Got 5 minutes? Make these easy Strawberry Brownies with luscious strawberry frosting – I think of these more as strawberry blondies, soft, fudgy brownies but made with strawberry cake mix instead!
This easy recipe is perfect for special occasions and great for strawberry lovers! Think Valentine’s Day for a festive pink brownie, but equally delicious for Easter or birthday parties.
I enjoy giving precise details in my recipe posts to lead my readers through any questions. If you’re just here for the printable recipe, use the Jump to Recipe to head straight there!
Why You Will Love This Recipe for Strawberry Brownies
- FAST! – These easy strawberry brownies take less than 30 minutes to make from start to finish.
- Simple Ingredients – This recipe only needs a handful of basic ingredients, including a box cake mix and other simple pantry staples.
- This sweet treat is so much fun for Valentine’s Day, bridal showers, baby showers, Mother’s Day, Easter, and so much more! These delicious strawberry brownies are also excellent for a bake sale.
I have made these strawberry blondies for birthday parties (great with ice cream!), Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and most recently, as a sweet treat when I brought a new mom and dad dinner!
Key Ingredients for Strawberry Blondies
- Eggs | Use two large eggs at room temperature.
- Oil | Use your favorite vegetable oil, I use avocado oil.
- Vanilla | Add in some vanilla extract for the brownie and the icing. Use my homemade vanilla or this Bourbon Vanilla recipe.
- Cake mix | Use your favorite box of strawberry cake mix.
- Freeze-dried strawberries | I like to use organic freeze-dried strawberries; if you cannot find freeze-dried strawberries (sold at most grocery stores and Trader Joe’s), then replace them with two tablespoons of a good strawberry jam.
- Powdered sugar | Also called icing sugar or confectioners sugar.
- Milk | Milk or cream will give your frosting the best flavor.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Recommended Tools
- Square Baking Pan << my favorite brand!
- Hand Mixer – though a whisk will also work!
- Large Mixing Bowl
How to Make Strawberry Blondies
Step 1 | Mix and bake the brownies
Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C) and line an 8×8-inch square pan with parchment paper. Using parchment paper will make these easy to remove and cut.
Add the wet ingredients, to a large bowl with a hand mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitting with a paddle attachment.
With a mixer on medium, combine eggs, oil, and vanilla in a large bowl, mixing them to combine. Or you can just whisk it!
Stir in the cake mix and mix until combined.
Spread the strawberry brownie batter evenly in the prepared pan — the batter will be thick! Next, bake the blondies in the oven for 18 to 25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Fresh Tips
- Just like regular brownies, take them out when they look slightly underdone. The edges should just pull away from the sides, and the top should have a dull finish but not dry.
- For the best results, use the toothpick test to check if the brownies are done baking before removing them from the oven.
Step 2 | Mix the icing, add to blondies, and enjoy!
Make a powder with the freeze-dried strawberries by adding them to a food processor or blender and pulsing until you have a fine powder. Then, in a small mixing bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, strawberry powder, and milk until silky smooth.
If too thick, add a teaspoon of milk/cream at a time; if too thin, add a tablespoon of powdered sugar. You want it spreadable, but a little fluid.
Finally, pour glaze over the cooled brownies, spreading it evenly with a rubber spatula or an offset spatula. For easier and cleaner slicing, place the pan in the fridge or freezer for 15-20 minutes.
Use the edges of the parchment paper to lift the brownies from the pan, slice, and enjoy your special treat! If your edges puff up higher than the middle (as mine often do), using a sharp knife, trim the edges before slicing into squares.
Fresh Tips
- You can crush the freeze-dried strawberries without a food processor by placing them in a zip-top bag and using a rolling pin to break them into fine powder. Many blenders will also do the job!
- If you’d like, save 1-2 teaspoons of the freeze-dried strawberry powder to sprinkle on top of the brownies.
High Altitude Adjustments
This recipe has been tested at high altitudes (I’m at 5280 feet above sea level) and at sea level. For altitudes over 3,500 feet:
- Add two tablespoons of flour to the cake mix.
- Start testing for doneness a minute or two before the normal times.
- For altitudes above 6000 feet, add a tablespoon of water or milk and bake at 375° F (190° C) and start testing for doneness at 17 minutes.
