Cheesecake brownies have the perfect balance between fudgy, chocolatey goodness and creamy, tangy cheesecake, creating a delicious fusion of flavors and textures. If you have a sweet tooth, these treats will soon become your favorite.
1 ⅔cupsugardivided into 1 cup (200grams) and ⅔ cup (133 grams)
3large eggs
⅔cupof cocoa powder65 grams
1cupall-purpose flour120 grams
½tspsalt
1/2cupchocolate chips plus more for the top85 grams
Cheesecake Layer
1-8ozblock of cream cheese room temperature
1/3cupsugar
1/2teaspoonvanilla extract
1large egg
Instructions
Brownie layer:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a straight sided 8x8 square pan with parchment paper leaving an overhang to pull the cheesecake brownies out of the pan and set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine butter and ⅔ cup of the sugar until butter is melted. Whisk frequently to prevent burning until all butter is melted and sugar is almost dissolved. It should look glossy and smooth, set aside to cool.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining 1 cup of sugar and whisk vigorously until the mix begins to slightly foam and the sugar has incorporated well into the eggs.
Make the batter: Gradually whisk the butter mixture into the egg mixture. Make sure the butter isn’t piping hot and incorporate gradually while mixing to prevent the eggs from cooking.
Sift together the all purpose flour, cocoa powder and salt over the bowl with batter. (Alternatively to avoid sifting: add flour, cocoa powder and salt in a separate bowl and whisk to break up any lumps before adding to the egg mixture). Mix in or fold gently into the batter until it is fully incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.
Fold in chocolate chips and reserve ½ cup of the brownie batter. Pour the rest of the batter into the prepared pan and set aside to prepare the cheesecake layer.
Cheesecake layer:
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and mix to combine. Add eggs one by one beating between each addition until creamy and smooth. Do not overmix as this will cause your cheesecake to crack.
Carefully spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the brownie layer and spoon the reserved brownie batter all over the cheesecake. You can choose a random pattern or a grid of 4 rows with 4 spoonfuls of brownie batter in each row.
With the help of a knife or a wooden skewer swirl the brownie dollops into the cheesecake creating a marble effect until you are happy with how it looks!
Bake at 350℉ for 30-35 minutes until the edges have risen and have just started to brown (*See note below). Allow to cool completely before cutting.
Let cool completely on a wire rack before unmolding.
To unmold the cheesecake brownies: refrigerate the cheesecake brownies while in the pan until completely set for 3-4 hours. Gently pull the parchment paper by the overhang and lift it, transferring to a serving plate. Cut them into squares and serve cold.
Video
Notes
Cooking time: These bars are extra gooey, especially in the center of the pan. The cheesecake on top creates additional moisture for the brownie layer, resulting in an extra fudgy brownie. If you prefer a more cakey consistency, lower the heat to 325F and bake for 5-8 minutes more at the end of the initial bake.