These cheesecake brownies are my weakness!! Made them for the first time last summer when my sister was visiting and now she bugs me to make them every time she’s in town lol. Can’t blame her tho – that combo of super fudgy brownie with the cream cheese swirl is INSANE. What I love most about these cheesecake brownies is they look fancy but they’re actually pretty easy? The marbled top tricks everyone into thinking I’m some master baker when really it’s just dragging a knife through batter. Shhhh don’t tell anyone my secret!
Why You Need These Cheesecake Brownies In Your Life Asap
Ever made something that looked amazing on Pinterest but turned out blah? Yeah these are NOT that. First batch I made was for my friend’s potluck and I swear people were fighting over the last piece. My neighbor who “doesn’t do sweets” ate THREE!!
What makes these cheesecake brownies so good is they fix the biggest problem with plain brownies – sometimes chocolate can be too much. The tangy cream cheese cuts through the richness perfectly. Plus they’re super flexible – I’ve added everything from peanut butter to raspberry jam and they always turn out awesome.
The texture is honestly the best part – fudgy brownie on bottom, creamy cheesecake on top. If you liked my Mint Oreo Cheesecake recipe, you’ll love these cuz they have that same amazing contrast but in cute little squares!
Stuff You’ll Need
For Brownie Part:
- 1 cup butter – unsalted, the good stuff if you can
- 2 cups sugar – just regular white sugar
- 4 eggs – room temp!! Super important
- 2 tsp vanilla – real vanilla not the fake stuff
- 1 cup flour – don’t pack it or brownies get tough
- 3/4 cup cocoa – Dutch process makes em darker & richer
- 1/2 tsp salt – brings out chocolate flavor
- 1 cup choc chips – I use semi-sweet but whatever you like
For Cheesecake Part:
- 16 oz cream cheese – MUST be super soft or you’ll get lumps
- 1/3 cup sugar – balances the tanginess
- 1 egg – helps it set up right
- 1 tsp vanilla – makes it taste better
- 2 tbsp flour – stops it from cracking
Pro tip: seriously don’t cheap out on cocoa powder for these cheesecake brownies! The fancy Dutch stuff makes a huge difference – I learned that the hard way lol. If you’re into cheesecake stuff, my Churro Cheesecake has similar vibes but with cinnamon sugar instead of chocolate!
How To Make These Bad Boys
Step 1: Get Ready
Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment and spray it. MAKE SURE cream cheese has been sitting out at least an hour – seriously this matters! Cold cream cheese = lumpy disaster.
Step 2: Make Brownie Batter
- Melt butter in microwave (do 30 sec, stir, repeat til melted). Let it cool a bit.
- Mix butter and sugar til it looks like wet sand.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each. It’ll get all shiny.
- Throw in vanilla.
- In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa and salt.
- Add dry stuff to wet stuff. Don’t overmix!!
- Fold in chocolate chips.
Batter should be thick and glossy. If it looks weird and grainy you didn’t mix the butter and sugar enough.
Step 3: Make Cheesecake Part
- Beat cream cheese til super smooth – seriously NO LUMPS!
- Add sugar and beat til fluffy, like 2 mins.
- Add egg and vanilla, mix just til combined.
- Add flour, mix quick.
Should be smooth and spreadable but not runny. If you see lumps, keep beating!
Step 4: Put It All Together
- Spread most of brownie batter in pan. It’s thick so use spatula.
- Spoon cheesecake mixture on top in blobs.
- Drop remaining brownie batter between cream cheese blobs.
- Take knife and swirl in figure-8 pattern. DON’T GO CRAZY! Like 5-6 swirls is plenty.
- Bake 35-40 mins til toothpick comes out with a few crumbs.
- Middle might jiggle a little – that’s fine! It’ll set as it cools.
Let it cool COMPLETELY before cutting – like at least 2 hrs! For super clean cuts, stick in fridge first. Tbh these cheesecake brownies taste even better next day after they’ve chilled overnight!
If cream cheese desserts are your jam, check out my Cherry Cheesecake recipe too – same creamy texture but with fruit!
Ways To Switch It Up
1. PB & Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
Mix 1/3 cup peanut butter into cheesecake batter. Maybe sprinkle some Reese’s pieces on top. SO GOOD with coffee!!
