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These rich and chewy cheesecake brownies have a delicious cheesecake layer infused in the brownies making it one deliciously decadent treat!
2 in 1 – Yes, please!
Brownie recipes are always a hit at our house and one of our go-to desserts. We have so many variations and flavor profiles, they’re really perfect for every holiday and occasion!
Cheesecake brownies combine two favorite desserts – cheesecake and brownies – into one easy treat! They’re too delicious not to love and perfect all year long.
Why we love them:
- Makes a pan-full. Like all bar recipes, brownies bake up several slices in one go making them perfect for sharing!
- Save for later. They not only store very well, but they are great for freezing. Just pop out a pan, or just a few, when you have company or a crew of hungry kids!
- The flavor! The unique pairing of rich chocolate flavor and tangy cheesecake layer is a match made in heaven.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 25 minutes
Cheesecake
- 8 ounces cream cheese – softened at room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg – room temperature eggs incorporate better with the other ingredients
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Brownies
- ¼ cup unsalted butter – cold and cubed
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- ½ cup granulaed sugar
- 2 eggs – room temperature
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
How to Make Cheesecake Brownies
- PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper or grease it.
- CHEESECAKE BATTER. In a large mixing bowl, combine 8 ounces cream cheese, ¼ cup sugar, and 1 egg and beat until smooth. Stir in 1 cup white chocolate chips until well combined. Set aside.
- BROWNIE BATTER. On the stove, fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and set a heatproof mixing bowl over the water.
- In the mixing bowl, combine ¼ cup butter and 1 cup milk chocolate chips; stir until it’s just melted and blended. Mix in the remaining ½ cup sugar and 2 eggs.
- In a separate bowl, mix ⅔ cup flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt; stir into your chocolate mixture until evenly blended.
- BAKE. Pour half of your batter into the prepared pan. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the chocolate layer. Top with remaining chocolate mixture.
- Swirl the top chocolate layer into the cream cheese to make a marble pattern.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until top is crinkled and center is cooked through. Let cool.
More Like This
- More brownie desserts: Homemade Brownies, Reese’s Brownies, Nutella Brownies, Buckeye Brownies
- More bar desserts: Cookie Bars, Magic Bars Recipe, Millionaire Bars
More collections: Brownie Recipes, Dessert Bar Recipes, Cookie Bar Recipes
Cheesecake Brownies
Cheesecake brownies are next level, with a delicious cream cheese and white chocolate center sandwiched between two rich layers of brownie.
Ingredients
Cheesecake Mixture
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
Brownie Mixture
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Cheesecake Layer
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper or grease it.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 8 ounces cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 egg and beat until smooth.
- Stir in 1 cup white chocolate chips until well combined. Set aside.
Brownie Mixture
- On the stove, fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and set a heatproof mixing bowl over the water.
- In the mixing bowl, combine 1/4 cup butter and 1 cup milk chocolate chips; stir until it's just melted and blended. Mix in the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 2 eggs.
- In a separate bowl, mix 2/3 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir into your chocolate mixture until evenly blended.
- Pour half of your batter into a greased 9×9 baking pan. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the chocolate layer. Top with remaining chocolate mixture. Swirl the top chocolate layer into the cream cheese to make a marble pattern.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until top is crinkled and center is cooked through. Let cool. ENJOY!
Video
Notes
STORE brownies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
FREEZE. Wrap the entire block or individual pieces in plastic wrap then again with aluminum foil, or place wrapped pieces in a freezer Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 459kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Cholesterol: 103mg, Sodium: 243mg, Potassium: 150mg, Sugar: 41g, Vitamin A: 625IU, Vitamin C: 0.2mg, Calcium: 111mg, Iron: 1.1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
How to cut cheesecake brownies?
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper and remove the entire block of cream cheese brownies. Warm a large kitchen knife in hot water, wipe dry, slice, and wipe it clean. Repeat with each slice.
Can I use a box to make cheesecake brownies?
- We prefer homemade brownies, but you can use a box brownie mix. The texture will vary slightly. I suggest finding a small batch of brownie mix that is baked in a 9 x 9-inch pan
Dress them up?
- Drizzle with Caramel Sauce or Chocolate Syrup.
