Strawberry Brownies Recipe: How to make easy strawberry brownies with a strawberry cake mix and just a few simple ingredients for the perfect dessert that may just become one of your new favorite brownie recipes!
Quick Overview: Using only a few ingredients, like our cake mix lemon brownies and our red velvet brownies, this dessert recipe for strawberry brownies uses different amounts of ingredients with the cake mix, so it creates more of dense, ooey-gooey texture, rather than a light and airy cake-like texture! Add on the easy, creamy frosting and they’ll be a hit!
Post originally published in 2021, updated in 2023.
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I honestly don’t know which one I love more. These strawberry cheesecake cookies, strawberry crunch cheesecake, or these strawberry brownies!
When it comes to deciding on which strawberry dessert to make, I guess it just depends what I have on hand… a strawberry cake mix for these or dried strawberries for the cookies! Or let’s be real… it’s hard not to also fall in love with this adorable cherry chip cake recipe!
Hi Fantabulosity readers. It’s Meg again from Meg’s Everyday Indulgence bringing you one of my favorite strawberry desserts!
❤️ Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- It uses a cake mix: This easy dessert recipe is made with a cake mix! Cake mixes can speed up the process in many recipes and cut down on the ingredients needed. I also used a cake mix to make these strawberry cookies!
- Strawberry flavor: Strawberry lovers may just find that this is one of their new favorite recipes as it’s filled with strawberry flavor. If you like strawberry cake flavor, then you’ll love the flavor of these.
- Brownie texture: Some ask if these are more like “cake” since the recipe uses a cake mix. It’s not! When you use the ingredients in the recipe card below (not on the back of the cake mix box) they turn out dense and in more of a texture like a brownie than cake.
🛒 Ingredients for Strawberry Brownies
Here’s what you’ll need: (See the FULL RECIPE CARD at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and instructions all in one place.)
⭐️ UPDATE: Although not required, I’ve since started adding 1 Tablespoon of cream cheese to the frosting recipe, in case you want to try that too!
- Box strawberry cake mix (We used Pillsbury)
- Eggs
- Vegetable or canola oil
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Strawberry preserves (or jam)
- Milk
- Cream Cheese (not pictured, and optional for frosting)
🍫 Variations
These brownies are great on their own or jazzed up with the simple strawberry frosting. But if you’re feeling extra fancy, here are some more fun mix-in ideas and toppings:
- White chocolate chips
- Dark chocolate chips (We used semi-sweet chocolate chips in this chocolate brownie recipe.)
- Sprinkles
- Freeze-dried strawberries on top or pulverized and mixed into the batter
- Chocolate Frosting: If looking for a different type of frosting recipe, you’ll love this chocolate buttercream frosting that would create a chocolate-covered strawberry flavor.
💡 Pro Tips
- Brands Used: We used Pillsbury cake mix and Bonne Maman strawberry preserves for the frosting, as we have found that these two make the best results.
- Baking Pan: We have tried glass baking pans and metals pans. We’ve found this recipe turns out best when using a a glass baking pan and parchment paper for this recipe to achieve the finished result in the photos.
🧑🏻🍳 How to Make Strawberry Brownies
Start by making the batter. In a large bowl, pour in the strawberry cake mix. (Image 1)
Next, pour in the 2 large eggs and oil and mix strawberry cake mix in with the wet ingredients. (Images 2 & 3)
The batter will be thick so keep at it until the ingredients come together. Press the batter into a greased 8×8 square baking pan. (Image 4 – but we have found a glass baking dish works better.) You can also line the baking pan with parchment paper for best results.
How Long to Bake the Strawberry Brownies
Bake for 18-22 minutes, until they are just cooked through. You want that thick, dense texture like a brownie, and overcooking will create a more cake-like texture.
Let cool completely before adding frosting.
🥣 Brownie Frosting
The simple glaze is optional but adds a whole other dimension to the strawberry brownies so I definitely recommend it.
While the brownies are baking, or afterward, you can whisk together the powdered sugar, strawberry jam, cream cheese (optional) and milk until you reach a thick consistency. (Images 5 & 6)
Pour glaze over the cooled brownies and then cut in to small pieces.
Not only does the glaze add more sweetness to the brownies but it also provides another pop of strawberry flavor.
❄️ How to Store Strawberry Brownies
Because of the frosting, these brownies will easily stick together. Because of this, you should store them in a single layer in an airtight container.
