How to Decorate Brownies

Co-authored by Ross Canter

Last Updated: January 19, 2023 References

Brownies are a delicious dessert that are easy to make and a reliable fan favorite. Although they are great on their own, adding a few decorative touches can make your brownies even more appetizing. Whether you’re baking for a holiday or special occasion, or simply looking to add a new twist to a classic recipe, decorating your brownies can be a great way to add a festive flare to a beloved dessert.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Adding Easy Decorations

1
Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top for a simple decoration. Arrange your brownies on a plate and then use a sifter to pour the sugar over the top. It's important to run the sugar through a sifter to get an even and fluffy spread over all of your brownies. Try not to move your brownies around too much after you add the sugar, and avoid stacking them so that the sugar doesn't smear.^{[1]
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- If you don’t have a sifter, you can use a fork or a whisk to mix the powdered sugar in a bowl and then gently sprinkle it over your brownies with a spoon or your fingers.
- For a more advanced decoration, cut parchment paper into a decorative design and place it over the brownie. Add the powdered sugar, then gently remove the parchment paper.
2
Coat the top with chocolate or coconut shavings for a sophisticated touch. You can buy coconut shavings or flakes from most grocery stores and sprinkle them over the top of your brownies with your fingers. Alternatively, you can purchase or make your own chocolate shavings with a vegetable peeler and gently add them as an elegant decoration.^{[2]
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- Add the shavings immediately before serving, as they are incredibly delicate decorations.
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3
Cut up your favorite cookie or candy bar to spread over the top. Use a batch of chocolate chip cookies or oreo pieces to sprinkle over the top of the brownies to create a textured layer. This will give your brownies an extra crunch, while adding a decorative layer to the top.^{[3]
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- Sprinkled chocolate chips or chopped candy look great as a brownie topping.
- Use a candy like M&M's to give your brownies a pop of color. Alternatively, add licorice or candy corn for a fun decorative look.
- If you’re trying to make a particular design, use candy that matches the shape you’re going for, like licorice strings for the legs of a spider.
4
Add a layer of fresh fruit to the top for a refreshing taste. Use raspberries or strawberries to decorate the top of your brownies. It may be helpful to coat the top with frosting before adding fruit, to ensure that the fruit stays attached to your brownies.^{[4]
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- Try sticking to fruit that works well with chocolate, like fresh berries or apricots. This is a great way to dress up your brownie for a dessert course.
- You can try cutting strawberries into thin slices and arranging them in a pattern on top of your brownies for a more sophisticated look.
5
Drizzle chocolate or caramel sauce on with a fork to add complimentary flavors. Soften chocolate sauce or caramel in the microwave for about 15 seconds, and then use a fork to spread the sauce over the top of the brownies. You can move the fork back and forth to create a zigzag pattern, or spread the sauce more randomly over the top of your brownies^{[5]
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- Wait to cut your brownies until after you’ve drizzled the sauce over the top to avoid a messy experience!
- Make your cleanup easy by laying down a sheet of parchment paper below the brownies before you add the sauce.^{[6]
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6
Place a scoop of ice cream on top to create a decadent sundae look. Take your favorite ice cream out of the freezer to soften for 5-10 minutes. Right before you serve your brownies, add a scoop on top or to the side of your brownies. This will not only add a new texture and taste to your dessert, but will add a decorative touch to your brownies as well.^{[7]
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- Try not to overpower the flavor of your brownies by choosing a bland ice cream to pair with your brownies, like strawberry or vanilla.
- If you'd like, you can also drizzle some chocolate sauce over the top of the ice cream for a classic sundae look.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Topping Your Brownies

