Red Velvet Brownies

While I adore a beautiful Red Velvet Cake layered with cream cheese frosting, I can readily admit that not every day is a cake kind of day. This easy Red Velvet Brownies recipe, on the other hand, is the type of treat you can whip up on a weeknight, and serve without a plate and fork. I love how rich and fudgy these are, with the perfect cream cheese frosting!

What You’ll Need

Time to gather your ingredients! Here’s what you’ll need. Scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient amounts.

For the Red Velvet Brownies:

• Butter – Unsalted butter is always my go-to for baking. There’s no need to soften it since you’ll be melting it.
• Bittersweet chocolate – I use a good quality chocolate baking bar, which melts up perfectly smooth.
• Sugar – Granulated white sugar adds sweetness to the brownies.
• Eggs – This binds the batter together and gives the brownies structure, plus adds rich flavor and moist texture.
• Vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation, for the very best flavor.
• Salt – I use kosher salt.
• Food coloring – You’ll want to use red gel food coloring – it’s thicker and more concentrated than liquid food coloring, to give you that beautiful deep red color.
• Flour – I use unbleached all-purpose flour.
• Baking powder – This helps the brownies rise.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Cream cheese – Use full-fat cream cheese and let it soften to room temperature.
• Butter – Let this soften to room temperature too.
• Vanilla extract – Again, you want pure vanilla for the best flavor.
• Powdered sugar – Sift this before you get started to keep your frosting free of lumps.
• Sea salt – A touch of fine sea salt adds balance and enhances the overall flavor.

How to Make Red Velvet Brownies

As promised, this recipe is incredibly easy. Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe card.

• Melt the butter and chocolate. Place the butter and chocolate in a heavy saucepan and warm them over low heat until they melt and are smooth when stirred.
• Add the sugar and eggs. Whisk in the sugar, followed by the eggs.

• Finish the batter. Stir in the vanilla, salt, and red food coloring. Sift in the flour and baking powder, and stir to combine. Then transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake. Place pan in a 325ºF oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely.

• Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter until lightened and fluffy. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until fluffy.

• Frost and slice. Lift the brownies out of the pan and transfer them to a cutting board. Spread the frosting over the top, then slice and serve.

Tips & Variations 

These additional pointers will help you make sure your red velvet brownies turn out perfect! 

• Don’t skip the parchment paper. Lining your pan with parchment paper not only prevents sticking but also makes it super easy to lift the brownies out for frosting and cutting. This makes a big difference if you’re wanting very neat cuts – I especially like to do this when making these for Christmas cookie platters.
• Let the brownies cool first. Wait for the brownies to cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting. If the brownies are still warm, they can cause the frosting to get warm and weepy.
• Wipe the knife clean between each slice. If you’re making these to satisfy a midnight craving, it doesn’t matter much if you have clean cuts — but otherwise, you’ll want to wipe the knife after every single cut to keep the frosting pristine and free of red crumbs.
• Experiment with toppings. Sprinkle on white chocolate shavings, or crushed candy canes or peppermints for the holidays — just don’t skip that glorious cream cheese frosting!

How to Store

• Refrigerator: Because there’s cream cheese in the frosting, you’ll need to store these red velvet brownies in the refrigerator. In an airtight container, they will keep well for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: To freeze, I cut the brownies and place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. They keep well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or on the counter at cool room temperature for 30 minutes prior to serving.