Go Back

4th of July Brownies

4th of July brownies with dense, fudgy baked brownie layers topped with a thick vanilla cream cheese frosting. Finished with a red, white, and blue flag pattern using tightly packed blueberries and flat rows of sliced strawberries.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
cool + chill 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

box fudge brownie mix, plus ingredients on box (or homemade)
  • 1 box fudge brownie mix Use boxed mix called for by the brand (follow package ingredients and bake time).
topping
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 oz cream cheese Soften at room temperature so it blends smoothly.
  • 2 tbsp butter Soften to a spreadable texture.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2.5 tbsp milk Start with 2 tbsp, add up to 3 tbsp to reach a spreadable consistency.
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries Slice and lay flat for clean red stripes.
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries Keep tightly packed for the blue canton.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake and cool the brownies
  1. Bake the brownies in a 9x13 pan following the package directions, so the center sets but stays fudgy. Let cool completely at about room temperature for at least 1 hour, until the surface is firm to the touch.
Make the vanilla cream cheese frosting
  1. Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk together until smooth and spreadable. Stop as soon as the frosting looks glossy and thick enough to hold ridges from the spoon.
Frost and build the flag pattern
  1. Spread the cream cheese frosting in an even layer over the cooled brownies, smoothing to the edges so the design base is uniform. Scrape the top level so the strawberry and blueberry lines have crisp borders.
  2. In the upper left corner, arrange a rectangle of blueberries tightly packed to form the canton. Press them lightly so there are no gaps where frosting could show through.
  3. Create red stripes across the rest of the brownies using rows of sliced strawberries laid flat. Place each row carefully so the slices form straight, parallel lines across the frosting.
  4. Leave alternating gaps between strawberry rows so the white stripe shows through the frosting. Use the frosting layer as the contrast and keep gaps consistent for a flag-like look.
Chill, cut, and serve
  1. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set the frosting, so the toppings stay in place when cutting. Cut into squares with a clean cut through the design and serve.

Notes

Pro tip: Slice strawberries evenly and keep them flat—this makes the red stripes look straight and uniform. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze frosted brownies up to 2 months for best texture. For a dietary swap, use a gluten-free brownie mix in place of the fudge brownie mix to make the recipe gluten-free.