Amazing 16 strawberry brownies with glaze

Oh, you know how much I love finding those recipes that deliver big flavor without demanding my entire afternoon? Life gets busy, and sometimes I need that instant gratification of baking something truly special—which is why I’m thrilled to finally share my formula for the absolute best strawberry brownies. These aren’t those dry, crumbly bars you sometimes get; no, we are shooting straight for that rich, fudgy center that just melts in your mouth.

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When I was redesigning my kitchen flow, I kept thinking about what my Grandma would make if she only had thirty minutes. That led me right here: using a simple base to create these incredible, fruit-filled squares topped with a sweet vanilla drizzle. If you’re looking for that perfect, simple, joyful bake, you’ve found it. These also pair perfectly with some of my other sweet treats like the ones you can find in my dessert collection.

Why These Fudgy Strawberry Brownies Are Your New Favorite Dessert

I’m so excited for you to try these because they check every single box for quick, satisfying baking. Honestly, once you taste how fudgy they are, you won’t believe how little actual work was involved. It’s pure joy in a pan!

• They deliver that deep, satisfying chewiness that only the best dessert bars possess.
• We get bright, real fruit flavor from those fresh strawberries we fold in at the end.
• You won’t spend hours measuring flour—we are using a smart shortcut here!

Achieving the Perfect Fudgy Strawberry Brownies Texture

The magic to getting these right as fudgy strawberry brownies and not dry little cakes comes down to two things: butter and restraint. We use a good amount of melted butter combined with the mix, and most importantly, we absolutely do not overmix the batter. Stop as soon as you can’t see flour streaks anymore! That ensures we stay firmly in the chewy dessert bars category—trust me on this one.

The Convenience of This Easy Strawberry Brownie Recipe

If you are looking for an easy strawberry brownie recipe, this is it. Why make everything from scratch when you can start with a quality strawberry cake mix? It cuts the prep time in half, which is exactly what I need on a busy evening. This truly is a beginner brownie recipe, perfect for anyone who wants impressive results without struggling to balance leavening agents and dry ingredients.

Ingredients for Fudgy Strawberry Brownies with Sweet Vanilla Glaze

Okay, gathering everything up is half the battle, right? I like to get all my ingredients laid out on the counter first—it’s my little version of Mise en Place. Since this is such a quick recipe, having everything measured out saves you from frantically searching for the vanilla while your butter is burning! We’ve got two main components here: the decadent brownie base and the sweet topping that really makes these strawberry brownies sing.

For the Brownie Batter

This list is short and sweet because we are relying on that cake mix magic. Don’t worry about substituting the mix right now; we want that perfect base texture! Make sure you grab the full pink box.

• 1 box (18.25 ounces) strawberry cake mix
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (Make sure it’s totally melted!)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, finely chopped (This is key—finely chopped so they disappear nicely into the batter.)

For the Homemade Strawberry Glaze for Brownies

This is the luscious final touch. This simple vanilla glaze contrasts beautifully with the strawberry flavor underneath. If you want to make this a true homemade strawberry glaze for brownies, maybe crush up a couple of dried strawberries and mix them in with the sugar for some flecks of color!

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk (We might need a touch more, so keep it handy!)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Step-by-Step Instructions: Making Your Strawberry Brownies

This is where the magic happens, and unlike some baked goods, these strawberry brownies move really fast! Because we are keeping this recipe simple, you can whip the batter up before the oven even finishes preheating. Just remember the golden rule for fudgy bars: mix only until married, never mixed into submission. Don’t forget—if you love glazed quick breads, you might also want to check out my recipe for moist cinnamon swirl apple bread; the glazing technique is similar!

Mixing the Brownie Batter and Adding Fresh Strawberries

First things first, get your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prep that 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper so you have handles later on. In your bowl, you’re combining the strawberry cake mix, that melted butter, and your eggs. Mix them just long enough so there are no dry pockets of cake mix left—seriously, stop mixing right there! Then, gently fold in those finely chopped fresh strawberries. We want them distributed, not destroyed.

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Baking and Cooling the Chewy Strawberry Dessert Bars

Spread that beautiful pink batter evenly into your prepared pan. Pop it into the oven and set your timer for 25 minutes. Remember, we are aiming for that fudgy texture! When you test for doneness, you want to see moist crumbs sticking to the toothpick, not a completely clean one. If the toothpick comes out dry, you’ve gone too far, and these become cakey! Let them cool completely on a wire rack before you even think about glazing them—patience saves the presentation!

Preparing and Applying the Vanilla Glaze

While they cool (which takes a minute, I know!), whisk together your powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk in a small bowl. Keep whisking until it’s smooth and pourable. If it looks like paste, add milk in tiny little teaspoons until you get a nice, slow drizzle consistency. Once those bars are stone cold, take a spoon and drizzle that sweet vanilla glaze all over the top. Let that glaze set up for about ten minutes, and then slice them into 16 perfect little squares!

