If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to take your brownies up a notch, then you must try this 5 Minute Decadent Brownie Frosting recipe. This rich chocolate frosting is smooth, velvety, and absolutely delicious! It takes just 5 minutes to make, and it will add a layer of wow to your brownies that everyone will love.
I love enjoying a good homemade brownie- especially a super fudgy one. But sometimes they need a little something extra to take them over the top.
That’s where this insanely delicious brownie frosting comes in. It’s the perfect finishing touch to any brownie recipe! Of course if you’re making brownies, you should make these one bowl brownies! This is the recipe I used for these pictures!
You could also top this icing on top of red velvet brownies, or sandwich it between chocolate brownie cookies. Ok I am drooling now!
This brownie icing will give your brownies a beautiful glossy sheen and a delicious chocolate flavor that will take them to the next level. As a trained pastry chef– trust me when I say it’s the perfect addition to any brownie recipe!
The great thing about this is that you can make this as thin or thick as you want. Learn how to thicken frosting quickly to make it any way you want!
WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE THIS RECIPE
- It’s made with just 4 simple ingredients you can find in your pantry or at any grocery store.
- This chocolate frosting for brownies takes just 5 minutes to whip up with the help of your microwave and a whisk.
- It truly takes a simple brownie recipe to the next level offering richness and decadence.
- It’s perfect for brownie lovers of all ages!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- Unsalted Butter – Makes up the creamy base of this recipe and gives the frosting its rich buttery flavor.
- Cocoa Powder – Gives the brownie icing its chocolate taste and natural brown coloring.
- Confectioners Sugar – This fine sugar blends in easily with the rest of the ingredients making it thick and smooth.
- Milk – Helps thin out the frosting to the perfect consistency while keeping it creamy.
HOW TO MAKE BROWNIE FROSTING in 5 minutes
- Prepare the butter: Add the butter to a microwavable safe bowl. Melt in 30-second intervals in the microwave until no solids remain.
- Mix the frosting: To the melted butter, add the cocoa powder and whisk until it’s incorporated into the butter. Then, add the powdered sugar and milk and whisk until a smooth frosting is formed.
- Frost: Use it to frost cooled brownies immediately. The frosting will harden on the top as it sets leaving a creamy texture underneath.
Cutting and Serving
Wait 5-10 minutes before cutting the brownies after frosting so that the icing hardens and you can make clean cuts.
The best way to cut brownies is to use a large sharp knife. Dip it in hot water, then wipe off the excess and slice the brownies. Clean the knife and repeat with the water. The residual warmth of the knife from the hot water will make nice clean cuts!
TIPS FOR RECIPE SUCCESS
- Use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth the frosting on brownies
- When melting the butter, make sure it’s not too hot. Use 30-second intervals in the microwave and whisk in between each interval.
- If your brownie frosting is too thick, add a little more milk until it reaches the desired consistency.
- If your brownie frosting is too thin, add a little more cocoa powder or confectioners sugar until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Be sure to use unsalted butter in this recipe so the brownie frosting doesn’t end up too salty.
- When frosting your brownies, make sure they are fully cooled before frosting. This will ensure that the frosting doesn’t melt off of the brownie from the heat.
STORAGE
Because this frosting hardens quickly, it needs to be used immediately. I do not recommend making this in advance.
You can store the brownies once frosted in an air tight container.
FAQ
What do you put on top of brownies?
You can put frosting, icing, or even a simple glaze on top of brownies. This frosting is a great way to top any brownie recipe!
How long should you wait to frost brownies?
You should wait until the brownies are cooled completely before frosting them. If the brownies are warm, the frosting will melt right off!
What is brownie icing made of?
Brownie icing is usually made with cocoa powder, butter, sugar, and milk. This recipe uses those same ingredients to create a delicious chocolatey frosting!
WAYS TO ENJOY
- Use it to frost the top of a delicious Banana Bundt Cake.
- Frost the tops of these Fluffy Chocolate Chip Cupcakes for a unique twist on the frosting.
- Slather it onto this skillet cookie
5 Minute Decadent Brownie Frosting
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted, 56g
- ⅓ cup cocoa 35g
- 2 cups confectioners sugar 227g
- 3 tbsp milk
Instructions
- In a large microwavable safe bowl melt the butter 30 seconds at a time until fully melted.
- Add in the ⅓ cup cocoa powder and whisk until smooth.
- Add in the 2 cups of confectioners sugar and 3 tbsp milk.
- Whisk until smooth and frost right away otherwise it will harden.
- Use it to frost these one bowl brownies!
Absolutely is decadent and real simple. I never want to lose this recipe.
Thank you
Aww Roberta thank you so much!! So happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Wow! Printing it now to keep, it’s delicious. Thank you so much for sharing.
Awww YAY Brooke! So glad you love it! Thank you so much for coming back and leaving a review and rating, I so appreciate you!!
Can you substitute the milk for non dairy milk for lactose intolerant people
Hi Rose! Yep you sure can, I have used rice or soy milk as a substitute and it still works great!
WOW Sam!!
Simply amazing! Creamy, a breeze to put together and my husband said it was a keeper! I topped off the frosting with orange-colored sprinkles – for a fun and tasty Halloween with my grandchildren! Thank you!!!
YAY Joanne! So glad your family loved this easy recipe! Thank you SO much for coming back to leave a rating and review!! Happy Halloweeen!
Absolutely magical! Easy and delicious! Saving!
