Cheesecake Brownies
intro
Rich, fudgy chocolate brownies swirled with tangy creamy cheesecake, balancing deep cocoa and bright cream cheese flavors for an indulgent marbled baked treat.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep oven and pan
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) with a rack positioned in the middle. Line an 8x8 inch (20x20cm) square metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving 2-inch overhangs on two opposite sides to easily lift finished brownies out. Lightly grease exposed pan sides with 1g of softened butter to prevent sticking.
Melt chocolate base
Place 170g chopped 70% dark chocolate and 113g unsalted butter in a heatproof glass bowl set over a small pot of gently simmering water (double boiler, ensuring no water touches the bowl bottom). Stir constantly with a silicone spatula for 3-4 minutes over medium-low heat until fully smooth and melted, then remove the bowl from heat and let cool 5 minutes.
Mix brownie batter
Add 200g of the granulated sugar to the cooled melted chocolate mixture, stirring for 1 minute until fully combined. Whisk in 2 room-temperature large eggs one at a time, mixing vigorously for 30 seconds after each addition until the batter is thick and glossy. Stir in 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract, 1g fine sea salt, 20g unsweetened cocoa powder, and 65g all-purpose flour, folding only until no dry flour streaks remain—do not overmix, as this creates cakey instead of fudgy brownies.
Make cheesecake batter
In a separate medium bowl, beat 226g softened room-temperature full-fat block cream cheese with a hand mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until completely smooth with no lumps. Add the remaining 50g granulated sugar, 1 remaining room-temperature large egg, and 2.5ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract, beating on low speed for 1 minute until fully combined and silky, scraping down bowl sides once halfway through to eliminate hidden lumps.
Layer and marble batters
Spread 2/3 of the brownie batter evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan in a smooth 1/4-inch thick layer. Dollop all of the cheesecake batter in 6 even spoonfuls across the brownie base, then drop the remaining 1/3 of brownie batter in small spoonfuls between the cheesecake dollops. Drag a wooden toothpick or thin knife through the batters in wide S-curves to create a marbled pattern, taking care not to over-swirl to avoid a muddy, uniform mix.
Bake and cool brownies
Bake in the preheated 175°C (350°F) oven for 28-32 minutes, until edges are set and the center jiggles only very slightly when you nudge the pan. Remove from the oven and let brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour at room temperature, then use the parchment overhangs to lift the entire block out and cut into 9 equal squares.
Tips
2.Bring eggs, butter, and cream cheese to room temperature before mixing to avoid lumpy batter, cracked tops, and uneven baking.
3.Do not overbake: the center should jiggle slightly when the pan is nudged, as residual heat will set the brownies as they cool. Chill cooled brownies for 30 minutes for clean, neat slices.
OMG these are INSANE. I brought them to my office potluck last week and every single person asked for the recipe! The fudgy brownie layer is so rich, and the cheesecake swirl cuts the sweetness perfectly. 10/10, will be making these for every family gathering from now on. Quick question though—has anyone tried adding a little raspberry swirl on top too?
Took me a minute to get the marbling right on my first try, but wow was it worth it. These are SO fudgy, not cakey at all which is exactly how I like my brownies. Cook time was spot on for my oven too, which never happens for me usually.
My kids went absolutely crazy for these! I packed a couple in their school lunches and they said all their friends were begging for bites. Way better than the boxed brownie mix I usually grab, and it didn’t take nearly as much extra effort as I thought it would for a ‘fancy’ dessert.
Made these for my book club meetup last night and they were gone in 10 minutes flat. Only thing is I feel like my cheesecake layer was a little runnier than the photos showed? Did I overmix the cream cheese maybe?
Game changer. I’ve been searching for a brownie recipe that doesn’t come out dry around the edges for literal years, and this one nailed it. The edges are chewy, the middle is perfectly gooey, the cheesecake layer is creamy as hell. Absolute win for my Sunday meal prep dessert stash.
Made these for my partner’s birthday and he said they’re better than the fancy bakery brownies we pay $6 a piece for downtown. Saved so much money, and it was such a fun weekend baking project. Difficulty level felt totally fair for medium, I’m not a super experienced baker and I pulled it off no problem.
Made a test batch of these last night and they’re incredible! Quick question though: can I make them a full day ahead for a dinner party next weekend? I don’t want to be stuck baking the day of when I’ve got a main dish and sides to juggle.
I made a test batch with regular dairy for a friend last week and it was so good I’m giving it 4 stars now (would be 5 once I nail the dairy free version)! Wait, has anyone tried making these with dairy-free cream cheese and vegan butter? My daughter is lactose intolerant and I’ve been looking for a dessert we can all enjoy at our next family cookout.
I’m a total beginner baker and I was nervous about the medium difficulty rating, but these were so straightforward! Only mess up was I swirled too hard and basically mixed the cheesecake all the way into the brownie batter, but it still tasted amazing tbh.
I’ve been making brownies for my grandkids for 40 years, and I have to say this recipe is a new favorite. The marbled cheesecake makes it feel special enough for Sunday dinner, but it’s not so fussy that I can’t whip it up on a random Wednesday when the kids stop by. Perfect texture, not too sweet, absolutely lovely.
These are so rich I can only eat a small square at a time, which is perfect for when I’m craving something sweet but don’t want to overdo it. Curious if you have the nutrition info per serving anywhere? I track my macros and would love to log these correctly!
Took these to my neighborhood block party and I swear three people asked if I bought them from a fancy bakery. The marbled look is so pretty, people assume you spent hours on it but it’s actually super quick to throw together. 10/10, will be making these on repeat.
These pair SO good with a hot cup of black coffee in the morning. Don’t judge me for eating brownies for breakfast, when they’re this good it counts as a cheesecake adjacent breakfast food right? The fudgy chocolate and tangy cheesecake is the perfect match for bitter coffee. Obsessed.
I tried a regular flour version at a friend’s house last weekend and these are easily a 4 star treat already (would be 5 once I can make a GF version I can eat too)! Has anyone tried making these with a 1:1 gluten free flour blend? I have celiac and would love to make these for my sister’s baby shower next month.
Help! I followed the recipe exactly but my cheesecake layer cracked on top while it was baking. Did I do something wrong? It still tastes great but it looks a little wonky for the baby shower I’m bringing these to.
Made these for our football tailgate last weekend and they were a total hit. I cut them into bite-sized squares so people could grab them easy without plates, and they held up perfectly even in the 80 degree heat for a couple hours. Way better than the usual cookies I bring, will be a regular in my tailgate rotation.
OH MY GOODNESS. I used dark chocolate cocoa powder instead of regular for the brownie layer and it made these so rich and chocolatey, I could cry. If you’re a dark chocolate fan you have to try this swap, it’s life changing.