I really think the pictures do justice to how incredible these Red Velvet Brownies are. They are beautiful to the eyes and delicious to the tongue.
I’m offering up this recipe in two sizes, too: a version for a smaller pan (8×8 or 9×9) and another for a full 9×13 pan. Note that even the small pan makes a lot of brownies. These are rich enough that they feel indulgent if you have a square about the size of a fudge serving.
Another nice thing: these keep for at least a week in a sealed container. I suppose further testing is in order to see if they keep beyond that!
Bready or Not Original: Red Velvet Brownies (8×8 or 9×9 size)
These Red Velvet Brownies are stunningly red with gems of white chocolate. Americolor 120 SuperRed gel color is recommended, but any gel food color will imbue these brownies with rich color; use enough drops to reach the desired tint. This recipe is sized for an 8×8 or 9×9 pan.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Keyword: bars, brownies, chocolate, red velvet
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
8×8 or 9×9 pan
aluminum foil
nonstick spray or extra butter
Ingredients
1 1/4cupall-purpose flour
3Tablespoonscocoa powder sifted
1Tablespooncornstarch
1/4teaspoonsalt
3/4cupunsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) melted and cooled slightly
1 1/4cupswhite sugar
2large eggs room temperature
1teaspoonvanilla extract
gel red food coloring
1teaspoonwhite vinegar
1cupwhite chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the pan with foil going up the sides. Apply nonstick spray or butter.
In a small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs. Drip in the red food coloring, mixing it in, adding enough to reach the desired color. Add vanilla extract and vinegar. Gradually work in the dry ingredients, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times. Fold in the white chocolate chips.
Dollop batter into the pan. Use an uneven spatula to level out the surface. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test.
Let cool completely, speeding process in the fridge if desired. Use the foil to lift it onto a cutting board to cut into small bars.
Store in a sealed container at room temperature. They keep for at least a week.
Bready or Not Original: Red Velvet Brownies (9×13 size)
These Red Velvet Brownies are stunningly red with gems of white chocolate. Americolor 120 SuperRed gel color is recommended, but any gel food color will imbue these brownies with rich color; use enough drops to reach the desired tint. This recipe is sized for 9×13 pan.
Course: Dessert
Keyword: brownies, chocolate, red velvet
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
9×13 pan
aluminum foil
nonstick spray or extra butter
Ingredients
2 1/2cupsall-purpose flour
6Tablespoonscocoa powder sifted
2Tablespoonscornstarch
1/2teaspoonsalt
1 1/2cupsunsalted butter (3 sticks) melted and cooled slightly
2 1/2cupswhite sugar
4large eggs room temperature
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
gel red food coloring
2teaspoonswhite vinegar
11ounceswhite chocolate chips 1 bag
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the pan with foil going up the sides. Apply nonstick spray or butter.
In a small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs. Drip in the red food coloring, mixing it in, adding enough to reach the desired color. Add vanilla extract and vinegar. Gradually work in the dry ingredients, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times. Fold in the white chocolate chips.
Dollop batter into the pan. Use an uneven spatula to level out the surface. Bake for 30 to 33 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test.
Let cool completely, speeding process in the fridge if desired. Use the foil to lift it onto a cutting board to cut into small bars.
Store in a sealed container at room temperature. They keep for at least a week.
Why have a candy bar when you can have a chewy, luxurious treat that’s filled with candy bar pieces? These Toffee Blondies are a glorious combination of textures and sweetness.
If you can find it, use an 8 ounce bag of Heath Bits that include chocolate. All is not lost if that is unavailable, though. You can chop up normal Heath Bars, or use an all-toffee bag and add separate chocolate.
The result is a thick, chewy bar with crunchy little bits of toffee and pockets of chocolate. These things keep for days, too.
These are like big, chewy candy bars! If you can’t find the Heath bag that includes chocolate, you can buy candy bars and chop them up, or use the toffee bits and supplement with extra chocolate.
Course: Dessert
Keyword: bars, chocolate, cookies
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
9×13 pan
aluminum foil
nonstick spray
Ingredients
2cupsall-purpose flour
2cupsbrown sugar packed
2teaspoonsbaking powder
1/4teaspoonsalt
1/2cupunsalted butter (1 stick) melted and cooled
2large eggs room temperature
1teaspoonvanilla extract
8ouncesHeath Bits with Chocolate
Instructions
Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.
