Decadent Valentine’s Strawberry Chocolate Swirl Bars
These bars combine luscious strawberry sweetness with deep, velvety chocolate swirls in a buttery, tender base. Perfect for Valentine’s Day or any occasion, they are quick, easy, and crowd-pleasing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (25g) unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (160g) strawberry preserves or jam
- ½ cup (90g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan with butter or line it with parchment paper.
- Cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder (sifted), baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Optional: Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Dollop the strawberry preserves over the batter in small spoonfuls.
- Spread the remaining batter over the preserves carefully to cover them.
- Use a skewer or toothpick to swirl the strawberry preserves and chocolate batter together in a figure-eight or gentle loops pattern.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into squares.
Notes
Use thicker strawberry preserves for better swirl definition. Avoid overmixing the batter to keep bars tender. Let bars cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling. Butter should be softened but not melted. If preserves are too runny, gently heat to reduce liquid before swirling. Watch baking time closely to avoid overbaking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 200
- Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 27
- Protein: 2
Keywords: Valentine's Day dessert, strawberry chocolate bars, chocolate swirl bars, easy homemade dessert, strawberry preserves, chocolate bars