This recipe is made with a simple and fudgy one-bowl brownie batter, then swirled with a foolproof 4-ingredient cheesecake batter!
Nothing beats a classic, fudgy chocolate brownie… except maybe one that’s swirled with cheesecake! These cream cheese brownies are the ultimate sweet treat, made with ripples of cheesecake and whorls of rich chocolate. They’re also incredibly easy to make, with a one-bowl brownie recipe and a simple 4-ingredient cheesecake swirl.
The brownie portion of these cheesecake swirled brownies is adapted from my favorite brownie recipe (which you may also recognize from these Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies!). While I always prefer to make my desserts from scratch (especially if they’re as easy to make as this one), I have also made these using Ghirardelli’s Classic chocolate brownies with great success! If you’ve been asking yourself what desserts can you make with brownie mix, Cream Cheese Brownies are a fantastic option!
These brownies work best in a 7×11 pan, but you could also make a 9×9 pan work, I’ve found that a 9×13 pan makes the brownies much thinner than I like them to be.
Ingredients
Brownies*
▢12 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into tablespoon-sized pieces ▢½ cup semisweet chocolate chips ▢½ cup natural cocoa powder ▢1 cup sugar ▢½ cup brown sugar light or dark, packed ▢2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk ▢1 teaspoon vanilla extract ▢½ teaspoon salt ▢1 cup all-purpose flour
Cheesecake Swirl
▢8 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature ▢¼ cup sugar ▢1 large egg ▢½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 7×11 pan with baking spray. Combine butter and chocolate chips in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well and microwave again for another 15 seconds and then stir well again. Repeat in 15 second intervals until chocolate and butter are completely melted and well-combined. Add cocoa powder and stir well. Add sugars, stir until completely combined. Add eggs and then egg yolk, one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and salt and stir to combine. Add flour and stir until completely combined. Reserve ¼ cup of the batter and spread the rest of the batter evenly into a prepared pan. Prepare your cheesecake topping.
Cheesecake
Combine cream cheese and sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat until creamy. Stir in egg and vanilla extract. Stir until well-combined. Pour cheesecake over prepared brownie batter. Take your reserved ¼ cup brownie batter (if it has become stiff just stir it with a spoon) and drop/drizzle over cheesecake. Use a knife to swirl brownie batter and cheesecake together. Bake on 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until center is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few fudgy crumbs. Allow to cool COMPLETELY before cutting and serving.