In a bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients. Fold in about 2/3 of the Heath Bits.
Scoop the thick batter into the prepared pan and level out with an uneven spatula. Sprinkle the rest of the Heath pieces over the top.
Bake for 24 to 27 minutes. Middle should be set and pass the toothpick test. Cool to room temperature, speeding the process in the fridge if desired.
Use the foil to lift onto cutting board to slice into bars. Store in a sealed container at room temperature. They will keep for up to 3 days.
Posted by Beth on Jan 15, 2025 in Blog, Bready or Not, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Gingerdoodles
I’ve published many variations on Snickerdoodles (complete with pie and banana versions!), and here is a take called Gingerdoodles.
It should come as no surprise that these feature the warmth of ginger along with other complementary spices. To me, these were like a hybrid of snickerdoodles and sugar/spice cookies. The texture is soft and scrumptious.
This recipe is a must if you love soft cookies with some sweetness and spice.
These cookies are like a hybrid snickerdoodle-sugar/spice cookie, soft and sweet and delicious.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Keyword: cookies, gingerbread, snickerdoodle
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
parchment paper
small scoop or teaspoon
Ingredients
Dough
3/4cupunsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) softened
1/2cupwhite sugar
1/2cupbrown sugar packed
1large egg room temperature
1/2cupreal maple syrup
3 1/4cupsall-purpose flour
1teaspoonbaking soda
1/2teaspoonground cinnamon
1/2teaspoonground ginger
1/4teaspoonsalt
1/4teaspooncream of tartar
1/4teaspoonnutmeg
Topping
1/2cupwhite sugar
1/4teaspoonground cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
Beat together butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and syrup.
In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cream of tartar, and nutmeg. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet, forming a cohesive dough.
In a small bowl, stir together the two topping ingredients.
Use a small cookie scoop or spoon to shape dough into round balls. Roll them in the topping to coat. Place spaced out on baking pan.
Bake for 9-10 minutes, until set and crackled. After 5-10 minutes, move them to a cooling rack.
Store cookies in a sealed container at room temperature.
Posted by Beth on Jan 8, 2025 in Blog, Bready or Not, cookies | Comments Off on Bready or Not Original: Chai Crinkle Cookies
These Chai Crinkle Cookies are a fantastically fresh take on spice cookies. They are like pudgy soft pillows with gentle spice flavor.
This recipe is an easy one to break into sections to make for faster baking. There are a lot of ingredients–tiny amounts of flavorful spices–and those can be mixed with the flour hours or days in advance. The dough itself needs to chill for at least a few hours. I kept it in the fridge a full day.
These are great cookies to make year-round, but there’s something extra special about a warmly-spiced treat at this time of year!
These Chai Crinkle Cookies are like a pudgy, soft, gently-spiced cousin of gingerbread. Makes about 50 cookies.
Course: Dessert, Snack
Keyword: cardamom, cookies
Author: Beth Cato
Equipment
plastic wrap
parchment paper
cookie scoop or spoon
Ingredients
1/2cupunsalted butter (1 stick) softened
1/4cupvegetable shortening
1cupbrown sugar firmly packed
1large egg room temperature
1/4cupmolasses
1Tablespoonvanilla extract
3cupsall-purpose flour
1 1/2teaspoonsground cinnamon
1 1/4teaspoonsbaking soda
1/2teaspoonkosher salt
1/2teaspoonground ginger
1/2teaspoonground cardamom
1/8teaspoonground cloves
1/8teaspoonground black pepper
1/3cupwhite sugar for topping
Instructions
In a large bowl, beat together butter, shortening, and brown sugar, until fluffy, scraping the bottom of the bowl on occasion. Add egg, molasses, and vanilla.
In another bowl, stir together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and pepper. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet.
Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least two hours, or up to a day.
Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Measure out topping sugar into a bowl.
Use a scoop or spoon to form walnut-sized balls. Roll dough balls in sugar. Place them slightly spaced on pan and then compress each one; they will not spread much while baking.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until puffed and set. Let cool on pan a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Store them in a sealed container at room temperature up to 3 days.