Homemade red velvet brownies are decadent and fudgy and swirled with a sweet and tangy cream cheese mixture. This easy, made-from-scratch recipe turns out super moist and chewy. And, the bright red brownies are sweet and perfect for Valentine's Day!
Red velvet cheesecake brownies have all the delicious flavors of traditional red velvet cake. They are made with oil to make them extra moist, red food coloring to give them that iconic color, and a little bit of cocoa powder and white vinegar to give them that distinct flavor. And, instead of getting topped with cream cheese icing, the brownie batter gets swirled with a rich cheesecake filling.
Bring these to any event, and they will be the first treats to get grabbed off the sweet table, like all fudgy brownies! Because of their gorgeous red color, they are great to give to your special Valentine, but are also great any time of year!
For more Valentine's Day recipes, try:
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Red velvet - Red velvet is such a popular cake flavor (and for good reason!), and this brownie version does not disappoint! Rich, fudgy, and little bit chocolatey, they taste like an even more decadent version of red velvet cake.
Cheesecake swirl - Cream cheese gets mixed with sugar and vanilla to create a sweet and tangy cheesecake swirl in these brownies. It adds richness and a slightly different texture to these delicious brownies.
Handheld - Unlike red velvet cake, you can eat this brownie version without a fork making them great for so many different occasions. I love to serve them in cupcake liners so they are easy to pick up and enjoy.
Ingredients
- Cocoa powder. Either natural or dutch processed cocoa powder can be used in this recipe.
- Butter. Unsalted, melted butter is used for both flavor and fudge factor.
- Oil. Neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil is used to keep the brownies moist.
- Eggs. Room temperature eggs are used in both the red velvet brownie batter and the cream cheese mixture.
- Vinegar. White vinegar (or apple cider vinegar) is added for that classic, tangy red velvet flavor.
- Cream cheese. Full-fat, brick-style cream cheese at a very soft room temperature is needed. I love to Use Philadelphia brand for best texture and flavor.
- Red food coloring. Gel food coloring is the best option, as it is very concentrated and you don't need much to achieve a deep color.
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Mix broken-up Oreos into the batter (and place some on top!) for Oreo red velvet brownies.
- Add ¾ cup white chocolate chips for added sweetness.
- Omit the cheesecake swirls and top the cooled brownies with cream cheese frosting.
- Double the recipe and bake brownies in a 9x13 pan for 25-30 minutes, or until the center is almost set (and no longer jiggly).
How to Make This Recipe
One: Mix together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg until very smooth.
Two: Beat the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and red food coloring for 3-5 minutes until fluffy.
Three: Add in the sifted flour and cocoa powder.
Four: Use a rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients until just combined and no lumps remain.
Five: Add ¾ of the batter to a prepared 8x8" pan.
Six: Add dollops of the cream cheese mixture all over (be sure to get the sides).
Seven: Add the remaining quarter of the batter into open spaces.
Eight: Use a butter knife to swirl the batters together, then bake and cool completely.
Hot tip! Don't over-swirl the brownies or else they'll lose that beautiful pattern! Less is more here.
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How to Swirl Brownies
Using the right technique helps get that perfect cheesecake swirl in these brownies. While it might be tempting to swirl and swirl and swirl, less is actually more.
Use a butter knife and move it in circular and figure-8 motions until you start to see a swirl on top of the batter. Go about halfway down into the batter to make sure to incorporate the brownie batter and cheesecake filling.
Expert Tips
- Don't over-measure the flour or the brownies will turn out cakey instead of fudgy. Use a kitchen scale to weigh the flour or the fluff, scoop, and level method.
- Use a metal pan to bake the brownies. If you only have glass, increase the bake time by a few minutes.
- Don't over swirl the brownies or the design and colors will become muted.
- If you prefer cakier brownies, increase the bake time until the center looks fully set.
- Chill the bars completely in the fridge before cutting.
- Wipe off the blade in between each slice for clean cuts using hot water and a paper towel so there is no brownie left on the knife.
Red Velvet Brownies with Box Mix
To make the brownies with box mix, buy a 15.25oz box of red velvet cake mix (any brand is fine). Add two large eggs and ½ cup of vegetable or canola oil and beat until combined.
Follow the remaining instructions for the cheesecake portion, then bake at 350℉ but begin checking for doneness at 30 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
It's a milder chocolate flavor because it has less cocoa than a chocolate cake, and it has a slight tang due to the addition of vinegar reacting with the cocoa powder.
Gel food coloring is the best option because it has the most concentrated color. If using liquid food coloring, it will require a lot more of it and can affect the recipe.
Chewy brownies are dense and taste decadent and almost slightly under-baked. Cakey brownies are a bit lighter and drier, and this can happen because the batter had too much flour or was baked for too long.
It is best to refrigerate these brownies. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Storage
Store the brownies in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To freeze, wrap each piece in plastic wrap, then place them all into a zip-top bag. Freeze for one month. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
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What to Know When Cooking with The Cozy Plum
- All recipes are created with Diamond Crystal kosher salt, the least salty variety of kosher salt. If using Morton's, you'll need to cut the amount of salt in half as it's 2x as salty. This will be the same for sea salt. Please do not use table salt.
- Switch between Cups vs Metric using the toggle on the recipe card. Baking by weight using a digital scale will always produce the most accurate results.
- Scale the recipe using the '1X' '2X' '3X' buttons on the recipe card. Note that this does not make an adjustment for baking times, only quantities.
- If you'd like to make the recipe in a different pan, use the pan size converter.
📖Recipe
Fudgy Red Velvet Brownies with Cream Cheese
Ingredients
Cheesecake Layer
- 8 oz full fat cream cheese very soft room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature, whisked
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Brownie Layer
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder natural or dutch processed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 teaspoons red gel food coloring
- ⅓ cup neutral oil
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons vinegar white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line an 8x8” square pan with parchment paper.
- Add the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl and combine until very smooth. Set aside.8 oz full fat cream cheese, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt and push all lumps through. Set aside.1 cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, eggs, vanilla, food coloring, and neutral oil and whisk vigorously (by hand) or on medium high speed (with a hand mixer) for 3-5 minutes until it gets fluffy.1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, 3 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 1-2 teaspoons red gel food coloring, ⅓ cup neutral oil
- While whisking, drizzle in the melted butter, then add the vinegar.½ cup unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons vinegar
- Add the sifted flour and cocoa powder and fold it into the mixture using a rubber spatula. Don’t over mix.
- Transfer ¾ of the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. Dollop the cream cheese all over, then spoon the remaining batter into the gaps. Use a butter knife to swirl the two batters together. Don’t over-swirl!
- Bake for 35-45 minutes. The edges will look set but the center will still look slightly wobbly (but not sloshy) when the pan is tapped. Cool completely on a wire rack, then transfer to the fridge for 2-3 hours (uncovered).
- Use the parchment paper to remove the brownies from the pan and place onto a cutting board. Cut the bars into 16 squares, then enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Measure the flour with a digital scale, or by using the fluff, scoop, and level method. Adding too much flour will result in very cakey brownies.
- Don’t over-swirl the brownies, or the design and colors will be muted.
- Chill fully before cutting.
- Completely wipe off the knife in between each cut for clean slices.
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Tammy prete says
Loved these brownies! I made the mistake of saving too much batter for the top…. My swirl wasn’t as dramatic! But still yummy!