4th of July Firecracker Brownie Bites (Printable)

Fudgy brownie bites topped with creamy frosting and colorful sprinkles for a festive touch.

# What You'll Need:

→ Brownie Bites

01 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
06 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

→ Frosting

09 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
13 - 1 to 2 tablespoons milk

→ Decoration

14 - Red, white, and blue sprinkles
15 - Mini sparkler toppers or festive toothpicks

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan or line with mini paper liners.
02 - In a microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. Stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
03 - Add cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder to wet mixture. Stir just until combined.
04 - Spoon batter evenly into prepared mini muffin cups, filling each approximately 3/4 full.
05 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center emerges with a few moist crumbs.
06 - Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
07 - Beat softened cream cheese and butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, then beat until fluffy. Add milk as needed to achieve spreadable consistency.
08 - Once brownies are completely cool, pipe or spread a dollop of frosting on each brownie bite.
09 - Top each frosted brownie bite with red, white, and blue sprinkles. Add mini sparklers or festive picks if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're fudgy enough to feel indulgent but small enough that you can eat three without feeling guilty.
  • The frosting-to-brownie ratio is perfect, and honestly, most people will eat them straight from the tin when they think nobody's looking.
02 -
  • Don't overbake these, even by a minute. The difference between fudgy and dry happens fast in a mini muffin pan because they're small and the heat is concentrated.
  • Make sure your cream cheese and butter are actually softened before beating, or you'll end up with little chunks in your frosting no matter how long you mix.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together more smoothly, so take your eggs, cream cheese, and butter out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you start.
  • If you don't have a piping bag, a small spoon or even a butter knife works perfectly fine for spreading the frosting, and honestly the rustic look is charming.
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