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4th of July Brownies

4th of July brownies with a dense, fudgy brownie base topped with a thick vanilla cream cheese frosting. Decorate red strawberry rows and a blue blueberry canton for red, white, and blue patriotic brownies that slice clean.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
cooling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Brownie base (box mix)
  • 1 fudge brownie mix Use a 9x13 pan sized box. If using homemade brownies, substitute your recipe equivalent.
  • ingredients on box (or homemade) Include the package-required add-ins (typically eggs, water, and oil/butter) or your homemade equivalents.
White vanilla frosting
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 oz cream cheese Softened.
  • 2 tbsp butter Softened.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2.5 tbsp milk Start with 2 tbsp, add up to 3 tbsp as needed for spreadable consistency.
Flag topping
  • 1 cup strawberries Fresh, sliced.
  • 1 cup blueberries Fresh.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake and cool the brownies
  1. Heat the oven and bake the brownie mix in a 9x13 pan according to package directions until set. Let cool completely for at least 1 hour, until room temperature, so the frosting won’t melt.
Make the vanilla cream cheese frosting
  1. Beat the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk together until smooth and spreadable. If the frosting feels too thick, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time.
Frost and decorate as an American flag
  1. Spread the cream cheese frosting in an even layer over the cooled brownies. Scrape the surface smooth for clean stripe edges.
Add the blueberry canton
  1. In the upper left corner, arrange a tight rectangle of blueberries to form the canton. Press the berries in lightly so they stay put on the frosting.
Add the strawberry stripes
  1. Create red stripes across the rest of the brownies by laying sliced strawberries in flat rows. Leave alternating gaps between strawberry rows so the white frosting shows through as the stripes.
Set, cut, and serve
  1. Refrigerate the decorated brownies for 30 minutes to set the frosting. Cut into squares and serve once the topping is firm.

Notes

Pro tip: cool the brownies at least 1 hour (room temperature) before frosting to prevent slipping. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze baked, unfrosted brownies up to 2 months (frost after thawing) for best texture. For a dairy-reduced option, use a lactose-free cream cheese and lactose-free butter to keep the frosting flavor and consistency similar.