Lunch Lady Brownies
Lunch Lady Brownies are moist, full of chocolate flavor, and absolutely delicious. The best dessert for potlucks and parties!
Lunch Lady Brownies are the best brownies ever. They’re like the ones the lunch ladies served for school lunch dessert, but this homemade version is better!
I’ve been on a brownie kick lately. I don’t know what’s come over me. Maybe it’s the stress of selling our house (which we finally sold. Yay!) and it could also be the pre-stress of building the new one soon. I’m not quite sure. All I know is that these brownies were sent from heaven above. And that I ate four. For real. 😉
These Lunch Lady Brownies are simply incredible. Cake-like, filled with chocolate flavor, and totally amazing. Apparently, it’s an old recipe from the sweet ladies who served our lunches in Elementary school.
I honestly don’t remember the brownies in Elementary school, but I do remember the dinner rolls and pizza. Do you remember how good those rolls were? After I would eat mine I would go around the lunch table asking everyone else if I could have theirs. Haha.
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup milk (I use 2%)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
Pour the melted butter and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Using an electric hand-mixer, mix until smooth.
Add the flour and sugar. Beat together, then add eggs and vanilla. Mix until just combined. Don’t over mix. (Batter will be thick.)
Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out mostly clean. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 15 minutes before frosting. You want the brownies slightly warm when you frost them!
Chocolate Frosting
Beat together all of the frosting ingredients until smooth. Spread over the warm brownies. Let brownies cool completely before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
If you’re a brownie lover then try these other amazing recipes:
Brownie Caramel Coconut Bars
Twix Brownies
Rocky Road Brownies
and Chocolate Fudge Brownies
Lunch Lady Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 cup salted butter melted
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Frosting
- 1/4 cup salted butter softened
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup milk (I use 2%)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Pour the melted butter and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Using an electric hand-mixer, mix until smooth.
- Add the flour and sugar. Beat together, then add eggs and vanilla. Mix until just combined. Don't over mix. (Batter will be thick.)
- Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake 25 to 28 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out mostly clean. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 15 minutes before frosting. You want the brownies slightly warm when you frost them!
Chocolate Frosting
- Beat together all the frosting ingredients until smooth. Spread over the warm brownies. Let brownies cool completely before cutting and serving. Enjoy!
Notes
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Oh my gosh! These are absolutely luscious. I added milk chocolate chips to the batter. Spread it out on a jelly roll pan, so they were thin. I put the icing in between, and on top with a dollop of cool whip. Heaven! I also used half, and half in place of the milk in the icing, and put it in the fodder processor. The texture is so creamy! Thanks for the recipe.
These were so good! If you haven’t tried them, stop what you are doing and make them!
I have been making these for a couple years now. Itis the only chocolate brownie recipe I use now. Delicious!
Any idea why mine were super dry and cake like? :'( baked 26 min
Mine were cake-like as well. They still tasted good, but I was looking forward to dense and delicious.
Hi there, these do seem super delicious and for sure going to make them today. Quick qs- do I line my baking dish with baking paper before pouring the batter? Thanks in advance
I made these brownies for my boyfriends “guys” night. They were to die for. I didn’t want to give them away! So dense, moist and chewy. This recipe is by far the best!
I just made these but I only set my timer for 25 minutes and these are a little dry. I thought that 3 cups of powdered sugar was a little too much so I just used about 2 1/2 and that was fine. I am not sure but wasn’t real happy with these. I usually like mine moist like a cake. thanks for sharing though
What if i dont have paddles. Can i hust use my beaters? They look so good!!
These where a hit for an after supper dessert! My two girls, 10 & 8 loved help making them, so easy. They where moist, yummy and simple to make!!
Did you use salted or unsalted butter for the batter and the icing?
Frosting is too sweet plus mine was grainy cause of powdered sugar.please specify confectionary sugar..Brownie itself turned out more caky than fudgy..
Powdered sugar is confectionary sugar. Did you use granulated? That’s the only way it could come out grainy. The recipe states powdered..
I have used this frosting recipe, my recipe says to cook 3 minutes. Pour on hot brownies and spread. Let cool. Cut brownies ( or at least the frosting) before completely cooled. Frosting is like a fudge when cooled.
I just made these for my son’s spring party tomorrow. Do I need to refrigerate them because of the icing? They smell great!
These were a snap to make, and a hit at my son’s baseball game. Thank you for a delicious, simple recipe! 😀
I just made them and the entire neighborhood of kids give them a 2 thumbs up! They were sweet and I could drink the frosting!! YUMMY!
Hi, do you think these would work with non-dairy butter and milk like coconut or almond?
Do you use margarine or butter?
These are so delicious! I added a few tsps of espresso powder to enhance the chocolate flavor and it definitely worked! Yum, Yum, Yum!
These were made last night and they are absolutely delicious. We made them according to the recipe. Thank you!
The only brownie recipie you’ll ever need again – FACT. I made these today for the first time….a little bit of heaven on a plate.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart….. from the sunny UK xx
I made these last night! They are lovely, but not a home run for us. I think it was partially due to no salt? Also, without the icing, the brownie itself isn’t super chocolatey or rich. Perhaps I will try again with an addition of salt and mini chocolate chips? Thanks for the recipe! :).
OMG. Best Thing Ever. I added Peter Pan Creamy Peanut butter to the frosting recipe and it was exactly like the cafeteria recipe I had growing up. I have searched for this recipe for almost 30 years with no luck and FINALLY found this!! THANKS!!!
Did you ever have the Peanut Butter Cake? I have that recipe. I thought about adding peanut butter to this to see how it would be. Maybe my next batch. ..
Lol she used granulated!!
Do you have to line you pan with tin foil in order for the recipe to work? I own a pan specific for brownies and have never lined it besides with cooking spray. :):):)
I’ve just made it. I’ve added some nuts to the mix. I hope it tastes good!
Making these as we speak. Hopefully they turn out as good as they look.
I made these this morning, followed the recipe exactly (except for sprinkling a few chopped pecans on the icing) They are sinfully delicious! Definitely, a keeper!
Hi Holly, I would like to know if I can half the recipe to make an 8 x 8 pan and how to adjust baking time.
Thank you,
I’m a Holly too.