Cheesecake Brownies From Scratch

These delicious cheesecake brownies have the perfect balance of chocolate and cheesecake, making them irresistible!  Both layers are made from scratch using only natural ingredients.

The bottom layer is a homemade brownie base that has a rich, fudgy cake texture that is sure to please even the pickiest eaters. The cheesecake top layer will make you want to lick your plate clean. The layers are topped with a few chocolate chips for even more chocolatey goodness.

These are the brownies that you make for friends and family to impress them.  With their two layers of deliciousness, they are essentially two delicious desserts in one.  

This recipe is inspired by King Arthur Flour’s Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies.  Their recipe creates an elegant brownie with a cheesecake swirl.  My version takes a more simplistic approach with a chocolate chip topping.  Either way you go – with KAF’s recipe or my recipe – you’ll have a pan of cheesecake brownies that are sure to impress.

Let’s look at how they are made.

How To Make Cheesecake Brownies

For this recipe, you need the following:

Equipment

9×13 baking pan

Ingredients

Brownie Ingredients

• Unsalted butter
• Unsweetened baking chocolate
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder

Cheesecake Filling Ingredients

• Cream cheese
• Sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla

Topping

• Semisweet chocolate chips

Exact measurements are in the recipe card.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and set it to the side.  You can line the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil if you’d like, but I find that these brownies come out pretty easily without those aids.

You’ll start with the brownie layer, since that is the bottom layer.  Mix flour and baking powder in a small mixing bowl and set it aside.

Next, melt butter and chocolate together in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and combined. (It took me about a minute and half total microwaving time.)

If the melted chocolate is really hot, let it cool for a little bit before adding eggs.  You don’t want the eggs to start cooking in the chocolate mixture.

Add sugar and eggs to the chocolate mixture, whisking until they are well combined. Add the dry ingredients (flour mixture) to the chocolate mixture and whisk well. Spread the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan.

For the cheesecake layer, cream the cream cheese with granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla to the cream cheese mixture and beat well until the batter is smooth and creamy.

Pour the cheesecake in dollops over the unbaked brownies. Spread the cheesecake batter so that the brownies are covered. Sprinkle with chocolate chips before baking.

Place the brownies in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes.  The brownies will start to pull away from the pan when they are finished.

Cool completely then cut into squares to serve.

Cheesecake Brownie Variations

Chocolate and coffee go together like peanut butter and jelly.  If mocha is what you crave, add some espresso powder (2 teaspoons should do the trick) to the brownie batter before baking.  Follow the rest of the directions and bam!  You have mocha cheesecake brownies.

Like lemon?  Instead of vanilla flavoring in the cheesecake, use ½  teaspoon of pure lemon extract and add the zest of one lemon to the cheesecake filling.

For the holidays, add a touch of peppermint to the brownie batter for a seasonal treat.  (I recommend 1 to 1 ½  teaspoons of peppermint extract.)

Tip

For best results, use eggs that are at room temperature. Note, though, to never leave washed eggs out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

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If you cannot get enough chocolate, be sure to check out my recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting.

Questions

Don’t Forget To Come Back And Let Me Know How Your Brownies Turned Out!