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.
Everything you need
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (64 g) cocoa powder
- ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs, cold
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 1 cup (232 g) cream cheese, full fat, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar (for the cheesecake)
- 1 egg (for the cheesecake)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (for the cheesecake)
Weigh, don't scoop. Measuring flour by cups can overpack it and dry out your bake. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
-
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Line a 20 cm square tin with overhanging paper.
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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.
For this step
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (64 g) cocoa powder
- ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar (for the cheesecake)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (for the cheesecake)
-
Beat the cream cheese smooth with its sugar, then beat in its egg and vanilla just until combined. Overbeaten cheesecake batter puffs and cracks.
For this step
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (232 g) cream cheese
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar (for the cheesecake)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (for the cheesecake)
-
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.
For this step
- 1 cup (232 g) cream cheese
-
Drag a skewer through in wide figure-eights, five or six passes total, until it looks marbled. Stop while it still looks too undermixed.
-
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.
For this step
- 1 cup (232 g) cream cheese
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.
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A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.