Say hello to your new favorite dessert: ultimate homemade Strawberry Brownies, rich, fudgy chocolate brownies with a dreamy fresh strawberry filling and a glossy chocolate topping. Yep, it’s as irresistible as it sounds.
Looking for a dessert that’s equal parts decadent and fresh? These strawberry brownies are a triple-layer treat that delivers rich chocolate flavor, creamy fruit-forward filling, and a perfectly delicious chocolate topping.
It’s the best of a brownie and a chocolate-dipped strawberry rolled into one sweet little square.
Whether you're baking these up for Mother’s Day brunch, Valentine’s Day, a spring picnic, or just because you bought too many berries at the farmer’s market (we’ve all been there), these brownies with strawberry filling will be your new go-to sweet treat.
Jump to:
- A quick look at the recipe
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ingredient notes and easy substitutions
- How to make the best strawberry brownies
- What to serve with strawberry brownies
- Recipe variations and twists
- Storing and freezing tips
- Leftovers reimagined
- Make it ahead (meal prep and tricks)
- Recipe FAQs (Your questions answered)
- Pro tips for perfect results every time
- Try this recipe and let me know what you think
- Homemade Strawberry Brownies Recipe with Fresh Strawberry Frosting
A quick look at the recipe
✅ Ready in: 2 hours, 10 minutes
🛒 Ingredients: 13
🍽️ Yield: 12 brownies
👩🍳 Difficulty: Moderate → “Worth the Effort”
🧊 Make-Ahead Friendly: Yes
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Berry meets brownie magic – Fudgy chocolate meets fresh strawberry filling for a made-from-scratch flavor combo that's a winner in my book.
- No artificial colors – That pretty pink hue? All from fresh strawberries.
- Make-ahead friendly – Like my Lemon Blackberry Tart, you can prep this layered brownie dessert ahead of time, which makes it perfect for entertaining.
Ingredient notes and easy substitutions
Here’s a quick look at the key players in this strawberry brownie recipe. The recipe card below provides a complete list of all ingredients and measurements.
- Butter – Salted adds flavor, but if you only have unsalted, just toss in a pinch of salt.
- Semi-sweet baking chocolate – Use good-quality baking chocolate for that deep, fudgy base.
- Cocoa powder – Unsweetened gives the brownies their rich chocolate flavor.
- Strawberries – Fresh is best, but frozen will work in a pinch (but be sure to thaw and drain well).
- Heavy cream – Helps whip up the strawberry filling to a dreamy, spreadable consistency.
- Chocolate chips – For the final layer of chocolate on top. Semi-sweet chips work perfectly.
Substitutions: You can use unsalted butter and adjust the salt as needed. Want it extra fruity? Add a few chopped freeze-dried strawberries to the filling for a flavor punch and some texture!
How to make the best strawberry brownies
This is a layered dessert, but don’t let that intimidate you—it’s totally doable with a bit of prep and my step-by-step directions!
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line an 8x8 metal baking pan with parchment paper so the paper overhangs the sides for easy removal and slicing. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chopped chocolate together over medium heat. Heat until just barely melted. Don’t overheat.
- Remove from heat and add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20-23 minutes. A toothpick inserted should come out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and let the brownies cool in the pan placed on a wire cooling rack.
- Process the strawberries in a food processor until totally smooth. Add the puree to a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until the strawberries are about the consistency of a thick jam, about 15 minutes. If the strawberries splutter in the pan, lower the temperature. Pour the strawberry puree into a medium mixing bowl and let cool completely.
- Once cool, add the butter and whip together with a hand mixer until mixed together nicely. Add the powdered sugar and heavy cream and whip together again until smooth and creamy. It should be pretty thick but still spreadable. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more cream. It it’s too thin, add a few more tablespoons of powdered sugar.
- Spread over the cooled brownies, cover, and refrigerate for an hour or up to overnight.
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave on 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring in between microwaving.
- Spread the melted chocolate over the brownies and let the chocolate harden, but don’t put it in the fridge. Fridge-hardened chocolate is harder to cut nicely.
- Once the chocolate is set, remove the strawberry brownies from the pan and cut into squares.
What to serve with strawberry brownies
These beauties would make a perfect, sweet ending to a delicious meal when paired with these dishes:
- French Onion Chicken Bake, Braised Chuck Roast, or Pecan Crusted Chicken.
- For a special occasion, you could also add them to a dessert brownie board with German Chocolate Brownies and Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies.
Recipe variations and twists
- Add crunch: Stir chopped walnuts or pecans into the brownie base.
