Name: Red Velvet Brownies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup unsalted butter, melted (226g); 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g); ½ teaspoon kosher salt; 2 large eggs; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar; ¼-½ teaspoon red gel food coloring*; ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (20g); 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g); 1 ounce cream cheese (28g); 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature (14g); ½ cup confectioners' sugar (60g)

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Red Velvet Brownies

January 22, 2023 by Tasia 6 Comments

Fudgy, EASY red velvet brownies! This homemade brownie recipe makes the best, chewy and indulgent brownies. Made with cocoa powder and drizzled with a simple cream cheese icing.

Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Want to know a secret?

Chocolate isn't my favorite. Often times it's too overwhelming for me, which is why red velvet is a flavor I adore. I know, I know; people have all kinds of opinions about red velvet! But I personally think it's great for Valentine's Day or Christmas or just because.

If red velvet is your thing; try my red velvet sugar cookies or pink velvet cake.

If rich, fudgy, chocolatey brownies are more your thing; try one bowl brownies, funfetti brownies or Irish cream brownies.

why you will love this from scratch brownie recipe

One bowl ~ #winning with less dishes to wash!
Easy ~ it takes about 10 minutes to prep the brownies and get them in the oven.
Texture ~ the brownies bake up thick with a soft, chewy and fudgy bite.

what do red velvet brownies taste like?

Red velvet brownies are made with cocoa powder, a decent amount of vanilla and some red food coloring. They are not as rich as a chocolate brownie, but have a light chocolate taste.

Big E has been calling them "red-ies". She says if we call chocolate brownies "brownies", then "red-ies" is what this version should be!

ingredient notes

Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.

Unsalted butter ~ melt with your preferred method. If you only have salted butter, leave the kosher salt out.
Granulated sugar ~ brings sweetness and structure to the easy brownies.
Kosher salt ~ balances all the flavors. Use half the amount if using table salt.
Eggs ~ 2 large eggs are needed and add structure to the brownies. It's ideal if they are room temperature.
Food coloring ~ I use gel coloring and specifically like the Chefmaster Super Red for this recipe. The gel coloring is more concentrated so you use less of it. {you can use no food coloring, if you choose. The brownies just won't be red.}
Vanilla ~ adds flavor. If you can afford it, a pure vanilla extract is best.
All-purpose flour ~ provides structure. I haven't tested this with a 1 to 1 gluten free flour, but suspect it will work. Let me know if you try it!
Unsweetened cocoa powder ~ I typically use Scharffen Berger Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder, but Hershey's {I buy mine at Target} is also a good option.
White vinegar ~ gives the brownies a slight red velvet tang. If you would rather have no vinegar; just leave it out.

how to make one bowl brownies

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.

In a medium to large bowl, whisk granulated sugar into the melted butter until well combined.

Then whisk in the kosher salt, eggs, vanilla, white vinegar and red gel food coloring, making sure everything is very well combined.

melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and red gel coloring in a mixing bowl — Add the eggs, vanilla and red food coloring to the whisked butter and sugar.

wet ingredients whisked together in a bowl — Whisk until it's all nicely combined.

Next, add the cocoa powder and all-purpose flour. Give it a little mix together and then stir the dry ingredients in until just combined.

Drop or pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan. Smooth with an off-set spatula or spatula, if needed and bake.

red velvet brownie batter in a mixing bowl — The finished homemade red velvet brownie batter.

red velvet brownie batter in a baking pan — The batter is thick; use an off-set spatula or spatula to smooth it in the baking pan.

Allow the brownies to cool completely before frosting. They can be moved to the refrigerator to cool once the pan is cool enough for you to pick up with bare hands.

red velvet brownies with a bowl of cream cheese icing

how do you know when brownies are done baking?

The top will be firm and beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan. A toothpick test may still have a little wet batter. If you would like a gooey center {like these cookie butter brownies}; bake the red velvet brownies for 25 minutes. For a fudgy doneness like the photos in this post; go closer to 30 minutes.

For most brownie recipes use the "toothpick test";

If the toothpick still has thick batter on it, the brownies are not done.
When the toothpick comes out clean, it means the brownies are over baked.
If the toothpick comes out with some moist crumbs, they are done!