Wohooo! Thanks for the 5 star review and comment Megan! So glad you enjoyed it!
Made this for my son’s 18th birthday and it was the talk of the party!! Will be making this recipe again!!!
Wohooo! Happy Birthday! SO glad you loved this recipe. I so appreciate you coming back and leaving a review and 5 star rating. Thank you so much!
Very creamy and smooth! Easiest and most delicious chocolate frosting I’ve ever made! Thank you!
*Excitedly jumps up and down* YAY! So glad to hear that! Thank you so much for the 5 star review and your comment, it really makes my day!
I don’t frost brownies. Well……I will from now on! Delicious!
HAHA YAY! I leave them unfrosted sometimes too, especially if they have the crackly tops, but when they don’t I always top it with this recipe! So glad you like it, thank you so much for the comment and rating!!
I’m making your 30 minute fudgy one-bowl brownies for the first time tomorrow. Am doubling it cuz I need more. Going to also make your 5 minute decadent brownie frosting. Wondering how big of a bowl I will need to double it?
Will rate after I make them but both recipes sound delicious & easy.
Hi Kelley! For both a double batch of the brownies and frosting you’ll need a large bowl. The frosting needs a large one because of all the powdered sugar but it will all melt once you add the cream to it. To make sure its super smooth I would also sift the powdered sugar. Can’t wait to hear how it comes out!
Ok they’re in the oven. You would think I never made anything from scratch before. Had a few mishaps as I was mixing. I did write down all the doubled amounts. Only put in 3 eggs but remembered after the dry ingredients went in. Used my hand mixer to get it all mixed in plus I didn’t have kosher salt so used regular table salt. The batter looked thicker & not as dark as yours in the video. So we’ll see. I may be buying brownies in the morning to take to this meal several of us are providing for a family after a memorial service. In general I never do a new recipe for an event. I think doubling it made it harder to manage the heavy bowl of batter. I of course will have to taste one after they cool before I do the frosting. They may not be worthy of frosting 😜
I hope it all worked out Kelley! I have doubled these before and it was totally fine. It is harder to manage liek you said with double the batter but it just means double the yummy-ness 😝
I also forgot to ask about increasing the bake time 😩
They clearly aren’t done in the middle at 25 min. Will do 10 more & check. 5min after that etc
I hope they came out ok!!!
They did turn out. I wasn’t careful enough when lifting them out with the parchment paper & had a diagonal break towards one end. Went ahead & iced & was able to cut & salvage all but a couple.
They were not
symmetrical but more organic in shape. If I could figure out how to add a picture I would.
I did love the crunchy top & fudgy center. Loved the chocolate flavor of both brownie & frosting. Will be making again 😋
Glad you liked them! They need to be totally cooled before lifting them out. Next time I would even put them in the fridge to chill before lifting them out, they will hold their shape better!
This is a excellent frosting for just about anything, soo easy & yummy. Thank you for
Thank you Leslie!! So glad enjoyed it!! SO appreciate your 5 star rating and review!
This frosting is so Delicious and very easy. I will definitely be making it again! Thank you for sharing .
YAY Debbie!! Thank you so much, I’m so glad you love it!
Perfect! Could not have found a simpler frosting! Needed last minute batch of brownies, with frosting! Both turned out perfect! Thank you so much for taking the time to share.
Dana
Thank you Dana!! This just makes my day! So glad you loved the recipes!!! Thank you for your comment and 5 star review!
Hey, I’m looking forward to trying this for my son and daughter in laws baby shower. I was wondering if I could pipe the icing onto the brownies instead of spreading? Just a simple design, but I was worried cause you said it hardened fast!
Hi! The consistency for this isnt the best for piping because it wont hold its shape or the design well. The hardening wont be an issue with piping its just that it wont really hold the shape. Great q though!
Can I frost the brownies the day before I serve them to my guest. If so, can it be left out at room temperature or does it need to go into the refrigerator?
Yes you can frost the day before, they dont need to be put in the fridge.
As a person that considers herself a baker, this is the easiest best frosting I’ve ever made for brownies! It brings brownies to the next level!
This just made my day Renee! Thank you so much for this awesome review!!
I’m going to try this with my WW Double Chocolate Chip Brownie recipe for one of my desserts on Fathers Day. Having 38 for dinner and need another easy recipe. Make the day before so that helps too. Wish me luck.
Good luck!! Please let me know how it turns out!! You can do it!
One of the comments was to frost immediately after making or it will harden. Does this then harden on the brownie I am going to make? Is that ok? Thanks.
Hi Val! Its a good idea to frost right away because the frosting wont stay smooth in the bowl if you let it sit. It will harden a bit once on the brownies but it’s more of like a crust that is formed rather than getting super hard. I hope that helps!
This was tremendous.
YASSSSS thank you Katie!!!!
Delicious!
Thank you so much Amanda!!
Love this recipe, used it loads of times! I made it again yesterday to frost some brownies but today the frosting has white marble like lines on it? Any idea what I did wrong?
Hmmm thats so weird- the only thing I can think of is that there could have been lumps from the powdered sugar that were stirred completely into the frosting. Thank you for making this a bunch tho! And for the 5 star review!!
Hi Sam,
I love browned butter and was wondering if you have ever tried this by browning the butter instead of using the microwave. I’m sure it would taste great but curious how it would set.
Hi Jenny- I havent tried browning the butter for this recipe so I am not sure how it would work out but if you try it please let me know!