# 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:** 3
**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, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/41 "2011-11-28T23:50:29Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Mmmm, nuts in pastries and brownies. Heretic! šŸ™‚ Iā€™m totally immature about baked goods. Iā€™m 26 and all grown up but, honestly, if my Mom didnā€™t make it, it probably sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/42 "2011-11-29T00:23:52Z")
It depends on who the brownies are for. ---
**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 29, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/43 "2011-11-29T01:14:37Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > 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. ā€œGuys, letā€™s just throw some frosting on some dry-ass bread and call it a day.ā€ 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. Kids bring cupcakes for their birthdays, and I hope none of my parents ever read this, because good lord, donā€™t bring nasty grocery store cupcakes! I lack the willpower not to eat one, and every time I eat one and regret that giant mound of whipped sugared crisco with a few Betty Crocker knockoff crumbs beneath. Good cupcakes, thoughā€“ahhhhh. My wife occasionally makes these things that are like Ho Hos only theyā€™re worth starting a religious war over, theyā€™re so good. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/44 "2011-11-29T01:24:17Z")
I donā€™t eat brownies because Iā€™m allergic to chocolate, but I make them all the time for other people. I think the answer, as others have noted, depends what you mean by ā€œfrostingā€. My best-loved brownie recipe involves taking the hot pan of perfectly baked brownies out of the oven and tossing a few one-ounce blocks of semi-sweet baking chocolate on top of the brownie surface while the pan sits on the cooling rack. The hot brownies melt the chocolate, which I then spread evenly over the top in about a half-centimeter layer and leave to finish cooling. The resulting product is a very soft moist brownie with a hard crust of pure semi-sweet chocolate on top. Nobody Iā€™ve ever served those to has ever indicated that they would prefer them to be different in any way, except they generally wish there were more. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/45 "2011-11-29T01:28:54Z")
Solid fudgy brownies with the rice-paper top: no frosting. Fluffy cakey brownies: frosting. Simples. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/46 "2011-11-29T01:40:25Z")
Iā€™m not sure if Iā€™m the only one who has posted pro-frosting in the thread (if this is a poll, I canā€™t vote because Iā€™m on my phone), but Iā€™m of the belief that anything is better with frosting on it. Especially if weā€™re talking cream cheese. So yeah, all you folks that donā€™t like frosting, pass it this way. Just means more for me. ---
**Author:** ![slm2955](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c6cbf5/32.png) [@slm2955](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slm2955)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/47 "2011-11-29T01:58:25Z")
Frosted please! ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/48 "2011-11-29T02:05:35Z")
My favorite brownie has ganache on it. So I voted yes to frosting. I love frosting. A lot. ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/49 "2011-11-29T02:15:41Z")
No frosting on brownies. I agree that most baked goods with frosting has too much frosting. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/50 "2011-11-29T02:38:03Z")
No frosting. It makes everything worse. However, if the perfect, naked brownie were to be served with a side scoop of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream, I would not say no. ---
**Author:** ![coffinjumper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8baadc/32.png) [@coffinjumper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffinjumper)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/51 "2011-11-29T04:37:22Z")
I usually donā€™t like frosting, but I had to vote either because of these ones my mom gets with peanut butter frosting, chocolate swirl, and peanuts on it. So yummy ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/52 "2011-11-29T04:55:13Z")
My mother used to make brownies with a thin layer of marshmallow on top, and, on top of that, an even thinner layer of pure chocolate. They were quite good, and, in that sense, frosting is more than acceptable. Cake frosting, on the other hand, is right out. Also, chewy, not cakey, and pecans are good but not mandantory. Chocolate chips are not permitted. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/53 "2011-11-29T06:05:33Z")
Frosted for sure! ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/54 "2011-11-29T06:08:58Z")
A frosted brownie is like gilding a lily. But if offered one, I wouldnā€™t turn it down. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/55 "2011-11-29T13:35:12Z")
> [@Tapiotar](#): > > However, if the perfect, naked brownie were to be served with a side scoop of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream, I would not say no. Yeah, a warm, chewy brownie with a slightly melty scoop of good vanilla ice cream is pretty close to the most perfect dessert ever!! ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/56 "2011-11-29T13:51:06Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I donā€™t eat brownies because\*\* Iā€™m allergic to chocolate\*\*, Jesus, how do you live?! Cake is just a medium to hold frosting. Frosting goes on anything baked, even ham. Good brownies have walnuts, chocolate chips or chunks, and have chewy edges. Better ones have frosting, too. But it has to be made by someone else. My brownies never make it to the oven, unfortunately.ā˜¹ ---
**Author:** ![geneb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e4f/32.png) [@geneb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geneb)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/57 "2011-11-29T17:44:06Z")
I donā€™t even like frosting on cake, much less a brownie. It makes things way too sweet. Itā€™s sickening. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/58 "2011-11-29T18:32:17Z")
I can go either way. Homemade vanilla buttercream on brownies is awesome, but theyā€™re fine without, too. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/59 "2011-11-30T12:21:26Z")
For those of you who call the nonchewy variety brownies, what separates it from cake? Because Iā€™m absolutely fine with having frosting on chocolate cakeā€“in fact, I think it can serve to bring out the chocolate. And I didā€™t count cream cheese, ice cream or even whipped cream as frosting. I was thinking buttercream, fondent, and similar. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335/60 "2011-11-30T12:29:07Z")
Plain for me please. Although I wonā€™t complain if there are pecans on top. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brownies-frosted-or-not/604335.md?page=4)