Description
These Strawberry Crunch Brownies are a delightful twist on traditional brownies, featuring a strawberry cake mix base with white chocolate chips, topped with a creamy strawberry-flavored frosting and crunchy vanilla cookie crumble. Perfect for parties or a sweet treat!
Ingredients
Scale
Brownie Base
- 1 (15.25 oz) box strawberry cake mix
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup salted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Frosting
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (8 oz) tub whipped topping
Topping
- 36 vanilla sandwich cookies
- ¼ cup strawberry syrup
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Mix Brownie Batter: In a mixing bowl, combine the strawberry cake mix, egg, melted butter, and heavy cream. Stir until the batter is smooth and well incorporated. Then, fold in the white chocolate chips gently to distribute evenly.
- Bake Brownies: Spread the brownie batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. Place in the oven and bake for 18 to 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Cool Brownies: Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan before frosting to avoid melting the topping.
- Prepare Frosting: In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract, mixing gently. Finally, fold in the whipped topping to create a light, fluffy frosting.
- Frost Brownies: Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the completely cooled brownies to ensure a smooth finish.
- Make Crunchy Topping: Crush the vanilla sandwich cookies using a food processor or by placing them in a sealed bag and crushing with a rolling pin. Mix the cookie crumbs with the strawberry syrup until combined.
- Top and Chill: Sprinkle the strawberry cookie crumble evenly over the frosted brownies. Chill the assembled dessert in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to set the frosting and flavors.
Notes
- Ensure the brownies are completely cooled before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Use salted butter as specified for balanced flavor; unsalted can be substituted but may require a pinch of salt.
- For best texture, crush the cookies finely but avoid turning them into powder.
- Chilling the brownies improves flavor melding and makes slicing cleaner.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator covered tightly for up to 3 days.
