Give your next batch of brownies an instant upgrade with this easy brownie frosting! It's thick, fudgy, and rich, making it the best chocolate frosting for brownies!
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Why I Love This Chocolate Frosting for Brownies
- It's easy: Yes, we are all about the easy here, and this chocolate frosting is simple as can be. If you can make a boxed brownie mix, you can make this brownie frosting recipe.
- It's delicious on boxed brownie mix or homemade: Speaking of boxed brownie mix! This frosting also gives any boxed mix an upgrade (Ghirardelli triple chocolate brownie mix is my personal fave!), but it's also perfect with your favorite homemade brownie recipe. You can even use it on my homemade cosmic brownies!
- It's rich & delicious. So. Good. This brownie frosting is way better than canned store-bought, with a supremely fudgy texture and rich chocolate flavor.
Tips & Ingredient Notes
This is just an overview, click here to jump down to the full recipe card for the recipe amounts and condensed recipe instructions.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: I use Hershey's cocoa powder, which will give you that classic chocolate flavor. Just be sure not to use hot cocoa mix, which is something entirely different!
- Butter: I like using unsalted butter for this recipe. This helps you control the level of salt, and therefore the flavor of the brownie icing.
- Powdered sugar: no substitutions can be made here, as we need the fluffy powdered sugar to make the buttercream.
- Vanilla Extract: enriches the flavor but can be omitted in a pinch
- Salt: this enhances the chocolate flavor and helps tone down the sweetness of the powdered sugar
- Milk: we use milk in this recipe to help thin it out; you can use any type of milk or cream
Flavoring Ideas for This Brownie Icing Recipe
Want to add some flavor to your brownie topping? Try these ideas.
- Peanut butter: Add 3 tablespoons of peanut butter. You can also top this peanut butter frosting for brownies with Reese's pieces or chopped peanut butter cups!
- Mint: Add ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract. Top this mint frosting for brownies with crushed peppermint candies!
- Coffee: add 1 teaspoon of espresso powder or substitute the milk for cooled liquid espresso
- Cosmic Brownies: Use this frosting on my homemade cosmic brownies or just use it on a batch of boxes of brownies with rainbow chip sprinkles!
How to Make Chocolate Buttercream Frosting for Brownies:
- Beat ½ cup of softened unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon of salt in a microwave-safe mixing bowl until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, then slowly add ½ cup of cocoa powder and 2 cups of powdered sugar.
- Stop to scrape down the sides if needed, then add 2 tablespoons of milk and beat on high for a minute or two. At this point, you can add another tablespoon of milk to make it thinner, more powdered sugar to thicken it up, or move onto the next step.
- Heat the frosting in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds, then stir until smooth.
- Spread it onto a 9x13 pan of brownies.
Tip: Microwaving this fudge frosting for brownies makes it glossier and easy to spread!
Storage & Freezing
Storing: You can cover the bowl (press the plastic wrap directly onto the frosting) and store this brownie frosting in the fridge for up to a week. You'll need to warm it up in the microwave again & stir it before you use it.
Freezing: Chocolate frosting for brownies can be transferred to a freezer bag or airtight storage container and frozen for up to 2 months. Let it thaw in the refrigerator, then heat it in the microwave before frosting your brownies. You may need to add a splash of milk or whip it in the mixer to help it come back together.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The high sugar ratio in buttercreams like this makes the milk & butter shelf stable for 1-2 days. If it makes you feel better, store your frosted brownies in the fridge or wait to frost until closer to serving.
You do need some kind of powdered sweetener to make chocolate icing for brownies. If you can't eat sugar, or you're avoiding it, you can try a powdered sugar substitute like Swerve instead (I haven't tested it myself).
This frosting is nice & thick and will firm up in the refrigerator. Although the sugar to milk ratio makes the frosting shelf stable for a few days, store your frosted brownies in the fridge for peace of mind.
You should let your brownies cool completely before you frost them. This keeps the frosting from getting greasy and it prevents the brownies from getting crumbs in the frosting.
