Description
These Cream Cheese Brownies combine rich, fudgy chocolate brownie batter with a tangy, smooth cream cheese swirl for a decadent dessert with a shiny crackly crust. The brownies are baked to perfection with a slightly gooey center and visible cream cheese swirls on top, making them visually stunning and deliciously satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Brownie Batter:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and still warm/hot
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Mixture:
- 8 oz block cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg white
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F and position the rack in the center. Line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal, then grease the lining.
- Mix Sugar and Butter: In a large bowl, combine the granulated sugar with the warm melted butter. Stir briefly and let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes to begin dissolving the sugar for a crackly crust. After 5 minutes, whisk vigorously for 30 seconds.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Whisk in the eggs, water, and vanilla extract for about 30 seconds until fully combined. Remove the whisk from the bowl after tapping excess batter off.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle cocoa powder, flour, and kosher salt over the wet mixture. Use a rubber spatula to fold and stir until the batter is glossy and well combined.
- Separate Brownie Batter and Add Chocolate Chips: Scoop out about one third of the brownie batter and set aside for swirling. Mix chocolate chips into the remaining brownie batter and spread it evenly in the prepared pan.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Mixture: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer paddle attachment, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, flour, egg white, and vanilla extract, beating until just combined. Scrape the bowl sides and bottom as needed, being careful not to overbeat.
- Create Swirls: Using two tablespoons, drop alternating dollops of cream cheese mixture and reserved brownie batter on top of the brownie layer in the pan. With a sharp knife tip, gently swirl the two batters together using figure-8 or back-and-forth motions, making visible swirls without swirling too deeply.
- Bake: Bake for 32-37 minutes, until the brownies are mostly set but the cheesecake areas still have a slight jiggle. A toothpick inserted should come out with moist crumbs but not wet batter. To prevent over-browning of swirls, loosely cover with foil for the last 5 minutes if needed.
- Cool: Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool completely several hours before lifting out the brownies and slicing.
Notes
- The 8×8 square baking pan should have straight sides; pans with angled sides may increase bake time.
- Measure flour by whisking it first, then lightly scoop into the measuring cup and level off to avoid overpacking, ensuring accurate measurement.
- The updated precise flour measurement of ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon leads to better swirl consistency and batter texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 brownie (approx. 2.5 x 2.5 inches)
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 23g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
