Here’s a nostalgic recipe for Lunchroom Ladies Brownies — fudgy, rich, and perfectly chocolatey, just like the classic school cafeteria version.
🍫 Lunchroom Ladies Brownies
🛒 Ingredients (9×13-inch pan)
- 1 cup (230 g) unsalted butter
- 2 cups (400 g) sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (75 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- Optional: 1 cup chocolate chips or chopped nuts
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat Oven
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
2️⃣ Make the Batter
- Melt butter in a saucepan or microwave; let cool slightly.
- Stir in sugar, then beat in eggs one at a time.
- Add vanilla extract.
- Sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined.
- Optional: stir in chocolate chips or nuts.
3️⃣ Bake
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs (do not overbake — brownies should be fudgy).
- Cool completely before slicing into squares.
🔥 Tips & Variations
- Extra fudgy: Reduce flour to ¾ cup (90 g).
- Chewy edges: Bake 2–3 minutes longer.
- Brownie bars with frosting: Spread chocolate ganache or simple powdered sugar glaze on top once cooled.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature 3–4 days; freeze up to 2 months.
If you like, I can provide a super fudgy, chewy “cafeteria-style” version with that perfect crackly top that tastes exactly like the classic lunchroom brownies.
