Here’s a classic school lunch brownie recipe with a simple fudge frosting, scaled perfectly for an 8 X 8-inch pan. These brownies are dense, chewy, and sweet – just like the ones you remember from the school cafeteria!
Watch me make School Lunch Fudge Brownies!
Why we like these!
We like these because they hit the perfect balance of nostalgic comfort and rich, chocolately goodness. They’re dense and chewy with just the right amount of fudginess, like the ones we used to get on school lunch trays – simple, satisfying, and incredibly nostalgic. The cacao (full of antioxidants) flavor is deep without being overwhelming. You can also use dutch – process cocoa powder if you’d like. The sweet fudge frosting adds a smooth, creamy layer that melts slightly into the warm brownies if you’re lucky enough to be eating them fresh. If not, no worries – they are still delicious and you can even freeze them if you’d like.
What you’ll need to pick up at the market:
To make these brownies, you’ll need to pick up a few basic ingredients from the market. Grab some butter (salted or unsalted works), granulated and brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, chocolate chips, cacao power, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and alt. For the frosting, you’ll need powdered sugar, a little more butter, cream, and vanilla extract. Have an 8X8-inch pan and parchment paper too!
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If you like brownies as much as we do, make sure to try my Fudgy Chocolate Brownie recipe!
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School Lunch Frosted Fudge Brownies
A classic school lunch brownie recipe with a simple fudge frosting, scaled perfectly for an 8 X 8-inch pan. These brownies are dense, chewy, and sweet-just like the ones from the the school cafeteria!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup cacao or cocoa powder
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 tsp salt plus extra course salt for topping if desired
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- For the frosting: 1/2 cup butter, 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) confectioners’ sugar 1/3 cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder - Dutch-process if possible powder 3 Tablespoon of whipping cream half & half, or milk (more if needed) 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line an 8X8-inch pan wit parchment paper.
- In a medium brown, combine melted butter, brown and granulated sugars. Using a hand-held mixer, beat until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla, stirring until fluffy and combined. I use a whisk from here -
- Stir in cacao powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Whisk until combined - do not overmix.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour in to prepared baking pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few wet crumbs (not wet batter).
- Cool completely prior to frosting.
- Make the frosting: In a medium bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the cacao powder, vanilla, and warmed (not boiling) milk. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth, adding additional milk if needed for desired consistency. Spread the icing over the brownies. Allow to set for a few minutes. Sprinkle with course salt or sprinkles if you'd like. Let sit for 30-60 minutes to dry. Slice and enjoy!
