Cream cheese brownies are my ultimate guilty pleasure food! Homemade brownie batter and sweetened cream cheese are layered and swirled together before being baked to perfection in just 30 minutes. These bad boys are dangerous and liable to be gone in minutes! Perfect for parties, potlucks, and all other times I need a sinfully sweet treat!
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There’s something so special about the combination of chocolate and cream cheese. It’s perfectly sweet and tangy– my sweet tooth is tingling just thinking about it! I’ve always made the cream cheese part myself and just plopped it on top of boxed brownie mix, but once I developed my own recipe for brownies from scratch, I knew I couldn’t go back. These fudgy cream cheese brownies are everything I want in a dessert and more!
What’s in This Cream Cheese Brownie Recipe?
- Chocolate Chips: Semisweet chocolate chips create a balanced and rich chocolatey flavor and add moisture to the brownies. I have also successfully used 6 ounces of chopped semisweet chocolate instead.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is my preferred fat for the richest flavor, but vegetable oil also works.
- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder enhances the chocolate flavor of these brownies, making it much more intense than if I had just used chocolate by itself.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens both the brownie and the topping, while brown sugar adds additional moisture and depth of flavor to the brownie.
- Eggs: Gives structure to both the brownie and the cream cheese topping.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the sweet flavor of both the brownie and the cream cheese topping.
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives these brownies just the right amount of structure to keep them nice and fudgy. For a cakier brownie, simply add more flour.
- Cream Cheese: Creates a moist and tangy topping for these tasty brownies. Be sure to use brick-style cream cheese, not the kind that comes in a tub.
Tips for Success
- Line the baking pan with foil or parchment for easy removal– these brownies can get messy!
- You can use low-fat cream cheese in place of regular cream cheese to lighten these up a little bit, but I do not recommend using fat-free cream cheese.
- Make sure the cheese is at room temperature so that it combines easily and doesn’t clump.
- Scoop and level the flour (or use a scale) for the best results. Too much flour will lead to cakier brownies.
- To get pretty swirls, dollop the brownie mixture randomly on top of the cream cheese layer, then drag a knife or toothpick through in a figure-8 or S-shaped motion.
- The center of your brownies should be chewy and moist, but not necessarily gooey. You want to make sure that the batter is cooked and not still raw in the center before removing them from the oven.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover cream cheese brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Enjoy cold, at room temperature, or gently heated in the microwave.
Freeze cream cheese brownies in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
Brownies with cream cheese swirled so perfectly on top are equal parts pretty and scrumptious! With a dessert like this, I like to serve them (and show them off) are parties and potlucks with my favorite red velvet ice cream or white chocolate mousse. A smear of peanut butter fluff spread is so tasty on top!
Cream Cheese Brownies Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 8×8-inch Baking Pan
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- 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
For the 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 to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- In a double boiler set over low heat, melt chocolate chips and butter, stirring occasionally, until smooth.1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, ½ cup unsalted butter
- Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder, then set it aside to cool for 10 minutes.¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- Whisk in the sugars and stir until completely combined. Add the eggs and whisk well.1 cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 3 large eggs
- Stir in the vanilla and salt, then fold in the flour until just combined. Set aside and prepare the cream cheese topping.1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Place the cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl, and use a hand mixer to beat until it’s combined and creamy, about 2 minutes.8 ounces cream cheese, ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until well combined.1 large egg, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan, reserving about ¼ cup and setting it aside. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the brownie batter. Drop the remaining brownie batter over the cream cheese layer, then use a knife to swirl the layers together.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with only a few fudgy crumbs.
- Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting and serving.
Video
Becky’s Tips
- Try stirring whole chocolate chips (or cream cheese chips) into the batter for even more flavor. Or toss in a handful of chopped walnuts for crunch.
- Swirl some peanut butter or Nutella mixed with powdered sugar into the cream cheese mixture for fun flavor and a marbling effect, or try swirling in some fruit jam or lemon curd.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Cream Cheese Brownies Step by Step
Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Melt the Chocolate: In a double boiler set over low heat, melt 1 cup of semisweet chocolate chips and ½ cup of unsalted butter, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
Add the Cocoa: Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, then set it aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Sweeten the Chocolate: Whisk in 1 cup of granulated sugar and ¼ cup of brown sugar and stir until completely combined. Add 3 large eggs and whisk well.
Make the Batter: Stir in 1½ teaspoons of pure vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, then fold in 1 cup of all-purpose flour until just combined. Set aside and prepare the cream cheese topping.
Beat the Cream Cheese: Place 8 ounces (1 brick) of cream cheese and ¼ cup of granulated sugar in a medium bowl, and use a hand mixer to beat until it’s combined and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add the Egg: Add 1 large egg and ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, beating until well combined.
Swirl the Brownies: Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan, reserving about ¼ cup and setting it aside. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the brownie batter. Drop the remaining brownie batter over the cream cheese layer, then use a knife to swirl the layers together.
Bake the Brownies: Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the center is set and a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean with only a few fudgy crumbs. Allow the brownies to cool completely before cutting and serving.
how do I know if the cream cheese is cooked all the way through? Is it supposed to be soft? And creamy after it’s cooked
Hi Hailey, the cream cheese areas should be slightly browned on the edges and have a matte rather than shiny appearance. As they cool, they will form a “skin” on top that protects the interior cream cheese from drying out, so it should still be creamy once bitten into.
This recipe is delicious ! I didn’t do the frosting and I added some of the chocolate chips but I used caramel chocolate squares mostly.I also used gluten free oat flour.10/10
This is the second 8×8 I’ve made of this. I also made a 13×9. The 8s last 24 hours, 13×9 lasted about 36. Lol
My family clearly loves this recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing.
This looks delicious but is this recipe really for 16 servings? 8″x 8″ pan is not very large. Planning on making this for family.
Hi Heidi, we found these brownies very indulgent, so we got 16 servings from the pan by cutting in a 4×4 grid. If you’re planning on serving larger brownies, you can get 9 from this pan by cutting in a 3×3 grid.
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