Description
Crafting Red Velvet Brownies brings pure joy to your baking adventure, delivering a rich chocolate experience with a gorgeous crimson twist. These brownies blend classic comfort with elegant Southern charm, creating a delectable treat perfect for your dessert table.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar
Secondary Ingredients:
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Swirl:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare your 9×13-inch baking dish. Line the pan with parchment paper, creating generous overhangs so you can easily lift out the brownies later.
- Melt 2 sticks (1 cup) of unsalted butter in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in 1 ½ cups granulated sugar and 1 cup packed light brown sugar until thoroughly combined.
- Add 4 large eggs to the butter-sugar mixture. Incorporate 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons red food coloring, stirring until the batter looks vibrant and smooth.
- Sift ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder into the wet ingredients. Stir in 1 teaspoon white vinegar, 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
- In a separate bowl, beat 8 ounces softened cream cheese with ¼ cup granulated sugar. Add 1 egg yolk and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, mixing until the cream cheese swirl is completely smooth.
- Transfer the red velvet brownie batter to the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Drop spoonfuls of cream cheese mixture across the surface.
- Use a knife to create gentle swirls throughout the batter, ensuring a marbled effect without overmixing.
- Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick – it should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Remove from the oven and let the brownies cool completely in the pan. Use the parchment paper to lift the entire batch onto a cutting surface.
- Slice into squares using a clean knife, wiping the blade between cuts for neat edges.
Notes
- Cream cheese swirl adds a tangy richness that balances the sweet chocolate flavor, so don’t skip this step if possible.
- For a deeper red color, use gel food coloring instead of liquid, which provides more intense pigmentation without thinning the batter.
- Ensure ingredients are at room temperature to help them blend smoothly and create a more consistent brownie texture.
- Let brownies cool completely before cutting to prevent crumbling and achieve clean, precise slices.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 321 kcal
- Sugar: 29 g
- Sodium: 123 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 4.5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg