Grandma’s Brownies

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These brownies are special because they are my Grandma’s Brownies. There are no other brownies out there quite like hers. These are the thickest, most indulgent cake fudge brownies you will ever eat with a warm fudge frosting that you literally can sink your teeth into. I’ve been told these are the best brownies…ever!

Buttercream chocolate frosting being mixed in a bowl with a spatula.

I’ve been wanting to share this recipe for a long time and I am not quite sure why I haven’t. This is my grandma’s brownie recipe, with no alternations, just hers. I think part of me wanted to keep it just to us because recipes are special…grandma’s are special.

I just visited my grandma with my two daughters and mom and although it was quite the adventure…staying in a hotel for the first time with my 3 year old – of course she got the stomach bug and got sick in bed and then in the car on the way home. The pool at the hotel was of course “out of order” so we were stuck with not a lot to do other than Target dollar bin art stuff (thank God for that though!). With all this said…it was hard, tiring and a little stressful but at the end of the day my 100 year old grandma got to see my girls and we took pictures. It was wonderful.

Since then I’ve been thinking about my grandma. She was the kindest person, funny and loved to bake. I can only hope this is how my granddaughter will describe me someday. Her life has been full…she has loved, been loved, STILL LOVES, ate good food, had the cleanest house in the world, and she made the best freaking brownies.

My grandma's brownie recipe

My mom makes these all the time for her get togethers with friends. They always get devoured and she always gets rave reviews. She laughs because we have eaten these brownies for years and we knew they were good, but I don’t think we realized just how amazing they really are.

First, they are the thickest brownies you will ever eat. The batter is crazy good…so thick and full of cocoa flavor. You will definitely want to lick the spoon for this one.

the best brownie recipe

I love when you spread a batter out and it leaves the “spreading lines.” It just emphasizes how good these are actually going to be.

You bake this delicious batter for about 30 minutes and let it cool until it’s warm then….

Rich, homemade chocolate fudge cake with smooth chocolate frosting in a baking pan, perfect for decadent dessert recipes at Stuck On Sweet.

they’re topped with the most unusual delicious frosting that sets up like fudge. This is what makes these brownies stand apart from any other brownies out there. The frosting seals in all the goodness and adds a thick layer of additional cocoa flavor and sweetness.

Fudgy chocolate brownies with glossy chocolate frosting, sliced into squares, on a white surface with chocolate chips for decoration, highlighting indulgent dessert appeal.

You end up with these – a moist, thick, fudgey brownie with a cocoa fudge icing.

I mean…these look pretty damn good.

Decadent homemade chocolate brownies with a rich, gooey center and smooth frosting, perfect for satisfying sweet cravings. Gluten-free and made with high-quality cocoa for ultimate flavor.

Then you bite into one and everything is right in the world. I take a bite of these and yes, I taste an amazing brownie, but I also feel the love of my grandma.

These are special and I am happy to share them with you because I hope they become special to you, too.

Rich homemade chocolate fudge with a glossy finish, cut into squares, on parchment paper with chocolate chips scattered around. Perfect for a sweet treat or dessert.

Enjoy my friends! Although these are my favorite brownies on the blog, I do offer other wonderful brownie recipes like my Peppermint Brownies with Fudge Ganache, Best Fudge Brownies and Caramel Brownies!

Yield: 30-40

Grandma's Brownies

Decadent homemade chocolate brownies with a rich, gooey center and smooth frosting, perfect for satisfying sweet cravings. Gluten-free and made with high-quality cocoa for ultimate flavor.

This brownie recipe is unlike any other brownie out there. This indulgent dessert features a rich, thick cake fudge brownie as its base and is topped with the most delicious fudge frosting creating the most decadent melt-in-your-mouth brownie ever!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

Brownies

  • 3 sticks (24 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup milk (suggest using 2% or whole)
  • 3//4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons milk (use at least 2% milk fat)
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick spray. You can also line the pan with parchment paper, making sure the sides hang over the edge of the pan. You can then remove the brownies using the parchment paper to make it easier for cutting.
    2. Using a stand-alone mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (hand-held mixer works, too) cream together butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.
    3. Mix the dry ingredients into a bowl: cocoa powder, flour and salt.
    4. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk mixing on low speed until incorporated – dry ingredients, milk, dry ingredients, milk then dry ingredients.
    5. Pour into prepared pan, spread evenly and bake for 30 minutes. Once done baking, let cool for 20-30 minutes before frosting. Don’t completely cool though…you want the brownies to be slightly warm when frosted.
    6. To make the frosting add the butter, milk and granulated sugar to a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and boil for one minute. Remove from heat, whisk in salt and 1 cup milk chocolate chips. Whisk vigorously until smooth then immediately pour onto warm brownies spreading before it starts to set - an offset spatula works well for this. The frosting starts to harden quickly so work fast! Let brownies set for at least an one hour before cutting into them.

Notes

You can bake these in an 11×17 pan as well just bake for 25-30 minutes. The brownies won’t be as thick. I usually cut these small because they are very thick and a little goes a long way. Most people seem to enjoy these in “bite size” portions which is why it can make up to 40 small brownies.

Brownies can last 3-4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Brownies can last up to week in the refrigerator

Brownies can last up to 3 months in the freezer, but their quality and taste will decline if frozen for too long.

Did you make this recipe?

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87 Comments

  1. Hi

    Are you able to bake and then freeze these?

  2. Would it be okay to use salted butter instead of unsalted butter? If so, should I not add the salt? Thanks!

    1. Jessica Erin says:

      yes it’s fine! Do not add any extra salt then!

  3. Just to clarify, 3 sticks go in the batter and then you need almost a whole additional stick of butter for the frosting?

  4. Cindee Chevalier says:

    I made your Grandmas Brownies yesterday. They are delicious & the icing is very nice. Thanks for posting this recipe. I’ll be making them again.

  5. Hi there! Do you use a glass pan or a metal pan for these brownies and does it make a difference with the cooking time?

    1. Hi! I use a metal pan, but you can use glass. I would reduce baking time by 10-15 minutes. Check for doneness then continue baking as needed.

  6. Would a creamy peanut butter frosting work with these brownies?

  7. My husband loves brownies with peanut butter chips. Do you think adding those to the batter would turn out?

    1. I like that combo, too! I’m not sure these are the type of brownies that need any type of chip added to them. With that said, yes it could totally work but it might be better for the other brownie recipe on my blog. Just search “Brownies” and all of them will pop up. 🙂

  8. Would these be good if I made them two weeks ahead and froze them?

  9. I’m not really a fan of brownies but I was looking for a one-pan dessert to share with neighbors and liked your description. OMG, they are absolutely delicious! Not to mention fast and easy too. Thanks so much for sharing and hats off to your grandmother for creating this wonderful recipe. It’s a keeper!

  10. ziera fauzi says:

    Hai Jessica,

    I am Ziera from Malaysia…would like to try your brownies coz it looks so yummy…just wanna clear something, 3 stick of unsalted butter is it same as 250gm ?

    1. Hi! According to what I looked up on google it’s 339 grams. Hope that helps!

      1. ziera fauzi says:

        okey…thank you..

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