I usually like baking from scratch, but occasionally, a boxed cake mix is brilliant. Try these favorites using cake mix fresh peach dump cake, or this Red Velvet Cake Pops, and this delish cinnamon swirl bundt cake.
Variations
Gluten-Free Strawberry Blondies Recipe
Choose your favorite gluten-free strawberry cake mix. If you can’t get your hands on GF strawberry cake mix, use a GF vanilla cake mix and add ⅓ cup powdered freeze-dried strawberries (in addition to what you will use in the frosting), or use a ½ teaspoon of strawberry extract in the brownie batter recipe.
Low Fat Strawberry Blondies
To reduce the fat content of this great recipe, substitute the oil with unsweetened applesauce and reduce the baking time by a couple of minutes.
Substitutions and Add-Ins
- Replace the oil with equal amounts of melted butter for more decadent strawberry blondie bars.
- Add sweet white chocolate chips to the brownie batter or use them as a topping.
- If desired, add ⅓ cup of cocoa powder to the batter and stir in ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips when adding the boxed cake mix for strawberry fudgy chocolate brownies. Note that they will no longer be pink brownies.
- Drizzle the final dessert with dark chocolate for a chocolate-covered strawberries vibe.
- Add up to 1 teaspoon of strawberry extract for even more strawberry flavor!
Tips for Two
Make easy strawberry blondies a special treat for a Valentine’s Day celebration following a romantic dinner with someone special, then gift the remaining blondies to your friends, family, neighbors, or co-workers!
Wrap the pink brownies in festive baggies or packages and attach a sweet note, like baked with Love – DOWNLOAD these FREE Gifts from the Kitchen printables.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using the right amount of oil, eggs, and other key ingredients is important to get soft and moist brownies. Avoid overbaking the recipe. To keep brownies moist and soft when storing them, place them in an airtight container with parchment paper to separate the layers. Some people even set a slice of bread in the container with the brownies to retain moisture!
I have had lots of success with Duncan Hines’s cake mix because it doesn’t have a strong artificial strawberry taste like others. Otherwise, you can use your favorite brand!
Cake mixes typically have less sugar and more leavening agents, while brownie mixes are sweeter and require more fat for the fudgy texture.
If desired, add chopped strawberries to the brownie batter. However, it may make it extra moist. I don’t suggest replacing the freeze-dried berries with fresh ones in the strawberry glaze. Fresh berries also make for a delicious topping!
If you want crisp, clean edges for your strawberry blondies, place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes, then using the parchment paper lift out of pan onto cutting board and slice using warm knife (dip knife into hot water, then wipe clean with paper towel).
Or, if desired, trim the edges with a sharp knife, then slice them into squares.
Storage Tips
Refrigerate Leftovers – Store leftover strawberry cake mix brownies in a single layer in an airtight container and use parchment paper tor wax paper o separate the layers. If the frosting is on the brownies, keep them in the refrigerator for about five days. Or keep them in the baking pan and cover with plastic wrap.
Room Temperature – Strawberry blondies may also be stored on the kitchen counter in an airtight container for about 3 days, longer if they haven’t been iced.
Freezing Brownies – You can also freeze these strawberry brownies by placing them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to three months, they will thaw quickly on the counter.
What to serve with this Strawberry Brownie Recipe
- Serve the warm brownies from the oven (without the frosting) with a scoop of old-fashioned old-fashioned vanilla ice cream or try this strawberry shortcake ice cream.
- No Cook Strawberry Syrup
- Cool Whip Substitute
- Drizzle a little thick chocolate ganache for the perfect dessert.
Best drinks to serve with strawberry cake mix brownies
These strawberry brownies would be fabulous with this Strawberry drink, or this Strawberry Gin cocktail, and perhaps this warm and flavorful White Hot Chocolate recipe.
How to Make a Homemade Strawberry Refresher
The Strawberry Refresher is a light non-alcoholic drink made with summer fresh strawberry syrup, lime juice and your favorite mixer. Perfect for a warm spring or summer day, refreshing and delicious.
