Name: Cheesecake Brownies
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 8 ounce full fat cream cheese, room temperature; 6 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 large egg, room temperature; 1/8 cup full fat sour cream or Greek yogurt, room temperature; 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1/2 cup all purpose flour; 1/2 unsweetened cocoa powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1/2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled; 6 tablespoons granulated sugar; 6 tablespoons brown sugar

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Cheesecake Brownies are a decadent dessert that combines my rich, fudge brownies with a creamy, tangy cheesecake layer. The two layers are swirled together to create a marbled effect, making them not only delicious, but beautiful!

Say hello to these gorgeous and irresistible Cheesecake Brownies. If you like brownies and cheesecake, you’re going to love this simple yet visually stunning dessert!

Why you will love these Cheesecake Brownies:

Cheesecake brownie are unique! The combination of chocolate and tangy cheesecake just works. They’re not overly sweet, but they definitely taste like a treat.
They’re easy to make! The brownie recipe and cheesecake recipe are very straight-forward and do not require a ton of ingredients or time.
They’re beautiful! This dessert has such visual appeal – these would be great for Valentine’s Day or to bring to a dinner part.
They’re chilled – I really enjoy desserts that are cold. I often freeze my chocolate chip cookies because I love to nibble on them slowly verses devouring in a few seconds. Because the brownies are chilled, they provide a nice chew that can be thoroughly enjoyed!

Brownie Ingredients:

All purpose flour: All purpose flour is used to give the brownies structure. Gluten free flours would also work!
Unsweetened cocoa powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder is used to give the brownies the rich chocolate flavor. I like to use Rodelle Organic Baking Cocoa Powder Dutch Processed. You can find it at Costco!
Butter: I like to use butter instead of oil for flavor. I think it makes for richer tasting brownie.
Eggs: Eggs bind all the ingredients together.
Brown sugar: Brown sugar sweetens the brownies, offers a caramel flavor and some moisture.
Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the brownies.
Vanilla: Vanilla adds warmth and flavor.
Salt: A little salt brings out the chocolate flavor.

Brownie Instructions:

Eggs, brown sugar, and wet ingredients for baking in a glass mixing bowl, preparing to make a sweet dessert at Stuck On Sweet. — Whisk together eggs, brown sugar, granulated sugar, melted butter and vanilla until pale in color.

Frothy cake batter in a glass mixing bowl with a metal whisk and a hand whisk attachment, ready for baking, on a white surface, perfect for dessert recipes and baking tutorials. — What the batter should look like after whisking.

Cream cheese mixture with cocoa powder and whisk in a glass bowl, ready for baking or dessert recipe, showing a chocolate-flavored preparation from Stuck On Sweet. — Add the bowl of dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder and salt) to the wet ingredients.

Rich chocolate cake batter in a mixing bowl ready for baking. — Stir until combined. Batter will be thick.

Decadent homemade chocolate sheet cake with rich frosting on parchment paper. Perfect for indulgent dessert recipes and baking at home. — Spread 3/4 of the brownie batter into the prepared 8×8 pan.

Cheesecake Ingredients:

Room temperature cream cheese: It’s important to make sure the cream cheese is room temperature if not slightly warm. Place in an area of your house that is warmer (like your oven or microwave) to come to room temperature. If it’s not totally room temperature, there will be lumps in the cheesecake batter.
Granulated Sugar: Sugar sweetens the cheesecake!
Large egg: The egg binds all the ingredients together.
Sour cream or Greek yogurt: A little extra fat and moisture helps thin out the cheesecake batter creating a lighter, fluffier cheesecake.
Vanilla: A little vanilla adds flavor.

Cheesecake Instructions:

Cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl for sweet dessert recipes. — Beat together cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.

Fluffy vanilla cake batter in mixing bowl for baking. — This is what it should look like.

Cream cheese mixture with egg and hot sauce in mixing bowl for baking or cooking recipe. — Add egg, vanilla and sour cream. Whisk until thoroughly combined, scraping sides of bowl as necessary.

Rich chocolate cookie dough on top of creamy vanilla cake batter in a parchment-lined baking pan. — Pour cheesecake batter over the brownie batter then dollop with extra brownie batter.

Swirled White Chocolate Fudge with Marbled Chocolate Patterns, homemade with rich ingredients for a creamy, indulgent treat. Perfect for gift-giving or dessert inspiration. — Swirl the brownie batter into the cheesecake. Bake at 350 for 22-25 minutes

Cheesecake Brownie Additions and Substitutions:

You can make these gluten free by simply using gluten free flour. Any flour will work.
You can add a cupful of chocolate chips to the brown batter for extra chocolate and texture.
I sometimes like to add a spoonful of coffee granules into my brownie batter for extra flavor. Coffee also helps bring out the chocolate flavor of the cocoa.

Tips and tricks for success:

Read through the entire recipe before starting – helps prevent mistakes.
Gather all of your ingredients before starting and measure ahead of time – this helps prevent mistakes and makes clean up easier.
Mix both the cheesecake and brownies well, but do not over-mix. The instructions go further into this.
Definitely use parchment paper!
Do not over bake. When in doubt, underbake. Desserts often continue baking after they come out of the oven a bit. Cheesecake brownies are chilled so the cheesecake will still set and taste great even if it’s slightly underbaked.
Use a sharp knife to cut the brownies – wipe the knife off after each slice for more even cuts. You can also run the knife under hot water after each slice to get very even cuts.

And there you have it! Cheesecake brownies are the perfect blend of two popular desserts, offering a harmonious balance of rich chocolatey goodness and creamy cheesecake indulgence. Whether you’re serving them at a special occasion or simply enjoying them yourself, these marbled treats are sure to impress!

Yield: 16 small brownies

Cheesecake Brownies

Cheesecake Brownies are a sinful dessert comprising of a thick and fudgy brownie that's topped with fluffy cheesecake and baked until perfectly set.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

Brownies

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons brown sugar

Cheesecake

8 ounce full fat cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/8 cup full fat sour cream or Greek yogurt, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper so the sides of the paper hang over the edges of the pan; set aside.
To make the brownies, sift together flour, cocoa powder and salt into a small bowl; set aside.
In a larger bowl, vigurously whisk or beat the eggs, melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy and pale in color.
Add the bowl of dry ingredients into the bowl of wet ingredients and stir until combined.
Pour most of the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan leaving a little to dollop on top of the cheesecake to make swirls. Spread evenly with a spatula - batter will be thick and sticky. If you don't want to make swirls, pour all of the brownie batter into the pan and spread evenly; set aside.
To make the cheesecake, beat the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and vanilla and beat until combined.
Pour the cheesecake batter over the brownie batter then dollop spoonfuls of left over brownie batter on top. Use a knife or toothpick to make swirls into the cheesecake - you may need to use your fingers to help spread the brownie batter.
Bake for 22-25 minutes, just until the cheesecake is set. The edges should not jiggle at all, the center may jiggle just a little. Let cool completely before placing in the refrigerator to set.
Remove the bars from the pan by lifting up the sides of the parchment paper. To cut the bars, use a large sharp knife. To get even cuts, clean the knife off after each slice. You can also run the knife under hot water to achieve cleaner looking cuts. Enjoy!

Notes

Cheesecake brownies should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.