# Brownies - frosted or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 28, 2011, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335 "2011-11-28T13:20:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/21 "2011-11-28T17:45:46Z")
Home made brownies made from scratch need no frosting. But if you make them from a mix, frosting is needed to kill the taste. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/22 "2011-11-28T17:56:52Z")
> [@obfusciatrist](#): > > \ > The problem is that I very rarely run across something that has frosting but not so much frosting as to overwhelm whatever it is on. Rendering the base (in this case the brownie) nothing more than a device for avoiding the embarrassment of being caught eating frosting out of a bowl (or a store bought can) with a spoon.\ I finally learned to make a decent vanilla buttercream frosting this weekend - I had to test it repeatedly to make sure it was done right. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/23 "2011-11-28T18:30:01Z")
Are you frosting advocates the same folks tossing nuts onto/into otherwise tasty pastry? _shudder_ Nuts are bad, mmkay? ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/24 "2011-11-28T19:05:35Z")
Plain, nut-free brownies are perfection. Don’t detract from them by adding random foods! ---
**Author:** ![Doctor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Doctor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/25 "2011-11-28T19:19:00Z")
Agree with the no nuts sentiment (I mean really, what the fuck are these crunchy bits in my chewie brownie), however, frosting I can take or leave – a good chewy brownie does not **need** frosting, but I ain’t gonna toss it out just because it has some frosting on it. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/26 "2011-11-28T19:24:04Z")
I’m pretty sure that a good brownie recipe will be so chewy and sweet that frosting is superfluous. And I _love_ frosting. But I have principles. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/27 "2011-11-28T19:38:46Z")
Oh my Jesus, _no_! Why, _why_ in God’s name would you _frost_ brownies? And whipped cream? I… I have no words. However: > [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Make gooey brownies. > Soften some cream cheese. > \ That’s not “frosting”. That’s brownie with a layer of chocolatey, raspberry-y, cream cheese. It sounds fantastic, I’ll admit, but is completely unrelated to the question at hand, which is “frosting”. Frosting. Bleah. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/28 "2011-11-28T19:46:21Z")
For what its worth, I would have gone with unfrosted up until a few years ago. Once I was diagnosed as needing a gluten-free diet, I find frosting is almost required for gluten-free recipes as they tend to be a little dry. ---
**Author:** ![missinformation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@missinformation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missinformation)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/29 "2011-11-28T20:46:00Z")
As my computer so rudely disagreed with me and refused to let me post, my Bakers’ One Bowl Brownies taste best frosting free. My cakes, baked from scratch, of course, receive the home made frosting treatment. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/30 "2011-11-28T20:52:25Z")
I voted plain. It may be delicious, but like **kaylasdad99** said, if you add frosting it ceases to be a brownie. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/31 "2011-11-28T20:54:39Z")
> [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > That’s not “frosting”. That’s brownie with a layer of chocolatey, raspberry-y, cream cheese. It sounds fantastic, I’ll admit, but is completely unrelated to the question at hand, which is “frosting”. A respectable position. I think it’s frosting, in the same way that a layer of plain melted chocolate cooled to a thin shell is a delicious frostingish topping for brownies. But reasonable people may disagree on definitions. > [@obfusciatrist](#): > > I’ll take your word for it that the brownies are better. My next question would be why did you make such bad brownies that they needed to be improved? Some people are satisfied with mere magnificence. If that’s you, then sure: rest on your laurels, never seeking to achieve the next level of transcendance. But some of us know that there is always a greater glory out there. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/32 "2011-11-28T20:59:07Z")
> [@Chopper9760](#): > > Are you frosting advocates the same folks tossing nuts onto/into otherwise tasty pastry? > > _shudder_ Nuts are bad, mmkay? Mmmm, nuts in pastries and brownies. ---
**Author:** ![amaguri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@amaguri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amaguri)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/33 "2011-11-28T21:12:54Z")
A good brownie needs no frosting-- but many brownies are not good brownies! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/34 "2011-11-28T21:18:56Z")
I don’t like frosting on anything. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/35 "2011-11-28T21:34:22Z")
Frosting on brownies? Yuck. And no cake “brownies,” either please. Nuts I can go either way on. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/36 "2011-11-28T22:06:51Z")
If they want frosting, let them eat cake. I’ll take mine chewy and unfrosted, kthxbye. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/37 "2011-11-28T22:44:01Z")
> [@obfusciatrist](#): > > Frosting has never improved anything. You don’t like cupcakes? The answer to this question is unfrosted, but frosting isn’t entirely evil. Okay, now I want cupcakes. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/38 "2011-11-28T22:49:21Z")
As I clarified earlier I’m not truly anti-frosting. Just anti-“the amount of frosting that is put on stuff.” Cupcakes are just about the worst offenders on this score. And there are no tricks to avoid having to scrape three pounds of frosting off a four ounce cupcake. At least with regular cakes I can wait for a middle piece and then cheat the slice a bit so it is on an incline, maximizing the amount of cake volume to frosted surface area. Then add to that the fact that while frosting can be good, many are not adding anything to the show other than a boatload more sugar and fat and all things being equal the net value of frosting in general is negative. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/39 "2011-11-28T22:57:37Z")
No frosting, but you must have nuts. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/40 "2011-11-28T22:59:47Z")
> [@obfusciatrist](#): > > As I clarified earlier I’m not truly anti-frosting. Just anti-“the amount of frosting that is put on stuff.” > > Cupcakes are just about the worst offenders on this score. And there are no tricks to avoid having to scrape three pounds of frosting off a four ounce cupcake. At least with regular cakes I can wait for a middle piece and then cheat the slice a bit so it is on an incline, maximizing the amount of cake volume to frosted surface area. > > Then add to that the fact that while frosting can be good, many are not adding anything to the show other than a boatload more sugar and fat and all things being equal the net value of frosting in general is negative. Ah, I missed the clarification. I was so stunned at the idea of someone not liking cupcakes that I could read no further. I agree with you. I do like frosting, but it has become at times a substitute for good baking. “Guys, let’s just throw some frosting on some dry-ass bread and call it a day.” Not acceptable! I often find myself scraping frosting excess of cupcakes as well, but the right amount on the right cupcake makes the sun come out. God, I love cupcakes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335.md?page=3)