The Best Chocolate Frosting for Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick) softened to room temperature or microwaved for 10 seconds
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder I use Hershey's brand
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk (you can add more to reach desired consistency)
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter (½ cup, i.e. 1 stick), vanilla extract (2 teaspoons), and salt (¼ teaspoon) on medium-high speed for 1 minute until smooth. Turn the mixer to low speed then slowly add the unsweetened cocoa powder (½ cup) and powdered sugar (2 cups). You may need to stop and scrape down the sides. Add 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Beat on high for 1-2 minutes until creamy and the frosting is at a good consistency to pipe. If it looks too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it looks too stiff, add another 1-2 tablespoons of milk until you get to the desired consistency.
- Place the mixing bowl in the microwave and heat for 15 to 30 seconds, or until glossy, easy to stir and smooth.
- Spread the frosting onto a 9x13 pan of brownies.
- Although the sugar to milk ratio makes the frosting shelf stable for 1-2 days, you may want to store your frosted brownies in the fridge for peace of mind.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Penny says
Excellent!
Terry says
Very easy to make and tastes great
Melissa says
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Terry!
Terry says
Great and easy to make
Barb A. J. says
I haven’t made it yet. I was looking for a chocolate frosting to top off some not to sweet Brownies. I think this will be perfect. Thanks for sharing. Happy Thanksgiving Y’all !
Melissa says
You will have to let me know how it turns out! Happy Thanksgiving! :)
Leyla says
I made football brownies last weekend for my family and this was the PERFECT chocolate frosting! Thank you so much.
Melissa says
So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Leyla!
GrammaH says
This was so easy to make and is delicious. I wondered about it being spreadable until I microwaved and stirred it. Then it was easy to pipe it onto the brownies. Thanks!
Melissa says
So glad you loved this recipe -- thank you so much for leaving a review!
Lori says
My first attempt at any kind of chocolate frosting. Yummy, Yummy yum! 😋😋
Melissa says
So glad you loved the recipe, Lori! Thank you so much for leaving a review, I really appreciate it!
Sue H says
Delicious!!! I made brownies for our church group and everyone raved about them! I actually sat down and scraped the bowl...like eating candy from a spoon.
Melissa says
So happy you all loved the recipe!! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Sue! I really appreciate it!
Sherri Lynn Myner-Almanza says
Very easy and simple.
But very yummy.
Janice says
Going to give this 5 ☆s.. was easy but tastes like effort. My mother was a little Dutch lady, everything was from scratch, she was an excellent teacher! I always use her brownie recipe without the nuts. I save the nuts, grind small & put on top of the frosting! 🤌
Melissa says
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Janice! I really appreciate it!
Rita says
The frosting was the bomb!!! I did substitute French vanilla creamer for the milk bc, I love adding different flavors to old favorites like a choc frosting.
Rita Stewart says
The frosting was the bomb!!! I did substitute French vanilla creamer for the milk bc, I love adding different flavors to old favorites like a choc frosting.
Melissa says
Oooo, that sounds like a yummy substitution idea!! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Rita!
Aubry Allison says
This frosting was a hit! I used it on brownies at suggested and everyone was blown away at how delicious it was!
Melissa says
Yay, so glad everyone loved them! Thanks so much for leaving a review, Aubry!
Abigail says
Fabulous frosting for brownies! Super easy to make and tastes amazing.
Melissa says
So happy to hear you loved the recipe, Abigail! Thank you so much for leaving a review! :)
Susan Pink says
I really like this frosting. I made it according to the recipe. It was easy to make and has a nice chocolate flavor. It set up enough so my brownies were easy to cut and handle but it didn’t get hard enough to chip off. I will definitely use this recipe again.
Melissa says
Happy to hear you loved the recipe, Susan! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it!
Sandra says
In the recipe when I mixed the butter it was firm and that’s after it was out for an hour. I kept mixing and mixing but nothing changed till I added the milk and I used more than the recipe called for. In the end it was good but frustrating when the ingredients did not mix as the recipe stated.