Raspberry Brownies
These raspberry brownies are ultra-fudgy, rich with chocolate, and packed with bright, jammy raspberry flavor. Made with cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and freeze-dried raspberries, this raspberry brownie recipe is perfect for Valentine’s Day, girls’ night, book club, or anytime a serious chocolate craving hits.
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips divided
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 2 large cold eggs
- 1 large cold egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (95g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup freeze-dried raspberry powder
- 1 ¾ cups freeze-dried raspberries divided
- ¼ cup Valentine’s Day sprinkles or mini M&Ms optional for themed brownies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. I recommend leaving at least two ends overhanging to make releasing after baking easier.
- Melt the butter and ⅓ cup of chocolate chips in the microwave on 30-second bursts, stirring between the intervals, until smooth and melted.
- Whisk in cocoa powder and sugar until well combined.
- Whisk in the cold eggs and yolk, and vanilla extract until combined and smooth.
- Combine the flour, salt, and raspberry powder in a small bowl. Stir into the brownie batter until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the remaining ⅔ cup of chocolate chips and 1 ½ cups of the freeze-dried raspberries until just combined.
- Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle with the remaining ¼ cup of the freeze-dried raspberries (lightly crush them in your hands before sprinkling if they are too big) and sprinkles or M&Ms (if using). Bake for the remaining 7-10 minutes, or until puffy and set in the center (see the notes below for using a fresh berry topper.
- Cool on a wire rack at room temperature completely before slicing and enjoying.
Notes
How to Make Raspberry Powder: Add freeze-dried raspberries to a food processor or blender and blitz until a fine powder forms. I used a total of 2.4 oz berries (or 2 packs of Trader Joe's freeze-dried berries). Measure out 1 ¾ cups and blend the rest to make the powder.
Storage Directions
- Storing — Once completely cooled, store sliced raspberry brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing — For longer storage, wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap or parchment paper and stack them in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost on the counter for 30-60 minutes or overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating — Let frozen brownies thaw at room temperature on the counter, or warm briefly in the microwave for a just-baked, fudgy texture.
- Overhand the parchment paper for easy removal. Leave at least two ends overhanding so you can easily lift out the brownies after cooling.
- Melt the chocolate gently and slowly. Use 30-second bursts in the microwave, stirring between each, just until the butter and chocolate are smooth. Overheating can cause the chocolate to seize, and nobody wants that.
- Don’t overmix the brownie batter. Once the dry ingredients hit the bowl, stir just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and can lead to dense, tough brownies instead of fudgy ones.
- Add the berry topping halfway through baking. Freeze-dried raspberries are prone to burning, so sprinkle them on after about 15 minutes of bake time to keep their flavor bright and their color vibrant. If your raspberries are oversized, gently crush them in your hands first so they distribute evenly.
- Swap in fresh raspberries if you prefer. You can top the batter with about 1 cup of fresh raspberries before baking instead of freeze-dried—just expect a slightly softer, juicier top and a longer bake time.
Nutrition
Calories: 251kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 4gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 54mgSodium: 49mgPotassium: 201mgFiber: 5gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 286IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 2mg
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