Red Velvet Brownies

Red Velvet Brownies are rich, fudgy, and absolutely irresistible! They combine the classic charm of red velvet cake with the dense, chocolatey goodness of brownies, all swirled with tangy cream cheese that melts in your mouth. These beauties are simple to make, stunning to look at, and guaranteed to become a family favorite.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Stunning presentation — That vibrant red color and elegant cream cheese swirl makes these look bakery-worthy without any fancy skills
• Perfect texture — Fudgy, moist brownies meet creamy, tangy cheesecake in one decadent bite
• Easy enough for beginners — Simple pantry ingredients and straightforward steps mean anyone can make these beauties
• Crowd-pleaser guaranteed — The classic red velvet flavor appeals to all ages, from little ones to grandparents
• Make-ahead friendly — These actually taste even better the next day, making them perfect for parties and potlucks

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Ingredients You’ll Need

Red Velvet Brownies (Base)

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (use high-quality for deeper flavor)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature (this helps everything blend smoothly)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1–2 teaspoons red food coloring (gel works best for vibrant color)
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice (helps set that gorgeous red hue)

Cream Cheese Swirl

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (leave it out for 30 minutes before starting)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional Add-Ins

• White chocolate chips (½ cup) (adds extra sweetness and texture)
• Mini chocolate chips (½ cup)
• Chopped nuts (¼–½ cup) (pecans or walnuts work beautifully)

Why These Ingredients Work

The cocoa powder and red food coloring create that signature red velvet flavor—not quite chocolate, not quite vanilla, but something wonderfully in between. The cocoa gives depth without overpowering.

Melted butter creates that dense, fudgy texture that’s the hallmark of a perfect brownie. It keeps these moist and tender, never cakey or dry.

Room temperature eggs blend more easily into the batter, creating a smooth, even texture throughout.

The white vinegar or lemon juice might seem odd, but it’s the secret ingredient that reacts with the cocoa and helps maintain that vibrant red color during baking. It also adds a subtle tang that enhances the overall flavor.

The cream cheese swirl is where magic happens. Tangy, rich, and slightly sweet, it cuts through the chocolate richness and adds a cheesecake-like layer. When you swirl it through the batter, you get those beautiful marbled patterns that make these brownies look as good as they taste.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• 9×13-inch baking pan — the perfect size for thick, beautiful brownies
• Parchment paper — makes cleanup easy and helps brownies lift out cleanly
• Large mixing bowls (at least 2) — one for dry, one for wet ingredients
• Whisk — for blending the batter smoothly
• Electric mixer or hand mixer — makes the cream cheese layer silky smooth
• Rubber spatula — for folding and spreading batter
• Butter knife or skewer — for creating those pretty swirls
• Toothpick — for testing doneness

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and give it time to come to temperature while you prepare the batter. Line your 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides so you can easily lift the brownies out later. If you don’t have parchment, a light greasing with butter or cooking spray works too.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder until everything is evenly distributed. This ensures you won’t have any pockets of flour or cocoa in your final brownies. Set this bowl aside—you’ll add it to the wet ingredients soon.

Step 3: Combine Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is smooth and well combined. It should look glossy and thick. This is the foundation of your brownie batter, so take a moment to really mix it well.

Step 4: Add Eggs and Flavorings

Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. This helps create a smooth, emulsified batter. Then stir in the vanilla extract, red food coloring, and vinegar or lemon juice. Mix until the color is evenly distributed and the batter looks beautiful and red.

Step 5: Incorporate Dry Ingredients

Gradually add your dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined. Don’t overmix here—stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing can make your brownies tough instead of tender. If you’re adding chocolate chips or nuts, fold them in now with a gentle hand.

Step 6: Make the Cream Cheese Swirl

In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, then beat again until the mixture is silky and streak-free. This should only take a minute or two.

Step 7: Layer the Batter

Pour about two-thirds of your red velvet batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. Now comes the fun part! Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture all over the top of the brownie batter, spacing them out evenly.

Step 8: Create the Swirl

Drop the remaining red velvet batter in small spoonfuls over the cream cheese layer. Don’t worry about covering it completely—the gaps are where the magic happens! Take a butter knife or skewer and gently swirl it through the layers, creating beautiful marble patterns. Use a light touch and don’t overmix—you want distinct swirls, not a muddy blend.

Step 9: Bake to Perfection

Slide your pan into the preheated oven and bake for 30–35 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the edges are set and pulling slightly away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. It shouldn’t come out wet, but it shouldn’t be completely clean either.

Step 10: Cool Completely

This is the hardest step because these brownies smell absolutely heavenly, but let them cool completely in the pan. This can take an hour or more, but it’s worth the wait. As they cool, they’ll set up properly, making them much easier to slice cleanly. For extra-neat cuts, you can even chill them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before slicing.

You Must Know

The single most important thing about these brownies is letting them cool completely before cutting. I know it’s tempting to dive in while they’re warm, but trust me—warm cream cheese will smear and your beautiful swirls will turn into a mess. Cool brownies slice like a dream.

Personal Secret: Use gel food coloring instead of liquid. Liquid food coloring can water down your batter and you’ll need so much of it to get that vibrant red that it can affect the flavor. Gel coloring is concentrated, so just a teaspoon or two gives you that stunning, bakery-worthy red color without changing the texture or taste.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• For the most vibrant red color, add your food coloring gradually and mix thoroughly before deciding if you need more—the color will look darker in the batter than in the finished brownies
• Room temperature eggs blend more smoothly into the batter—take them out of the fridge 20 minutes before you start, or place them in warm water for 5 minutes
• Line your pan with parchment paper and leave overhang on two sides—you can lift the entire brownie slab out for perfect, clean cuts
• Don’t overbake! These brownies continue cooking slightly as they cool, so pull them when they’re still slightly underdone in the center
• Chill before cutting for the cleanest slices—refrigerate for 30 minutes, then use a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts
• The vinegar matters—it reacts with the baking powder and cocoa to enhance both rise and color, so don’t skip it
• Avoid overmixing the swirl—two or three gentle passes with your knife is plenty; too much mixing creates a muddy look instead of pretty marbling
• For thicker brownies, use a 9×9-inch pan instead and increase baking time by 5–10 minutes

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Try adding a teaspoon of espresso powder to the dry ingredients for a deeper, more complex chocolate flavor—it won’t taste like coffee, but it makes the chocolate notes sing. You can also add a quarter teaspoon of almond extract along with the vanilla for a more sophisticated flavor profile.