- Berry swap: Try raspberries for a tangier twist or blackberries for a deep, jammy flavor.
- Strawberry brownie trifle: Cut up the brownies and layer them in parfait glasses with whipped cream.
Storing and freezing tips
- Store cut strawberry brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Don’t freeze the fully assembled brownies, but you can freeze the brownie base (before frosting and topping) for up to 1 month.
- Let brownies sit at room temp for 10–15 minutes before serving so the chocolate topping softens slightly.
Leftovers reimagined
- Strawberry Brownie Parfaits - Cut the leftover brownies into bite-sized pieces and layer them in a glass with whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and a drizzle of chocolate sauce. Repeat the layers to create a visually appealing and tasty parfait.
- Brownie Truffles - Crumble the leftover brownies and mix them with a bit of cream cheese to form a dough. Roll into balls, chill, and then dip in melted chocolate to create rich brownie truffles.
- Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches - Slice the leftover brownies into squares and sandwich a scoop of your favorite ice cream between two pieces. Roll the edges in sprinkles or chopped nuts for added texture. Freeze until firm.
Make it ahead (meal prep and tricks)
- Bake the brownie layer a day ahead.
- Cook and cool the strawberry filling, then store separately in the fridge.
- Assemble the next day, then chill and add the chocolate topping before serving.
This is a dream dessert for entertaining because each step can be done in advance, and it makes a beautiful presentation.
Recipe FAQs (Your questions answered)
Yes, just be sure to thaw and drain them first to avoid adding extra liquid.
Use a sharp knife warmed under hot water and wipe dry between each cut for clean slices.
Absolutely—just use a 9x13 pan and adjust the baking time slightly (start checking around 25 minutes).
Reducing the puree concentrates the flavor and prevents the frosting from being too runny.
Pro tips for perfect results every time
- Don’t overbake the brownies! A few moist crumbs on your toothpick equals fudgy perfection.
- Weigh your flour if possible—too much and you’ll get cakey brownies.
- Whip the strawberry filling until light and fluffy. It’s worth the extra minute or two.
- Always slice with a hot knife for clean edges, and wipe it clean after each slice (a small thing, but it makes a big difference).
Try this recipe and let me know what you think
⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐⭐
Did you try this recipe for Strawberry Brownies? I’d love to know how it turned out!
Did you give it your own twist or have a shortcut that made it even easier? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave a star rating. Your feedback helps others (and totally makes my day).
Thanks so much for visiting Practical Southern Cooking! I hope you’ll stop by again soon for more no-fuss comfort food and simple Southern favorites.
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Homemade Strawberry Brownies Recipe with Fresh Strawberry Frosting
Equipment
- 8x8 baking pan
- hand-held or stand mixer
Ingredients
Brownie layer
- ½ cup salted butter, 113 grams *see notes
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate baking bar, finely chopped (like Baker’s brand)
- 1 cup granulated sugar, 200 grams
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup plus two tablespoons flour, 45 grams
- ¼ cup plus two tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, 35 grams
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Strawberry layer
- 6 ounces strawberries stems removed, about 1 ½ cups chopped
- ½ cup salted butter, softened *see note
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Chocolate topping
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Brownie layer
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and line an 8x8 metal baking pan with parchment paper so the paper overhangs the sides for easy removal and slicing. Spray the parchment paper with cooking spray.
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chopped chocolate together over medium heat. Heat until just barely melted. Don’t overheat.
- Remove from heat and add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla and mix until well combined. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and mix until just combined with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
- Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake for 20-23 minutes. A toothpick inserted should come out with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from the oven and let the brownies cool in the pan placed on a wire cooling rack.
Strawberry layer
- Process the strawberries in a food processor until totally smooth.
- Add the puree to a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until the strawberries are about the consistency of a thick jam. This will take about 15 minutes. If the strawberries splutter in the pan at all, lower the temperature.
- Pour the strawberry puree into a medium mixing bowl and let cool completely.
- Once cool, add the butter and whip together with a hand mixer until mixed together nicely. Add the powdered sugar and heavy cream and whip together again until smooth and creamy. It should be pretty thick, but spreadable still. If it’s too thick, add a tiny bit more cream. It it’s too thin, add a few more tablespoons of powdered sugar.
- Spread over the cooled brownies, cover, and refrigerate for an hour or up to overnight.
Chocolate topping
- Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave on 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring in between microwaving. Spread the melted chocolate over the brownies and let the chocolate harden but don’t put it in the fridge. Fridge-hardened chocolate is harder to cut nicely.
- Once the chocolate is set, remove the brownies from the pan and cut into squares.
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