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4th of July Brownies

4th of July brownies with dense, fudgy chocolate base and a thick layer of smooth white vanilla frosting. Decorate with a blue raspberry-canton look using tightly packed blueberries and red strawberry rows with clean white gaps for a bold flag design.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Brownie base
  • 1 fudge brownie mix Use a 9x13 pan as directed on the box, including required eggs, oil, and water (or use your homemade equivalent).
Topping
  • 2 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 oz cream cheese Softened for easy blending.
  • 2 tbsp butter Softened.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2.5 tbsp milk Start with 2 tbsp and add up to 3 tbsp for spreadable texture.
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries Sliced lengthwise or thinly for neat stripes.
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries Tightly packed for the upper-left canton.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake and cool
  1. Heat oven and bake the fudge brownie mix in a 9x13 pan according to package directions. Bake until the center is set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, and let the pan cool completely for at least 1 hour.
Make the vanilla cream cheese frosting
  1. Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 2 tbsp milk together until smooth and spreadable. If it seems too thick, beat in additional milk in 1 tsp increments until it spreads easily.
Frost and decorate flag pattern
  1. Spread the cream cheese frosting in an even layer over the cooled brownies, covering the surface fully.
Create the blueberry canton
  1. In the upper left corner, arrange a tight rectangle of blueberries on the frosting to form the canton. Press gently so the berries adhere and the edges look crisp.
Create the red strawberry stripes
  1. Arrange sliced strawberries in horizontal rows across the remaining area to form the red stripes. Lay them flat and close together so the rows look continuous.
Show the white stripes
  1. Leave alternating gaps between strawberry rows so the white frosting shows through as the white stripes. Adjust spacing as needed to keep the pattern even across the pan.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the brownies for 30 minutes to set the frosting, then cut into squares and serve. For cleaner cuts, wipe the knife between slices.

Notes

Pro tip: Slice strawberries thinly and keep the fruit dry so the frosting stays smooth and the stripes don’t slide. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze cut squares in an airtight container up to 2 months. For a lighter option, swap regular butter for plant-based butter and use dairy-free cream cheese if you want a dairy-free version.