Name: The Best Cream Cheese Brownies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup Butter; 1 cup Semisweet chocolate; ½ cup Granulated sugar; 2 large Eggs; 2 tablespoons Hot water; 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract; ¾ cups All purpose flour; ¼ teaspoon Baking soda; 1 pinch Salt; ½ cup Walnuts - chopped; 8 ounces Cream cheese - room temperature; ½ cup Sugar; 1 large Egg; 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

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Rich and indulgent, these cream cheese brownies combine rich, chocolatey fudge brownies with a creamy, sweet and tangy cheesecake swirl! This dessert is the best of both desserts in one delightful bite.

Two cream cheese brownie bars on top of each other.

Just like my brookies, these cream cheese brownies are the best fusion of two desserts in one! Fudgy brownies are swirled with cheesecake and it’s the ultimate sweet treat!

I love cheesecake and these fudgy brownie cookies, but when I don’t want to choose between one or the other, I make my recipe for the best cheesecake brownies. It’s the perfect combination!

They are easy to make brownies with cream cheese, ready within an hour and have a rich chocolate flavor from using both butter and semi-sweet chocolate, plus the cream cheese swirl never fails to impress!

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love These Cheesecake Brownies

Two-in-one decadent treat: Satisfy your craving for both brownies and cheesecake in one dessert!
Flavorful: Rich chocolate brownie taste with a slightly tart cream cheese swirl is the best sweet treat that will satisfy any chocolate lover!
Perfect for any occasion: From weeknight desserts to dinner parties, birthday and bake sales, these chocolate brownies with a cream cheese filling are crowd-pleasing.

Ingredients Needed for Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients to make cream cheese brownies in separate bowls.

Butter: Salted or unsalted butter can be used in this cheesecake brownies recipe and added salt adjusted accordingly.
Semi-sweet chocolate: The best brownies use real semi-sweet chocolate instead of Dutch cocoa powder.
Granulated sugar: I love just granulated sugar in my brownies, but you could use half white sugar and half brown sugar if you would like.
Eggs: Two large eggs bind ingredients together.
Hot water: Helps thin the batter.
Baking staples: All-purposes flour for structure, baking soda for rise and vanilla extract for rich flavor. Add a pinch of salt if needed.
Walnuts: Chopped walnuts add a small amount of crunch.
Cheesecake swirl: Softened cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla extract.

How to Make Cream Cheese Brownies

Make cheesecake filling: In a small bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla together until smooth. Set the bowl aside.

Melt chocolate: In a medium saucepan add butter and semi-sweet chocolate pieces and heat over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the eggs, sugar, water and vanilla..

Make brownie batter: To the melted chocolate, add the flour, baking soda and salt then stir well and then fold in walnuts to the fudge brownie batter.

Brownie mix in a pot with added chopped walnuts.

Spread in pan: Spread half the chocolate brownie batter evenly in prepared pan, top with cream cheese mixture and spread evenly again. Drop spoonfuls of the reserved brownie batter on top of the cream cheese filling as evenly as possible.

Brownie mix and cream cheese filling added into a baking pan.

Swirl: Using a knife gently swirl the brownie layer and cheesecake layer to marble.

Marbled cream cheese brownie mix in a baking pan.

Bake: Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes. For a chewy brownie they should be set yet still gooey in the middle. Let brownies cool in the pan, refrigerate if desired then cut into squares and serve.

Baked cream cheese brownies in a baking pan.

Substitutions and Variations to Make the Best Cream Cheese Brownies

Chocolate chips: Add some chocolate chips if you would like into the brownie batter like I do in my chocolate chip brownies.
Hot coffee: For an intense chocolate taste, replace the hot water with hot coffee.
Omit the nuts: I love the added crunch of walnuts in these easy cream cheese brownies, but it is okay if you don’t! Just omit them.
Serving suggestion: These fudgy cheesecake brownies, while great on their own, serving them warm with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and hot fudge sauce is amazing!

Expert Tips for Cream Cheese Brownies

Room temperature ingredients: Cream cheese and eggs need to be at room temperature to incorporate into the homemade brownies batter more fully.
Swirl: Less is more! When you swirl the batter less, the pattern of cheesecake will be thicker and more noticeable.
Avoid overbaking: Nothing is worse than a dry overcooked brownie! Start checking your brownies around 20 minutes and when the edges are set or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs, the brownies are done!
Lining your pan: Line your pan with foil or parchment paper to avoid sticking and you can also then easily lift the brownies out of the pan to cut into serving sizes.
Size of pan: I used an 8-inch square baking pan but a 9-inch square baking pan will work, too. A metal pan is preferred over glass to bake this cream cheese swirl brownies recipe.

Three brownie bars on a white rectangular plate.

FAQs

Can I use a boxed brownie mix?

While I have not tested this, you might be able to for an easy cream cheese brownie! I would check the store-bought brownie mix directions to see how it can be adapted with a cream cheese swirl.

How do you get cleanly cut brownies?

First, allow your cream cheese brownies to cool completely and then for the cleanest cuts, chill your brownies for a few hours. Then using a warm sharp chef’s knife (run under hot water then wipe dry) cut your brownies into squares. Wipe your knife clean in between cuts.

You may also have good luck cutting brownies with a pizza cutter or plastic knife!

How to store cheesecake brownies?

Since these brownies have cream cheese, they will need to be stored in the refrigerator. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Do these brownies freeze well?

Cream cheese often changes in texture when frozen so I would not freeze these chocolate cream cheese brownies but you could try to freeze them for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container if you don’t mind that.

Two slices of cream cheese brownies on top of each other.

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