Vanilla Brownies

5 from 5 votes

Vanilla brownies are a fun twist on classic chocolate brownies and are packed with white chocolate and vanilla flavor topped with a creamy frosting.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Vanilla Brownies Recipe

Servings: squares

Calories: 453kcal

Ingredients

Vanilla Brownies

2 large eggs, room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
6 ounces white chocolate baking bars, chopped into small pieces
1 cup all-purpose flour

Frosting

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Be sure that you have excess parchment to hang over the sides of the pan to easily remove the vanilla brownies from the pan once cooled.
In a small mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs, granulated sugar, clear vanilla extract, and salt with a whisk until fully combined. Set aside.
In a 3-quart saucepan, on medium-low heat, melt the unsalted butter and chopped white chocolate baking bars. Stir often to prevent burning the chocolate. Remove from the heat as soon as the chocolate and butter are fully incorporated, and the mixture is smooth.
Add the all-purpose flour to the melted white chocolate and stir until all the flour has been incorporated into the melted chocolate. Your mixture will be thick.
Add the egg mixture to the white chocolate mixture and whisk until all the ingredients come together and the vanilla brownie batter is smooth.
Transfer the vanilla brownie batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Allow the baked brownies to cool completely on the counter before frosting.
While your vanilla brownies are baking and cooling, you can make your frosting by adding the unsalted butter to a large mixing bowl and beating it for 1 to 2 minutes, using a handheld mixer on medium speed until the butter is light and fluffy.
Add 1 cup of powdered sugar to the beaten butter and beat for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Add 1 tablespoon of the heavy cream to the powdered sugar and beat for an additional minute until smooth.
Add the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar and beat again for 1 minute.
Finally, add the remaining heavy cream, clear vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. Beat on medium-high speed for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until you have a smooth and fluffy frosting.
Once the vanilla brownies have cooled completely, you can frost them using an offset spatula.

Notes

If you can not find the clear vanilla extract, you can substitute standard vanilla extract in this white chocolate brownies recipe. The clear extract just helps keep the batter and frosting as light as possible without altering the flavor of the brownies.
You could easily double this recipe and bake it in a 9 x 13-inch pan. To account for the larger quantity, you may need to increase your bake time by 5 to 10 minutes.
Lining the pan with parchment paper will allow you to lift the entire square of baked brownies out of the pan for easier cutting once cooled. You can also grease the pan instead if you would prefer.
The brownies are done when a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbles. You don’t want a wet batter, but you do want the brownies to turn out nice and chewy.

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