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4th of July Brownies

4th of July brownies made with dense, fudgy baked squares topped with thick white vanilla frosting and an American flag design. The frosting is spread smooth and the blueberries and strawberry rows create a clear red-white-blue pattern on every slice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
cooling and chilling 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

fudge brownie mix
  • 1 box fudge brownie mix Use the package ingredients (eggs, oil, water, etc.) as directed on the box.
topping
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 oz cream cheese Soften before mixing.
  • 2 tbsp butter Soften before mixing.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2.5 tbsp milk Add 1 tbsp at a time until spreadable.
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries Slice thin and lay flat for the red stripes.
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries Use to form the tightly packed blue canton.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake and cool brownies
  1. Heat oven to the temperature listed on the fudge brownie mix box. Bake brownies in a 9x13 pan according to package directions, then cool completely for at least 1 hour until no longer warm.
  2. Spread the cooled brownies in the pan so the surface is even and ready for frosting. Leave the brownies uncovered while they cool to prevent condensation.
Make vanilla cream cheese frosting
  1. In a bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk together until smooth and spreadable.
  2. Stop and check texture after mixing. If it feels too thick, add milk 1 tbsp at a time until it spreads easily.
Decorate the flag pattern
  1. Spread the cream cheese frosting in an even layer over the cooled brownies so the top is fully covered.
  2. In the upper left corner, arrange a rectangle of blueberries tightly packed to form the canton.
  3. Create red stripes across the rest of the brownies by laying rows of sliced strawberries flat from left to right.
  4. Leave alternating gaps between strawberry rows so the frosting shows through as white stripes.
Set, cut, and serve
  1. Refrigerate the brownies for 30 minutes to set the frosting until firm.
  2. Cut into squares and serve after chilling. For clean cuts, wipe the knife between slices.

Notes

For the sharpest flag look, slice strawberries thin and keep blueberries snug with minimal gaps. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended because the fresh fruit topping can weep when thawed. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and butter sticks, keeping the frosting texture spreadable with extra milk if needed.