These are the best strawberry brownies from scratch! They're gluten free, eggless, and made without cake mix, yet the recipe is super easy. Plus, we're adding a creamy strawberry frosting on top, making these perfect for Valentine's Day.
We sure do love our brownies around here. Once I cracked the code for perfect eggless brownies with my gluten free dairy free brownies, it was game over.
Since then, I've just been dreaming up different flavors and variations. And, when I was recently thinking about fun and festive Valentine brownies, I figured these strawberry brownies would fit the bill perfectly.
For one thing, they're pink! Well, the strawberry buttercream frosting is pink. But you see where I'm going with this.
So I'm going to tell you all about this strawberry chocolate brownie recipe, convince you to whip up a batch for your sweetheart (or yourself). And then I'll take you through how to make them, step by step.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These really are fudgy and gooey brownies. We're not using cocoa powder, but we are using melted chocolate.
- Did I mention this is a one bowl recipe? Less dirty dishes, and no need to use an electric mixer.
- That strawberry frosting is truly something special, and NOT just because it's pink. It's so sweet and delicious and pairs perfectly with the brownie base... it's like eating a chocolate covered strawberry!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Gluten free flour: I get asked about my favorite gluten free flour all the time. My go-to has always been Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour. If you're using a different blend, just make sure it contains xanthan gum.
- Egg replacer: To make these strawberry brownies without eggs, you'll need Bob's Red Mill egg replacer. Follow the instructions on the package to prepare. You'll need to mix the powdered egg replacer with water and let it sit for 1-2 minutes to thicken before adding to the brownie batter. If you're NOT looking to make these brownies without eggs, you can use 2 eggs instead of the egg replacer.
- Freeze dried strawberries: These are pretty easy to find in most major grocery stores. They add wonderful strawberry flavor (and natural color!) without altering the consistency of the frosting.
Step-by-Step Instructions
STEP ONE: Melt the butter with the chocolate chips. You'll want to use a large microwave-safe bowl to microwave both the butter and chocolate together, in 30 second intervals. Stop and stir between each interval until it's completely smooth.
STEP TWO: Add the sugar and wet ingredients. Stir in the sugar, egg replacer, and vanilla extract.
STEP THREE: Add the dry ingredients. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined. The batter will be thick.
STEP FOUR: Bake! Transfer the brownie batter into a square baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake on 350ºF for 22-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
STEP FIVE: Grind the freeze dried strawberries. Use a food processor to prep the berries for your frosting.
STEP SIX: Make the strawberry frosting. Beat the butter until smooth, creamy, and fluffy. This will take a few minutes. Add the powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberries and beat to combine. Add milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the consistency is creamy and spreadable.
STEP SEVEN: Frost the cooled brownies. You can use an offset spatula or, if you're feeling fancy, can even pipe a design onto the finished strawberry brownies.
Expert Tips
- I always say that my #1 baking tip is to weigh the flour using a scale. This is so incredibly important, because too much flour will give you dry brownies. Plus, not all gluten free flour blends are created equal. We'll need 222 grams for this recipe.
- I like leaving a bit of overhang when I line the baking pan with parchment paper. That way, once the brownies are done, I pull the whole thing right out of the pan, paper and all, and transfer to a cutting board to frost and cut.
- The specified bake time for these strawberry brownies is 22-24 minutes, but all ovens are different (and many are inaccurate). For this reason, I recommend checking in around the 22-minute mark. A toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies should come out mostly clean, meaning a couple of moist crumbs are ok.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's important to wait until the brownies have cooled completely before frosting, otherwise the frosting will just melt.
I would recommend against fresh strawberries here, because they will add moisture and may alter the consistency. Plus, I find that freeze dried strawberries add such delicious flavor!
If you haven't worked with freeze dried fruit before, you might be wondering what it's all about! Freeze dried and frozen are not the same thing. Freeze dried strawberries have been frozen and placed in a vacuum. The moisture evaporates and the berries are dried out.
Use a food processor to grind the berries into a coarse powder. I found that I like having some small chunks of berries in the frosting, so I pulse in the food processor until I get that coarse texture that I like. Since you're not piping the frosting and don't have to worry about pieces getting stuck in the piping tip, you don't really need the powder to be too fine. It's all personal preference!
As mentioned, I leave some overhang when I line my baking pan with parchment paper. When the brownies are ready, I pull the whole thing out (paper and all). It's easiest to cut the brownies after frosting. Use a large knife to gently slice up into bars.
Did you try my frosted strawberry brownies from scratch? Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @justastastyblog and #justastastyblog. And don't forget to subscribe to get new recipes right in your inbox!
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Brownies From Scratch
Ingredients
- 1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter cut into cubes
- ⅔ cup (133g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer mixed with 4 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (222g) gluten free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
For the strawberry buttercream frosting:
- ⅓ cup (5g) freeze dried strawberries
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate chips and the butter. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stopping to stir between each interval, until melted and smooth.1 cup (170g) semisweet chocolate chips, ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- Add the sugar, prepared egg replacer, and vanilla extract and stir to incorporate. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and stir until combined.⅔ cup (133g) granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 ½ cups (222g) gluten free flour blend, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 22-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (a couple of moist crumbs are OK). Allow the brownies to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting and slicing.
To make the strawberry buttercream frosting:
- Using a food processor, grind the freeze dried strawberries into a coarse powder. Set aside.⅓ cup (5g) freeze dried strawberries
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until light and creamy, about 5 minutes.½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- Add powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberries, and continue to beat until combined. Add milk one tablespoon at a time while continuing to beat until the buttercream is the desired consistency. Spread onto cooled brownies.1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar, 1-2 tablespoons milk
Notes
-
Be sure to follow the instructions on the package of Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer. Once mixed with water, the egg replacer must sit for just a few minutes to thicken.
-
If you are not looking to replace eggs, you should be able to use 2 eggs instead of the egg replacer.
- I actually like the texture of having some larger chunks of freeze dried strawberries in my frosting. Pulse the freeze dried berries in the food processor until you have the texture you like.
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