Fresh Strawberry Gin Cocktail
Let's make a beautiful Strawberry Gin Cocktail! This gorgeous pink gin and tonic uses a fresh strawberry syrup blended with your favorite gin and tonic for a fresh, bright, pink signature cocktail for spring and summertime. Great for Mother's Day, Bridal and Baby Showers, Easter or any summer cocktail hour.
White Hot Chocolate Recipe
A quick and easy recipe on how to make a Starbucks White Hot Chocolate recipe at home. Save time and money, by making this fast copycat white hot chocolate recipe in the comfort of your own home.
More Scrumptious Strawberry Desserts
- Old Fashioned Shortcake Recipe
- Strawberry Crunch Topping
- Low sugar Freezer Jam
- Strawberry Crunch Pound Cake
- Strawberry Phyllo Cups
Don’t forget to let the brownies cool completely before adding the frosting.
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Ingredients
- 2 large eggs room temperature is best
- ½ cup vegetable oil I love avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 15 oz strawberry cake mix roughly, doesn’t need to be exact
Strawberry Frosting Ingredients
- ¼ cup freeze-dried strawberries ground into powder
- 1 cup powdered sugar aka confectioners sugar or icing sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (175° C). Line a 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, with a hand mixer or whisk together the eggs (2), oil (½ cup), and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon).
- Add the cake mix (15.25 oz box), and mix with a large spoon until combined. The batter will be thick.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking dish, and bake for 18-25 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
- Allow the brownie to cool completely before frosting.
Strawberry Frosting
- Add the freeze dried strawberries (¼ cup) to a food processor and pulse until they become a fine powder.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk the powdered sugar (1 cup) and milk (2 tablespoons) and vanilla extract (½ teaspoon) together until smooth. Add the freeze-dried strawberry powder and mix until combined. You can save 1-2 teaspoons of powder to sprinkle on top. If too thick, stir in a teaspoon at a time of additional milk/cream.
- Pour the icing over the brownie and spread into an even layer. If super clean slices are desired, freeze 15 minutes, then use the parchment paper to lift from the pan onto a cutting board, slice and enjoy.
Notes
Variations & Substitutions
- More decadent strawberry blondies use melted butter in place of the oil.
- Lower Fat Strawberry Blondies – Replace the oil with ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce. Reduce baking time 1-2 minutes.
- Gluten-Free Strawberry Blondies: Use a gluten-free vanilla cake mix (I haven’t found a GF strawberry cake mix) and add ¼ cup powdered freeze-dried strawberries (ground into powder) into the mix, if desired, add ½ teaspoon of strawberry extract and proceed with recipe.
- High Altitude Strawberry Brownies
For altitudes over 3,500 feet preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Stir 2 tablespoons of flour into cake mix add oil and eggs, bake 1-2 minutes less than the recommended time. For altitudes above 6000 feet, add a tablespoon of water or milk to the batter and bake at 375° F (190° C) and start testing for doneness at 16-17 minutes.
Storage Tips
Refrigerate Leftovers – Store leftover strawberry cake mix brownies in a single layer in an airtight container and use parchment paper tor wax paper o separate the layers. If the frosting is on the brownies, keep them in the refrigerator for about five days. Or keep them in the baking pan and cover with plastic wrap. Room Temperature – Strawberry blondies may also be stored on the kitchen counter in an airtight container for about 3 days, longer if they haven’t been iced. Freezing Brownies – You can also freeze these strawberry brownies by placing them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to three months, they will thaw quickly on the counter.Nutrition
Paige
Everyone loved them at my office!
YAY! I love hearing that — thank you Paige!
Beth
These are so moist, and the strawberry flavor is fantastic. This is the first time I’ve ever made or even tried strawberry brownies. I’m hooked!
So happy to hear that Beth! Thank you so much!!
Elisa
Love this easy Strawberry Brownies recipe, looks delicious and so easy to make. Will make this soon. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Love that it’s on repeat! Thanks so much!
TAYLER ROSS
I made these brownies after dinner last night and they were incredible! Can’t wait to make them again for Valentine’s Day!
Perfect for Valentine’s day or anytime!!
Kelley
My kids and I made these the other day and they turned out so well!! An easy recipe for the kids to help with!
Such a great recipe to make with your kids!!
Dannii
This was such a good twist on brownies. Amazing strawberry flavour.
So glad you loved them!