Classic Red Velvet Brownies are an irresistible treat. A classic dessert recipe that is always a hit for birthdays, holiday parties, and any occasion that demands something special.
These brownies are sure to delight any crowd with their luxuriously dense texture, delicate crumb, and creamy sweetness.
The cream cheese frosting perfectly complements the rich chocolate flavor of the brownie, creating a heavenly combination that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
Plus, they are so simple to make – no need to worry about complicated techniques or special ingredients.
Nothing could be better than freshly baked Red Velvet Brownie treats to serve at your next gathering.
If you love red velvet desserts you can make Red Velvet Dump Cake or Red Velvet Cookie Ice Cream.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
Scroll down to the recipe card for the ingredient amounts, a save option, share and print button.
- homemade brownie chocolate: this recipe uses a chopped up bittersweet chocolate bar instead of cocoa powder. The chocolate flavor is much richer using a bar verses powder.
- melted unsalted butter: dessert recipes like brownies use unsalted butter
- sugar: granulated white sugar
- large eggs: remove the eggs from the refrigerator 20 to 30 minutes before using to bring them to room temperature.
- unbleached all-purpose flour
- liquid red food coloring
- baking powder: always check the expiration date on baking powder before using. Discard expired baking soda.
- pure vanilla extract: for the best vanilla flavor use pure vanilla extract. Learn how easy it is to make the best homemade vanilla extract.
Recipe Prep
Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees. Line the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper leaving a couple of inches overhanging the sides. An eight inch square pan with make thicker brownies and take a little longer to bake.
Directions
Step 1 Melt the chocolate: In a large microwave safe mixing bowl melt the chopped bittersweet chocolate bar and the butter on high for 40 to 60 seconds. Remove from the bowl from the microwave and stir.
If there are still large pieces of un-melted chocolate in the bowl heat for 20 more seconds and then stir until the chocolate melts completely.
Step 2 mixing the brownie batter: Add the sugar to the bowl with the chocolate and whisk until combined.
Step 3: Add the eggs one at a time whisking until each egg is blended into the chocolate, butter and sugar completely before adding the next egg.
After the four eggs are whisked in the batter will look like this.
Step 4: Add the flour, baking soda, vanilla, and red food coloring to the bowl.
Fold the dry ingredients into the brownie batter with a large wooden spoon.
Mix just enough to blend the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Step 5: Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan scraping the bowl with a silicone spatula. Spread the red velvet brownie batter into each corner of the baking pan.
Step 6: Bake the red velvet brownies in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. (See the baking tips below)
The top should look a little shiny but not dry. Do not over bake or the brownies will be dry. The top may crack a little. This is normal for brownies.
Cooling and cutting: place the brownie pan on a wire cooling rack and allow the brownies to cool to room temperature before cutting or frosting.
Once the brownies have cooled carefully lift the red velvet brownies from the pan by the edges of the parchment paper. Place on a flat surface.
Step 7: Using a large sharp knife cut the brownies into 16 squares.
Red Velvet Brownies with cream cheese frosting
Frosting red velvet brownies with a cream cheese frosting is optional. The brownies are moist and fudgy in the center by themselves. If you want to make these brownies extra special you can frost them with a homemade cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
This cream cheese frosting recipe makes just enough frosting to decorate this batch of brownies.
- softened cream cheese (full fat cream cheese is best)
- softened unsalted butter
- pure vanilla extract (I always use homemade vanilla extract for the best flavor)
- a pinch of salt
- white chocolate curls (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting Directions
Step 1: Place the softened cream cheese and softened butter in a large mixing bowl. Using a handheld mixer beat the cream cheese and butter together until lump free and creamy.
Step 2: Add the vanilla extract and salt to the bowl. Beat for 1 minute to combine.
Step 3: Add half the powdered sugar to the bowl and beat in. Add the remaining powdered sugar to the bowl and beat in for three minutes or more until all of the sugar is beat in.
Continue to beat until the frosting is thick, creamy and any lumps of cream cheese or powdered sugar have been beat in completely.
How to frost and decorate brownies
You can frost the brownies before cutting them or after. Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting over the top of the uncut tray of brownies and cut with a large sharp knife.
If you would like to frost the brownies for a special occasion fill a decorator bag fit with a large star tip with the frosting. Pipe the frosting over each individual brownie.
To decorate sprinkle the top of the frosting on each brownie with white chocolate curls and red velvet brownie crumbs before serving.
Frosting the individual squares of brownies is a good option if you plan on making these for a special occasion and will be serving them on a dessert table.
Optional: Serve the brownies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Storing & freezing leftover brownies
- Storing leftover brownies: Place the brownies in a single layer in an airtight container and refrigerate. To serve remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving to come to room temp.
- Freezing leftover brownies: Place the brownies in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place in freezer for 30 minutes so the cream cheese frosting hardens. Remove from freezer. Wrap each brownie individually in a double layer of plastic wrap. Immediately place the wrapped brownies in a plastic container with a tight fitting lid. Arrange the brownies so they do not crush the frosting. Place in the freezer. Eat within 3 months.
Special Occasion Desert Recipe
No matter what special occasion you are celebrating, fudgy Red Velvet Brownies with cream cheese frosting are sure to make a memorable impression.
Their sweet and tangy flavor, moist velvety texture, and stunningly vibrant color add a show-stopping element to any celebration.
Plus, they are so easy to make that even novice bakers can whip up a perfect batch in no time.
