I’m typically a fan of a dark and fudgy brownie, but I have a special place in my heart for the crackly-frosted lunch lady variety. Somewhere between a brownie and a Texas sheet cake, these nostalgic treats will never go out of style. If you’re craving that back-to-school feeling, keep reading on for all of my top tips on how to make this classic cafeteria dessert.
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The all-cocoa brownie:
If you’ve made my best-ever brownies, you know that I’m a fan of melted chocolate in a brownie; however, when I tried my standard brownie recipe with the lunch lady frosting, I found the brownie just too fudgy and rich to pair with such a fudgy frosting. It was honestly too much of a good thing. (And if you don’t believe that’s possible, give it a shot and see for yourself!) Eliminating that melted chocolate and replacing it with more cocoa powder yielded a rich chocolatey brownie that was less fudgy (but NOT cakey or dry): the perfect match for the frosting.
The frosting:
Lunch lady brownies are known for being topped with that shiny, smooth fudge frosting that crackles when cut. There’s nothing special about the frosting recipe: It’s made from simple pantry ingredients. The secret to getting that shiny, smooth top is spreading the frosting over the brownies while they’re still warm. This melts the sugar in the frosting, creating the glossy finish and crackling effect once the brownies have cooled and the sugar has recrystallized.
Make ahead & storage:
These brownies will keep in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days at room temperature. You can also freeze them for up to 1 month. I do not recommend chilling them, since this will dry them out.
Did you try making these? Let us know how it went in the comments!
