Description
These Cream Cheese Brownies combine rich, fudgy chocolate brownie layers with a smooth and tangy cream cheese swirl, creating a decadent dessert perfect for any chocolate lover. The recipe requires melting chocolate and butter, mixing, and baking to achieve a moist, indulgent treat with a luscious cream cheese topping.
Ingredients
Scale
Brownie Batter
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (170 grams)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113 grams, room temperature and cut into quarters (1 stick))
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (21 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- ¼ cup brown sugar (53 grams)
- 3 large eggs (150 grams, room temperature)
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract (6 grams)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (120 grams)
Cream Cheese Topping
- 8 ounces cream cheese (227 grams, room temperature (1 brick))
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- 1 large egg (50 grams, room temperature)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (2 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Melt Chocolate and Butter: Set up a double boiler over low heat. Melt the semisweet chocolate chips and butter together, stirring occasionally until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
- Add Cocoa Powder and Cool: Remove the melted chocolate and butter mixture from heat. Whisk in the unsweetened cocoa powder thoroughly. Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes to avoid cooking the eggs when added later.
- Mix Sugars and Eggs: Whisk in both granulated and brown sugars until fully combined. Add the three room temperature eggs and whisk well to incorporate air and ensure a smooth batter.
- Flavor and Add Flour: Stir in the vanilla extract and kosher salt. Gently fold in the all-purpose flour until just combined; be careful not to overmix to maintain a tender texture. Set this brownie batter aside while preparing the cream cheese topping.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Topping: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed until creamy and fully mixed, about 2 minutes.
- Incorporate Egg and Vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture and continue beating until everything is well combined and smooth.
- Assemble Layers: Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan, reserving about ¼ cup of the batter for swirling. Next, dollop or pour the cream cheese mixture evenly over the brownie batter. Drop spoonfuls of the reserved brownie batter on top of the cream cheese layer. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the two layers together, creating a marbled effect.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. The brownies are done when the center is set, and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with a few fudgy crumbs clinging to it.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan to set properly. Once cooled, lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper and cut into 16 squares. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Ensure the eggs and cream cheese are at room temperature to help create a smooth batter and topping.
- Do not overmix the flour into the brownie batter to keep the brownies tender and fudgy.
- Use parchment paper for easy removal and clean edges when cutting.
- If you don’t have a double boiler, melt chocolate and butter gently in a microwave using short bursts, stirring between each burst.
- Check brownies a few minutes before the minimum bake time to avoid overbaking.