So the next time you need a special occasion dessert recipe, don’t settle for just any dessert - make Red Velvet Brownies with cream cheese frosting and transform any occasion into a truly special one.
Recipe FAQs
Red Velvet Brownies are made with a chocolate brownie batter made with real chocolate and colored with liquid red food coloring to get the classic deep red color.
If brownies are not chewy it could be that you over baked them or used a shallow pan to make them. Use a 8 x 8 inch square pan to bake the brownies and start checking to see if they are done 15 minutes before the bake time is up by inserting a tooth pick in the center. Once you see the tooth pick comes out clean remove them from the oven immediately.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Baking tip: baking times might vary. Every oven is different. Check the brownies after 40-45 minutes. An 8x8 inch square pan will make thicker brownies and take longer to bake than a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
- Completely softened cream cheese and butter: Remove the cream cheese and butter from the refrigerator a couple of hours before making the frosting.
- Melting the chocolate: can use a double boiler instead of the microwave.
- Mixing the batter: Do not use a hand beater to mix the brownie batter.
- Brownie pan: Use an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan. 8 inch bake 40 to 50 min. 9 inch will take longer 65 to 60 minutes. I baked for 55 minutes checking the center every 5 minutes after 40 minutes. Baking times will vary from oven to oven and pan size.
- Whisking the eggs in one at a time. As you whisk each egg into the chocolate and butter you will notice it becomes more batter like. Whisk one egg at a time so each egg is mixed in completely.
- Why using a wire cooling rack is temperature.
- Why cooling completely before cutting is important.
- Can refrigerate the cooled brownies over night before frosting and serving. Wrap the pan of cooled brownies tightly in plastic wrap before refrigerating. If they are still warm when you refrigerate them moisture will forms and cause the top of the brownies to be moist.
- Frosted red Velvet brownies.
More Brownie Recipes
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Red Velvet Brownies
Ingredients
Red Velvet Brownies Ingredients
- 4 oz Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate bar (chopped)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 oz. Bottle liquid red food coloring
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Red Velvet Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees. Line the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper leaving a couple of inches overhanging the sides.
- Melt the chocolate: In a large microwave safe mixing bowl melt the chopped bittersweet chocolate bar and the butter on high for 40 to 60 seconds. Remove from the bowl from the microwave and stir. If there are still large pieces of un-melted chocolate in the bowl heat for 20 more seconds and then stir until the chocolate melts completely.
- Add the sugar to the bowl with the chocolate and whisk until combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time whisking until each egg is blended into the chocolate, butter and sugar completely before adding the next egg.
- Add the flour, baking soda, vanilla, and red food coloring to the bowl.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the brownie batter with a large wooden spoon. Mix just enough to blend the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan scraping the bowl with a silicone spatula. Spread the red velvet brownie batter into each corner of the baking pan.
- Bake the red velvet brownies in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. (See the baking tips below)
- Place the brownie pan on a wire cooling rack and allow the brownies to cool to room temperature before cutting or frosting.
- Once the brownies have cooled carefully lift the red velvet brownies from the pan by the edges of the parchment paper. Place on a flat surface.
- Using a large sharp knife cut the brownies into 16 squares.
- Frosting red velvet brownies with a cream cheese frosting is optional. Make the frosting recipe below.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place the softened cream cheese and softened butter in a large mixing bowl. Using a handheld mixer beat the cream cheese and butter together until lump free and creamy.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt to the bowl. Beat for 1 minute to combine.
- Add half the powdered sugar to the bowl and beat in. Add the remaining powdered sugar to the bowl and beat in for three minutes or more until all of the sugar is beat in. Continue to beat until the frosting is thick, creamy and any lumps of cream cheese or powdered sugar have been beat in completely.
- You can frost the brownies before cutting them or after. Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting over the top of the uncut tray of brownies and cut with a large sharp knife. If you would like to frost the brownies for a special occasion fill a decorator bag fit with a large star tip with the frosting. Pipe the frosting over each individual brownie.
- To decorate sprinkle the top of the frosting on each brownie with white chocolate curls and red velvet brownie crumbs before serving.
- If not serving refrigerate the frosted brownies and refrigerate any leftovers.
- Makes 16.
Video
Recipe Expert Tips
- Baking tip: baking times might vary. Every oven is different. Check the brownies after 40-45 minutes. An 8x8 inch square pan will make thicker brownies and take longer to bake than a 9x9 inch square baking pan.
- Completely softened cream cheese and butter: Remove the cream cheese and butter from the refrigerator a couple of hours before making the frosting.
- Melting the chocolate: can use a double boiler instead of the microwave.
- Mixing the batter: Do not use a hand beater to mix the brownie batter.
- Brownie pan: Use an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan. 8 inch bake 40 to 50 min. 9 inch will take longer 65 to 60 minutes. I baked for 55 minutes checking the center every 5 minutes after 40 minutes. Baking times will vary from oven to oven and pan size.
- Whisking the eggs in one at a time. As you whisk each egg into the chocolate and butter you will notice it becomes more batter like. Whisk one egg at a time so each egg is mixed in completely.
- Why using a wire cooling rack is important: Allows the brownies to cool evenly and keeps the bottom from getting moist.
- Why cooling completely before cutting is important: Warm brownies are difficult to cut.
- Can refrigerate the cooled brownies over night before frosting and serving. Wrap the pan of cooled brownies tightly in plastic wrap before refrigerating. If they are still warm when you refrigerate them moisture will forms and cause the top of the brownies to be moist.
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