- Mix ins. Add chopped nuts, chocolate chips (milk or white), or crushed Oreos to the top before baking.
- Make them minty. Use green food coloring in the cream cheese mixture, add ½ teaspoon mint extract to the brownie mixture and top with chopped Andes mints then bake.
- Peanut butter. Add ¼-½ cup peanut butter to the cream cheese layer and top with chopped Reese’s cups or peanut butter chips before baking.
What should I bake cheesecake brownies in?
- A metal pan heats up quickly and evenly, which results in a crisp outer edge and a fudgy, chewy center.
- A ceramic baking dish or glass pan heats up much more slowly which causes the outer layer to crisp up leaving an underdone center.
How to store cheesecake brownies?
- Keep the cheesecake brownies recipe in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
How to Freeze?
- Wrap the entire block or individual pieces in plastic wrap and again with aluminum foil, or place wrapped pieces in a freezer Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
For More LAyered Brownies:
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes.com.
Followed the recipe exactly as written. After 30 minute in a 350 oven the brownies were very under baked. Did 5 min increments longer for 15 min. Still not done in middle or edges. Put temperature up to 400 and baked for 20 more minutes at 5 minute increments. Something is drastically wrong with the recipe as posted!
I, too, followed the recipe and my brownies were way undercooked. I cooked them for another 20 minutes past the original 30 minutes but they were still undercooked. I don’t think my oven is off but is 350 correct?
Had my oven checked and it is ok. So what is wrong with the recipe?
I also tried the recipe following exactly and going on an hour now and still not done. Frustrating when recipes are wrong.
Agreed!! Did not cook in the middle after one hour!!
Same with me!!! Especially embarrassing because they weren’t nearly done in time for me to leave for a dinner party… so I was late, and then I had to ask the hostess to continue cooking them in her oven. And they still continued to take forever to finish baking. Very odd.
I had the same issue last night. I was making these for a co-worker and they didn’t turn out the way I had hoped they would. I baked them for almost an hour at 350. They were incredibly dense and even though I buttered the dish they still stuck to the bottom. I’m going to remake at some point and use semi-sweet chips. I may also try increasing the oven temp to 375.
These look delicious! I’d love to try them, quick question though: I’m in England and we don’t have all-purpose flour. Do you know if I should use plain or self raising?
All-purpose flour is the same as plain flour. Self-rising flour is plain flour with baking soda and salt added to it to help your baked goods rise; however, you wouldn’t want to use it here because there are already both of those ingredients in the recipe and you don’t want to double up! Self -rising flour should not be substituted for all-purpose or plain flour as it will change the chemistry (and therefore the results) of what you are baking, but if a recipe calls for it and you don’t have any you can make your own by adding 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt to 1 cup of all-purpose/plain flour. Hope this helps!
Thank you for the comment! 😀
These taste great! And you’re right, no ice cream needed!
Absolutely amazing recipe, I loved it so much that I have featured it in the Absolute Best Brownie Recipe Roundup! Keep those yummy ideas coming 🙂 xo
Thank you!!
These look incredible. I’m thinking of making them for Thanksgiving dinner, but would have to make them two days in advance. Do you think they’d keep well? Should I refrigerate them? Thanks!
I’m just now seeing this, but I think they’d be good a day in advance. I haven’t tried making them 2 days in advance, though. :/
Do I have to use white chocolate chips?
No, you do not. Every recipe I make can be changed to your liking, so I would use another type of chip if you don’t like white chocolate ones. 😉
These look amazing, but I hate the taste and mouth feel of “white chocolate”. Would the recipe work if they were omitted?
Yes, I think it would be fine. 😉
I’m the same way. I wonder if you melted the white chocolate chips and added it would work? That way you’d get the taste but not the “feel” of them? ? I’m going to try that.
I made these brownies today!!! They are Amazing!!! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!
It’s a keeper forever and ever.
YAY!! I’m so glad to hear that Barbara. I’m glad it’s a keeper!! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Thank you Kristyn. Have a great weekend!
Umm… these look beyond amazing. Thanks for the share! will definitely have to try in the very near future.
Thanks, Georgia! Have a great weekend. 🙂