Remember to pin this recipe to Pinterest! Use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of this page.

tips for the best homemade brownies

Don't over bake the red velvet brownies! No one likes a dry brownie. It's better to air on the side of less done than over done. The brownies will firm up and continue to cook as they cool. This is how you will get a fudgy and chewy brownie.
Remember your oven is different than mine and the baking time may be slightly different. I use this oven thermometer to ensure my oven is at the temperature I think it is.
For less dishes to wash, use a food scale and skip the measuring cups! This is the scale that I use and love.
If you need to speed up the cooling process, once the brownies have cooled enough that you can pick up the pan with your bare hands, place the brownies in the refrigerator to cool completely.
For the cleanest looking cuts, chill the brownies first. Pull the brownies out of the pan with the parchment paper and set them on a solid surface. Then use a sharp knife and wipe it clean between each cut.

red velvet brownies on parchment paper showing inside texture

variations and serving ideas

White chocolate version ~ add a half cup of white chocolate chips to the batter before baking. I would toss them with a little of the flour before mixing them in. This helps prevent them from all sinking to the bottom.
Dark chocolate version ~ add a half cup of semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips to the batter.
Replace the cream cheese icing with a white chocolate drizzle. Melt about 2 ounces of white chocolate and drizzle it over the cooled red velvet brownies.
Double or triple the cream cheese icing to give more of a frosting look.
They'd be super cute for Valentine's Day cut into heart shapes!
Serve with a scoop of vanilla or your favorite ice cream.
Use the brownies for the base of a brownie sundae.

storage instructions

Red velvet brownies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Remember to snap a picture and tag me @twosugarbugs on Instagram if you make these Red Velvet Brownies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

more brownie recipes to try

Shortbread Brownies
Cookie Butter Brownies
Peanut Butter Caramel Pretzel Brownies
White Chocolate Brownies
Double Chocolate Oat Bottom Brownies
Funfetti Brownies

If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!

Yield: 16 brownies

Red Velvet Brownies

This EASY homemade red velvet brownie recipe makes the best, gooey and indulgent brownies. Made with cocoa powder and drizzled with a simple cream cheese icing.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Bake Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

brownies

1 cup unsalted butter, melted (226g)
1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons white vinegar
¼-½ teaspoon red gel food coloring*
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (20g)
2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)

cream cheese icing

1 ounce cream cheese (28g)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature (14g)
½ cup confectioners' sugar (60g)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
In a medium to large bowl, whisk granulated sugar (1 ½ cups/300g) into the melted butter (1 cup/226g). Whisk until well combined. Then whisk in the kosher salt (½ teaspoon), eggs (2 large), vanilla (2 teaspoons), white vinegar (1 ½ teaspoons) and red gel food coloring (¼-½ teaspoon), making sure everything is very well combined.
Next, add the cocoa powder (¼ cup/20g) and all-purpose flour (2 cups/250g). Give it a little mix together and then stir the dry ingredients in until just combined.
Drop or pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan. Smooth with an off-set spatula or spatula, if needed.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. The top will be firm and beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan. A toothpick test may still have a little wet batter. (for a gooey center, stop at 25 minutes)
Allow the brownies to cool completely before frosting. They can be moved to the refrigerator to cool once the pan is cool enough for you to pick up with bare hands.
To make the cream cheese frosting: combine the cream cheese (1 ounce/28g) and butter (1 tablespoon/14g) in a small-medium bowl with a spoon. Once well combined, stir in the confectioners' sugar (60g). The mixture will be thick and takes a little stirring to bring it all together. Then lightly warm the mixture over a small pot of simmering water (or in the microwave) until it reaches a consistency where you can drizzle it.
Use a spoon or small zip-top bag with the corner snipped off to drizzle the cream cheese icing over the cooled brownies.

Notes

*Use as much or as little food coloring to get the red velvet brownies the color you would like them. If using liquid food coloring, you will need more coloring than with a gel. Food coloring can also be eliminated if you don't want red brownies.

If you would like more than a drizzle of cream cheese icing; feel free to double or triple the recipe for it.

If you would like to add white chocolate chips or chocolate chips to the batter ~ toss a half cup of chocolate chips with a few tablespoons of the flour before gently mixing them in.

Brownies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 273Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 56mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 1gSugar: 22gProtein: 3g

The nutrition information is an estimate and may not be entirely accurate.

Raspberry Crumble Cookies

January 15, 2023 by Tasia 4 Comments

Raspberry crumble cookies have a buttery, eggless shortbread crust with a sweet raspberry jam filling and a crumble topping. The recipe is easy to make and the cookies taste like a sweet jam tart.

stack of raspberry crumble cookies with a glass of milk

Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mmmmm buttery shortbread and sweet raspberry jam. A perfect flavor combo if you ask me. These raspberry crumble cookies are a lot like the wildly popular Kirkland cookies that you can buy at Costco.

This cookie recipe is similar to my coconut jam thumbprint cookies. Or if you are looking for other shortbread inspired recipes; try dark chocolate cherry shortbread or caramel and brown sugar shortbread. If you want more of an oatmeal jam bar try my berry crumble bars.

why you will love this easy cookie recipe

Simple ingredients ~ you only need seven ingredients to make these cookies. Eight if you dust them with confectioners' sugar after baking. And I bet you've got them all! No eggs needed!
Texture ~ a buttery, soft, yet crumbly shortbread cookie.
Petite size ~ they are thinner and smaller than the Costco version. This means they don't pack the same calorie count as the giant Costco cookies!

raspberry crumble cookies sitting on a plate

ingredients needed

Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.

