These delicious red velvet brownies with cream cheese frosting are a perfect dessert for Christmas, Valentine's Day, or just an easy weeknight treat.
Aren't these brownies pretty? With the classic fudgey brownie texture and topped with classic cream cheese frosting, this simple red velvet brownie recipe can be made in less than an hour.
Ingredients
Looking for cream cheese frosting ingredients? Check out the recipe below or this full cream cheese frosting tutorial.
How to make
Step 1: Sift dry ingredients
Sift the flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
Step 2: Melt Chocolate and Butter
In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and chocolate. The great news is because of the butter, you do not need to use a double broiler.
Remove from heat and add in the corn syrup and mix until smooth. Let cool until just warm to the touch, about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Add Eggs, Vanilla, and Red Food Coloring
Once the butter mixture is no longer hot, remove from heat and add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg. Then mix in vanilla extract and the red food coloring.
It's important to add the food coloring before adding the flour or the brownies can get over-mixed.
Step 4: Mix in dry ingredients
Gently mix in dry ingredients until smooth and combined. Do not overmix or the brownies can get tough. Add the mixture to a baking pan lined with parchment and gently spread to the edges using a knife or offset spatula.
Step 5: Bake and Enjoy!
Bake in a preheated oven at 350℉ for 22-25 minutes until center begins to feel firm.
While baking, you can make an optional cream cheese icing. It's super easy and step by step instructions can be found here.
Once the center feels firm, you can test with a toothpick that should come out clean. When done, remove from oven and let sit for 15-20 minutes to cool down. Remove parchment and then top with optional cream cheese frosting and enjoy!
Tips for Making this recipe
- I highly recommend using gel food coloring such as this.
- Be sure to add the food coloring before adding the flour. This will help ensure the brownies don't get over-mixed when trying to evenly distribute the food coloring.
- This recipe uses a half batch of this cream cheese frosting recipe. If you like a lot of frosting, you can double the amount in the below recipe or make the full amount in the linked cream cheese frosting post.
- This recipe makes 9 large 3 inch brownies or 16 smaller, 2 inch brownies.
Storing
The unfrosted brownies can last 2-3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. Frosted brownies can be stored up to three days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
The unfrosted brownies can also be frozen up to a month. Let defrost in the fridge before serving.
Other Topping Ideas
Don’t want to use cream cheese frosting on your brownies? Try these recipes instead!
- Ermine Frosting (a classic frosting pairing with red velvet!)
- Marshmallow Frosting
- Chocolate Ganache
- Condensed Milk Frosting
- Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
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Red Velvet Brownies
INGREDIENTS
Red Velvet Brownies
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour 93 g
- 1.5 cups powdered sugar 170 g
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 oz bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter if used salted, reduce added salt to 1/8 tsp
- 1.5 tbsp corn syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Red food coloring 1-1.5 tablespoons
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese frosting room temperature
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
- 1.5 - 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt omit if using salted butter
Instructions
Red Velvet Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350 ℉.
- Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Sift together flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and set aside.
- Place chocolate and butter in saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring until smooth and combined.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in corn syrup.
- Let cool until just warm to the touch, about 5 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well in between each egg. Add in vanilla and red food coloring. Be sure to mix in the the food coloring now before adding the flour so it can fully combine.
- Add dry ingredients until just combined and smooth.
- Add the brownie mix to the prepared baking pan and spread to edges using a knife of offset spatula.
- Bake 22-25 minutes until center begins to feel firm and can be pricked with a toothpick that comes out clean.
- When done, remove from oven and let cool 15-20 minutes.
- If adding frosting, continue to cool until no longer warm to the touch before adding the frosting.. Cut into 2 or 3 inch squares. Enjoy!
- Let cool and cut into 2 by 2.5 inch squares
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Using a whisk attachment beat softened butter and cream cheese until combined and light and fluffy.
- Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until combined.
- Mix in salt and vanilla.
- Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to use. This can be made 1-2 days in advance.
Notes
- I highly recommend using gel food coloring such as this.
- Be sure to add the food coloring before adding the flour. This will help ensure the brownies don’t get over-mixed when trying to evenly distribute the food coloring.
- This recipe uses a half batch of this cream cheese frosting recipe. If you like a lot of frosting on your brownies, you can make the full amount in the link above.
- This recipe makes 9 large 3 inch brownies or 16 smaller, 2 inch brownies.
- Unfrosted brownies will last 2-3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Frosted brownies will last 2-3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
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