Red Velvet Brownies

Have you ever wondered: if red velvet cake and brownies had a baby together, what would the resulting bake be? Well, wonder no more! Let me introduce you to the irresistible bake that is red velvet brownies! My vibrant red velvet brownies are chewy and fudgy, and are topped with a gorgeous cream cheese drizzle.

What makes these the BEST red velvet brownies

• Well balanced flavours. Red velvet is a balance of light chocolate and vanilla flavours. In my recipe, I have toned down the amount of cocoa flavour and increased the vanilla to give a beautiful combination, perfect in these red velvet cake brownies.
• Easy to make with ingredients found at home. You only need a handful of ingredients, which you probably have already in your kitchen, to make this easy red velvet brownies recipe.
• Perfect fudgy, slightly gooey texture. Adjust the baking time on these beauties to make them more or less gooey as you please. Either way, you will end up with a delicious recipes for red velvet brownies I am sure you will love!
• Made easily in 45 minutes from start to finish. These no fail homemade red velvet brownies are baked from scratch in under an hour, making it perfect if you need a last minute dessert.

Ingredients for these homemade chewy red velvet brownies

• Unsalted butter: I like to use unsalted butter so I can control how much salt is in the bake.
• Cocoa: essential in these fudgy red velvet brownies with cocoa powder for all that beautiful chocolatey loveliness!
• Vanilla: for delicious flavour in these simply delicious fudgy red velvet brownies!
• Caster sugar: for sweetness, but also chewiness, in this easy brownie recipe.
• Eggs: helps with the structure and texture of the bake.
• Vinegar: added in here to give a little extra tang suited to the flavour of red velvet cake.
• Red food colour: used to give the signature red colour to the bake. Always use gel food colour for best results.
• Flour: I use plain/all purpose flour to make these fudgy brownies from scratch. There is no raising agent used in making this bake.
• Salt: enhances the flavours every time. You will not taste it, I promise!
• Cream cheese: to make the drizzle to top the brownies. You gotta have cream cheese something with red velvet!
• Icing sugar: to sweeten the cream cheese drizzle topping the red velvet brownies.

What tools and equipment do I need to make brownies?

• Baking tin*: you will need an 8”x 8” pan to make these brownies. One with a loose bottom is my preference, for ease of removal after baking.
• Parchment paper: to line the baking tin. This stops the brownie from sticking to the pan and makes it loads easier to remove from the tin too.
• Digital kitchen scales*: I provide all my measurements in cups too, however I would encourage all bakers to weigh out ingredients when baking. A set of digital kitchen scales is so useful and totally an essential baking tool for me.
• Measuring spoons*: a set of measuring spoons is essential for any baker. This is because these are more accurate than using everyday teaspoons and tablespoons, which can vary greatly in size.
• Mixing bowl*/small mixing bowl* any material of bowl will do: plastic, glass, the choice is yours! The smaller bowl is for the chocolate mixture when melting the butter, so I would recommend a microwave safe one here.
• Whisk*: used to mix together the brownies.
• Spatula*: to use to mix ingredients together towards the end of the brownie making and to get all that delicious mixture in the pan to bake!

How to make red velvet brownies

These delicious red velvet brownies come together in super quick time and are so moreish and irresistible! The hardest part in making this recipe is actually waiting for them to cool enough so you can cut them and dig in!

Step 1: Line an 8”x 8” baking tin with parchment paper and set it aside. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F while you make the brownies

Step 2: Melt the butter in a small bowl. I do this in the microwave in short burst of 10-20 seconds, swirling or stirring in between. Add in the cocoa powder and vanilla and whisk together until silky smooth.

Step 3: In a separate larger bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until evenly combined. Slowly drizzle in the chocolate mixture, beating as you go so it is all evenly mixed together. Add in enough food colouring to achieve a strong red colour (see images). Stir in the vinegar.

Step 4: Into the same mixing bowl, tip in the flour and salt. Fold this into the chocolatey mixture until everything is completely mixed through.

Step 5: Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking tin and ease it into the corners, levelling the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes the edges feel firm to touch and the middle has the tiniest wobble. It will take more or less time, depending on your oven, but I like them to appear slightly underbaked. For me, my brownies are done around 25-26 minutes. Leave to cool in the tin.

Step 6: To make the drizzle, simply mix together the cream cheese, vanilla and icing sugar until smooth. Add a few drops of milk as required to achieve the consistency you prefer.

Step 7: Once the brownies are cool, remove from the tin and cut into 16 squares. Decorate with the cream cheese drizzle as desired and dig in! Enjoy!

FAQs for making red velvet brownies from scratch

Answering a few of the most common questions when making these brownies, but if you have any others, please leave me a comment below and I will do my best to answer them for you!

What baking tin do you need for red velvet brownies?

