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    Home » Recipes » Desserts » Brownies & Bars » Cheesecake Brownies

    Cheesecake Brownies

    Published: June 17, 2016 · Modified: Oct 23, 2020 by John Kanell

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

    You'll love these delicious cheesecake brownies with a rich, fudgy chocolate base and a light, perfectly sweet cheesecake topping swirled with chocolate. The slight tang of cream cheese really compliments that chocolate flavor and makes for a balanced bite.

    Cheesecake brownies with a chocolate swirl on parchment paper.
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    stack of cheesecake brownies on parchment
    cheesecake brownies on parchment
    cheesecake brownies on parchment
    cheesecake brownies on parchment
    stack of cheesecake brownies on parchment

    These cheesecake brownies are the business! RICH fudge-like brownie on the bottom complemented with a light, slightly tangy cheesecake topping swirled with more chocolate. These easy to make brownies come together with ingredients you probably have in your pantry already in just a few minutes, and they look spectacular right out of the oven! These take my brownie recipe to the next level!

    How to make cheesecake brownies

    Cheesecake brownie batter being mixed in a bowl.

    1. Preheat oven to 350F and Pine a 9×9 inch (you could also use an 8×8) baking dish with parchment paper. Add one cup of the chocolate chips in a large bowl then pour in the melted butter. Warm in the microwave in a few short bursts at 50% power. Mix together until smooth.

    2. Immediately stir in the cocoa powder and mix until incorporated. By the way the cocoa powder looks a bit light in this image because the exposure had to be turned way up!

    Sugar and eggs being added to Cheesecake brownie batter.

    3. Add the salt, white and brown sugars and mix well.

    4. Mix in the eggs, yolk, vanilla and coffee. Make sure to mix really well and scrape the bowl down.

    Cheesecake brownie batter being smoothed into a pan.

    5. Dump the flour in and mix until almost combined then add the remaining chocolate chips and fold in.

    6. Reserve about 1/2 a cup of the brownie batter in a small bowl and transfer rest to the parchment-lined baking dish and smooth to the edge. Place in refrigerator to chill while you whip up the cheesecake topping.

    Cheesecake topping being spread onto a brownie. brownie

    7. Beat the room temperature cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or electric hand mixer) for a few minutes until completely creamed. Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla while mixing on low then add the eggs and beat until smooth. Scrape the bowl down and mix once more.

    8. Add the cheesecake topping onto the brownie and smooth with a spatula.

    Cheesecake brownie batter being swirled with a skewer.

    9. Mix the reserved brownie batter with a tablespoon of very hot water and mix together. You’re basically thinning the batter so it’s easier to mix in. Add more water as needed until the batter is more the consistency of cake batter. Dot the top of the cheesecake with spoonfuls of the thinned batter.

    10. Use a skewer to swirl the brownie batter around. I like to wipe the edges with a knife to remove any excess. Bake at 350F for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325F and bake another 35 minutes. The edge will have risen and might just be starting to brown. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

    3 Cheesecake brownies stacked on a piece of parchment paper.

    Blooming cocoa powder for cheesecake brownies

    When you dissolve the cocoa powder in a warm liquid it releases more of the chocolate flavor and really steps things up a notch. This recipe blooms the cocoa powder in the warm butter and chocolate mixture but you can always dissolve your cocoa powder in a liquid for cake and quick bread recipes too.

    Pro TIPS FOR THis Recipe

    • If you don’t have an eight by eight inch pan for your cheesecake brownies then just use foil to create one or two walls for a smaller baking dish. Line with parchment and you’ll be good to go!
    • Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to your cheesecake brownies will take a way from that nice fudge-like texture. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off. 
    • Adding the cocoa to the warm butter/chocolate mixture “blooms” it which gives you a more intense chocolate flavor.
    • Don’t over-bake your brownies. Unlike cake layers brownies will not have springy center and a skewer inserted into the center will not come out clean. Your cheesecake brownies are done when the center is set and you see the cheesecake on the edges puff up a it just begin to crack. 
    • Room temperature cream cheese is a must for a smooth topping. Don’t be afraid to let the mixer run to really cream it before adding the sugar in.
    • Add toasted nuts, crushed candy cane, toffee, or even candy like M&Ms to your brownies for a bit of crunch and flavor.

    Cheesecake brownies swirled with chocolate on a white marble table.

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

    CAN I MAKE THESE WITHOUT A 9×9 INCH PAN?

    Sure! You can use a larger pan and have thinner brownies OR you can make a wall inside of your pan with aluminum foil then line it with parchment paper. If you look very closely in the photo for step seven below you can see that I did this!

