Quick & Easy Cream Cheese Brownies

These Cheesecake Brownies are a unique blend of sweet, rich, and fudgy brownie and tangy, smooth cream cheese swirls!

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1

Servings: Servings

Calories: 288kcal

Author: Kathy

Ingredients

For the brownie layer:

¾ cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
5 oz chocolate chips
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
½ tsp salt

For the cheesecake layer:

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
1 large egg, room temperature
½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Leave some paper hanging on the sides, this will help you to remove the brownies from the pan.
Add the butter and chocolate chips to a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring each time, until melted and combined.
Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the chocolate mixture. Stir until combined. Then, add in the vanilla extract and 3 eggs, one at a time. Whisk after each addition using a hand whisk just until combined.
Finally, add all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir using a rubber spatula just until combined and no lumps of flour remain. Don’t overmix the batter.
Transfer 3/4 of the brownie batter to the prepared baking pan. Spread evenly with a spatula. Reserve the remaining ¼ of the batter. Set aside.
Prepare the cream cheese batter. In a separate mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, flour, and salt using an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer until creamy. Usually, it takes about 1-2 minutes. Add one egg and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed just until combined. Don’t forget to scrape the bottom and the sides of the bowl. You can also use a hand whisk for this step.
Spread the cheesecake batter over the brownie layer.
Spoon the remaining 1/4 of the brownie batter over the cheesecake layer. Swirl together using a knife creating a nice pattern. Do it gently trying not to disturb the lower layer.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until the edges and the top set. You can also check the readiness with a toothpick inserted in the center if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs - the cheesecake brownies are ready.
Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Then, remove the cheesecake brownie from the pan using the hanging paper. Slice into 16 squares and serve.

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