For a fun twist, fold mini white chocolate chips into the cream cheese mixture before swirling—they add little pockets of sweetness throughout. Or sprinkle the top with white chocolate chips before baking for a melted, decorative finish. If you love nuts, toasted pecans or walnuts add wonderful crunch and pair beautifully with the tangy cream cheese.

Feeling adventurous? Make these into red velvet cheesecake brownies by doubling the cream cheese layer and using a full 16 ounces of cream cheese instead of 8. You’ll get a thicker cheesecake layer that’s absolutely divine. Just add an extra 5 minutes to the baking time.

For holidays, you can tint the cream cheese swirl with a drop of green food coloring for Christmas, or leave it white and add red, white, and blue sprinkles on top for the Fourth of July. These brownies are so versatile and beautiful that they work for any celebration!

Make-Ahead Options

These brownies are actually one of my favorite make-ahead desserts because they taste even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to meld together. You can bake them up to two days in advance, let them cool completely, then cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store at room temperature.

If you want to prep even further ahead, you can make the brownie batter and cream cheese mixture separately, store them covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, then assemble and bake when you’re ready. Just let both mixtures come to room temperature for about 15 minutes before assembling.

These brownies also freeze beautifully! Once they’re completely cooled and cut into squares, wrap each brownie individually in plastic wrap, then place them all in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. They’ll keep for up to three months in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let them thaw at room temperature for an hour or two.

What to Serve With Red Velvet Brownies

These brownies are rich and decadent on their own, but they’re absolutely heavenly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over the top. The cold, creamy ice cream against the fudgy brownie is pure bliss. For an even fancier presentation, add a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

A steaming cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk is the perfect companion—the drink helps cut through the richness and makes each bite even more enjoyable. For holiday gatherings, serve these alongside other classic desserts like sugar cookies or pumpkin pie for a beautiful dessert spread.

If you’re hosting a brunch or afternoon tea, these brownies pair wonderfully with fresh berries—strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries add a bright, fresh contrast to the rich chocolate and cream cheese. You could even make a simple berry compote to spoon over the top for an elegant touch.

Allergy Information

These Red Velvet Brownies contain several common allergens including dairy (butter, cream cheese), eggs, and gluten (all-purpose flour). For those with dairy sensitivities, you can substitute the butter with an equal amount of coconut oil or dairy-free butter alternative, and use dairy-free cream cheese—just make sure it’s a brick-style cream cheese, not a spreadable version.

If you need a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. Make sure it contains xanthan gum or add a half teaspoon yourself to help bind everything together. For egg allergies, you can try replacing each egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes).

The recipe does contain cocoa powder, so it’s not suitable for those with chocolate allergies. The food coloring is optional if anyone has sensitivities to dyes—the brownies will simply look more like traditional chocolate brownies but will still taste delicious.

Storage & Reheating

Store your Red Velvet Brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I actually prefer them chilled straight from the fridge—the cream cheese layer becomes extra firm and the texture is wonderfully dense and fudgy.

To reheat individual brownies, microwave them for 10–15 seconds until just warmed through. Be careful not to overheat or the cream cheese will get too soft. For a real treat, warm them slightly and top with ice cream for that perfect warm-and-cold contrast.

If you’ve frozen your brownies, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for 1–2 hours. For the best texture, I recommend enjoying them at room temperature or slightly chilled rather than reheating from frozen.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use Dutch-process cocoa instead of natural cocoa powder?

You can, and it will give you a darker, more intense chocolate flavor with a smoother taste. However, natural cocoa powder is slightly acidic and reacts better with the vinegar and baking powder in this recipe, which helps with both the rise and the red color. If you use Dutch-process, your brownies might be a bit darker in color but will still taste delicious!

Why did my brownies turn out more brown than red?

This usually happens when too much cocoa powder is used, the food coloring wasn’t strong enough, or the brownies were overbaked. Make sure you’re using gel food coloring rather than liquid for the most vibrant color, and measure your cocoa carefully. Also, baking at too high a temperature or for too long can darken the color—pull them from the oven when they’re just set.

My cream cheese swirl sank to the bottom—what went wrong?

This can happen if the brownie batter is too thin or if the cream cheese mixture is too heavy. Make sure you’re using brick-style cream cheese, not whipped or spreadable varieties. Also, don’t add extra liquid to either mixture. The key is to dollop the cream cheese on top of the majority of the brownie batter, then add just small spoonfuls of batter on top before swirling.

Can I make these in a smaller pan for thicker brownies?

Absolutely! Use a 9×9-inch square pan instead of the 9×13-inch pan. You’ll get thicker, more indulgent brownies, but you’ll need to increase the baking time to 35–40 minutes. Check them with a toothpick starting at 35 minutes—you want moist crumbs, not wet batter.

How do I know when they’re done baking?

The edges should be set and pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan. A toothpick inserted about 2 inches from the edge should come out with a few moist crumbs—not wet batter, but not completely clean either. The center might look slightly underdone, but it will continue to set as it cools.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how your Red Velvet Brownies turned out, and if you tried any fun variations.