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Red Velvet Brookies: The Ultimate Fudgy Brownie and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Recipe

Prepare to fall in love with the ultimate dessert fusion: Red Velvet Brookies! These irresistible bars bring together the rich, fudgy texture of red velvet brownies and the classic chewiness of chocolate chip cookies in one glorious bite. Made with simple pantry ingredients, they’re surprisingly easy to prepare and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. Perfect for sharing, celebrations, or simply satisfying that intense craving for something truly decadent, these brookies offer a delightful balance of deep chocolate, subtle tang, and comforting sweetness that will have everyone reaching for more.

Sliced red velvet brookies studded with chocolate chips and sprinkled with large-flake sea salt, showcasing their distinct layers and tempting texture.

Why You’ll Love These Brookies
Essential Ingredients You’ll Need
How to Make Red Velvet Brookies: A Detailed Guide
Expert Tips for Brookie Baking Success
Frequently Asked Questions
More Irresistible Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
Red Velvet Brookies Full Recipe

Forget your average chocolate chip cookie bars; there’s a new star in the dessert galaxy. These aren’t just any brownie cookies; we’ve elevated this popular treat by infusing it with the luxurious flavor of my all-time favorite red velvet brownie batter. This strategic upgrade results in an exceptionally moist, rich, and utterly divine cookie bar that stands out from the rest. The distinct layers—a classic chewy chocolate chip cookie base crowned with a vibrant, fudgy red velvet brownie top—create a symphony of textures and flavors with every bite.

The result is a truly magnificent and totally decadent dessert bar. Enjoy them warm with a tall glass of cold milk, or pair them with a rich cup of coffee for an afternoon indulgence. For an even more luxurious experience, serve these Red Velvet Brookies warm with a generous scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream, allowing the warmth of the brookie to melt the ice cream into a delightful sauce. I personally love mine sprinkled with a touch of large-flake sea salt to perfectly balance the sweetness and enhance the chocolate notes. Alternatively, a delicate dusting of powdered sugar or a luscious drizzle of cream cheese glaze would also be absolutely delicious, adding another layer of flavor and elegance to these already spectacular treats.

Why You’ll Love These Red Velvet Brookies

**A Dream Dessert Mashup:** These brookies offer the best of both worlds, perfectly blending the rich, chocolatey goodness of a red velvet brownie with the soft, chewy comfort of a classic chocolate chip cookie. It’s truly a hybrid dessert masterpiece that satisfies multiple cravings at once, delivering a complex yet harmonious flavor profile.
**Irresistible Texture & Flavor:** Experience the ideal contrast of textures – slightly crisp, golden-brown edges giving way to a wonderfully gooey, moist center. The deep, subtle cocoa flavor of the red velvet marries beautifully with the sweet, vanilla-infused chocolate chip cookie, creating a complex and delightful taste profile that’s both familiar and exciting.
**Simple, Wholesome Ingredients:** Crafted from scratch using common pantry staples like butter, sugar, flour, and cocoa powder, this recipe proves that extraordinary desserts don’t require exotic components. You likely have most of what you need already on hand, making this a convenient and accessible baking project.
**Versatile for Any Occasion:** Whether you’re bringing a show-stopping dessert to a potluck, celebrating a special occasion, looking for an indulgent weeknight treat, or simply craving a satisfying afternoon snack, these Red Velvet Brookies are always a perfect choice. Their appealing look and unforgettable taste make them suitable for any gathering.
**Guaranteed to Impress:** Their striking red and brown layers, beautifully studded with melty chocolate chips, make them visually appealing. Beyond their looks, their incredible taste ensures they’ll be a memorable addition to any dessert spread, earning you rave reviews and requests for the recipe from friends and family alike.

A top-down view of all the essential ingredients laid out for making red velvet brookies, including softened butter, both white and brown sugars, eggs, all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, vibrant red food coloring, and chocolate chips.

