Graveyard Brownies (Easy Halloween Treat!)
Rich, fudgy from-scratch Halloween brownies topped with chocolate frosting, crushed Oreo "dirt," Milano cookie tombstones, and candy decorations for a spooky graveyard scene.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan or microwave-safe bowl
Ingredients
Brownies
- ½ cup (10 tablespoons) / (142 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (75g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, for table salt, (or ¼ teaspoon table salt)
- 3.5 oz (100g) chocolate chips, optional, but highly recommended
Chocolate Frosting
- 4 tablespoons (57g) ½ stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons milk or heavy cream or as needed
- Pinch of salt
Graveyard decorations
- 8-10 chocolate sandwich cookies like Oreos, crushed
- 6-8 Milano cookies
- 1-2 tablespoons black writing icing or melted chocolate
- 6-8 candy pumpkins
- 4-5 gummy worms, cut in half
- Candy eyeballs or Halloween sprinkles, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease an 8×8-inch metal pan with non-stick spray and line it with parchment paper (folded over the sides).
- In a medium saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, melt butter until fully liquid. Whisk in granulated sugar and brown sugar until glossy and thick.
- Whisk in egg, then vanilla. Whisk vigorously for 30-45 seconds until smooth and lighter in color.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, sifted cocoa powder, and salt. Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake 28-32 minutes until edges are set and a toothpick inserted 2 inches from edge has moist crumbs. Center should look slightly soft and glossy.
- Cool completely in pan for at least 1 hour.
Frosting
- Beat softened butter until creamy (about 30 seconds).
- Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low until combined.
- Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth and spreadable (about 5 tablespoons total).
Assembly
- Using black writing icing, write "RIP" or spooky messages on Milano cookies.
- Spread a thin layer of chocolate frosting over cooled brownies.
- To cut brownies: Pull up on the parchment paper and transfer the brownies to a flat surface. Cut the brownies into rectangles. (I cut mine 4 x 3 to make 12 rectangular brownies).
- Sprinkle Oreo "dirt" over each frosted brownie rectangle, pressing gently.
- Press Milano tombstones into brownies about one-third down so they stand upright.
- Arrange candy pumpkins, gummy worms, and decorations around tombstones.
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Notes
Box Mix Option: Feel free to use your favorite brownie mix instead of this from-scratch recipe! Just follow the package directions for an 8×8-inch pan and proceed with the frosting and decorations.
Texture: Rich, dense, fudgy center with a crisp, shiny top—not cakey
Don't overbake: Center should look slightly soft when removed; it sets as it cools
Make-ahead: Bake brownies up to 3 days ahead; store wrapped at room temperature. Decorate 1-2 days before serving
Storage: Airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate up to 1 week
Pan size: Recipe is for an 8×8-inch pan. For a 9×13-inch pan, multiply all brownie ingredients by 1.5x
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