Fudgy Red Velvet Brownies with Tangy Cream Cheese Glaze: A Decadent Twist on a Classic
Prepare to fall in love with these fudgy red velvet brownies! A vibrant and irresistible twist on traditional chocolate brownies, this recipe brings the beloved flavors of classic red velvet cake into a delightfully chewy and rich brownie form. Topped with a luscious, tangy cream cheese glaze, these brownies are a showstopper for any occasion, especially perfect for celebrating Valentine’s Day or simply indulging your sweet tooth. Get ready to bake a batch that will impress everyone with its stunning color, incredible texture, and unforgettable taste.
As a pastry chef, one of my greatest joys is taking beloved classics and giving them a fresh, exciting spin. These red velvet brownies are a perfect example of that passion! We’re not just adding red food coloring to a regular brownie recipe; we’re meticulously crafting a brownie batter that mirrors the distinctive flavor profile of red velvet cake, complete with a hint of cocoa, a subtle tang, and that undeniable vibrant hue.
Imagine the rich, chewy, and intensely fudgy texture you expect from a perfect brownie, combined with the signature taste and stunning deep red color of a red velvet cake. That’s exactly what these brownies deliver. And to truly elevate the experience, they’re finished with a generous drizzle of homemade cream cheese frosting, creating the ultimate flavor combination that’s both familiar and exhilarating. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting, this recipe is designed for success, yielding beautiful, delicious brownies every time.
Big red velvet fan? You absolutely must try my red velvet cinnamon rolls next—they’re like the cake but in a warm, gooey cinnamon roll form! Planning something special for Valentine’s Day? My Valentine’s heart cookies are the perfect festive treat to pair with these brownies, adding an extra touch of sweetness to your celebration!
Table of Contents
Crafting Your Red Velvet Brownies: Step-by-Step
Creating these sensational red velvet brownies is a straightforward process, but paying attention to each step ensures that fudgy texture and rich flavor you’re after. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the process:
1. Sift the dry ingredients for a smooth texture. Sifting your all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt together into a bowl is a crucial first step. This process breaks up any lumps, ensures even distribution of ingredients, and aerates the mixture, contributing to a wonderfully smooth brownie batter and a delicate crumb. Once sifted, set this mixture aside.
2. Achieve a light and fluffy wet mixture. In a separate mixing bowl, vigorously whisk the granulated sugar, eggs, extra egg yolk, vanilla extract, and red food coloring. The goal here is to achieve a mixture that is significantly lighter in color and considerably thicker in consistency. This aeration step is key to developing that signature crinkly top crust on your brownies and ensures a wonderfully chewy interior. Whisking for 2-3 minutes on medium speed should do the trick.
3. Incorporate melted butter and vinegar carefully. Once your egg and sugar mixture is light and fluffy, gradually mix in the melted unsalted butter. Ensure it’s not too hot, as this can cook the eggs. Continue mixing until the butter is just combined, then add the white vinegar. The vinegar isn’t just for flavor; it reacts with the cocoa powder and food coloring, enhancing the vibrant red hue and contributing to the authentic red velvet tang. Mix briefly, only until everything is incorporated.
4. Gently fold in the dry ingredients. Now it’s time to bring the two mixtures together. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into your wet batter. The key here is to mix *just* until no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing will develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in tough, cakey brownies instead of the desired fudgy texture. Handle with care!
5. Bake to fudgy perfection. Pour your vibrant red velvet brownie batter into the prepared baking pan. Spread it evenly to ensure uniform baking. Bake the brownies in a preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter, and not completely dry. This moist crumb indicates a perfectly fudgy brownie center.
6. Decorate with a rich cream cheese glaze. Once your red velvet brownies have completely cooled (this is important for neat cutting and preventing the glaze from melting), cut them into 16 even squares. Prepare your tangy cream cheese glaze and, using a piping bag (or a spoon for a rustic look), drizzle it generously over one corner of each brownie. For an extra festive touch, sprinkle with heart sprinkles, especially if you’re making them for a special occasion. Share these beautiful, delicious treats with someone you love!
Essential Ingredients and Smart Substitutions
Each ingredient plays a vital role in achieving the perfect red velvet brownie. Understanding their function and knowing what substitutions are possible can help you tailor this recipe to your pantry and preferences.
Cocoa powder: For that characteristic vibrant red color in your brownies, it’s essential to use unsweetened natural cocoa powder (often labeled as regular cocoa powder). Its natural, lighter red hue allows the food coloring to truly shine through, resulting in a bright and striking crimson. While it provides a mild chocolate flavor, it doesn’t overpower the other subtle notes of red velvet. Using Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which is darker and less acidic, will yield a much darker, almost brown brownie, and won’t react as well with the vinegar to enhance the red color. Similarly, dark cocoa powder will result in very dark and less red brownies, so stick to unsweetened natural for the best visual and flavor outcome.
Vinegar: A touch of white vinegar is not just for tang; it’s a cornerstone of traditional red velvet flavor and helps activate the red food coloring, making it more vibrant. This acidity reacts with the cocoa powder and baking soda (if present in a cake, less so in fudgy brownies) to create that classic red velvet depth. If you don’t have white vinegar on hand, you should be able to get a similar flavor profile and acidic boost with rice wine vinegar as an alternative. Avoid using darker vinegars like balsamic or apple cider, as they will alter the color and flavor too significantly.
Food Coloring: For the most intense and professional red, opt for a gel food coloring. Gel colors are highly concentrated, meaning you need less to achieve a deep, rich hue without adding excess liquid to your batter, which could affect the texture. Liquid food coloring can be used, but you’ll likely need a much larger quantity, potentially impacting the consistency of your brownies.