Essential Ingredients You’ll Need

Creating these delightful Red Velvet Brookies is surprisingly simple, especially since the recipe relies on common baking ingredients you likely already have in your kitchen. Here’s a closer look at the key components and why they are essential for achieving the perfect texture and flavor:

Butter: For the cookie layer, it’s absolutely vital that your unsalted butter is at room temperature. This allows it to cream effortlessly with the sugars, creating a light and airy base for your cookies, much like when you prepare classic chocolate chip cookies. For the brownie layer, melted butter contributes to that signature rich and fudgy texture.
Sugar (White and Brown): The combination of both white granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar is crucial for achieving the perfect balance of sweetness and moisture in the cookie batter. Brown sugar adds depth of flavor and helps keep the cookies soft and wonderfully chewy, while white sugar provides structure and contributes to those slightly crisp edges.
Vanilla Extract: A staple in almost any dessert recipe, high-quality vanilla extract is a powerful flavor enhancer that ties all the ingredients together, deepening the overall richness and aroma of both the cookie and red velvet layers. For an even more intense flavor, consider preparing your own DIY vanilla extract.
Eggs: Eggs serve as a vital binding agent in both batters, providing essential structure, moisture, and richness. You’ll need three large eggs for the chewy chocolate chip cookie batter and two large eggs for the fudgy red velvet brownie batter, ensuring perfect consistency and a desirable rise in each layer.
All-Purpose Flour: This is the fundamental dry ingredient that forms the backbone of both the cookie and brownie batters. It provides the necessary structure and thickness, ensuring your brookies hold their shape and have that satisfying bite without being too dense or too crumbly.
Baking Powder: As a leavening agent, baking powder is crucial for the cookie layer. It reacts with the other ingredients to produce carbon dioxide, helping the cookies rise slightly and contributing to their soft and airy texture without making them overly cakey.
Chocolate Chips: An absolute must for the cookie layer! Use your favorite variety – semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips all work wonderfully to add bursts of melted chocolate goodness. For an added textural and flavor dimension, consider stirring in chopped pecans or walnuts alongside the chocolate chips for extra crunch.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This ingredient is the secret to both the rich chocolate flavor and the deep, characteristic red hue of the red velvet brownie layer. High-quality cocoa powder makes a noticeable difference in the final taste, contributing to the signature complexity of red velvet.
Red Food Coloring: To achieve that iconic vibrant red velvet color, gel-based food coloring is highly recommended. Unlike water-based options, gel coloring provides exceptionally vibrant results with just a few drops, ensuring your brookies have that stunning, classic red velvet look without adding excess liquid to the batter.
White Vinegar: This seemingly unusual ingredient plays a significant role in red velvet baking. It reacts with the cocoa powder and red food coloring to enhance the brilliant red color and deepens the overall flavor profile of the red velvet brownies, adding a subtle tang that is characteristic of traditional red velvet.
Kosher Salt: A pinch of kosher salt is essential for balancing the sweetness of the sugars and chocolates, preventing the dessert from tasting cloyingly sweet. It also acts as a flavor enhancer, making all the other ingredients shine and bringing out their best qualities.

A large stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment, filled with creamy, golden-brown cookie dough batter, showing its readiness for the next steps in the brookie recipe preparation.

How to Make Red Velvet Brookies: A Detailed Guide

Creating these delightful Red Velvet Brookies involves two distinct batters, each contributing to the magical fusion of flavors and textures. Follow these simple steps for a dessert that’s guaranteed to impress and satisfy any sweet craving:

Prepare the Cookie Batter: Begin by preheating your oven and lining your baking pan as instructed in the recipe card. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the softened room-temperature butter with both the packed light brown sugar and white granulated sugar. Beat them together on medium speed until the mixture is beautifully light, fluffy, and well-combined, typically taking about 2 minutes. Remember to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically to ensure all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Next, incorporate the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, beating until just combined. Add the large eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated into the mixture before adding the next. Finally, gently mix in the all-purpose flour and baking powder until just combined, being careful not to overmix, which can lead to tough cookies. Fold in your favorite chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the luscious cookie batter. Set this prepared batter aside.
Craft the Red Velvet Brownie Batter: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the melted unsalted butter and white sugar until smooth and well combined. Then, gradually add the unsweetened cocoa powder, rich vanilla extract, vibrant red food coloring (gel-based works best for an intense hue!), and the white vinegar. Mix well until everything is thoroughly combined and the color is consistent throughout the batter. Beat in the two large eggs and a dash of kosher salt until fully incorporated, creating a smooth and glossy mixture. Finally, gently fold in the all-purpose flour until the batter is just combined and no dry streaks remain. Avoid overmixing to keep the brownies tender and supremely fudgy.
Assemble the Brookies in Your Baking Pan: You should have already generously greased your 13×9-inch baking pan and lined it with parchment paper, creating “handles” for easy removal later. Now, it’s time to layer the magic! Alternately add generous scoops of the chocolate chip cookie batter and the red velvet brownie batter into the prepared pan. There’s no need to perfectly spread each layer or create a precise swirl; the beauty of brookies lies in their marbled, rustic appearance as they bake. You can gently swirl the two batters together with a knife for a beautiful effect, but it’s not strictly necessary.
Bake to Perfection and Devour: Carefully transfer the assembled pan to your preheated 350°F (175°C) oven. Bake the brookies for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cookie dough layer turns a beautiful golden brown and both batters appear fully set when lightly pressed in the center. A toothpick inserted into the center may come out with moist crumbs, but shouldn’t be wet. Once baked, remove the brookies from the oven. For an extra touch of flavor and visual appeal, immediately sprinkle them with large-flake sea salt (this is optional but highly recommended to balance the sweetness). It’s absolutely crucial to let the brookies cool completely in the pan before attempting to slice and serve them. This cooling time allows the layers to set properly and firm up, ensuring clean, neat cuts and that desirable fudgy, chewy texture.

Pro Tip for Fudgy Brownie Lovers: If you adore warm, gooey, fudgy brownies that are practically scoopable, then you’re in for an absolute treat! For an ultra-indulgent experience, bake the brookies as directed, but consider serving them immediately while they are still warm from the oven. The centers will be irresistibly molten and incredibly soft, perfect for enjoying with a large spoon, perhaps even topped with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. It’s a truly spectacular way to enjoy these warm, fudgy, and absolutely irresistible delights!

Vibrant red velvet brownie batter in a large clear glass bowl, being mixed with a spatula, showcasing its rich color and smooth consistency, ready to be combined with the cookie dough.

Expert Tips for Brookie Baking Success

Achieving the perfect Red Velvet Brookies, with their ideal balance of fudgy and chewy textures, is all about paying attention to a few key details. Follow these expert tips to ensure your dessert turns out perfectly baked and delicious every time:

**Ensure Complete Setting:** It is absolutely critical that the top of your brookies appears fully set and firm before you remove them from the oven. If the top still looks liquid, very jiggly, or overly soft, the interior will likely be underdone, resulting in a raw or crumbly center. A golden cookie layer and a firm, slightly puffed brownie layer are good indicators that they are ready.
**The Importance of Cooling Completely:** Patience is a virtue, especially when it comes to baking brookies. It’s essential to let them cool completely in the pan, preferably on a wire rack, for at least 1-2 hours or even longer. This isn’t just to prevent burns; carryover cooking continues even after they leave the oven, ensuring the center reaches its ideal fudgy and fully baked consistency. Rushing this step can lead to messy, crumbly slices and an unset, disappointing texture.
**Preventing Over-Browning:** If you notice the top of your brookies getting too dark too quickly while the center still seems underbaked or liquid, don’t panic! This is a common baking challenge. Simply tent the baking pan loosely with aluminum foil. This clever trick will protect the surface from burning while allowing the heat to continue circulating and cooking the center evenly until they are perfectly set and baked through.
**Room Temperature Ingredients are Key:** Always ensure both your butter and eggs are at room temperature for both batters. This allows these ingredients to emulsify properly with the sugars, creating a smooth, cohesive batter that bakes evenly and results in a superior, tender texture. Cold ingredients can lead to a lumpy batter and uneven baking.
**Do Not Overmix the Batter:** Especially when adding flour to either the cookie or brownie batter, mix only until the dry ingredients are just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing develops gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense brookies instead of the desired soft and delightfully chewy texture.