2. Espresso Cheesecake Brownies
Add 1 tbsp instant espresso powder to brownie batter. Gives it this amazing depth without tasting like coffee. Game changer!!
3. Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
Drop spoonfuls of raspberry jam on top before swirling. The tartness with chocolate is chef’s kiss
4. Oreo Cheesecake Brownies
Crush up like 8 Oreos and fold into cheesecake mixture. Or just press them into top before baking. My kids go NUTS for these!
5. Mint Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
Add 1/2 tsp mint extract to cheesecake layer and sprinkle with Andes mint pieces. Tastes like mint choc chip ice cream!
6. S’mores Cheesecake Brownies
Mix 1/4 cup marshmallow fluff into cheesecake layer and sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top before baking. If you like mini desserts, my Mini Cheesecake recipe has lots of fun topping ideas too!
Fudgy Cheesecake Brownies
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Knife
Ingredients
For the Brownie Layer:
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder Dutch process preferred
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
For the Cheesecake Layer:
- 16 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp flour
Instructions
- Preheat & Prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and grease it lightly.
- Make Brownie Batter:
- Melt butter and let it cool slightly.
- Mix butter and sugar until it resembles wet sand.
- Add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition, until mixture becomes glossy.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
- Gradually fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.
- Make Cheesecake Batter:
- Beat softened cream cheese until smooth and lump-free.
- Add sugar and beat until fluffy.
- Mix in the egg and vanilla until just combined.
- Stir in flour and mix briefly.
- Assemble:
- Spread most of the brownie batter into the prepared pan.
- Spoon the cheesecake mixture on top in dollops.
- Drop remaining brownie batter between the cheesecake dollops.
- Use a knife to swirl gently in a figure-eight pattern.
- Bake: Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool & Serve: Let brownies cool completely (at least 2 hours) before slicing. For cleaner cuts, chill in the fridge first.
Notes
Nutrition
Questions People Ask About Cheesecake Brownies
Do cheesecake brownies need to be refrigerated?
Yeah def refrigerate these! The cream cheese part means they can’t sit out more than like 2 hrs. Keep em in fridge in container up to 5 days. Honestly they taste better cold anyway – the cheesecake gets firmer and the chocolate gets fudgier. So good!!
Can I add cream cheese to brownie mix?
Yup you can totally use box mix for a shortcut! Make the box brownies according to package. For cheesecake layer, mix 8oz soft cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Drop spoonfuls on brownie batter, swirl, and bake about 5 mins longer than box says. Super easy hack when you don’t have time for scratch!
How to make cheesecake brownies in a preppy kitchen?
For that fancy preppy kitchen look, it’s all about the swirls! Make sure your cream cheese is super smooth, don’t overmix when swirling (less is more!), and chill completely before cutting with hot knife wiped between slices. Their secret is in the presentation – garnish with chocolate curls or berries to make em pretty enough for the gram!
What can I make with a box of brownie mix?
Boxed mix is actually super versatile! Besides basic brownies you can make:
- These cheesecake brownies (just add homemade cheesecake layer)
- Brownie cookies (use less water so they’re thicker)
- Brownie sundae cups (bake in muffin tin)
- Brownie trifle (layer with whipped cream)
- Brownie milkshakes (blend with ice cream)
- Brownie pizza (spread in pizza pan and top with stuff)
- Brownie pops (bake, cut in squares, put on sticks, dip in chocolate)
What happens if you add an extra egg to brownie mix?
Adding extra egg makes brownies more cakey instead of fudgy. Eggs make em rise more and give structure. So if you like super dense fudgy cheesecake brownies, stick to recipe. If you want em more cakey, add an extra egg. They’ll be softer and fluffier but less dense and rich. My husband likes em cakey, I’m team fudgy so we compromise lol.
Final Thoughts
These cheesecake brownies have been my secret weapon dessert for like 2 years now! Whenever I need to impress people without spending all day in the kitchen, this is my go-to. My mother-in-law (who’s super critical of everything I make) actually asked for the recipe last Christmas which basically means I won at life.
The contrast between the dark brownie and white cheesecake swirls just looks so impressive on a plate. And that first bite with both flavors?? Omg heaven. Don’t worry if your swirls aren’t perfect – they’ll still taste amazing! If you make these tag me on insta cuz I love seeing your versions! Now excuse me while I go make another batch…
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