Red Velvet Brownies

These Red Velvet Brownies are fudgy, rich, and have a beautiful red velvet color contrasted with a white Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Frosting. The fudgy brownies pair beautifully with the light (in texture and sweetness) frosting. You are going to fall in love with this combination!  

Fall in love with more of my amazing red velvet recipes by making my Oreo Red Velvet Cake, Red Velvet Donuts, and my Red Velvet Waffles! 

Why This Recipe Works

• Combination chosen by readers! This recipe is special because readers like YOU gave me feedback on making a cream cheese frosting for these red velvet brownies. 
• Cream cheese whipped cream frosting. Using a whipped cream frosting base for the cream cheese frosting was a perfect idea! The fudgy and dense chocolate flavored brownies pairs beautifully with the lighter and less sweet frosting.
• Best red velvet brownies recipe. You will love this red velvet brownie recipe because of the bright red color, red velvet flavor, and the delicious pairing with the light cream cheese frosting. No cake mixes here! All from scratch homemade brownies. 
• Perfect holiday brownies. These red velvet brownies taste just like Red Velvet Cake and are perfect to serve for Valentine’s Day, Christmas, the Fourth of July or any special occasions due to their deep red color!

Ingredient Notes

• Unsalted Butter: Brownies are different from cookies in that you typically want vegetable oil or melted butter. Brownies are fudgy and this helps to give us a fudgy red velvet brownies recipe!
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Did you know red velvet flavor is chocolate! Yep. Delicious chocolate flavor with white vinegar and red food coloring. 
• Granulated Sugar: The granulated sugar will sweeten the brownies. 
• White Vinegar: Typically red velvet recipes will use white vinegar. This add an acidic component that gives the classic red velvet flavor.
• Gel Red Food Color: I use gel food color because it is more condensed so you only need a few drops to achieve a beautiful red color.
• Cream Cheese: You want cold cream cheese to make the cream cheese and whipped cream frosting. 
• Powdered Sugar: The beauty of a whipped cream frosting is that there aren’t heaps of powdered sugar! There is just 1/2 cup of powdered sugar in this cream cheese frosting recipe. 
• Heavy Cream: Since we are making a whipped cream cheese frosting, the base is cream cheese and heavy cream. This will give us a light whipped cream texture to the frosting. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Combine butter, cocoa power and sugar. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Add 1/2 cup melted butter to a medium sized bowl. Add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and stir to combine. Add 1 cup granulated sugar and whisk until incorporated.
2. Add the remaining wet ingredients. To the chocolate mixture add 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp white vinegar, and 2 tsp red gel food coloring. Whisk to combine.
3. Add the dry ingredients. Add 2/3 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Using a rubber spatula, stir to combine.

4. Spread into a prepared dish. Line an 8×8-inch square pan lined with parchment paper and then lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. Spoon the red velvet brownie batter into the pan. Gently spread into an even layer
5. Bake the red velvet brownies. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the red velvet brownies comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove and let the brownies cool before frosting.

6. Make the cream cheese whipped cream frosting. Add 4 oz cold cream cheese to a stand mixer bowl. Beat until smooth. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Beat to combine. While mixing on low slowly pour in 1 cup cold heavy cream. Increase to medium-high speed and beat until the frosting thickens (about 30 seconds).
7. Frost the red velvet brownies with cream cheese frosting. Take the frosting and spread it over the room temperature brownies. Slice and serve. Enjoy! 

Recipe Tips

Don’t over mix the brownie batter. We want these fudgy so we don’t want to add any extra air by mixing too much. 

Remove the brownies from the oven when the top is crackly and the toothpick in the center of the pan comes out with moist crumbs. These are brownies! You want them fudgy so if the toothpick is clean or only has a few moist crumbs, they are over baked. 

You can use an electric mixer and a large mixing bowl to make the cream cheese frosting, but a stand mixer is faster, easier, and will usually produce stiffer peaks. 

You’ll know the frosting is finished when you stop the mixer, dip the whisk attachment in the frosting and turn it upside down. The frosting should keep its shape and hold its’ peak. If yours hasn’t reached this stage, mix in 15 second intervals and test again.

Chill the stand mixer bowl or large bowl you use to make the frosting to get a better result. 

For a chocolate frosting, I would recommend my chocolate cream cheese frosting in my Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting recipe. 

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

Make these brownies ahead of time and store in the fridge in an airtight container or tightly wrapped for a few days prior to serving. You can also freeze the pan by tightly wrapping in plastic wrap then aluminum foil. 

Store any frosted red velvet brownies in an airtight container or covered in the fridge. This is due to the cream cheese whipped cream frosting on top. The brownies will keep for 4-5 days.

Store the frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

Recipe FAQs

More Red Velvet Desserts

• Red Velvet Popcorn
• Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
• Old Fashioned Red Velvet Cake