    WHAT’S THE BEST COCOA POWDER TO USE?

    I love using a high-quality Dutch processed cocoa powder for these cheesecake brownies. Dutch processed cocoa powder is darker, less acidic and fudgier in baked goods making it PERFECT for cheesecake brownies! My go to company is Valrhona but there are lots of great brands out there, including Callebaut, Ghirardelli and lots of organic and fair trade options too!

    Do I need to refrigerate them?

    You can leave these cheesecake brownies out overnight at room temp in a sealed contained. They will keep for up to four days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer. There’s enough sugar in them to act as a preservative but it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

    What can you put on them?

    Add toasted nuts, crushed candy cane, toffee, or even candy like M&Ms to your cheesecake brownies for a bit of crunch and flavor.

    Can I make this with more brownie and less cheesecake?

    Yes! Just halve the cheesecake topping ingredients and follow the same recipe steps. 

    If you love this recipe try these out!

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      Blondie Recipe

    • A mini cheesecake topped with whipped cream and berries on blue and white plate.

      Mini Cheesecakes

    • Slices of no bake cheesecake blue and white dishes with berries.

      No Bake Cheesecake

    • A chocolate cupcake topped with a swirl of chocolate buttercream

      Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

    If you’ve tried these cream cheese brownies then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! 

    cheesecake brownies marbled with chocolate on crinkled parchment paper.
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    5 from 551 votes

    Cheesecake Brownies

    Rich, and fudgy brownies crowned with a light and fluffy cheesecake topping swirled with chocolate.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 45 minutes
    Total Time 1 hour
    Servings 12 Brownies
    Calories 420kcal
    Author John Kanell

    Ingredients

    For the Brownie Base

    • 1 cup unsalted butter  melted, 226g
    • 1 1/3 cups semis sweet chocolate chips
    • 3/4  cup  cocoa powder
    • 1 cup  granulated sugar 200g
    • 1 cup brown sugar 200g
    • 2 eggs  room temperature
    • 1 yolk
    • 1 tbsp  coffee 15mL
    • 1 tbsp  vanilla extract 15mL
    • 1 cup  all-purpose flour 120g
    • 1 tsp  salt
    • 1 tbsp water 15mL hot, plus more if needed

    For the Cheesecake Topping

    • 16 oz cream cheese room temperature
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1 tbsp vanilla extract 15mL
    • 1 pinch salt
    • 2 eggs

    Instructions

    For the Brownies:

    • Add the melted butter and one cup of chocolate chips to a large bowl. Microwave on short bursts at low power until mostly melted then stir together until smooth.
    • Immediately dump in the cocoa powder and salt then mix until fully incorporated.
    • Mix in the white and brown sugars then add eggs and yolk, vanilla and coffee then mix until smooth.
    • Drop in the flour and mix until almost combined then fold in the remaining chocolate chips

    For the Cheesecake Topping

    • Add the room temperature cream cheese to stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and mix at medium speed for 3-4 minutes.
    • Reduce speed to low and slowly add sugar, then salt and vanilla.
    • Add eggs one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next. Scrape the bowl down and mix once more.
    • Add the cheesecake mixture to the brownie base and spread out
    • Add chocolate-cheesecake spread with a skewer.
    • Bake at 350F for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325F and bake another 35 minutes. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    • If you don’t have an eight by eight inch pan for your brownies just use foil to create one or two walls for a smaller baking dish. Line with parchment and you’ll be good to go!
    • Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to your brownies will take a way from that nice fudge-like texture. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you don’t have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and use a knife to level it off. 
    • Adding the cocoa to the warm butter/chocolate mixture "blooms" it which gives you a more intense chocolate flavor.
    • Don’t over-bake your brownies. Unlike cake layers brownies will not have springy center and a skewer inserted into the center will not come out clean. Your brownies are done when the center is set and you see the cheesecake on the edges puff up a it just begin to crack. 
    • Room temperature cream cheese is a must for a smooth topping. Don't be afraid to let the mixer run to really cream it before adding the sugar in.
    • Add toasted nuts, crushed candy cane, toffee, or even candy like M&Ms to your brownies for a bit of crunch and flavor.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1piece | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 250mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1.4mg
    *Nutrition Disclaimer
    Have you Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @preppykitchen and tag #preppykitchen!
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    Thanks for stopping by! I’m John Kanell, a husband, dad to twins Lachlan and George, Los Angeles native, and an avid baker and cooker of all things delicious thanks to a life long education from my mother. This blog is where I share all of my kitchen creations!

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