These classic brownies are a vintage recipe you might have enjoyed from the school cafeteria as a kid. They’re fudgy, moist, and delicious!
This post is all about how to make Lunch Lady Sheet Pan Brownies.
This Lunch Lady Brownie recipe is a sweet treat you may remember enjoying from the school cafeteria. It’s more than 50 years old and tastes incredible.
These cocoa brownies are rich, moist, and denser than most. When removed from the oven, a layer of chocolate icing adds a shiny appearance and even more decadent flavor. The frosting continues to seep in as they cool, making them perfectly moist.
These brownies are great for a crowd, because the sheet pan makes more than a traditional 8 x 8 dish. The ingredients are simple, and you may already have everything you need in your kitchen.
Check out the easy recipe steps below. And have FUN sharing these old-school treats with friends and family!
Lunch Lady Sheet Pan Brownies
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cups White Granulated Sugar
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Butter, melted (2 sticks)
- 4 tsp Vanilla Extract
Frosting Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup Evaporated Milk or Real Milk (I used evaporated milk.)
- 1/4 cup Butter, softened.
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
Equipment Needed:
- Stand or Hand Mixer
- Spatula (To spread the frosting on top.)
- 9 x 13 Quarter Sheet Pan (You can also use a 9 x 13 baking dish.)
- Oven
How To Make Sheet Pan Brownies, Step-by-Step
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the sheet pan or baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Step 2: Combine the cocoa and melted butter in a mixing bowl using a stand or hand mixer. Now add the flour and sugar to the bowl and mix until incorporated. Lastly, add the eggs and vanilla. Mix until combined, but do not overmix.
Step 3: Add the brownie batter to the greased baking sheet or dish, spreading evenly.
Step 4: Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a fork inserted into the middle comes out clean. Mine baked in 25 minutes. Also, remember that the brownies will continue to cook as they cool.
Step 5: Begin making the frosting while the brownies are baking. Add all of the frosting ingredients to a clean mixing bowl. Use a stand or hand mixer until the components are thoroughly combined. The frosting will be smooth and creamy.
Step 6: Remove the baked brownies from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Step 7: After 10 minutes of cooling, add the chocolate frosting to the top, spreading evenly. The frosting will seep into the warm brownies as they continue to cool.
Step 8: Once the brownies are cool, you can cut them into squares and serve. It is best to let the brownies cool so the icing can set. They will also cut nicely into clean squares.
FAQs
How Many Brownies Does A 9 x 13 Quarter Sheet Pan Make?
A 9 x 13 sheet pan or baking dish should yield approximately 12 large brownies or 24 smaller brownies. Because these brownies are rich and dense, I recommend cutting them into 24 brownies.
Why Are They Called Lunch Lady Brownies?
This vintage dessert recipe is more than 50 years old and is just like the cocoa-based, fudgy brownies the lunch ladies used to serve in the school cafeteria. The chocolatey icing is also the same.
Lunch Lady Sheet Pan Brownies
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Stand or Hand Mixer
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Non-Stick Cooking Spray
- Spatula (To spread the frosting on top.)
- 9 x 13 Quarter Sheet Pan (You can also use a 9 x 13 baking dish.)
- Oven
- Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
Ingredients You'll Need:
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cups White Granulated Sugar
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Butter, melted (2 sticks)
- 4 tsp Vanilla Extract
Frosting Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup Evaporated Milk or Real Milk (I used evaporated milk.)
- 1/4 cup Butter, softened.
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
Instructions
How To Make Lunch Lady Sheet Pan Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the sheet pan or baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- Combine the cocoa and melted butter in a mixing bowl using a stand or hand mixer. Now add the flour and sugar to the bowl and mix until incorporated. Lastly, add the eggs and vanilla. Mix until combined, but do not overmix.
- Add the brownie batter to the greased baking sheet or dish, spreading evenly.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a fork inserted into the middle comes out clean. Mine baked in 25 minutes. Also, remember that the brownies will continue to cook as they cool.
- Begin making the frosting while the brownies are baking. Add all of the frosting ingredients to a clean mixing bowl. Use a stand or hand mixer until the components are thoroughly combined. The frosting will be smooth and creamy.
- Remove the baked brownies from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes of cooling, add the chocolate frosting to the top, spreading evenly. The frosting will seep into the warm brownies as they continue to cool.
- Once the brownies are cool, you can cut them into squares and serve. It is best to let the brownies cool so the icing can set. They will also cut nicely into clean squares.
Nutrition
Final Thoughts On Sheet Pan Lunch Lady Brownies
This old-fashioned Lunch Lady brownie recipe is incredibly chocolatey, rich, and delicious! If you were lucky enough to enjoy these treats in your school cafeteria growing up, you will most likely appreciate this dessert recipe.
Please comment below if you loved these brownies! Check out Career Girl Meets…KITCHEN cookbook, available today on Amazon. Follow Career Girl Meets… on Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
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