Cheesecake or Brownies…Can’t decide? Then get the best of both worlds in one dessert in this decadent Cheesecake Brownies
Brownies are delicious on their own, and so is cheesecake, but put these two classics together and you got a winning dessert combination. So so easy to prepare, this Cheesecake brownie recipe is an absolute keeper.
Decadent and chocolaty, this is more like a cake type brownie and forms the base of this dessert. The cheesecake layer is beaten separately and spread over the unbaked brownie layer.
You can either swirl it with a blunt edged knife through the brownie layer or just leave it as it is to create a plain cheesecake topping. When you swirl it through the brownie layer, you pick up some of the chocolate flavor into the topping, but it is absolutely delicious any way you choose to bake these brownies.
Cream cheese is usually used for these cheesecake brownies, but when I was shopping, I picked up a tub of smooth cottage cheese by mistake. Having already prepared the brownie layer, and ready to work on the cheesecake layer, I decided to use this smooth cottage cheese.
It actually turned out great, a bit of difference in the taste though. Cream cheese has that mild tangy flavor, while smooth cottage cheese adds a bit more of a sour flavor to the recipe. That is why I decided to swirl it up a bit, so that the chocolate will compensate for the sourness and give it a sweeter taste. It worked like a charm and tasted Amazing.
So you decide, cream cheese or smooth cottage cheese, they both taste great. If you are using cottage cheese, then please make sure that it is smooth and does not the lumpy curd type.
Enjoy ♥
Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients
FOR THE BROWNIE LAYER
- 8 ounces/227g dark chocolate
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup cake / all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup/ 75g butter softened
- ½ cup milk
FOR THE CHEESECAKE LAYER
- 8 oz / 1 cup / 225g cream cheese or smooth creamed cottage cheese at room
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
FOR THE BROWNIE LAYER
- Preheat oven to 180° C / 350º F. Grease 23cm / 9-inch-square baking pan.
- 2.
- Place chocolate in a dry clean microwave safe bowl and microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 45 seconds and stir.
- If there are still whole pieces then microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Using a hand held mixer, Beat sugar and butter in a bowl until creamy.
- Add eggs, milk and vanilla extract and beat until well mixed.
- Beat in melted chocolate.
- Using a metal spoon, just stir or fold in the flour and salt until blended.
- Spread into prepared baking pan.
FOR THE CHEESECAKE LAYER
- Beat cream cheese OR Smooth cottage cheese and sugar in bowl until smooth.
- Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
- Drop tablespoons of cream cheese mixture over chocolate mixture.
- Swirl mixtures deeply with spoon or blunt edged knife, pulling the chocolate mixture up to surface.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. If you feel that the top is browning too quickly, then cover loosely with foil. Bake until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
Nutrition
Need more Chocolate recipes? Here you go ...
Chocolate Swiss Roll
Chocolate Coconut Slices
Buttermilk Chocolate Sheet Cake
Louise (Cooking with Kids) says
These look awesome ?
The Gardening Foodie says
Thank you Louise 🙂
Matt says
Now these look awesome! Can't blame ya for consistently sneaking pieces here and there. A running joke in our family is that we need to keep taking little pieces otherwise to 'even it out'...it's really a terrible excuse but ah well! Great looking brownies they look nice and fudgy, which is my favorite way! 😀
The Gardening Foodie says
Thank you Matt I am glad that you like the recipe too 🙂
haha that is a great idea, maybe need to implement it in my home too 🙂
puja says
These brownies are truly awesome. Feel like having these brownies now. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
The Gardening Foodie says
Thank you Puja, I hope that you get to try these out soon 🙂
Deepika|TheLoveOfCakes says
I would love me some cheesecake brownies!! That creamy sour cream cheese topping is a yummy addition to the rich chocolate brownie..I haven't used cottage cheese in place of cream cheese ever..so this sounds like a pleasant idea!
The Gardening Foodie says
Thank you Deepika :)and oh yes, the cottage cheese really made a great substitute
Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats says
Thank you for the warning! Hahahaha. These look like the ultimate cheesecake brownie combo!! I definitely would have to share or I would eat them all myself. 😉
The Gardening Foodie says
? Lol...you are welcome Kelly, but make sure that you keep some for yourself first 🙂
Denise Browning says
These brownies look simply heavenly, Ashika!
The Gardening Foodie says
Thank you Denise 🙂
neil@neilshealthymeals.com says
Cheesecake and brownies paired together Ashika? Two of my favourite things as one delicious cake? Amazing!! What will you think of next? Thanks for this. Hope you have an amazing weekend! 🙂
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
Well you know I love cheesecake. And of course I love brownies! So I pretty much want to do a faceplant right into these pics :). YUM!
Emma - Bake Then Eat says
Oh, my these look amazing, I would have never thought to use cottage cheese. Sounds great!