4th of July Firecracker Bites (Print Version)

Fudgy brownie bites topped with creamy frosting and patriotic sprinkles, perfect for festive occasions.

# 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 whole milk

→ Decoration

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

# Steps to Follow:

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, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
06 - Let cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
07 - Beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, then beat until fluffy. Add milk as needed for spreadable consistency.
08 - Once brownies are cool, pipe or spread a dollop of frosting on each brownie bite.
09 - Top frosting with red, white, and blue sprinkles. Add mini sparklers or festive picks if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They're small enough to eat by the handful at parties, so nobody judges you for having four.
  • The frosting-to-brownie ratio is absolutely unhinged in the best way possible.
  • You can prep them an hour ahead and actually enjoy your own celebration instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Underbaking is your friend with brownies, because they keep cooking slightly after you pull them out of the oven, and nobody has ever complained that brownies were too fudgy.
  • If your frosting is too soft, stick it in the fridge for 10 minutes before piping, because warm frosting spreads everywhere and looks sloppy.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix together faster and create a smoother batter, so pull your butter and eggs out of the fridge 30 minutes before you start baking.
  • If you don't have a piping bag, put the frosting in a ziplock bag, seal it, snip off one corner, and pipe away like you have professional tools.
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