All-purpose flour ~ If not using a kitchen scale, be sure to fluff the flour in the container; then spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with a flat surface.
Granulated sugar ~ use your favorite brand.
Kosher salt ~ just a touch to balance the sweetness. If you only have table salt, start with half the amount.
Unsalted butter ~ the butter is a prominent flavor in this cookie recipe; so if you can afford it, this is a time to splurge on a European style butter. Plugrá and Kerrygold are two of my favorites. If you only have salted butter, eliminate the kosher salt.
Vanilla and almond extracts ~ pure vanilla extract brings a hint of flavor. The almond extract also provides a lovely flavor. If you don't like almond extract or don't have it, just use vanilla in it's place.
Raspberry jam ~ the sweetness of the jam you use will determine how sweet the final cookie is. If you prefer a seedless jam filling, go for it. You can also use whatever flavor of jam you choose. I did one test round with a homemade blackberry jelly and it was delicious. Although not all homemade jams and jellies are equal, so I would use a little less jam filling as it can spread more.
Confectioners' sugar {not shown} ~ used for dusting over the cooled cookies.

how to make raspberry crumble cookies

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour, kosher salt and sugar on low until combined. Add the small cubes of cold, unsalted butter and mix on low for 1 minute.

cubes of butter added to dry ingredients in a mixing bowl — Use cold butter, cut into small cubes.

flour, sugar, salt and butter roughly mixed in a mixing bowl — The butter after it has been mixed with the dry ingredients for 1 minute.

Then add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix on low another 2-3 minutes. The dough will be very crumbly at this point and not actually look like a cookie dough at all.

Now use your {clean} hands to grab the dough and clump it together. You are not going for a fully cohesive dough, but you should have a mixture of larger and smaller clumps of dough.

shortbread cookie dough in mixing bowl — The shortbread cookie dough after the extracts have been added and you've "clumped" the dough together.

Line three baking pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Then take a round cookie cutter {I used a 2 ¼ inch cutter for my cookies} and place it on the baking sheet. Place about 2 tablespoons of the crumbly dough into the cookie cutter and press it together to make the cookie shape. Press down more in the middle so you have a slight edge to each cookie.

tablespoon of raspberry crumble cookie dough sitting on a baking pan — Don't pack the dough into the measuring spoon, just lightly scoop 2 tablespoons.

hand pressing shortbread cookie dough into a cookie cutter — Use firm pressure to press the crumbly dough into a cookie base in the cookie mold.

Then gently remove the cookie cutter leaving the cookie intact on the baking sheet. Now place a teaspoon of raspberry jam in the middle of each cookie base. Top with additional crumbly cookie dough. Then place the prepared cookies in the refrigerator while you preheat the oven.

shortbread cookie base on baking sheet; some with jam and crumble

Once the oven has preheated, take the chilled cookies out of the refrigerator and bake. After they have cooled, dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.

cookies on a cooling rack with milk and confectioners' sugar

how do you get perfectly round cookies?

Many copycat recipes for Costco raspberry crumble cookies use a muffin pan. In my opinion, the ratio of shortbread cookie to jam filling is too much cookie to jam using that method.

That is why I used a biscuit or cookie cutter round for a mold. Then I use the "cookie scoot" method once the cookies are baked. I actually scoot the cookies twice in this recipe, but it's a completely optional step. The cookie edges will not be as perfectly round without scooting them.

can I make different flavors of crumble cookies?

Absolutely! Raspberry jam is a staple at the two sugar bugs house, but use your favorite. Strawberry or mixed berry would both be delicious. Of course they will no longer be raspberry crumble cookies! 😉

I did test this recipe with a homemade blackberry jelly. It worked beautifully as well. Just remember not all homemade jams and jellies are the same and they may spread more when baked.

hand grabbing a raspberry crumble cookie off a plate

tips for the best Costco copycat cookies

Use cold butter, cut in small cubes. This recipe is a time to splurge on a premium butter if you can afford it.
Press the dough firmly into the cookie cutter mold and use gentle pressure to lift the cutter away.
Use a larger diameter biscuit cutter to "scoot" the baked cookies into a perfectly round shape. See the video in this post for a tutorial.
Add a little cornstarch to the confectioners' sugar for dusting over the cooled cookies. This will help to prevent the sugar from melting into the cookie.

how to store

Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

The baked cookies also freeze well for up to 3 months.

raspberry crumble cookies on a parchment lined cooling rack

Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make these Raspberry Crumble Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!

more berry desserts to try

Yield: 26 cookies*