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Red Velvet Brownies

Red velvet brownies with a fudgy, cocoa base and a tangy cream cheese swirl baked through the center. Melted butter and red food coloring create a vivid, tender crumb that stays set in the middle.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For red velvet brownies
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2.5 tbsp red food coloring use 2–3 tbsp
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.333 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp white vinegar
  • 0.5 tsp salt
For cream cheese swirl
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 0.25 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the red velvet base
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment so the brownies lift out easily after baking.
  2. Whisk melted butter and granulated sugar together until glossy. Add eggs, vanilla, and red food coloring and whisk until the batter turns deep red.
  3. Fold in all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, white vinegar, and salt just until no dry streaks remain. The batter should look thick and smooth.
  4. Spread the red velvet batter evenly in the prepared pan. Tap the pan lightly so the surface settles into a flat layer.
Add swirl and bake
  1. Beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Dollop the swirl mixture over the batter in small spoonfuls.
  2. Swirl the cream cheese into the red batter with a knife or skewer. Make visible red-and-cream ribbons across the top.
  3. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350F until the center is set and the edges look slightly firm. The top should appear matte and not wet.
  4. Cool completely before cutting. When fully cooled, slice cleanly for fudgy squares with distinct red interior and cream swirls.

Notes

For the cleanest slices, cool until the brownies are completely room temperature before cutting. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze baked brownies up to 2 months. For a simpler dietary swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend to keep the same fudgy texture.