These Strawberry Brownies are soft, buttery, and packed with bright strawberry flavor from both fresh and freeze-dried strawberries. They bake up with crackly tops and a fudgy, blondie-like texture before getting finished with a glossy white chocolate strawberry glaze.
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease and line an 8x8inch pan and place a piece of parchment that spans just the center length with the ends of the parchment hanging over the edge of the pan. Press the parchment flat so it adheres to the bottom and sides of the pan.
In a small food processor or blender, add the freeze-dried strawberries. Pulse until you have strawberry powder. Remove 2 teaspoons, keep it in an airtight container (we will use this later for the glaze and we don’t want it to clump up). Then add the sugar to the rest of the strawberry powder and briefly pulse until combined - it should look like pink sugar.
Add the strawberry sugar, to a bowl, along with the unsalted butter and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy, about 1 minute.
Then add lemon juice and eggs. Quickly beat together on medium speed until combined and smooth. If you want it to be a super bright pink, add a small drop of food coloring into the mix. This is of course optional!
Now, add your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt. Beat on low speed until just combined. Then gently fold in the fresh strawberries.
Scoop the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake the strawberry brownies for 35-37 minutes until golden and crackly on top. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before removing it from the baking pan and adding the glaze. The center will be puffed up but as it cools it will fall slightly and set.
To Make the White Chocolate Strawberry Glaze:
Meanwhile, make the white chocolate glaze. Add the white chocolate and lemon juice to a bowl. Microwave in intervals of 20 seconds, until the white chocolate has completely melted. (If you don’t have a microwave, use a double boiler.) Stir until combined and glossy. Then sift in the reserved two teaspoons of strawberry powder and pinch of salt, stir to combine.
Pour the white chocolate strawberry glaze over the strawberry brownies and move the pan around to encourage the glaze to cover the entire surface of the brownies. Allow the glaze to set for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Slice it up and serve. To store, keep in an airtight container for up to three days at room temperature.
Notes
Quick Tips
Add pink food coloring if desired. The brownies naturally bake up a muted pink color, so a small drop of coloring can brighten them if you want a more vibrant finish.Microwave the glaze gently. White chocolate can seize quickly, so short intervals and frequent stirring help keep it smooth.Let the brownies cool completely before glazing. If they’re still warm, the glaze will melt and slide instead of setting neatly on top.Sift the freeze-dried strawberry powder before adding it to the glaze to avoid clumping.Use a hand mixer for a smooth glaze. This helps remove any clumps of strawberry powder in the glaze.
Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead: These strawberry brownies are perfect to make the day before and glaze the next day.Storage: Store leftover brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.