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Expert Tips for Perfect Strawberry Brownies

Even with an easy cake mix base, there are smart little moves you can make to ensure these brownies come out magazine-worthy every single time. Listen, I know that when life gets hectic, sometimes it feels easier to just rely on meal planning services to tell you what to eat, but this baking project feels like such an accomplishment for so little effort! These tips are about maximizing that flavor and getting that gorgeous, dense texture we love.

Boosting Strawberry Flavor in Your Strawberry Brownies

Since we are using fresh strawberries in the batter, the flavor is already pretty bright, but we can ramp things up for the glaze! This is my secret weapon when I want someone to really taste the fruit in the topping. If you want an intense burst of strawberry flavor that cuts through the sweetness of the vanilla glaze, use the note from the recipe details: swap out one teaspoon of the milk in the glaze for a teaspoon of good quality strawberry preserves! Whisk it in really well until it’s totally smooth. It adds color and a massive flavor punch without making the glaze runny.

Baking Adjustments for Texture Control

This might sound counterintuitive, but if you are an absolute fiend for the fudgiest, chewiest results possible—and I mean the kind that sticks to your teeth just slightly—you need to pull them out early. I’m talking about reducing that baking time by just two or three minutes from the 25-30 minute recommendation. You’ll need to check them right at the 23-minute mark. When you pull them out, they will look slightly underdone in the middle, but trust the process! As they cool completely on the counter, that residual heat finishes the cooking, locking in that super moist texture. If you overbake these even a little bit by trying to get a clean toothpick, you end up with a cakey bar instead of the ultimate chewy dessert bars we are aiming for.

If you want to see more quick-fix recipes that fit right into a busy week, pop over to my latest blog posts; I always share what I’m cooking up that week!

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Strawberry Brownies

When we lean on a shortcut like a cake mix—which I totally advocate for simplicity—people sometimes get nervous about substitutions. I’ve tested this formula enough over the years to know where you can cheat and where you absolutely cannot! Sometimes I look at all the work involved in making brownies with fresh strawberries completely from scratch and I think, why reinvent the wheel? But if you insist on going fully homemade, you certainly can, though you’ll need cocoa powder, sugar, and flour ratios to create that base instead of relying on the box.

For this particular recipe, though, I truly stand by the strawberry cake mix. It carries the right amount of chemical leaveners and flavorings for the butter and egg ratio we use. If you don’t have strawberry, you could use white cake mix and add a little more strawberry extract, but the pink color won’t be as vibrant.

Now, let’s talk fruit. Can you use frozen strawberries for these delicious chocolate strawberry baked goods? Yes, but you have to be vigilant! Frozen berries hold a ton of water, and too much water absolutely ruins our fudgy texture. If you must use frozen, thaw them completely first and then press them aggressively between several layers of paper towels. You need to wick away as much moisture as humanly possible before chopping and folding them into the batter. Fresh is always best for moisture control here!

Storage & Reheating Instructions for Chocolate Strawberry Baked Goods

Since these are packed with fruit and that yummy glaze, keeping them fresh is easy peasy. I always store my chocolate strawberry baked goods right on the counter in an airtight container. Seriously, they are usually gone in two days, but they stay perfectly soft and chewy for up to four days that way.

You don’t really want to reheat brownies, but if you absolutely must serve one warm, pop it on a microwave-safe plate for just ten seconds. Any longer and the glaze might get gooey—but warm, melty berry brownie is pretty fantastic too, so you decide!

Serving Suggestions for Your Moist Strawberry Brownie Recipe

Now that you’ve made the most perfect, easy moist strawberry brownie recipe, the only question left is how to eat them! I always say that any good dessert deserves a partner, and these chocolate-berry squares are incredibly versatile. Since the glaze on top is already sweet, we usually pair these with something cool or slightly bitter to really balance out the flavor.

For an easy afternoon snack, a steaming cup of hot black coffee or a strong latte is just the ticket. That slight bitterness cuts right through the sweetness of the vanilla glaze and makes the chocolate flavor pop even more. If you are going the coffee route, you absolutely have to try my recipe for frozen hot chocolate when summer hits; it’s amazing!

If you are serving these as actual dessert after dinner, you need ice cream, plain and simple. Vanilla bean is my go-to, of course, but if you want to get really fancy, a scoop of coffee ice cream or even plain, slightly tart Greek frozen yogurt works wonders. The contrast between the room-temperature, chewy brownie and the rapidly melting cold cream is just heaven.

