Red Velvet Brownies

I think that all I have to say is that I’ve already made these wonderful brownies three times before posting them! They are a great modification of the classic Southern cake- including the essential cream cheese frosting.

The recipe was adapted from Fat Witch Bake Sale by Patricia Helding with Lucy Baker. Fat Witch Bakery is a family favorite NYC bakery, and one of the first we visited after moving to New York. I used semi-sweet instead of milk chocolate chips, lined the baking pan with parchment paper, and modified the baking time for a convection oven.

I contemplated omitting the red food coloring, but it just would not have been as much fun. (…besides the fact that my daughter had a very strong objection!) 🙂 Yummy.

Yield: Makes one 9×9-inch pan 16 square brownies or 32 triangle brownies

For the Brownies:

• 5 1/2 T (1/3 cup) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 T whole milk
• 1 cup milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp red food coloring

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 T unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups Confectioners’ sugar

To Make the Brownies:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Coat a 9×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper and coat again with cooking spray.
3. In a small heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat, combine the butter, sugar, and milk. Stir until everything is completely melted.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the chocolate chips. Stir until everything is melted and well combined.
5. Transfer the chocolate mixture to a large mixing bowl.
6. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well combined.
7. Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda directly into the chocolate mixture.
8. Using a whisk or electric mixture on low-speed, beat until no trace of the dry ingredients remains.
9. Add vanilla and food coloring and continue to beat on low-speed until everything is throughly combined.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with an offset spatula.  Bake for 22 minutes on convection, or up to 30-35 minutes in a standard oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with only crumbs, not batter, on it.
11. Cool in the pan on a rack for at least 1 hour. Make sure that they are completely cooled before frosting.

Note: This is a good time to bring the cream cheese and butter to room temperature before making the frosting.

To Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
2. Beat in the vanilla.
3. Sift the sugar directly into the butter mixture. Beat until thick and creamy.
4. Spread the frosting on the cooled brownies.
5. Transfer to the refrigerator to set the frosting.
6. Cut the brownies just before serving.

Note: The brownies will keep longer if they are stored uncut. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 days.

One Year Ago:

• Buttermilk Biscuits

Two Years Ago:

• Flourless Chocolate Cookies
• Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

Three Years Ago:

• Fancy S’more Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow Frosting
• Giant Chocolate Chip-Oatmeal Ice Cream Sandwiches

Four Years Ago:

• Glazed Maple Cookies

Speculoos-Toffee Cookies

These were a perfect choice for a Father’s Day dessert for my husband. Two of his absolute favorite flavors combined in a crispy on the outside- chewy on the inside cookie. Their flavor was reminiscent of Pepperidge Farm “Bordeaux” cookies- a childhood favorite of my husband’s and mine. Delicious!

This recipe was adapted from Food.com, via Jess @ Cooking is my Sport. I made them slightly smaller and used Trader Joe’s chunky Speculoos cookie butter. They would also be insanely delicious as a cookie-wich!

Yield: 4 dozen 3 1/2-inch cookies

• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy or chunky Speculoos cookie butter (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 3/4 cup Heath toffee bits

1. Cream together both sugars, the butter and the Speculoos cookie butter until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt and stir to combine.
3. In separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and corn starch together with whisk until well combined. Slowly add it to the wet mixture, mixing until well incorporated.
4. Using the lowest speed of mixer, or by hand, stir in the Heath toffee bits.
5. Refrigerate cookie dough at least one hour, preferably overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection. Line two rimmed baking sheet pans with parchment paper.
7. Using a large cookie scoop, spoon out portions of dough. Place onto sheet pans about 2-inches apart.
8. Bake cookies for 11 minutes, rotating the baking pans halfway through, or until the edges are lightly browned.
9. Allow cookies to sit on the baking pans for about 3-5 minutes, before moving to cooling rack to cool completely.

One Year Ago:

• Vanilla Rose Cake
• Fourth of July S’mores Bars with Marshmallow Meringue

Two Years Ago:

• Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches
• Perfect Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Mini “M&M” Cookies

Three Years Ago:

• Father’s Day Double Cookie Dough Ice Cream
• Sour Cream Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Bean-Infused Turbinado Sugar
• Giant Chocolate Chip-Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches