Recipe

Cream Cheese Brownies

February 9, 2022

PrepTime: 15 Mins
CookTime: 35 Mins
TotalTime: 50 Mins

Ingredient

1 cup unsalted butter
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instruction

Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9-x 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.(Alternatively, you can simply grease the pan, but parchment paper allows for easier release and clean-up.)
Combine the butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Melt over a double boiler on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat.(Alternatively, you can microwave in a smaller heatproof bowl in 15-second increments, stirring between each increment, until fully melted; transfer to a large bowl.)
Stir in the cocoa powder and sugar until smooth. Let the mixture cool slightly, about 2 minutes.
Whisk in the eggs, vanilla, and salt until combined and smooth.
Slowly fold in the flour in 3 increments until you can no longer see streaks of dry flour. Be careful to not overmix.
Reserve 1/3 cup of the brownie batter and set aside. Pour the remaining brownie batter into the prepared pan.
Beat the cream cheese and sugar together using an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy. (You can hand whisk if you like, but make sure to whisk enough so that air is incorporated into the mixture.)
Stir in the egg and vanilla until fully incorporated.
Dollop the cheesecake filling all over the brownie batter in the pan. Then, dollop the reserved brownie batter all over the top.
Use a toothpick or the tip of a knife to swirl the batters together, creating a marbled design. Make sure to dip deep enough that it swirls throughout.
Bake the brownies until the center is mostly set and a toothpick inserted 2 inches from the side of the pan comes out with only a few fudgy crumbs, about 35 minutes. The center should be set and not wiggly when you give the pan a shake.
Let the brownies cool in the pan, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing. Enjoy warm for a melty chocolate bite or cold for a fudgier slice.

Note

If using an 8-x 8-inch pan, bake the brownies for about 5 minutes longer. Cover the brownies loosely with foil at the 30-35 minute mark if the cheesecake swirl begins to darken too much.
If using a 9-x 13-inch pan, bake the brownies for about 25 minutes.
As the brownies cool, the minty chocolates will melt down, then you can smooth it out with an offset spatula before serving or further chilling.
Enjoy at room temperature for an instant ganache or chill for a fudgy mint brownie.
You can wrap your brownies individually for an instant single serving or place parchment between layers of the brownies to prevent sticking.
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Store in the freezer in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature or microwave for about 1 minute.
Items like cheesecake with a large amount of cream cheese, should be refrigerated, but because these brownies use so little, the flour and sugar absorb any excess moisture—this means you can hold the brownies at room temperature in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
If the toothpick comes out wet with no crumbs, then the brownies need more time.
If the toothpick comes out with no trace of wet batter and a few moist crumbs then you are good to go.
The brownies will continue to cook ("carry-over cooking") as they cool, so there's a fine line between done and overdone.
Try sticking the toothpick about 2 inches from the edge of the pan to give a more accurate reading as the toothpick should come out mostly clean.
For more cake-like brownies, they will be done when they begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out completely clean.