These gooey cheesecake brownies are absolutely heaven-sent. The most fudgy chocolate brownie you've ever tasted topped with rich, creamy, baked cheesecake, with a beautiful brownie cheesecake swirl to boot. Divine.
I can be picky with desserts, but these cheesecake brownies will ALWAYS have a place in my heart and in my belly. This is my go-to treat when I want something decadent. My S'mores Brownies were always a huge hit in the bakery, but why have one delicious dessert when you could have two in one?!
These cheesecake brownies are gooey and dense, the rich chocolate is balanced out with the tanginess of the cheesecake and there is just a hint of salt that gives it this beautifully rounded flavor that just swirls together in a dance of deliciousness in your mouth!
'But Jules, it's just a brownie', you say. Just wait until you have tried them for yourself! I am convinced nobody could ever feel sad while biting into one of these fudgy cheesecake brownies. They are the ultimate in comfort food and work as an indulgent snack or a standalone dessert.
I have mixed cream cheese with brownies in other recipes, such as my Red Velvet Brownies, but this cheesecake brownie recipe is in a league of its own. If decadent layered desserts are what you're after, you might also like my Tuxedo Cake recipe which has 3 layers of chocolate mousse!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Two desserts in one
- Super easy to make - no mixer required
- Unbelievably decadent - great for dinner parties or snacks
Ingredients
This cheesecake brownies recipe uses some very simple ingredients, but it's important that they are high quality as you will really be able to taste the difference.
Butter - Use unsalted butter so you can control the level of salt in the brownies. You want to use a nice, high-fat content butter, I like to use Kerrygold.
Dark Chocolate - If there's one ingredient in this not to scrimp on, it's the chocolate. Make sure you use dark chocolate as you really need it to create super-rich chocolate brownies. Look for chocolate containing at least 70% cocoa solids.
Eggs - We use eggs in the brownie base and in the creamy cheesecake layer. Use large eggs and always free-range if you can.
Sugar - The recipe calls for regular white sugar, make sure it's superfine sugar (caster sugar in the UK).
Flour - All-purpose flour works best here, this recipe doesn't use any leavening agents so you don't want anything like self-raising flour - just plain old all-purpose.
Salt - A touch of saltiness really does wonders in this recipe, it helps to cut through all that rich sweetness and adds an extra dimension of flavor to the cheesecake brownies.
Cream Cheese - You can use any brand of full-fat cream cheese, but be wary as some brands will be more watery than others. If there is excess liquid in your cream cheese, try to drain it out before using. I used Philadelphia cream cheese as I know it's reliable.
Powdered Sugar - Also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar, this will dissolve nicely into our cheesecake batter,
Vanilla - Get a good quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste as you'll really be able to taste it in the cheesecake filling.
Make sure your eggs and cream cheese are both at room temperature before beginning.
See recipe card for quantities.
Make the Cheesecake Brownies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the room temperature eggs and sugar until they are light and thick, kind of like custard. You can do this with a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, with an electric mixer, or just by hand with a regular handheld whisk. The important thing is that the mixture gets pale and thick as this will help to make nice fudgy brownies.
- In a heatproof bowl, break the chocolate into small pieces, then add the butter and melt both together in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in between until everything is melted and free of lumps.
- Pour the melted chocolate/butter mixture into the whipped egg/sugar mixture and mix everything together with the whisk until completely incorporated.
- Sift the dry ingredients (flour and salt) into the brownie batter and fold in gently until all the flour is mixed in.
- Remove about half a cup of the brownie batter into a small bowl, we'll use this later to swirl into the cheesecake. Pour the remaining brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread it out to create a nice even layer. Set aside while you make the cheesecake.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add all the ingredients for the cheesecake recipe and cream together until completely smooth. It is important that you use room temperature cream cheese and eggs, and that you pass your powdered sugar through a sieve first to avoid getting any lumps in the cheesecake topping.
- Once smooth, pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the brownie batter and use a butter knife to slightly 'meld' the two layers together. Don't mix too much, this is just so the layers don't separate as they bake.
- Take the reserved brownie batter and spoon small dollops of it all over the cream cheese mixture, then use a toothpick or a knife to swirl the chocolate mixture in pretty patterns.
- Bake the cheesecake brownies for 30-35 minutes or until the cheesecake just starts to turn golden at the edges, there should still be a slight wobble in the middle of the cheesecake.
Bake time may vary depending on your oven so definitely check for the visual signs that they are ready. Remove from the oven and let cool COMPLETELY before attempting to remove from the pan and slicing.
How to Slice Cheesecake Brownies
The most important thing is that your cheesecake brownies have to be completely cool before you attempt to slice them. This is an extremely gooey, fudgy recipe and they need to set up a bit, so if they aren't cool you will end up with a bit of a mess all over your worktop.
For the absolute best results, I actually recommend chilling the cheesecake brownies in the fridge for an hour before slicing - this will help you to get really nice, clean cuts.
The best way to cut them is to take your chilled brownies and a large, sharp knife. Run the knife under hot water to heat it up slightly, then wipe it down with a paper towel and make the first cut. For really clean slices, repeat this process in between each slice so you don't spread remnants of the fudgy brownie layer through your cheesecake.
You can either cut into 9 squares, or 16, depending on what size of cheesecake brownies you want - they are very decadent so the smaller ones do go a long way!
Video
Here is a full video tutorial for how to make cheesecake brownies:
Can you use a boxed brownie mix?
Technically, yes. But I urge you to try making this recipe completely from scratch. While there are some decent box mix brownies out there that make a chewy brownie, nothing can beat homemade brownies, and this particular recipe makes the most incredible gooey brownie that you just can't achieve with box brownie mix.
