Cheesecake Brownies

Hey guys! I’m back with another brownie recipe today, and it’s a popular choice for good reason- Cheesecake Brownies are incredibly yummy. I’m on a bit of a brownie kick, and so I thought it was time to add this one the recipe book here!

These are simple to make, and it’s a slight adaptation from my High-Altitude Brownie Recipe. The addition of a cheesecake filling is so good, and we ate these super fast in my house. Let’s get to it!

How to Make Cheesecake Brownies

We’re starting with the brownie base, and it’s a pretty simple brownie recipe. Start by whisking up the melted butter, oil, and sugars until well combined, and then stir in the vanilla extract and eggs until you’ve got a smooth batter.

Then, add in the dry ingredients, including dutch-processed cocoa powder, and give everything a serious whisk. I like a good chewy brownie, and that means whisking the batter for a solid 5 minutes at this point.

Then we’re adding in a simple cheesecake batter to the top of the brownie batter, and dolloping a little of the brownie batter over the top as well to help everything swirl together beautifully. Here’s what your should look like throughout the process:

Then it’s off to the oven. Baking brownies the right amount is one of the trickiest parts of baking them at home- you want them to be puffed in the middle, set on the edges, and the brownies may have a tiny bit of a jiggle in the center right when they are ready to come out of the oven. Not liquidy, but just a light jiggle.

And that’s it! I like to enjoy these chilled, so once they’ve cooled, I recommend popping the pan into the fridge for at least an hour before serving, but they’re great no matter how you serve them.

Tips & Tricks for Cheesecake Brownies

Cheesecake Brownies are a classic, and they’re so satisfying to make at home. Here are my tips and tricks to help along the way!

• Use dutch-processed cocoa powder to make sure you get a super chocolatey flavor. It’s a darker, more rich cocoa powder and it makes a big difference in high-altitude chocolate desserts. Don’t skip it!
• Don’t skip the extra mixing step. Mixing this batter for the additional 5 minutes once all the ingredients have been added makes a big difference in the final texture of the brownies so don’t skip it.
• My cheesecake filling has lumps, what can I do? This happens when the cream cheese isn’t completely at room temp. You can let the filling sit for an additional 20-30 minutes at room temp and whisk vigorously to remove the lumps, but don’t go too far with this. It’s ok if it’s not completely perfect. The best way to avoid this is to start with room-temp cream cheese first.
• How do I know when the brownies are baked? You want to see a puffed center, set edges, and just a slight jiggle in the center of these brownies when they are ready to come out of the oven.
• How can I get straight cuts on my brownies? The best way to get your brownies to cut clean is to cool them to room temp, and then pop the whole pan into the fridge for at least an hour before slicing. Plus, I think these are super yummy when chilled!
• Can I double this recipe? Yes, you can double the recipe and make it in a 13×9 inch cake pan. The brownies may take slightly longer to bake when doubled, so go by the visual cues in the recipe.

Hope you guys enjoy this one!

Print

Cheesecake Brownies

Servings 16 brownies

Ingredients

For the brownies:

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup dutch processed cocoa
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. baking powder

For the cheesecake:

• 4 oz room temp. cream cheese
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

For the brownies:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease your brownie pan- you can use an 8×8 inch square cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, oil, sugar, and brown sugar until well combined. Add in all 3 eggs and the vanilla extract, and whisk together until well combined. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder, and then stir this mixture into your large bowl. At this point you want to whisk the batter for a full 5 minutes by hand. It’s going to seem like a really long time to mix this batter, but trust me! It helps create the perfect texture.
3. Once you’ve mixed the batter well, pour the batter into your prepared pan, reserving about 1/4 cup of the batter, and spread it evenly.

For the cheesecake:

1. Whisk all your ingredients together in a medium bowl until smooth. Pour the cheesecake filling over the top of the brownie batter and spread it evenly over the top. Then, drizzle on the reserved brownie batter. Use a knife or skewer, swirl the batter together gently.
2. Bake the brownies for 35-38 minutes. The brownies should have a shiny top, set edges, and toothpick inserted about 2 inches from the edge of the pan should come out with a few crumbs on it. The center may be slightly jiggly- that’s ok. Cool the brownies, slice, and enjoy!

Dough-Eyed

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!