Metal tins are best for making this brownies recipe fudgy at home. This is because they distribute heat evenly and ensure an even bake. I would recommend avoiding glass, silicone, or ceramic dishes to make brownies in. Glass dishes absorb heat, leading to burnt or over baked edges on the brownies. Silicone does not conduct heat at all, which means it will take longer to bake the brownies. And ceramic dishes are very similar to glass: they conduct heat well, but can result in over baked brownies.

How do I line a baking tin?

There are many ways to line a square baking tin. The simplest way is to cut two strips of baking parchment slightly smaller than one side of the tin first. Lightly brush the tin all over with melted butter. Then lay the strips of parchment paper in the tin in a cross shape. Press and smooth onto the tin, ensuring the edges and corners are folded to give nice neat edges.

When are brownies done baking

When do you pull your chewy fudgy brownies out of the oven? Too soon and you will end up with an underbaked runny mess. Too late and you end up with a well baked chocolatey slab that is hard and potentially too difficult to eat. So here are my top tips, including things to look for, to help you decide when your brownies are done:

• You want to make sure the brownies are completely firm all around the edges. I certainly do not mean hard as a rock, but firm enough to hold its own when pressed. It should feel like the baked texture of a cake, but only along the edges. I sometimes find I need to turn my tin in the oven, depending on how evenly it is baking. This is just to ensure all sides are equally baked.
• If you wiggle the tin, it should not look like a crust floating on top of a pool of brownie batter. In other words, it should not jiggle around. Instead, remove the chewy fudgy brownies from the oven when it has a crust on top and feels a little fudgy and soft when gently pressed. If it does look or feel more liquid-like in the middle, simply leave it in the oven for a few more minutes and test again.
• Skewer tests are not always the best with brownies. This is because testing the middle using the skewer/crumb test will inevitably leave you with over baked edges for your brownies. If you really do wish to use a skewer, test the brownie about an inch or so in from the edge of the tin. If it comes out clean or with a few damp crumbs, you are good to go!

How to perfectly slice these red velvet brownies

Leaving the brownies to cool completely before cutting them is the best way to get lovely neat brownie pieces. Brownies are normally slightly underbaked when removed from the oven. So leaving it to cool completely allows just a little more firming from residual heat. Some people even like to chill brownies in the fridge before cutting to make it even easier to slice.

When cutting the cooled brownies, always remember to use a sharp knife. Remember to always wipe the knife clean in between slices for really clean cut lines when slicing up the brownies.

I like to cut my brownies (when baked in an 8″ square) into sixteen pieces, so four pieces along each side. For me, brownies are perfect at this size, as they are rich and chunky and just the right amount to satisfy my sweet tooth. However, I do know that many people enjoy more than less, so do decide what size you cut depending on your preferences.

How to store red velvet brownies

These red velvet brownies will keep for up to 4 days once baked, though they are better within a couple of days to keep their freshly baked texture. They should be stored in an airtight container, in a cool place away from direct sunlight.

Can I freeze red velvet brownies?

If you wanted to freeze these brownies, make sure they are completely cool. Slice them up and double wrap each piece individually and securely in cling film and foil. You can freeze these easy fudgy brownies for up to three months.

I would recommend decorating them with the cream cheese drizzle once they have been defrosted and before serving, to keep the drizzle from being squished.

How to defrost brownies

When you are ready to enjoy your red velvet brownies again, defrosting could not be simpler! All you have to do is unwrap the brownie pieces (as many as you wish!), and place them on a cooling rack to come to room temperature. How long it takes to defrost will depend entirely on the temperature of the room you are defrosting them in. If you are impatient however, you can microwave them for about 20-30 seconds to speed up the process.

Tips for the best red velvet brownies

• Always make sure you have prepared all tools and ingredients before you start mixing: line the baking tin with parchment paper, preheat the oven and get all the ingredients out ready to use. It is easy to get flustered if you feel unprepared!
• This brownie mixture, if the butter cools a lot, can be thicker than expected. No need to be alarmed by this, the brownies will turn out wonderfully once baked!
• Check brownies for “doneness” by wiggling to make sure it does not slosh about under the crust first. Then check using a skewer about an inch from the edge of the brownie, which should come out with just a few damp crumbs and no wet mixture.
• The most important tip to remember: make sure the whole brownie is COMPLETELY COOL before you cut it. And use a sharp knife to help you get through the crust more easily.
• I have drizzled the brownies across the diagonal in this bake. You can get creative with how you drizzle each square, including adding any additional sprinkles on top too, if you wished to theme the bake.

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe red velvet brownies, please comment below and I will do my best to help. And do remember: if you enjoy this red velvet brownies recipe, please do leave me a rating and review below. You could even post a picture on Instagram and tag me when you share it with the world. You already know I would love to see!

More brownie inspired recipes for you to enjoy

Thanks for joining me today, friends! As always, happy baking! x

Recommended equipment I used *

Baking tin	Digital kitchen scales
Measuring spoons	Mixing bowl/small mixing bowl
Whisk	Spatula