The brownie part also comes together so quickly and easily, that you really won't be saving much time with a box mix. So I encourage you to try making these from scratch - I think there's a good chance it may become your new favorite brownie recipe!
Variations
- Cherry Cheesecake Brownies - for an elevated twist, try adding a layer of cherries in between the brownie and cheesecake layers. You could also try using the delicious cherry recipe from my Black Forest Cupcakes, and swirl some of the extra filling into the cheesecake on top for a super pretty touch.
- Chocolate Chips - The chocolate flavor is already very intense in these cheesecake brownies, but if you want to step it up a notch, you could add some milk, dark or white chocolate chips to the brownie batter.
- Nuts - You could also incorporate some of your favorite nuts into the brownie mixture for an added crunch to contrast the fudgy texture. Pecans or walnuts would work really nicely.
Equipment
- 9-inch Square Baking Dish - You could also make this in an 8-inch pan if you prefer, the cream cheese brownies will just be a little thicker. For best results use a metal pan rather than a glass pan.
- Large Bowl
- Whisk - you can also use a stand mixer or hand mixer if you like, but a regular old whisk works just fine.
Storage
Store your cheesecake brownies in the fridge, either in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. They need to be chilled because of the cream cheese, and keeping them airtight will help to maintain the flavor and gooey texture.
To enjoy the best flavor possible, remove the brownies from the fridge an hour before serving to let them come to room temperature.
You Might Also Like
If you love the idea of cheesecake brownies, you may also enjoy these delicious dessert recipes:
Recipe
Cheesecake Brownies
Equipment
Ingredients
Brownie Batter
- 1 ½ sticks Butter 170g
- 10.5 oz Dark Chocolate 300g
- 3 Eggs
- 1 ¼ cups Granulated Sugar 250g
- 1 cup All-purpose Flour 120g
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Cheesecake
- 13 oz Cream Cheese 370g (room temperature)
- 1 ½ cups Powdered Sugar 180g
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C (or 170° fan assisted) and line a 9-inch square baking tray with parchment paper
Make the Brownie Batter
- Whip eggs and sugar until light and thick, like custard.3 Eggs, 1 ¼ cups Granulated Sugar
- Melt butter and chocolate together in the microwave at 30-second intervals.1 ½ sticks Butter, 10.5 oz Dark Chocolate
- Pour chocolate and butter mix into the egg/sugar mix and mix until combined.
- Fold in flour and salt until combined.1 cup All-purpose Flour, ½ teaspoon Salt
- Set aside a small amount of the brownie batter for swirling on top (about ⅓ cup, or more if you want more brownie on top) then pour the rest of the batter into the prepared pan.
Make the Cheesecake
- Place all the cheesecake ingredients in a bowl and cream together until smooth.13 oz Cream Cheese, 1 ½ cups Powdered Sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 2 Eggs
- Pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the brownie batter in the pan. Add a few dollops of the reserved brownie mix on top and swirl those into the top of the cheesecake with a knife or spoon to make a pretty design.
- Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until the cheesecake just starts to turn golden at the edges. there should still be a wobble in the middle of the cheesecake. Bake for minimum time for super gooey brownies, or bake for a few minutes longer for firmer brownies.
- Let cool COMPLETELY before attempting to slice - seriously.
VIDEO
Notes
It really helps and I love hearing all your feedback!
Sarah Duran Keen
These taste delicious. However, like some other reviewers, the bake times are WILDLY inaccurate. I baked two batches, one in a glass dish and one in a metal square pan. I have an oven thermometer, so I verified my oven temperature. They took WAY longer to bake and the middle part was actually soupy in both pans, necessitating a longer bake time.
Judith Stanford
Made this today for Valentine's dinner. My time for baking was about 20 minutes longer. I did use a thermometer for deciding when to remove it from the oven. It turned out great!
Ladie
Made this for Sunday Family Dinner. It was a hit, even to the non chocolate lovers! Didn't hurt that it's both of my favorite desserts! I put caramel on the top instead of leftover brownie mix.
LJ
the baking times on this are WRONG flat out. I'm trying to fix this at 2 in the morning after trying to cut into it with a liquid center, AFTER letting it cool COMPLETELY. I'm kind of upset to be honest. I'll try popping it in the oven for another ten minutes or so but it's just not what I had hoped for
Jules Grasekamp
Hi LJ, I'm so sorry to hear your brownies didn't turn out - it's so disappointing when that happens!
I promise you the bake times are correct, I have been making these for years and they have been tested by many others! However, bake times can vary quite a bit based on many things like your oven and your cake pan. I always give advice for how to tell when things are baked by eye so you don't have to rely solely on a bake time. In this case, you want to watch for the cheesecake being set as a whole, but still a bit wobbly.
I also recommend getting an oven thermometer, as the temperature displayed on the outside is often quite inaccurate, and being off by a few degrees can also affect your bakes.
I hope this helps and that your next batch turns out perfectly!
Jules
Nancy
Hi... Will this turn out if I double it in a 9x13 pan?
Jules Grasekamp
Hi Ladie,
So glad to hear you enjoyed the brownies! Caramel on top sounds wonderful! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
Jules
Chris Radwanski
Ooey gooey goodness! This combines two of my favourite things, cheesecake and brownie, so obviously I ate my fair share! Keep the wonderful recipes coming!
Grandma
Pistachio cake on Christmas Day was delicious, had two slices!
Rosany
Can I make this ahead and freeze? I thought i saw a comment somewhere about making it ahead and freezing it but can't see anything anywhere. How long can i keep it in the fridge?
Thanks
Grandma
Delicious collection of goodies once again, you always have a surprise for us…. Including beautiful Aurora! She’s definitely your best creation ❤️