My red velvet brownies feature that signature red hue you love about red velvet and boast a perfectly fudgy texture instead of a cakey one!
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Red Velvet Brownies Recipe
I like to refer to these as the red velvet brownies that made my daughter fall in love with brownies.
For whatever reason she refused to eat a normal brownie, so I took it upon myself to make a new version she would love. She’s a huge fan of Mario, so I turned them red!
I made these on the fudgier side because, in my mind, that’s the best way to make a brownie. Then I added the cream cheese frosting, which tastes slightly like icing, because it’s what my daughter prefers — and it complements the brownies to a tee.
We eat them on Valentine’s Day and Mario day, but they are requested throughout the year to eat and share with friends lately, so I just had to share them here.
And, if you love brownies, try my air fryer brownies and condensed milk brownies next… or my red velvet Oreo cheesecake!
Why You’ll Love This Red Velvet Brownie Recipe
- Rich chocolate flavor
- Super fudgy texture
- Tangy cream cheese frosting
- Vibrant red color
- Kid-tested and approved
Red Velvet Brownie Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cocoa Powder
- Salt
- Unsalted Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Large Eggs – room temperature
- Vanilla Extract
- Red Food Coloring – liquid or gel
- Whipped Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
How to Make Red Velvet Brownies With Cream Cheese Frosting
STEP ONE: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment.
STEP TWO: Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl until well combined.
STEP THREE: Add the melted butter, vanilla extract, and eggs to the same bowl. Stir until well combined. Add the food coloring and stir until the brownie batter is a deep red color.
STEP FOUR: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the brownies cool in the pan while you make your frosting.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting for Red Velvet Brownies
STEP ONE: Add the softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until smooth and creamy. Taste to make sure it’s sweet enough to your liking.
STEP TWO: When the brownies have completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Cut into squares, serve, and enjoy!
Tips for Making this Red Velvet Brownies Recipe
- Start with room-temperature ingredients. Make sure your eggs and cream cheese are at room temp. They’ll blend more easily with the other ingredients, which will result in a smoother batter and frosting.
- For fudgy results, melt the butter and follow this recipe. If you like a different texture, remember to refer to the variations below!
- Mix until just combined. When adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, avoid overmixing. Stir just until the ingredients are combined to keep from overdeveloping the gluten, which can result in super tough results.
- Use a good red dye to get a deep red color without any bitterness. I love using AmeriColor’s super red soft gel paste.
- Be patient. The brownies need to cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting, or the frosting will melt and slide right off.
Red Velvet Brownies Recipe Variations
- For a chewy red velvet brownie, increase the ratio of butter to flour for a denser texture. ¾ cup instead of ½ should do the trick. You should also use a combination of brown and white sugar for added chewiness — a little less time in the oven can be helpful, too.
- To make even fudgier brownies, use melted chocolate in addition to cocoa powder for extra richness. Add an extra egg and bake for about 9-10 minutes so the center stays super gooey.
- Use a teaspoon of baking powder to make a more cakey brownie.
- For a gluten-free option, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of regular flour.
- For a a deeper chocolate flavor, use dark cocoa powder instead of regular cocoa powder in the brownie batter.
- Fold chocolate chips or chopped nuts into the brownie batter before baking for added texture and flavor. Sprinkled on top of the cream cheese frosting, some more make for a nice presentation, too.
How to Store Red Velvet Brownies With Cream Cheese Frosting
Store your brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I suggest adding a sheet of parchment paper in between each layer to keep them from sticking!
Freezing Red Velvet Brownies
To freeze these brownies, follow the recipe instructions, but hold off on the cream cheese frosting. Once they’ve cooled completely, wrap the whole red velvet brownie slab tightly in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the fridge overnight before adding the frosting just before serving.
Red Velvet Brownie Recipe FAQs
What is the difference between red velvet cake and brownies?
Red velvet cake is a moist and fluffy cake with a subtle chocolate flavor and a tangy cream cheese frosting. Red velvet brownies are dense, fudgy bars that have a much richer taste. While both may boast that signature red velvet color and creamy frosting, their textures and base ingredients set them apart.
What is red velvet made of?
Red velvet is made with basic chocolate cake ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, butter, and cocoa powder. Traditional recipes also include buttermilk and baking soda to help keep it moist and tender. The red color comes from the addition of food coloring — and the flavor is really closest to chocolate cake.
Is red velvet just chocolate with red dye?
No, red velvet is so much more than just chocolate cake with red dye. It is made with cocoa powder for a subtle chocolate flavor, but no chocolate is used. It gets its signature color from red dye, but you can use red beets in place of the dye instead.
More Delicious Dessert Recipes
- Peanut Butter Balls
- 3 Ingredient No Bake Cheesecake
- Red Velvet Cookies
- Pineapple Upside Down Cake
- Easy Fruit Dip Recipe
- Strawberry Shortcake Crumble
- Peach Pie with Canned Peaches
Red Velvet Brownie Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Brownies:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon food coloring liquid or gel
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 4 ounces whipped cream cheese spread
- 1 1/2 – 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Brownies:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and then line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed or a rubber spatula, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, granulated sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl until everything is well combined.
- To the same large bowl, add the melted butter, vanilla extract, and eggs. Stir and combine the ingredients until they are well combined.
- Add and stir in the red food coloring until you get an even deep red color throughout the mixture.
- Pour the red velvet brownie batter into the prepared square pan, spreading it out evenly. Place it in the preheated oven for a bake time of 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan before moving on to frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar together until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and reaches your desired sweetness and consistency.
- Once the fudgy brownies are completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.
- Cut your homemade brownies into squares and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
