ended up sending my husband to the convenient store because who eats brownies without milk? Thanks for the recipe
Renee Gorby says
To the writer who wanted a substitute for whole milk, I suggest evaporated fat free milk. I made this today and it turned out wonderfully. Thanks!
Jarrod Duffy says
I tried the recipe it turned out great was good I would make it again
Tara says
I'm so glad! Thanks for letting me know!
Kim Armstrong says
My husband is very picky but just loved this icing for my brownies. I will use this again and try the other icing suggestions when I bake again. They were great and he really enjoyed the icing.
Tammie says
I don't have unsalted butter. Can I use Salted
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Tammie, Absolutely, use what you have on hand. You may want to reduce the added salt in the recipe a little if sodium is a concern for you or your family. Enjoy! Tara
Kimberley Pink says
This is the recipe I have been looking for! It is simply divine as someone else said here!!! And on crazy days such as these times of covid lockdown, you don't even need the brownies, just grab a spoon!!! I have honestly made this recipe 4 times in the past month to give out as holiday brownies- a dusting of crushed candy cane makes it taste like it came straight from the North Pole. I am making it again today as requested for the middle layer of a birthday cake! This is definitely a new family favourite! Thank you for such a great recipe!
Tara says
Genius!! I'm so happy you've liked it. It's my go-to for sure.
Rennie says
I unfortunately overbaked a batch of brownies. This frosting to the rescue! It was super fast to make and turned out delicious and smooth.
Tara Teaspoon says
Oh genius! I'm glad it saved the brownies.
Jackie says
I cannot consume dairy so I made this recipe vegan and it turned out delicious. I subbed the milk for nut milk and the butter with vegan Mykonos butter. I just used a hand-whisk too and it came out smooth. So easy and it really made my brownies next level delicious.
Jackie says
I forgot to rate the recipe last time so I am commenting again. I cannot consume dairy so I made this frosting vegan simply by replacing the milk and butter 1 to 1 with nut milk and vegan Mykonos unsalted better. The brownies were good on their own but this took them to the next level. Delicious. I am lazy and didn't feel like hauling out my mixer so I just whisked by hand and it turned out smooth and delicious. Easy. Thank you Tara!
Tara Teaspoon says
Ahh thanks so much for rating it! I love Mykonos butter for dairy substitutes. It works in my cookies too. I'm glad it turned out wonderfully for you!!
Gary says
Wow! Could not have been more perfect! And super easy to make…definitely 5 stars!!
Pavithra says
I tried the frosting, its amazing!! Came out smooth and fluffy. I did add a little more than 2 tbsp of almond milk and it's so creamy and yumm. Thank you 🙂
Tara Teaspoon says
Oh lovely. Glad you liked it.
Marie says
Hi Tara.. I would like to add a bit of espresso to the frosting should I just add a bit more sugar?
Glenda says
This is a huge hit! First time I made frosting melting butter and cocoa together. They out of this world!
Tara Teaspoon says
I'm so happy you like it! I think that technique makes such a difference!
Glenda says
Forgot to rate....10 stars if I could.
Tara Teaspoon says
Ahh thanks!
Tara Teaspoon says
Marie, if it's prepared espresso, yes, you'd need to add more confectioners' sugar for consistency. Or swap some of the milk for the espresso. I would suggest just adding some espresso powder to the milk and using that as flavor. It will be more intense.
Kelley says
I made it and love it! Best frosting I have tried yet! Such delicious fudge chocolate taste!
Caryn says
I made it exactly as written and it came out perfect. To those of you who had runny frosting, just add a wee bit more confectioners sugar to thicken it up, add it slowly a tablespoon at a time. You should always add the milk at the end of the recipe that will prevent any runny frosting. I also use half and half instead of milk. This was perfect on my brownies! Everyone loved it.
Juliet Mellenger says
I watched your video of you icing the brownies. They were in the pan when you iced them, then all of a sudden the entire brownie was on a cutting board (without being in the pan) and then you sliced it. How did you get the iced, uncut brownies out of the pan in one whole piece? Just curious - this is not very important. 😀
Thank you!
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Juliet and great question! I line my greased pan with foil or parchment paper, allowing it to hang over the sides. Then after baking & frosting, I can lift the whole pan of brownies out of the pan at one time and slice. Enjoy! Tara
Holly says
I made this while substituting the butter for coconut oil to make it dairy free, it paired beautifully with a batch of gluten and dairy free brownies I made from a king Arthur’s GF flour bag (I cut the sugar content of the brownies in 1/2). I used a hand mixer on high to make sure I got a smooth consistency and it turned out great! I’ll definitely be using this recipe again!!! Thank you!
Tara Teaspoon says
Great substitutions and so glad you could make my receipt work for your preferences. Thanks for sharing, I'm sure others will be glad for the tips. Tara
Kimberly says
This frosting is so yummy! I love the consistency and taste! It doesn’t taste powdered sugar-like! Thank you!
Tara Teaspoon says
So glad you enjoyed my recipe. Tara
Gypsie says
Delicious Recipe. Although I forgot to put the cocoa powder in with the butter in the microwave but it still turned out amazing.
Tara Teaspoon says
So glad to hear you enjoyed these brownies Gypsie! Tara
Jen says
My frosting got very solid in the fridge. What do you recommend to soften it so I can spread it without ruining the brownies.
Thanks
Tara Teaspoon says
Hi Jen, If you have a microwave, I would suggest just heating the frosting for 10 to 20 second increments until it starts to get soft but not melted.
Use a hand mixer, not just a spoon, to blend it again so it becomes smooth and spreadable. Tara
Ann says
I now add this frosting to every batch of brownies I make, most of which I gift. Huge hit. It makes even boxed brownies amazing.
Blynn says
Amazing frosting! It turned out perfect. It’s a keeper for me and my brownies. Thank you for a great recipe!
Tara Teaspoon says
Thank you for your kind words Blynn. I'm so glad you enjoy the recipe. Tara
Lenore Litwin says
Perfection. For people having trouble with lumps, sift the cocoa and the powdered sugar first. This was an excellent recipe! Thanks
Tara Teaspoon says
Great suggestion Lenore, thank you for sharing!
Ashley B says
This recipe was exactly what I was hoping it would be! I wanted to make a brownie “cake” for a birthday, so of course it needed icing. I used 1 tsp leftover coffee from the morning drip instead of vanilla (ran out and too lazy to go to store!) and it tasted so rich and smooth.
Tara Teaspoon says
Thanks for letting me know how much you enjoyed the recipe and I love how you made it your own with the coffee addition!
Tara
Angie says
The frosting was delicious and came out perfect. The only thing I did different was add a tablespoon of instant coffee. Gave it a more complex flavor and took the chocolate flavor to a new level!
Jules says
Followed exact measurements and it turned out fabulous!
Tara T. says
Great to hear Jules! Thanks for letting me know.
Tara
TriciaG says
I love this recipe! It's simple and delicious. Confession: I didn't have any cocoa on hand and didn't want to go out in 100 degree weather to get some so I replaced the cocoa and powdered sugar with 1 ½ cups of Ovaltine. I beat it till smooth. It came out just like you said, with the crust formed on the top. Yummy!
Tara T. says
Now that is a creative substitution. I love that! Thank you for sharing.
Cindy says
Great Recipe. I used high fat Dutch Process Cocoa and added 1.5 tsp instant espresso. Wonderful flavor.