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Another thing I love to do when I have extra fresh fruit on hand is to just serve one of these simple fruit brownies baking squares alongside a few slices of fresh, barely ripe strawberry or even a little dollop of sweetened whipped cream. It makes the presentation feel fancy without adding any extra baking time whatsoever!

Frequently Asked Questions About Strawberry Brownies

Oh, I know when you bake, you always have a few little nagging questions floating around in your head! We all do! I’ve rounded up some of the things I always get asked when I bring these strawberry brownies to a gathering. Hopefully, this clears up any doubts so you can get baking with total confidence!

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh in these strawberry brownies?

That’s a great question! Summer strawberries are always superior, but frozen berries are a lifesaver when fresh ones are out of season or just too pricey. If you absolutely must use frozen, remember what I mentioned before: they leak a ton of juice. You must thaw them completely first, and then you need to press every ounce of extra liquid out of them using paper towels. You want them mostly dry before you fold them into the batter. If you skip this step, you risk turning these moist strawberry brownie recipe bars into a soggy mess!

What makes these brownies fudgy instead of cakey?

This is the most important question, honestly! If you bake them like a regular cake, they turn out cakey, and that’s not what we want here. The fudgy magic comes from a delicate balance, mostly relying on the fat content and keeping the mixing minimal. We use plenty of melted butter combined with the eggs and the mix, which creates that dense richness. But the absolute biggest secret is pulling them out just as the toothpick shows moist crumbs attached. They finish cooking on the hot pan after coming out of the oven. If you bake them until a toothpick is totally clean, you’ve cooked out all the fudginess and ended up with a lovely, but definitely cakey, bar!

I also get asked a lot about what kind of chocolate to use. Since this recipe is based on strawberry cake mix, we aren’t adding a ton of extra melted chocolate, but if you wanted to experiment with two chocolate strawberry treats, you could always fold in half a cup of chocolate chips right along with your fresh strawberries. Just make sure they are good quality chips so they melt nicely!

Can I skip the glaze entirely?

You certainly can! If you’re in a super rush or just aren’t big on the sugary crust, feel free to skip it. They are still delicious plain. However, I feel the glaze seals in that amazing moisture we work so hard to achieve, turning it into a true easy dessert bar with fruit. If you skip the vanilla glaze, just give the tops a very light dusting of powdered sugar right when they come out of the oven for presentation!

Estimated Nutritional Information for Strawberry Brownies

I always like to give you a general idea of what you’re eating, although I have to say, these are meant for enjoyment, not anxiety! Since we are working with a cake mix base, the numbers tend to lean sweeter, which is to be expected in a treat this delicious. This breakdown is based on cutting the batch into 16 squares, just as the recipe suggests.

Remember, since this is an easy strawberry brownie recipe that uses prepared ingredients, these are just estimates based on general composition. If you use different brands of cake mix or heavy-handed amounts of glaze, things could shift a bit. But for a general idea of what’s in your quick summer brownie recipe square, here you go:

• Calories: Approximately 250 per square
• Total Fat: Around 13g (with about 7g being saturated fat—that’s the butter coming through!)
• Carbohydrates: About 32g
• Sugar: Roughly 30g (This is where our glaze and fruit sweetness hit!)
• Protein: About 3g

These are definitely a sweet treat, but look at that—they still pack a little bit of protein! Enjoy them guilt-free as a reward after a long week. They are fantastic any time you need a break from intense meal planning!

Fudgy Strawberry Brownies with Sweet Vanilla Glaze

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Make these simple, fudgy strawberry brownies using a cake mix base and top them with a sweet vanilla glaze for a chewy, fruit-filled dessert bar.

• Author: Carla Davis
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 30 min
• Total Time: 45 min
• Yield: 16 squares 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

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• 1 box (18.25 ounces) strawberry cake mix
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, finely chopped
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the strawberry cake mix, melted butter, and eggs. Mix until just combined; do not overmix.
3. Gently fold in the finely chopped fresh strawberries.
4. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs attached. You want a fudgy texture, so avoid overbaking.
6. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This step is important before glazing.
7. Prepare the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth. Add more milk, one teaspoon at a time, if the glaze is too thick.
8. Once the brownies are cool, drizzle the vanilla glaze evenly over the top.
9. Allow the glaze to set before cutting the brownies into squares.

Notes

• For a stronger strawberry flavor, you can substitute 1 tablespoon of the milk in the glaze with strawberry preserves.
• If you prefer a thicker, chewier brownie, reduce the baking time by 2-3 minutes.
• These brownies are a great alternative when you are too busy for complex meal planning.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 square
• Calories: 250
• Sugar: 30
• Sodium: 180
• Fat: 13
• Saturated Fat: 7
• Unsaturated Fat: 6
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 32
• Fiber: 1
• Protein: 3
• Cholesterol: 35