You can also layer parchment paper between layers if you need to stack them. Just be aware some of the frosting may stick as it doesn’t harden.
If making the frosting for these brownies, it’s best to store them in the refrigerator since it contains milk and jam. However, if making without frosting, they can be stored in an airtight container on the counter.
They are best when consumed within 4 days.
TIP: I don’t recommend adding in fresh strawberries to this recipe. Why? Fresh strawberries contain lots of water and as they bake, they release that water which would negatively affects the texture of the finished product.
✅ Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can double the ingredients and use a 9×13 baking pan (preferably glass) and adjust to bake accordingly.
Pillsbury cake mix is recommended for this recipe. Others have said that they have used different brands and they tend to have a strong artificial strawberry taste.
Yes! Place them in a freezer-safe container (wrapped in Press’n Seal if possible) for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator (if you used the milky frosting recipe) and enjoy.
If you have or can find a strawberry extract, you can add a teaspoon of this to the brownie batter.
😍 More Brownie Recipes
If you’re a brownie lover, in any flavor, then these banana pudding brownies and these butterscotch brownies, will win you over for sure!
🍓 More Strawberry Recipes
But if you just love strawberries in general, then you’ll also love this strawberry crumble, these strawberry shortcake cookies, and this stuffed strawberry cream cheese french toast for breakfast! Or for a no-bake dessert, this strawberry icebox cake is a hit during the summer months.
They would make a festive dessert for Valentine’s Day, Easter, baby showers, and girls’ nights. When would you serve these delicious strawberry brownies?
Recipe
Strawberry Brownies (With Video!)
Ingredients
- 1 box strawberry cake mix We used Pillsbury
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the glaze:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoon strawberry preserves Bonne Maman strawberry preserves is the best!
- 1 ½ Tablespoons milk
- 1 Tablespoon cream cheese optional (see post for tips!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×8 pan with nonstick spray or line with foil. Set aside. (I used a glass baking dish and lined with parchment paper.)
- Mix & Bake: In a large bowl, mix strawberry cake mix, eggs, oil and vanilla extract. Press into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until just done. Let cool completely
Strawberry Brownie Frosting
- In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, strawberry jam, cream cheese and milk. Spread over the cooled strawberry brownies.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Sierra says
It had a good flavor- especially with the icing – but was a bit dry. I think if I were to make this again, I’d cook it for a shorter amount of time and add milk. Otherwise, the kids and I love it.
Ashlan Hogan says
Im making these for a party in the next few days and wondering if I double the recipe I could bake in a sheet pan or a larger pan? Is this something you have tried before?
Jessica says
Hi Ashlan! I haven’t tried these in a bigger pan yet! I know some (in the comments) have made these in a double batch and have had success. Kerrilee said “Loved this recipe! I doubled it, used a 13×9 glass Pyrex and just Pam sprayed the bottom. I kept it at 350 degrees for 22mins. It came out great! I used used regular frosting.” I hope that helps!
Donna Fleming says
I loved the brownies. Instead of cream cheese for the frosting, I added whipping cream. I hate cream cheese. Hard to believe for some folks, but I do. It turned out perfect!!
Jessica says
Ooooooh! I love hearing that this worked instead of cream cheese. So helpful to hear, thank you!
Diana S says
I’m excited to try this in the near future. How much whipping cream did you use to replace the cream cheese?
Jhasmyn says
Turned out good! More like cake for us but we were missing a few things but substituted!
Jessica says
Oh ok! Yes, it should be more dense than cake – but so glad it still turned out good for you! 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Sierra says
LOVED THIS! Family loved it as well and was such a great hit at Easter get together!
Jessica says
That’s so great to hear that you liked this recipe too! Thank you so much for sharing!
Gerri says
These were very good with strawberry flavor.
Jessica says
Yay! So happy you liked these strawberry brownies!
Kadi says
Hi
I just made these brownies!! And OMG… AMAZING!! Easiest instructions ever. I LOVE strawberry anything and these are my new favorite. I added more cream cheese to my frosting just because…why not!! It was so so good!
Jessica says
Haha! I love that you added more cream cheese to the frosting! Thank you SO much for sharing and for taking the time to leave a review!
Michelle says
These brownies turned out amazing! So moist and flavorful! I added some sour cream and preserves to the batter so I had to bake a little longer. However, they came out perfect!
Jessica says
Oh yum!! Adding sour cream and preserves to the batter sounds awesome! I may have to try that, thank you!