Cream Cheese Brownies
Each year, thousands of you visit my site for my homemade brownies recipe (better than box mix!) and I wanted to add a little twist to the classic brownie. Behold, cream cheese brownies! They’re decadent, fudgy brownies swirled with a dreamy cream cheese filling for the ultimate dessert for any occasion!
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Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a novice in the kitchen, these cream cheese brownies are sure to elevate your baking game and become a household favorite!
Why You’ll Love these Cream Cheese Brownies
Let me count the ways! They are a truly decadent dessert. Make these brownies if you want a little something extra and more unique than basic brownies. I love my cream cheese cookies (have you tried them?) and so I thought a cream cheese addition to my homemade brownies would be a delightful duo! I was right!
Recipe Tips & Notes
The brownie batter is thick! Fear not, you’re on the right track! When you swirl your cream cheese filling into the brownie batter, you’ll want to use a knife to swirl it back and forth, pushing down to make sure it swirls into the thicker brownie batter. Don’t worry, you can’t mess this part up, just give it a good swirl around with some pressure!
While prepping your brownie batter, set your cream cheese block out so it’ll be on its way to room temperature when you’re ready to mix up the cream cheese filling! If it’s still cold, you can microwave it at 5 second intervals, but don’t let it get too soft/warm.
Allow these cream cheese brownies to FULLY cool before slicing in to them. This will make cutting them so much easier. I also recommend wiping off the knife blade between cuts to make perfect little square brownies!
How to store leftover cream cheese brownies:
Save leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Do brownies made with cream cheese need to be refrigerated? Ideally, yes, in the refrigerator. You can rewarm individual brownies in the microwave if you like!
Just a few ingredients!
How to Make Cream Cheese Brownies
Start by melting your butter in a saucepan then stirring in the sugar. Remove from heat, pour into a heat-safe mixing bowl and let sit for about 5-10 minutes. Then beat in eggs, one at a time, and vanilla extract. Next, add flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in chocolate chips.
Now, spread the brownie batter into a 9×13 baking pan. Batter is THICK. So press the back of a spoon (ideally sprayed with baking spray) to spread the batter around the pan evenly.
Next, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat together cream cheese, sugar, additional egg and vanilla extract until creamy and smooth. Add dollops of this cream cheese mix on top of the brownie batter.
Use a knife and swirl the cream cheese mixture into the brownie batter until swirled.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30-40 minutes. I find 35 minutes to be the sweet spot but ovens can vary so watch closely and brownies are done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Be sure not to overbake your brownies though! You want them fudgy, chewy and delicious!
I hope you love these cream cheese brownies as much as my friends and family do! They’re so delicious and the perfect addition to any potluck, bake sale or just a weekend baking treat!
More Delicious Baking Recipes to Try!
- Homemade Brownies
- Cream Cheese Cookies
- Dulce de Leche Brownies
- Brown Sugar Brownies
- Butterscotch Brownies
Cream Cheese Brownies
Equipment
- 1 9×13 baking pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Brownies
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Mixture
- 8 ounces cream cheese - softened to room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Add sugar and stir until just combined.
- Remove saucepan from heat and pour mixture into heat-proof mixing bowl. Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes to allow mixture to cool slightly. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla extract and beat on low until combined.
- Mix in cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and flour until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Spread brownie batter into parchment-lined 9×13 baking pan.
- In a separate mixing bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, cream together cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and egg. Add dollops of the cream cheese mixture by the spoonful over the prepared brownie batter. Use a knife to swirl it around.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
These turned out soooo good and my house smelled amazing!!!
Wow, these cream cheese brownies look absolutely delicious! I love the addition of cream cheese to the batter, it must give the brownies a such a rich and tangy flavor. Can’t wait to try them out and see how they turn out! 🍰👌