Moist and chewy red velvet brownies topped with a rich cream cheese frosting. This delicious dessert is easy to make, packed with flavor, and has a beautiful vibrant red color.
Table of Contents
Easy Red Velvet Brownies Recipe
Brownies are everything I love in a dessert. Moist, fudgy, rich, and loaded with chocolate flavor. Traditional homemade brownies are usually my favorite, but this red velvet version is a new top contender. The chewy texture and tangy frosting are a match made in heaven!
These red velvet brownies are SO delicious! I’m such a sucker for brownies and this variation is a new favorite. They’re perfectly dense and chewy with a bold chocolate flavor from the cocoa powder. The rich cream cheese frosting is the perfect compliment on top and makes the dessert that much more decadent.
Although these red velvet brownies taste delicious year-round, the vibrant red color makes them especially perfect to serve as an easy Valentine’s Day dessert. Serve them as-is or add some fun Valentine’s sprinkles on top to jazz them up even more. Trust me, your sweetheart will swoon over this luxurious treat!
Recipe Ingredients
These ingredients are all pantry staples that are simple to mix together and make these delicious red velvet brownies. They are so easy to make and come together quickly. These red velvet brownies are seriously the best brownie mix!
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Salted butter: Adds moisture and richness to the brownie batter and cake.
- Sugar: Sweetness added in!
- Eggs: This helps soften the baked cake and gives it a moist texture.
- Red food coloring: Brings in rich color and helps when baking in case the color lightens up. Use gel food coloring for a richer color.
- Vanilla extract: A teaspoon for extra flavor!
- Flour: This will help build up the batter and give it structure when baking.
- Cocoa powder: This is a hidden ingredient for the red velvet brownies! It adds a mild chocolate flavor and gives it the best cocoa flavor.
Homemade Frosting
In a small bowl, cream together the cream cheese mixture with powdered sugar. Once smooth, add in vanilla and mix until creamy. Once the brownies are cooled, frost the top of the fudgy brownies.
How to Make Red Velvet Brownies
These red velvet brownies are amazing! Every step is easy to make and comes together quickly. When you are in need of a quick brownie recipe, this is the one to make!
- Batter. Start by making the batter. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar, then mix in the eggs, red food coloring, and vanilla until combined.
- Mix. Pour in the flour and cocoa powder and continue mixing just until combined. Then pour the batter into a prepared baking pan.
- Bake. Bake in the oven at 350°F for about 30 minutes. To test if the brownies are done, stick a toothpick in the center to make sure it comes out clean. Then transfer the pan to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Frosting. Make the cream cheese frosting, then evenly spread it on top of the cooled brownies with a spatula. Then use a knife to cut them into 16 squares.
5 star review
“I made these for Valentine’s Day and they were a huge hit! So yummy.”
– Cara
Baking Tips + Variations
Here are some tips and variations to help make this cake even better and just the way you like it! Red velvet brownies are so simple to make that these modifications are not necessary but can be helpful to those that need them!
- Chocolate chips. You can fold in 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips for more chocolate flavor.
- Don’t over-mix. Mix just until combined. Overmixing causes the brownies to dry out.
- Let cool. Although it’s tempting, make sure to let the brownies cool completely before enjoying them. Not only will the frosting melt if they are still warm, but the brownies might crumble.
- Frosting. While the cream cheese frosting is by far my favorite, you may also use a classic buttercream, sour cream frosting, or marshmallow frosting. You can also leave off the frosting altogether if preferred.
- Cheesecake swirl. Instead of the frosting, try adding a cheesecake swirl as I did with these cheesecake brownies.
- Cutting. Use a plastic knife (instead of a silver knife) to cleanly cut the brownies into squares.
- Doubling. You can double the recipe and cook in a larger 9×13″ pan if desired. They may need to bake a few minutes longer, so use the toothpick method to double-check that they are done.
FAQs
Red velvet brownies are a unique flavor with cocoa powder and pantry staples. The ingredients blend together well and make a delicious dessert. .
To make fudgy brownies, you need to have a higher fat-to-flour ratio compared to a cakey texture. Add in more fat if you are looking for more fudgy brownies. Adding in more butter and chocolate will help.
Instead of using water use milk for the liquid if it is instructed in the ingredients. Milk contains more fat and has more flavor than water.
It is a very mild cocoa taste with a soft cake-like texture. Adding the cream cheese frosting is a balance of smooth, soft, moist, and decadent dessert.
Storage
Store your brownies in an airtight container either at room temperature or in the fridge. If you are storing it with the cream cheese frosting on top, store it in the refrigerator using plastic wrap overtop. That will avoid the cream cheese from sticking to the top of the lid.
More Delicious Brownie Recipes
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Red Velvet Brownies
Ingredients
Red Velvet Brownies
- ½ cup salted butter , softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2-3 teaspoons liquid red food coloring
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (110 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
Cream cheese frosting
- ¼ cup salted butter , softened
- 6 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9" baking pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. Place the butter and sugar into a large bowl. Cream together with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes. Add in the eggs, red food coloring and vanilla. Mix just until combined.
- Pour in the flour and cocoa powder and continue mixing just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and then bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
Frosting
- Beat the butter and cream cheese in large bowl with an electric mixer. Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Add the vanilla and mix until smooth.
- Once the brownies have cooled, frost the tops and then slice into 16 squares.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: American, Bars, Brownies, Desserts, Kid-Friendly, Nut-Free, Valentine's Day, Vegetarian
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
This recipe didn’t disappoint! It had just the right amount of sweetness. I used an 8 oz block of cream cheese. I’m making another batch tonight.
These turned out perfect and I couldn’t get over how amazing the cream cheese frosting tasted! Thanks for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed the red velvet brownies! Happy Valentine’s Day!
These are always on the menu for Valentine’s Day!! They are gooey & delicious!
10/10 My family loved these and gobbled them right up. They were the perfect treat for our Valentine’s Day shindig!
I made these for Valentine’s Day and they were a huge hit! So yummy.
Really good and really easy!
So glad you liked the brownies!
I love how easy and delicious this recipe is! So easy, in fact, that I think my kiddos and their dad can make it for me for Valentine’s Day! Delish!
I’ve had plenty of red velvet cakes, but this is my first time experiencing red velvet brownies!
I also love how the rich creamy frosting complements the brownie, tysm!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! :)
I have made these several times and they are always a hit! But, I have had to keep experimenting with the food coloring; not enough and they’re a weird color, too much and the baking time and texture are thrown off. Would love advice on how much to use!
Hi Laura! Sorry for the delayed response. I’ve found using Wilton food coloring gels adds a much better color. I usually start with a teaspoon and go from there.
This looks really wonderful and delicious… I saved this post.
Who can resist red velvet! These look decadently delicious!