Eggs & Egg Yolk: The combination of whole eggs and an extra egg yolk is crucial for the fudgy texture of these brownies. The yolks add fat and richness, contributing to a dense, chewy interior, while the whites help create that desirable crackly top crust. While not easily substitutable for the desired texture, if you only have large eggs, you can omit the extra yolk, but the brownies might be slightly less fudgy.
Vanilla Extract: Both in the brownie batter and especially in the cream cheese glaze, vanilla extract is vital for rounding out the flavors. For the glaze, a clear vanilla extract can be used to maintain the pristine white color of the cream cheese, but regular vanilla works perfectly fine for taste.
Tips for Perfect Red Velvet Brownies
To ensure your red velvet brownies turn out incredibly fudgy, perfectly red, and utterly delicious every single time, here are some invaluable tips from a pastry chef:
- Measure Flour Accurately: This is arguably the most critical baking tip for any recipe, especially brownies. Never scoop your measuring cup directly into the flour bag. This compacts the flour, leading you to use too much, which results in dry, dense, or cakey brownies. Instead, use the spoon-and-level method: fluff the flour with a spoon, then gently spoon it into your measuring cup until it overflows. Finally, level off the top with the back of a knife or a straight edge. Better yet, use a kitchen scale for precise measurement.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: After adding the dry ingredients, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten in the flour, which will make your brownies tough and less fudgy. A few streaks of flour are better than an overmixed batter.
- Achieve the Right Egg & Sugar Consistency: Whisking the granulated sugar, eggs, and egg yolk until light, fluffy, and slightly thickened is crucial. This step incorporates air, which contributes to the characteristic shiny, crackly top crust and a chewy texture. Don’t skip it!
- Proper Baking Time is Key: Brownies are notorious for going from fudgy to dry in minutes. Keep a close eye on them towards the end of the baking time. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs attached, not wet batter, and certainly not completely dry. My kitchen consistently finds 27-28 minutes to be the sweet spot for a fudgy center.
- Cool Completely Before Cutting and Glazing: It’s tempting to dive into warm brownies, but for clean cuts and a non-melty glaze, allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cooling also allows the brownies to set, enhancing their fudgy texture.
- Ensure Softened Cream Cheese for Glaze: For a lump-free, silky smooth cream cheese glaze, make sure your cream cheese is properly softened to room temperature. This allows it to whip up easily with the powdered sugar and liquids.
- Experiment with Sprinkles (or other toppings): While heart sprinkles are perfect for Valentine’s, feel free to get creative with your decorations. Crushed pecans, white chocolate shavings, or even a dusting of cocoa powder can add a beautiful finish.
If you’re as obsessed with fudgy treats as I am, you have to try my cheesecake marbled brownies—they offer the perfect mash-up of creamy cheesecake swirls and rich, chocolatey goodness. And for something extra fun and colorful, my M&M brownies are packed with candy in every delightful bite!
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments below; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there to share your experience! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check out your amazing creations!
Red Velvet Brownies
Equipment
- square 8×8 baking pan
Ingredients
Brownie Batter
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, *see measuring notes below*
- 3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon gel red food coloring
- 12 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Cream Cheese Glaze
- 1 1/2 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoon whole milk
- red heart sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
- Line a square 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides to easily lift the brownies out later. Then preheat your oven to 350 F (180 C).
- Sift the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and fine sea salt into a medium bowl. Sifting ensures a smooth batter and prevents lumps. Set this dry mixture aside.1 cup + 1 tablespoon (133 g) all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoon (16 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar, large eggs, large egg yolk, vanilla extract, and gel red food coloring. Whisk on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light in color, fluffy, and noticeably thickened. This creates the signature shiny, crackly brownie top.1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar, 3 (150 g) large eggs, 1 (14 g) large egg yolk, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon gel red food coloring
- With the mixer running on low speed, add the white vinegar. Then, slowly stream in the melted unsalted butter. Mix until the butter is just combined and no streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix.12 tablespoon (168 g) unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the sifted dry ingredients into the wet batter until just combined. Again, avoid overmixing to keep your brownies fudgy.
- Pour the beautiful red velvet brownie batter into your prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out covered in moist crumbs. A perfect fudgy brownie will still look slightly underbaked in the very center. (In my kitchen, 27-28 minutes is typically perfect for a truly fudgy result!)
- Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This is crucial for them to set properly and for clean cutting.
- While the brownies are cooling, prepare your luscious cream cheese glaze.
- In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is completely smooth and lump-free.1 1/2 oz cream cheese, 3 tablespoon (20 g) powdered sugar
- Then, whisk in the whole milk and clear vanilla extract (or regular vanilla) a tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches a thick, pipeable consistency that holds its shape. You may need slightly more or less milk depending on your desired thickness.1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla extract, 2-3 tablespoon whole milk
- Once the brownies are completely cool, lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Cut them into 16 even squares. Transfer the cream cheese glaze to a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (or simply snip a corner off a Ziploc bag) and pipe it artfully over one corner of each brownie.
- Finish with festive red heart sprinkles if desired, and enjoy your stunning and delicious homemade red velvet brownies!
Notes
Storage and Freezing Tips
Storage: To maintain their freshness and fudgy texture, store any leftover red velvet brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. For extended freshness, especially with the cream cheese glaze, storing them in the refrigerator is recommended for up to a week. Just bring them to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving for the best texture and flavor. Freezer: These red velvet brownies freeze beautifully, making them perfect for meal prepping desserts or saving some for later! Cut the baked and cooled brownies into individual servings. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, ensuring it’s tightly sealed to prevent freezer burn. Then, transfer the wrapped brownies to a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to one month. You can freeze them with or without the cream cheese icing. To thaw, simply take them out of the freezer and let them come to room temperature on your countertop for a few hours, or warm gently in the microwave for a few seconds if you prefer them warm.The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.