Strawberry frosted brownies

Just like a chocolate covered strawberry, these brownies are the perfect treat when you're wanting something chocolate forward with a twist of a fruity flavor!

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While I love a chocolate covered strawberry, they often go bad quickly when store bought and I find them tedious to make at home. I wanted the same flavors but in a fudgy and longer lasting brownie form. And here they are!

It all starts of course with a chocolatey brownie base. It comes together easily, with no real frills. The powdered sugar in this recipe will help to keep the brownies soft and chewy while being stored in the fridge due to their buttercream frosting. Also of course the powdered sugar is a key ingredient in the frosting so this way you’ll get use out of it twice. Also, if you really are in it for the topping - I won't tell anyone if you use a boxed brownie as your base!

For the strawberry frosting, our secret weapon is freeze dried strawberries. I love them because they are low maintenance, and also serve as a great snack if you have extras - I usually get this larger bag of individual packs and you'll use two small packs for your frosting (or about a cup before crushing). Once you measure your freeze dried strawberries you'll need a food chopper (or a food processor) to crush your freeze dried strawberries completely.

I know we get lots of chocolate from the brownies, but since this dessert was inspired by a chocolate covered strawberry - it felt wrong not to finish it with a chocolate drizzle. I used milk chocolate because that's my favorite type of chocolate covered strawberry, but it would taste absolutely delicious with any type of chocolate drizzled on top.

When it comes to equipment for this recipe, you have some options. I personally don't like having to clean up my gear mid recipe, so I went with a hand mixer for the brownie batter and stand mixer for the frosting. If you don't have a stand mixer, you could absolutely use a whisk for the brownie batter and a hand mixer for the frosting (or a hand mixer for both if you don’t mind washing the mixer attachment). Though there are three layers to the bake, the recipe itself really is quite low fuss so choose the tools that work best for you based on what you have available.

For the best results, I highly recommend using the gram measurements provided

Ingredients:

Brownies

• 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter

• 2/3 cup (4oz) semisweet chocolate, chopped

• 3/4 cup (144g) granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar 

• 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/3 cup (35g) dutch process cocoa powder

• 1/2 cup (60g) all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Strawberry frosting & topping

• 1 heaping cup (24g) freeze dried strawberries

• 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar

• 1 tablespoon milk of choice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

• 1/2 cup (3oz) milk chocolate, chips or chopped

Prep time: About 45 minutes

Bake time: 20-23 minutes

Chill time: About 1-2 hours prior to frosting

Servings: 16 brownies

Equipment:

• Stand mixer and/or hand mixer

• Nonstick heavy bottomed pot (or microwave safe bowls)

• Spatula or large spoon

• 9x9 inch square pan

• Parchment paper

• Food chopper or processor

• Plastic bag (for drizzling chocolate)

Cooking instructions: 

Make your brownie layer. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a nonstick pot, add your butter, and begin to melt over a low heat on your stovetop. Once partially melted, chop and add in your semisweet chocolate. Stir continuously until completely melted and combined with your fully melted butter. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly. Note you can also do this in the microwave in short intervals.

• 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter

• 2/3 cup (4oz) semisweet chocolate, chopped

In a large bowl, add in your eggs, egg yolk, and both sugars. Use a hand mixer (or whisk) at a medium to high speed for about a minute or two until your mixture gets slightly foamy and thickened. Add in your vanilla extract and continue to mix for another 30 seconds.

• 3/4 cup (144g) granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar 

• 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pour in your slightly cooled, melted chocolate mixture and continue to whisk until completely combined.

Next, switch to a spatula and add in your cocoa powder. Mix until there are no clumps and it's completely incorporated. Finally, fold in your flour and salt, moving slowly as to not over mix.

• 1/3 cup (35g) cocoa powder

• 1/2 cup (60g) all purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Once your batter is formed, line a 9x9in square pan (or you can use an 8x8 pan and increase the cook time a bit) with parchment paper and dollop in your batter. You can use any flat tool, or even a spoon, to lightly spread your mixture so that it is evenly poured across your pan.

Place your pan into the oven and bake for about 20-23 minutes or until a thin shiny crust has formed on the top of your brownies. You'll know it's done if you wiggle the pan and the center doesn't move showing you that your brownies have set. Remove your pan and allow your brownies to cool fully, for about an hour or two until cool to the touch. You can also place into the fridge to chill (this is what I typically do once they've reached room temperature).

Then make your strawberry frosting, finish your brownies and enjoy.

Once your brownies have cooled, add your freeze dried strawberries to a food chopper or processor and grind until they've reached a fine crumb. Once crushed, it should be about 1/4 cup. Set aside.

• 1 heaping cup (24g) freeze dried strawberries

Next, into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a large bowl if using your hand mixer), add your butter and powdered sugar. Let your mixer run at a low to medium speed to combine and then increase the speed to medium to high and let your butter and powdered sugar combine for a couple of minutes until lightened in color.

• 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar

Scrape down the sides of your mixer bowl and attachment, and then add in all of your crushed freeze dried strawberries, milk, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Let your mixer run at a medium speed for a few minutes, pausing partway through to scrape your bowl and mixer attachment to ensure the freeze dried strawberry gets evenly incorporated.

• 1 tablespoon milk of choice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Pinch of salt

Spread your frosting across your baked and cooled brownies into an even, smooth layer. Place into the fridge to chill and meanwhile melt your milk chocolate (or chocolate of choice). You can do this on your stovetop again or in the microwave in increments of 10-15 seconds stirring between each microwave trip until smooth. Transfer your melted (but not hot) chocolate into a plastic bag and cut a small hole in the corner of your bag. Drizzle your chocolate across your frosted brownies however you'd like (I find it easiest to do this when the brownies are out of the pan) and then let your chocolate set.

• 1/2 cup (3oz) milk chocolate chips or chopped

Slice into 16 squares (4 rows of 4 brownies each) and enjoy!

You can store your brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days and they can be enjoyed cold or at room temperature. These brownies also freeze great and you can defrost in the fridge or at room temperature then to enjoy any time.

Carb and serving info: 

Carbs per serving (1 of 16): 41

Carbs for full recipe: 662

Carbs from brownie only: 345

Carbs from chocolate in brownie: 71

Carbs from frosting only: 316

Carbs from freeze dried strawberries: 20

Carbs from chocolate drizzle: 55

Note: Carb information is calculated based on the specific ingredients I used to cook with to help guide my own insulin to carb ratio when dosing before I eat my home cooked recipes.