Cream Cheese Brownies
Ingredients
For The Brownies
- ⅔ cup (151 g) unsalted butter
- 5 ounces (142 g) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (162 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- ¼ cup (21 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
For The Filling
- 8 ounces (226 g) cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make The Brownie Base
- Set the oven rack to the lower-third position. (This is right below the center of the oven.) Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil and lightly grease the foil. Set aside.
- In a medium heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring constantly until the mixture is smooth. You can also microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one.
- Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar until fully combined. Set aside to cool slightly, about 5-10 minutes. If the mixture is too warm, it will scramble the eggs in the next step.
- Whisk in the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Continue whisking until completely smooth and shiny, about 1 minute.
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Whisk until just combined. Once you no longer see streaks of dry flour, stop whisking. You don't want to overmix the batter.
- Reserve ⅓ cup of the batter and spread the remaining batter evenly into the prepared pan. The batter will be thick.
Make The Filling
- In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar on until smooth. You can use a handheld mixer, whisk, or just a spoon.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Drop spoonfuls of the cheesecake filling evenly over the brownie batter then drop spoonfuls of the reserved brownie batter in the empty spaces between the cheesecake filling.
- Use the tip of a sharp knife to gently swirl the dollops together.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Rotate the pan halfway through baking.
- Cool the brownies in the pan for 5 minutes. Lift the brownies out by using the foil as a sling and set on a wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before slicing.
Notes
- The brownies will be easiest to slice when they are cold. Use a hot knife to make slices and carefully clean the blade after each cut.
Make Ahead Tip
- The brownies will keep for up to 2 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Or up to 1 week stored in the refrigerator.
- You can also freeze the brownies for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.