A top-down view of beautifully marbled unbaked red velvet brownie and chocolate chip cookie dough swirled together in a parchment paper-lined baking pan, patiently waiting to be baked in the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions About Red Velvet Brookies

Why isn’t my brookie cooking evenly in the middle?

Uneven cooking, especially a raw middle, can often be traced back to oven temperature inconsistencies or improper rack placement. First, it’s highly recommended to confirm your oven is heating accurately by using a reliable digital oven thermometer, as many home ovens can be off by several degrees from their set temperature. Position your oven rack in the exact center of the oven for the most even heat distribution, as heat tends to be hottest at the top and bottom. Additionally, if the top of your brookies is browning too quickly before the center has a chance to cook through, loosely tent the baking pan with aluminum foil. This simple trick will protect the surface from burning while allowing the interior to continue baking until thoroughly set.

How long do Red Velvet Brookies last, and can they be frozen?

When stored properly in an airtight container at room temperature, your delicious Red Velvet Brookies will maintain their freshness, fudginess, and wonderful chewy texture for 3 to 5 days. For extended enjoyment, freezing is an excellent option to preserve their goodness. To freeze them, first wrap individual brookies or the entire slab tightly in plastic wrap, ensuring no air can get in. Then, wrap them again securely in aluminum foil for an extra layer of protection against freezer burn. Finally, place the double-wrapped brookies into an airtight freezer bag. Stored this way, they can remain fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply remove them from the freezer and let them come to room temperature on your countertop before serving. While the texture might become slightly softer after freezing and thawing, they will undoubtedly still be incredibly delicious and satisfy your sweet tooth!

What are the best serving suggestions for Red Velvet Brookies?

Red Velvet Brookies are incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in many delicious ways! For a classic indulgence, serve them at room temperature with a cold glass of milk. To elevate the experience, warm them slightly in the microwave for 10-15 seconds and top with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt truly enhances the chocolate notes beautifully and balances the sweetness. You can also drizzle them with a simple cream cheese glaze for a traditional red velvet touch, melted white chocolate, or a rich chocolate ganache for an extra layer of decadence. They are fantastic for dessert platters, bake sales, or as a special, easy-to-share treat for family and friends.

A close-up view of freshly baked red velvet brookies, rich in color, beautifully studded with melted chocolate chips, and elegantly sprinkled with large-flake sea salt, inviting a delicious bite.

More Irresistible Dessert Recipes You’ll Love

If you’re a fan of hybrid desserts or simply love a good brownie or cookie, be sure to explore these other fantastic recipes from our kitchen. They are perfect for expanding your baking repertoire and delighting your taste buds with more sweet creations:

Kitchen Sink Cookies: Loaded with all your favorite sweet and savory mix-ins for an incredibly satisfying chew.
No-Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies: Get classic, perfectly chewy chocolate chip cookies faster with this convenient recipe that skips the chilling time.
Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies: Another incredible red velvet fusion, combining rich, fudgy brownies with creamy, tangy cheesecake swirls for a truly decadent treat.
Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies: Incredibly easy and delicious cookies made with a cake mix base, perfect for a quick and impressive dessert.
Cheesecake Brownie Bites: These perfect bite-sized treats feature fudgy brownie bases topped with a creamy cheesecake layer, making them irresistible and easy to share.

A pan of perfectly baked red velvet brookies, still warm from the oven, showcasing their beautiful red and brown layers with visible chocolate chips throughout, ready to be cooled and sliced.

We hope you enjoy baking and savoring these delightful Red Velvet Brookies as much as we do! They truly are a testament to how two fantastic desserts can come together to create something even more extraordinary. Their unique flavor and texture make them a memorable addition to any dessert table. Happy baking, and enjoy every fudgy, chewy bite!

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