Cheesecake Brownies
Homemade, from-scratch cocoa-based brownies with an extra-thick swirl of cheesecake batter!
Servings: 24
Calories: 224kcal
Equipment
- 9x13 inch pan
- electric mixer
Ingredients
Brownie Batter
- 16 tablespoon butter (227 grams, melted)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 grams)
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 grams)
- ¾ cup cocoa powder (60 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
Cheesecake Swirl
- 16 ounces cream cheese (2 bricks; at room temperature)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 1 egg (at room temperature)
Instructions
- Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, or grease very well. Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Melt the butter, then stir in the sugar and vanilla. Be sure the mixture isn't so hot it will scramble the eggs; let it cool for a few minutes if necessary.
- Stir in the eggs one by one, mixing only until combined. You don't want to beat in air.
- Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Use a rubber spatula to fold them in. Stir only until just combined, breaking up lumps as necessary.
- Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared pan, then set aside.
Cheesecake Swirl
- Place the cream cheese and sugar in the same bowl you used for brownie batter; trace amounts of batter won't hurt. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed, beating until just smooth. Scrape down the bowl to be sure everything is mixed, but don't beat air into the cream cheese if possible.
- Add the egg, and mix just until combined. Don't beat air into the cheesecake mixture if possible.
- Dollop the cheesecake mixture over the brownie batter. Use a butter knife to swirl it into the batter, as far up to the edges as you can without it touching the edge.
Baking
- Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out with sticky crumbs on it. Do not overbake.
- Cool completely, or at least 1-2 hours, before refrigerating. Cheesecake brownies are better refrigerated than they are warm.
- Store covered in the refrigerator. Texture is best within the first three days.
Notes
This recipe uses double the amount of cream cheese as some other cheesecake brownie recipes because I love the texture and flavor it provides.
Brownies should be tender and moist, so don't overmix or overbake!
I use full-fat cream cheese, but believe that Neufchatel cheese will work if that's what you usually bake with.
Don't beat the cream cheese or egg too much. Beating too much will create air bubbles, which will expand and pop while the brownies bake. This will disrupt the smooth, creamy cheesecake texture that you want.
Brownie recipe based on my Hershey's Best Brownies recipe. Cheesecake layer constructed from instructions I gathered too long ago to remember.
Calorie count calculated in MyNetDiary using full fat cream cheese and is an estimate only.
Nutrition
Calories: 224kcal