1
Spread frosting over your brownies for extra flavoring. After you’ve finished baking a pan of brownies and let them cool, use a butter knife to spread your preferred frosting on top of the brownies. Or, before adding the frosting, add a drop or two of food coloring for a colorful surprise!^{[8]
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- Wait to cut the brownies until after you’ve added the frosting to the top.
- If you want extra control over the flavor and texture of your frosted brownies you can make your own frosting.
- If you want to make double chocolate brownies, consider using chocolate or fudge.^{[9]
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  Research source} For a thick creamy topping, try using a cream cheese frosting instead.
- For some extra flare, try adding sprinkles on top of your frosting!^{[10]
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2
Use a piping bag to decorate your brownies with intricate icing designs. Unlike frosting, icing tends to be thinner and glossier. To spread, simply fill a piping bag ⅔ of the way full with icing, then squeeze the bag until icing comes out of the opening. You can use the icing to write out letters or words, or you can freehand any design that you like.^{[11]
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- Add a metal tip to the bag to create more controlled designs.
- To make your own piping bag, scoop icing into a ziplock bag and cut the corner off!
- There are many store-bought varieties of icing, like caramel icing, fudge icing, or fondant.^{[12]
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  Research source} Pick out an icing that you like from a local grocery store, or make your own icing at home.^{[13]
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3
Add a layer of caramel to the top to add a sweet taste. Buy caramel sauce at a nearby grocery store or make your own to use to top the brownies. Stir the sauce until it appears smooth and then pour it on top of the brownies after they have cooled. Use a spoon or an offset spatula to smooth out the caramel layer, and then chill the brownies for 30 minutes in your freezer.^{[14]
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- Leave the brownies in the freezer until the caramel is set and does not jiggle around when you move the pan of brownies.
- Feel free to add other ingredients to the top before you chill the brownies. Try sprinkling nuts over the caramel for a salty taste. The nuts will stick to the caramel on top, and will stay in place once the caramel chills.
4
Coat your brownies with a raspberry swirl for an elegant touch. If you have plenty of time to prepare your brownies, you can add a layer of raspberry jam to the top of your brownies before you bake them. Use a knife to spread the jam over the top of your brownie batter, and make cuts in the brownie where you want to create a marbled effect.^{[15]
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- Add fresh raspberries and powdered sugar to the top for a sweet and decadent dessert.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Serving Your Brownies

1
Use themed decorations for a special occasion. If your brownies are for a special occasion, don't be afraid to show it! Try making red, white, and blue frosting for a Fourth of July party, or decorating your brownies with orange and black sprinkles for a Halloween themed event.^{[16]
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- For a sports related theme, think about decorating your brownies with gear from the sport, like with a soccer ball or a hockey stick.
- You can also use pre-made decorations to help get the look you want. For example, use snowflake sprinkles on top of brownies you plan to sell at a winter bake sale.
- For Christmas decorations, add red and green icing to the brownies to make them look like a tree. You can even use part of a candy cane as the tree trunk.^{[17]
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2
Put your brownies on popsicle sticks to create brownie cake pops. Once the brownies have cooled, stick a wooden popsicle or lollipop stick into a round or rectangular shaped brownie piece. You can dip the brownie in chocolate sauce and sprinkles as extra decoration.
- Dip the popsicle stick into melted chocolate before you insert it into the brownie to help it stick.
- To create rounded brownie pops, use an ice cream scoop to get the perfect size and shape.
3
Cut your brownies into triangle shapes for a geometric look. Use a sharp knife to cut the brownies in half lengthwise, and then cut each half in a zigzag pattern to create triangle shaped brownies.^{[18]
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4
Make your brownies into a heart shape as a romantic gesture. If you’re making brownies for a loved one or for a Valentine’s Day themed event, use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to shape your brownies into small hearts.^{[19]
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- Alternatively, you can cut all of your brownies into one large heart with a knife, but this may be more difficult to serve.
- Save the excess brownie pieces to make a brownie pudding or to bake into brownie truffles.
5
Refrigerate your brownies before you serve them. Chilling your brownies can help all of your decorations set in place. Keep the brownies in the refrigerator until an hour before you want to serve them, then take them out and cover them with plastic or keep them in an airtight container as they warm up to room temperature.^{[20]
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- Try to avoid stacking your brownies to high, as they’ll quickly start to stick together.
- Store uneaten brownies in a container on your counter or in your refrigerator for up to about 2 or 3 days.
- To keep brownies for even longer, store them in your freezer for up 3 months.

Expert Q&A

Question

What do you add to brownies after baking?

Ross Canter
Professional Baker
Ross Canter is a Professional Baker and the Co-Founder of Cookie Good in Santa Monica, California. Originally a screenwriter, Ross decided to pursue his passion for baking and opened Cookie Good in 2007 with his wife, Melanie. Ross and Melanie opened their brick and mortar bakery in 2014. With over 15 years of experience, Ross specializes in creating high quality cookies with unique flavor options and helping people feel “cookie good” one cookie at a time.

Ross Canter

Professional Baker

Expert Answer

Add toppings that mirror what's inside the brownie itself! Let's say you're making Oreo brownies—you could top them with white chocolate chips and big chunks of Oreos right when the brownies come out of the oven (the heat will melt the white chocolate and help the Oreos stick to the brownie's surface).
Question

How to store brownies?

Melanie Sepuleveda

Community Answer

You can store undecorated brownies at room temperatur in a plastic container. As it says above, decorated brownies should be kept in the fridge (so the decorations stay in place) until almost ready to serve.

Warnings

Be mindful of any allergies when serving your brownies. Always mention if you’ve added nuts, gluten or fruit on top or in the batter.

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Avoid stacking brownies that you’ve decorated with icing or frosting. The brownies might stick together and ruin your careful designs.

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