Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Fudgy brownie base marbled with tangy vanilla cheesecake.

Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time32 mins
Total Time1 hr 57 mins
YieldMakes 16 squares
Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
Save to Pinterest
🛒 Our baking picks

Tools for foolproof bakes

Weighing beats scooping every time. These inexpensive tools make every recipe more reliable.

Digital kitchen scale Digital kitchen scale Weigh to the gram, the single most accurate way to bake. Available at Amazon Check price → Measuring cups & spoons Measuring cups & spoons A solid stainless set for when a recipe calls for cups. Available at Amazon Check price → Glass measuring jug Glass measuring jug Read millilitres and cups at a glance for liquids. Available at Amazon Check price →

As an Amazon Associate, GramCups earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Before You Start

Two batters, one tin, and a skewer dragged through both: cheesecake brownies look like patisserie and demand nothing beyond restraint with the swirling. The cream cheese layer bakes tangy against the dense chocolate, and the marbling is decided in about six lazy figure-eights. More swirling than that and the two batters become one muddy one.

Instructions

  1. 1

    Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line a 20 cm square tin with overhanging paper.

  2. 2

    Make the brownie batter: whisk the sugar into the hot melted butter for a minute, then the eggs one at a time and the vanilla. Fold in the cocoa, flour and salt.

  3. 3

    Beat the cream cheese smooth with its sugar, then beat in its egg and vanilla just until combined. Overbeaten cheesecake batter puffs and cracks.

  4. 4

    Spread three quarters of the brownie batter in the tin. Pour the cheesecake layer over it. Dollop the remaining brownie batter on top in blobs.

  5. 5

    Drag a skewer through in wide figure-eights, five or six passes total, until it looks marbled. Stop while it still looks too undermixed.

  6. 6

    Bake 30 to 34 minutes until the cheesecake is set with the faintest wobble dead centre. Cool fully, then chill 1 hour before cutting with a hot wiped knife.

💡 Baker's tips

  • Room temperature cream cheese, no exceptions. Cold cream cheese beats lumpy, and the lumps never leave.
  • The chill before cutting is what gives you bakery-clean marbled squares instead of smeared ones.

🔀 Make it your own

  • Add a swirl of raspberry jam over the cheesecake layer before marbling.
  • A pinch of espresso powder in the brownie half sharpens the contrast.

📦 Storing & freezing

These live in the fridge: airtight for 5 days. They freeze cut for 2 months, with paper between layers.

❓ Frequently asked

How do you get a good swirl on cheesecake brownies?

Layer most of the brownie batter first, cheesecake over it, brownie dollops on top, then five or six figure-eights with a skewer. The classic mistake is continuing to swirl.

How do you know when cheesecake brownies are done?

The cheesecake areas are set with a slight centre wobble, and a skewer in a brownie zone near the edge shows moist crumbs. The chocolate hides underbake, so trust the cheesecake.

Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.

More to bake

One-Bowl Fudgy Cocoa Brownies Brownies & Bars One-Bowl Fudgy Cocoa Brownies Dense, glossy-topped and made with cocoa, no melting chocolate. Classic Lemon Bars Brownies & Bars Classic Lemon Bars A buttery shortbread base under a sharp, silky lemon layer. Chewy Vanilla Blondies Brownies & Bars Chewy Vanilla Blondies Like a brownie, but buttery and caramel-toned instead of chocolate.
Play GramCups Café 🎮