recipe

Red Velvet Brownies: the effortless recipe for decadent, chewy brownies

Total time: 180 Min

Difficulty: Low

Serves: 16 people

Who doesn't love red velvet cake? If you're in the mood for an easy homemade treat to satisfy your sweet tooth, why not make these delicious red velvet brownies? This irresistible recipe is the brownie version of the classic red velvet cake, and it's so easy, even novice bakers can whip up a batch without any problems.

With their brilliant red color, these perfect red velvet brownies hit the spot. They're fudgy, chewy and sweet, these brownies are topped with a slightly tangy cream cheese frosting which pairs perfectly.

They're ideal for packed lunches, as a sweet snack with a cup of tea, or served with ice cream or whipped cream for a special occasion such as Valentine's Day. You won't be able to have just one.

How to Make Red Velvet Brownies

Making perfectly fudgy, rich red velvet brownies at home is a cinch. Start by making the batter. Preheat your oven to 350F and lightly grease a baking dish with cooking spray. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, making sure to stir occasionally. Take it off the heat and let it cool for several minutes, then whisk in the sugar. Next up, crack and beat in one egg at a time, followed by the vanilla, cocoa powder, baking soda, flour, and food coloring. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish. Bake your brownies for 22 to 27 minutes, then let them cool on a wire rack – don't be tempted to cut into them before they've finished cooling!

For the icing, whisk the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla with a handheld mixer. Beat in the powdered sugar, mixing until it's nice, smooth, and easy to spread. Layer the cream cheese frosting over the top of the brownies. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set. When it's time to cut the brownies, simply run a sharp knife around the edges of the baking dish to loosen the sides. You can cut the brownies to make 12 or 16 individual servings – it's up to you.

Tips for Making Chewy Red Velvet Brownies

You'll know your brownies have finished baking when a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean.

Use a 9×13-inch dish for this recipe.

Give your red velvet brownies more pizazz by adding some crushed Oreo cookies or chocolate chips to the batter.

To simplify this recipe, you can use brownie mix or red velvet cake mix instead of making the brownies from scratch.

For vegan-friendly red velvet brownies, use oil instead of butter, flax eggs, or tofu instead of chicken eggs. For the icing, using vegan butter and vegan cream cheese as substitutes will give you the closest flavor and texture.

Most red velvet recipes use buttermilk as it adds a bit of acidity. However, you may want to leave it out in your brownies because it will affect the consistency, and you won't get much of that classic buttermilk flavor. Use a dash of apple cider vinegar instead.

How to Store Red Velvet Brownies

Keep your red velvet brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They'll last for up to 1 week when refrigerated.

Ingredients

for the brownies

salted butter, cubed

1 cup

packed brown sugar

2 cups

eggs

pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp

cocoa powder

1 tbsp

all-purpose flour

2 cups

Red food coloring

1 ounce

for the icing

butter, softened

2 tbsp

cream cheese, softened

4 ounces

pure vanilla extract

2 tsp

powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease a baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.

Step 3

Add in the sugar and whisk until combined.

Step 4

Beat the eggs in one at a time.

Step 5

Whisk in the cocoa powder.

Step 6

Add in the baking soda.

Step 7

Add in the flour.

Step 8

Pour in the food coloring.

Step 9

Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish.

Step 10

Bake for 22 to 27 minutes.

Step 11

Set on a wire rack to cool.

Step 12

In a large bowl, whisk butter, cream cheese, and vanilla with a handheld mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar until the mixture is smooth and easy to spread.