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These Lunchroom Ladies Brownies are a blast from the past—soft, chewy, chocolatey, and topped with a glossy fudge icing. They’re easy to make from scratch with basic pantry ingredients and taste just like the ones you remember from the school cafeteria (but better!).
⏱ Prep Time
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Bake: 25–30 minutes
- Cool + Frost: 30 minutes
- Total: ~1 hour 10 minutes
🛠 Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking pan
- Mixing bowls
- Hand or stand mixer (optional but helpful)
- Whisk and spatula
- Saucepan (for icing)
- Parchment paper (optional for easy removal)
🧂 Ingredients
For the Brownies:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- Optional: ½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
For the Fudge Icing:
- ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2¼ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
📝 Ingredient Notes
- Cocoa Powder: Use natural unsweetened for classic flavor; Dutch-processed gives a deeper taste.
- Butter: Salted can be used; just reduce added salt slightly.
- Nuts: Optional, but traditional in some lunchroom versions.
👨🍳 Instructions
1. Make the Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 9×13-inch pan.
- In a bowl, mix melted butter and cocoa until smooth.
- Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla; beat until combined.
- Stir in flour and salt until just mixed. Do not overmix.
- Fold in nuts if using.
- Spread evenly in pan and bake 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter).
- Let cool slightly before icing (about 15–20 minutes).
2. Make the Fudge Icing
- In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
- Stir in milk and cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth and just starting to simmer.
- Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until glossy and spreadable.
- Pour over slightly warm brownies and spread evenly.
3. Cool & Serve
- Let icing set at room temp or refrigerate for faster setting.
- Cut into squares and serve!
📊 Nutrition Facts (per brownie, 1 of 20, approx.)
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 11g
- Carbs: 34g
- Sugar: 26g
- Protein: 2g
- Sodium: 70mg
(May vary depending on portion size and optional nuts)
💡 Tips
- Don’t overbake — brownies are done when the center is set but still soft.
- For neat cuts, chill the pan and use a hot knife.
- These brownies freeze well—wrap individually and store up to 2 months.
- Add a dash of espresso powder for deeper chocolate flavor.
🔄 Variations
- Peanut Butter Swirl: Drop spoonfuls of peanut butter on the batter before baking and swirl with a knife.
- Mint Version: Add ½ tsp peppermint extract to icing for a mint-chocolate twist.
- Double Chocolate: Add 1 cup chocolate chips to the batter for extra fudginess.
- Gluten-Free: Substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
