Cheesecake Brownies

 (This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.)

Cheesecake Brownies are extra rich and decadent!  The perfect blend of cream cheese and chocolate.  No one will guess they’re gluten free!!

The chocolate flavor from the cocoa powder and chocolate chips, and the creaminess of the cheesecake, make these brownies hard to resist.  This recipe makes enough to share, but you may want to keep them all for yourself.

My husband, Jim, is always up for a slice of cheesecake, and I love a good chocolate brownie, so these Cheesecake Brownies were a great way to merge the two together.  Although, in the interest of full disclosure, the rich chocolate brownie flavor tends to stand out more than the subtle cheesecake flavor does.  😊

These Cheesecake Brownies are rich and very sweet.  If you prefer a less sweet version, you should try my Rich Chocolate Pecan Brownies recipe.  Or if you’re not a fan of cheesecake, but want something more than a regular brownie, you’ll want to check out my Rocky Road Brownies recipe.

The preparation time for Cheesecake Brownies is a little longer than a standard brownie, but the results are worth the extra effort.  Most brownie recipes require 10-15 minutes of prep, but this one requires about 30 minutes.  You’ll need to make both the brownie batter and the cream cheese batter before combining the two into a decadent dessert.

A few tips to keep in mind:

• Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature before beating with the electric mixer.  Cream cheese right from the fridge is much harder to work with.
• Use a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with straight sides, instead of rounded sides, to give the brownies a clean, crisp edge.
• Line your greased pan with parchment paper and then grease the parchment paper.  This will make it much easier to get the moist brownies out of the pan!

If you like a thick, dense, chocolatey brownie swirled together with smooth and creamy cheesecake, you have to try these Cheesecake Brownies!  Once you try them, let me know what you think.  Enjoy!

Kitchen Tools Recommended for Making Cheesecake Brownies:

• 9″ x 13″ baking pan – The straight sides of this pan make it perfect for making brownies and bars.
• Electric hand mixer – I like to do as much mixing by hand as I can, but when I want the batter to be smooth and creamy an electric hand mixer does the job.

If you liked this recipe, follow my Gluten Free Brownies and Bars board on Pinterest.

Find more tasty recipes in the Recipe Index.

Print Recipe

Cheesecake Brownies

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Total Time

1 hr 20 mins

 

Cheesecake Brownies are extra rich and decadent!  The perfect blend of cream cheese and chocolate.  No one will guess they're gluten free!!

Course: Dessert

Yield: 2 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter (unsalted)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup gluten free flour
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup gluten free flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/4 cup half & half
• 2 eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

   
   

2. Grease a 9"x13" pan.  Line the pan with parchment paper and grease the parchment.

   
   

3. For the brownie batter:  Melt the butter, in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the 2 cups of sugar and bring to a low boil, stirring continually until the sugar has dissolved (about 5 minutes).

   
   

4. Take the pan off the heat and add the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla and stir until combined.  Let the mixture cool for about 5 minutes.

   
   

5. Whisk the eggs in, one at a time, and then the gluten free flour and xanthan gum.  Stir the mixture until smooth.

   
   

6. For the cream cheese batter:  With a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until no large chunks remain.

   
   

7. Add in the sugar, flour, vanilla, half & half, and eggs and mix until smooth.

   
   

8. Stir the chocolate chips into the brownie batter.

   
   

9. Spread half the brownie batter on the bottom of the pan, then pour the cream cheese batter over the top.

   
   

10. Drop the remaining brownie batter by spoonful onto the cream cheese layer.  Using a table knife or spatula, swirl the brownie batter together with the cream cheese batter to create a marbled look.

    
    

11. Bake the brownies for 45-55 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

    
    

12. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting.

    
    

Notes

Adapted from King Arthur Flour's Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies.