Every single year around this time, I fall back on “old school” style desserts. The ones that our moms or grandmas would make…and we’d all happily devour. Something about September, the start of school, and fall being only weeks away, always make me crave old-fashioned, vintage-style desserts. Granted, brownies don’t ever really go out of style per se, but these feel like a classic, retro brownie. Like the ones sold at bake sales, with the most delicious chocolate icing, and sprinkles on top. I don’t say things are perfect almost ever, but these really are pretty perfect. Every single bite just leaves you wanting another. And, come on, they’re pretty fun too!
So the inspiration?
Well like I said, it was really just the time of year. With school starting back up again and a coolness brewing in the air, I wanted to share a dessert that would be great for packing up in lunch boxes, or enjoyed as an after-school treat. Or of course, a dessert that could be sold at all the upcoming school bake sales.
Diving into the details – lets start with the brownie
The brownie is, of course, the best part. While maybe not the best part, since it’s really made better with the frosting. But my point is that even without the frosting the brownie is so good. It’s my crinkle top brownie recipe, just adjusted to be a little less sweet since we’re adding icing. The key is to use melted semi-sweet chocolate chips and a lot of whisked eggs. The extra chocolate is obvious, but the whisked eggs? You need those to create a crinkly top with a fudgy, rich chocolate brownie underneath. Whisking the eggs prior to mixing creates air within the eggs. This helps to create that delicious crinkly top. The batter comes together quickly, just melt the chocolate and butter together. Add the sugar, coffee, and vanilla, then stir in the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Nothing fancy at all, but I promise you, this batter yields the best brownies. Oh, and don’t forget to stir in a handful of chocolate chips at the ends. We love a few chocolate chips swirled throughout our brownies.
Onto the icing…the only way to make brownies better
Normally, I don’t love an overly sugary icing, but man oh man, I love this icing so much. It really does complete these brownies and gives them an “old-fashioned” vintage vibe. The icing needs to be thick and fudgy, with a crackly top. Think of a just set top that has glazed over and stiffened, but then underneath is fudgy, loose frosting. Very old school, very vintage…that’s what I was going for. The ingredients are simple: butter, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and milk. The trick is to whisk in some almost hot milk. The heat from the milk warms the butter and turns the cocoa powder into a rich creamy chocolate. Once the brownies are cooled, simply spread the icing over top. And that’s it…easy! If you’d like to decorate with sprinkles, now’s the time. Once the frosting sets, it becomes hard on top and the sprinkles will not stick. If you’re into sprinkles you can have a lot of fun with all the different types. Target has orange and black, monster mash, and graveyard ghouls that are super cute! When you cut into the bars, the icing will crack into the fudginess underneath. It’s almost magical, and trust me, it’s going to get you excited. One bite is all you need to become addicted…but in a good way. Because nothing beats a really great brownie! Looking for other back-to-school desserts? Here are a few ideas: Lunchroom Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars Healthier Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies Gooey Chocolate Oatmeal Bars Homemade Vegan Twix Bars Salted Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookie Snickers Bars Lastly, if you make these Old Fashioned Iced Fudge Brownies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
