These fudgy, chewy Red Velvet Brownies are rich with dark chocolate, studded with chocolate chips, and finished with a sprinkle of sea salt. I first made these on a rainy Saturday when I wanted something sweet but didn't feel like fussing with frosting or fancy layers. They turned out so soft and decadent that my neighbor Charlotte knocked on my door the next day asking for the recipe. They come together with simple pantry ingredients and bake in just 16 minutes.
If you're craving something festive and chocolatey without a lot of effort, these brownie bars deliver bakery-style results right at home. For more easy dessert ideas, try my Garlic Butter Baked Chicken Breast or Mongolian Ground Beef Noodles for a savory dinner pairing, and don't miss my Crispy Ground Beef Tacos if you're feeding a crowd.
Why You will Love This Red Velvet Brownies
You'll love these red velvet brownies because they're incredibly simple to make and use ingredients you probably already have. There's no need for a mixer to cream butter or complicated steps. The brownies bake up fudgy and rich, with pockets of melted chocolate chips throughout. They're festive enough for Valentine's Day or Christmas but easy enough to whip up any time you need a chocolate fix. Plus, they slice cleanly after chilling, making them perfect for sharing or packing into lunchboxes.
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Red Velvet Brownies Ingredients
Here's everything you'll need to make these fudgy brownies.
See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredient Quantities
- Unsalted butter: Melted butter adds richness and helps create that soft, fudgy texture. Make sure it's cooled before mixing so it doesn't scramble the eggs.
- Dark cooking chocolate: This melts into the batter and adds deep chocolate flavor. You can use any dark chocolate you have on hand.
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the brownies and gives them structure without making them cakey.
- Cocoa powder: Just a tablespoon adds a subtle chocolate boost without overpowering the red velvet flavor.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the chocolate flavor.
- Baking powder: Gives the brownies a slight lift so they're not too dense.
- Dark chocolate chips: Scattered throughout for pockets of melted chocolate. Save some to sprinkle on top right after baking.
- Egg and egg yolks: The whole egg and extra yolks create a rich, fudgy crumb. Room-temperature eggs mix more smoothly.
- Caster sugar: Superfine sugar dissolves easily and sweetens the brownies perfectly.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Liquid red food coloring: Gives the brownies their signature red velvet color. Gel coloring works too, but liquid is easier to mix.
- Sea salt: A sprinkle on top adds a sweet-salty contrast that makes these brownies even more addictive.
How to make Red Velvet Brownies
Follow these steps for perfect fudgy brownies every time.
- Preheat and prep: Preheat your fan-forced oven to 170°C (350°F) or 190°C (375°F) for non-fan ovens. Spray your baking tin with oil and line the bottom with baking paper.
- Melt chocolate and butter: Combine the dark cooking chocolate and melted butter in a heatproof bowl. Microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring after each one, until smooth. You can also use a double boiler. Let the mixture cool until it's just warm to the touch.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Stir in most of the chocolate chips, saving some for topping later. The flour coating helps keep them from sinking.
- Whisk eggs and sugar: In a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), combine the egg, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk for about 3 minutes until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and tripled in size. It should look thick and mousse-like.
- Combine chocolate and eggs: Add the cooled chocolate-butter mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth and combined. Mix in the red food coloring until the batter is evenly colored.
- Fold in dry ingredients: Use a spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir just until a smooth dough forms. Don't overmix or the brownies will be tough.
- Bake: Pour the batter into your prepared tin and spread it evenly. Bake on the middle rack for 16 minutes. The edges should look set and the center will appear slightly soft.
- Top and cool: As soon as you pull the brownies from the oven, sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips and sea salt flakes on top. Let them cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.
- Slice and serve: Use a large, sharp knife to cut the brownies into 9 bars. Wipe the knife between cuts for clean edges.
Substitutions and Variations
If you don't have dark chocolate, semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips work just fine. You can swap the caster sugar for regular granulated sugar if that's what you have. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. If you want to skip the Red Velvet Brownies food coloring, the brownies will still taste amazing but won't have that signature red velvet look. You can also add a handful of chopped nuts or white chocolate chips for extra flavor.
Equipment
You don't need much to make these brownies.
A 20 cm x 20 cm (8 x 8-inch) baking tin is essential, along with baking paper and oil spray to prevent sticking.
You'll need a heatproof bowl and either a microwave or double boiler to melt the chocolate.
A stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand mixer makes whisking the eggs easier, but you can also do it by hand if you don't mind a little arm workout.
Grab a whisk, spatula, cooling rack, and a sharp knife for slicing.
Storage Tips
Store your red velvet brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want them to stay extra fudgy, keep them in the fridge. They also freeze beautifully for up to 3 months. Just wrap individual bars in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw at room temperature or warm them in the microwave for a few seconds for that fresh-baked taste.
Serving Suggestions
These brownies are perfect on their own, but you can also serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries makes them feel fancy without much effort. They're great with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of coffee. For a fun twist, crumble a brownie over yogurt or layer it in a parfait with cream cheese frosting.
Expert Tips
Don't skip the chilling step. Refrigerating the brownies for at least an hour makes them firm up and slice cleanly. Use room-temperature eggs so they blend smoothly and create a fluffy texture when whisked. Measure your ingredients by weight if possible for the most consistent results. If your brownies look underdone in the center when you pull them out, that's normal. They'll firm up as they cool. And always sprinkle the chocolate chips and sea salt on top right after baking while the surface is still hot so they stick.
FAQ
They taste rich and fudgy with a subtle cocoa flavor, similar to red velvet cake but denser and more chocolatey. The texture is chewy and the flavor is sweet with a hint of vanilla.
Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder and a tablespoon of red food coloring to your favorite brownie mix. You can also stir in a teaspoon of vanilla extract for extra flavor.
It's a fudgy brownie made with cocoa powder, red food coloring, and chocolate chips. It has the flavor profile of red velvet cake but the dense, chewy texture of a brownie.
Red velvet has a mild chocolate flavor with a hint of tanginess from buttermilk or vinegar in traditional recipes. It's not as intensely chocolatey as a regular chocolate cake, and the cocoa flavor is more subtle and smooth.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Red Velvet Brownies
Red Velvet Brownies
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat a fan-forced oven to 170°C / 350°F (or 190°C / 375°F for conventional oven). Grease and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Place the chocolate and melted butter in a heatproof bowl and gently melt until smooth. Microwave: 20-second intervals, stirring between. Double boiler: place over gently simmering water without touching the water. Allow to cool until warm.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Stir in most of the chocolate chips, reserving some for topping. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the egg, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla for about 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Gradually add the slightly cooled chocolate and butter mixture to the eggs and whisk until combined. Mix in the red food coloring until evenly distributed.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture gently with a spatula until a smooth batter forms.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake in the oven for 16 minutes on the middle rack until set but still slightly soft in the center.
- Immediately after removing from oven, sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chips and a pinch of sea salt. Allow to cool completely at room temperature, then chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
- Cut into 9 bars with a sharp knife and serve.
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