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Gluten free Red Velvet Brownies take everything you love about red velvet cake and turn it into pretty, handheld brownies! Swirls of tangy cream cheese balance a sweet chocolate base for a beautiful take on a classic sweet.
Why You’ll Love These Red Velvet Brownies
Gorgeously colored red velvet brownies are a wonderful balance of sweet, rich chocolate cake and a slightly tangy bite from the cream cheese swirl. Here’s why you’ll love these beautiful red velvet cheesecake brownies:
- Easy to make gluten-free. It’s so easy to make this red velvet brownies recipe into a gluten free treat! You’ll use your favorite 1:1 all-purpose gluten free flour in the batter, and the rest of the ingredients needed are already naturally gluten free.
- Almost like a red velvet cake. If you’re craving red velvet cake but don’t have time to make a whole cake, these brownies will hit all the notes you want! Rather than a cap of cream cheese frosting, you’ll have a swirl in the brownie batter, which gives you a similar taste to the traditional cake with much less effort.
- Pretty. These are very pretty brownies, with the contrasting colors of red brownie and swirls of white cream cheese. They’re perfect for holiday celebrations or for any time.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: Oven
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free option
- Skill Level: Easy
Ingredient Notes
Here’s an overview of what you’ll need to make these gf red velvet brownies. Check the recipe card at the end of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter that’s been melted.
- Granulated Sugar
- Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor and make sure it’s gluten free.
- Red Food Coloring: You can use regular food coloring or a more natural brand if you prefer.
- Vinegar: Just plain white vinegar.
- Eggs: Use room temperature large eggs.
- Gluten-Free Flour: You’ll want a 1-to-1 blend. I used King Arthur Measure for Measure.
- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder is needed for this recipe.
- Salt
For the Swirl
- Cream Cheese: Use a block of cream cheese rather than whipped cream cheese.
- Egg Yolk
- Granulated Sugar
How to Make GF Red Velvet Brownies
Follow along with my easy method for making these red velvet cheesecake brownies below. The full instructions will be in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare. Preheat the oven and prepare a baking pan.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together the butter and sugar, vanilla, food coloring, vinegar, and eggs.
- Add dry ingredients. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Make cream cheese filling. Beat together the cream cheese, egg yolk, and sugar.
- Fill the pan. Pour the batter into the pan. Dollop the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie batter and swirl it with a knife.
- Bake. Bake the brownies until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs.
Tips for the Best Red Velvet Brownies
- Use room temperature ingredients. It’s important that the ingredients, especially the cream cheese, are at room temperature before you start making the brownies. The cream cheese will not incorporate well into the swirl if it’s cold.
- Make this dairy-free. If you need to make these brownies dairy-free, no problem. You can easily swap the butter for non-dairy butter and use non-dairy cream cheese for the cream cheese.
- Swap in natural food coloring. If you wish, you can use a more natural food coloring, like those found at Whole Foods or online.
- Check that you’re using unsweetened cocoa powder. These gf red velvet brownies are quite sweet, so you’ll want to check that your cocoa powder is unsweetened. If you use hot chocolate mix or sweetened cocoa powder your brownies may turn out overly sweet!
How to Store
Here’s how to store your red velvet brownies:
- Counter – I don’t recommend keeping red velvet cheesecake brownies on the counter because they contain dairy.
- Fridge – To store leftover brownies in the fridge, place them in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer if needed, and keep them in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Freezer – Wrap each red velvet brownie in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe, sealable bag. Store the brownies in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the brownies in the fridge before eating.
More Gluten Free Desserts
- Gluten Free Brownies
- Gluten Free Brookies
- Gluten Free Trail Mix Cookies
- Gluten Free Rice Krispie Treats
GF Red Velvet Brownies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar, 200 grams
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon red food coloring
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup 1:1 gluten-free flour, 93 grams (I used King Arthur Measure for Measure)
- ¼ cup cocoa powder, 20 grams
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Swirl
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature , 113 grams
- 1 egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 38 grams
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Combine the melted butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Whisk for 45 seconds.
- Add the vanilla, food coloring, vinegar and eggs to the sugar mixture. Whisk until smooth.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Fold together with a rubber spatula until the dry ingredients are all incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Combine the cream cheese, egg yolk and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
- Dollop the cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie batter. Then use a butter knife to swirl the mixture on the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs. Cool completely in the pan before slicing.