Ok, I guess technically this recipe on the 5th day of Christmas Cookies isn’t an actual cookie, it is a brownie.  Some people consider brownies to be a bar cookie, and so I am taking that and running with it.  I will be including several bar cookies (ahem… brownies) in my 12 days of Christmas Cookies, and I hope you will enjoy them.

And so for the 5th Day of Christmas Cookies I present to you…. Gluten Free Red Velvet Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting.

The first time I had a piece of red velvet cake was when I visited my great grandmother’s older sister Bess.  I think I must have been about six years old, and it was one of those life changing moments where you still can remember the light in the room, and the flavor of that same piece of cake.  I thought it was the most awesome cake I had ever tasted!  Not only was it a really cool color, but it had amazing frosting that I later came to find out contained cream cheese.  Many years went by before I tasted this amazing combination again, and now it is extremely popular.  Red Velvet has come full circle.

When I came across a recipe for Red Velvet Brownies, I set out to recreate it for my gluten free family, and this is my result.  I hope you enjoy my version.  I made my brownies in an 8″ X 8″ pan, making them very thick and more cake-like, but you can also make this recipe in a 13″ X 9″ pan and they will be much thinner and more “cookie-like”.  If you choose the larger pan, reduce the cooking time to 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Either way, they are a very moist, dense, flavorful brownie that everyone will love.

RED VELVET BROWNIES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING (GLUTEN FREE)

BROWNIES

• 1 Cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour with Xanthan Gum OR 1 Cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour without Xanthan gum + 1 1/2 teaspoons Xanthan Gum
• 3 Tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Cup Butter (1 stick)
• 1 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar
• 2/3 Cup Water
• 2 Ounces Good Quality Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
• 3 Eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Gluten Free Real Vanilla Extract
• 2 teaspoons Red Food Color

Preheat the oven to 325.

Whisk together the gluten free all purpose flour (and Xanthan Gum if using), cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, breaking up any lumps.  Set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring the butter, brown sugar and water to a simmer, then remove from heat.  Stir in the chopped bittersweet chocolate, stirring until it is incorporated, and let cool.

In another bowl, whisk eggs until beaten, then stir in the vanilla extract and red food coloring.  Whisk the egg mixture into the saucepan with the cooled sugar/butter/chocolate mixture.  Mix thoroughly.  Stir in the flour/cocoa mixture until everything is moistened, then pour into a foil lined 8″ X 8″ pan that has been lined with foil and lightly sprayed with non stick oil spray.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in pan.

FROSTING

• 8 Ounces Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
• 4 Tablespoons of Softened Butter
• 1 1/2 Cups of sifted Powdered Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Gluten Free Real Vanilla Extract

Stir together cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Add the powdered sugar, and beat or stir until frosting is thoroughly mixed and of spreading consistency.  Spread on cooled brownies.

You can tell how dense and moist these brownies are just by looking at the photos.  I guarantee they will satisfy the Red Velvet lovers everywhere with their incredible taste!

Happy Holidays!

Marcie/Pepperchick