These Cream Cheese Brownies are The Ultimate Fudgy Indulgence
Words cannot describe the decadence of these cream cheese brownies.
Absolute perfection in a perfect dessert square.
If there was ever such a thing as the world’s most perfect brownie, this is it! These cream cheese brownies are seriously one of the best desserts I have ever made. And I bake a lot! But I usually make keto desserts. In fact, I did a keto cream cheese brownie that is also incredible.
But these brownies, oh my gosh, they are so good. It took a lot of personal restraint to not eat the whole batch. I’m not used to having actual sugary desserts in the house! 😂
How to make cream cheese brownies:
To make these cream cheese brownies, I took the brownie recipe that my mom always made when I was a kid and added in a cream cheese mixture. The recipe is basically a lot of butter, sugar, and eggs mixed with cocoa powder, vanilla, baking powder, salt, flour, and then has a cup of chocolate chips added in for texture and chocolatey-ness.
The cream cheese mixture is a block of cream cheese, an egg, vanilla, and sugar. You place three-quarters of the brownie mixture in the baking dish, top it with the cream cheese mixture, and then swirl in the remaining brownie batter to create the best brownies you’ve ever had!
Tips for making the best cream cheese brownies:
- Make sure you beat the butter, sugar, and eggs together until light and fluffy. This helps dissolve the sugar and create the perfect brownie texture.
- Feel free to swap out the 1 cup of chocolate chips for 1 cup of chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans. This would add a yummy crunch to eat bite!
- You can add 1 to 2 teaspoons of espresso powder to the brownie batter to really enhance the chocolate flavor.
- The cream cheese swirl doesn’t have to be perfect so don’t stress it if the cream cheese and brownie batter start to blend together.
Cream Cheese Brownies
yield: 24 SERVINGS
prep time: 15 MINUTES
cook time: 35 MINUTES
total time: 50 MINUTES
Fudgy brownies with an indulgent cream cheese swirl marbled throughout for richness and a gorgeous presentation.
Ingredients
Brownie Batter:
- 1 cup salted butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Mixture:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, full-fat, room temperature (1 block)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup sugar
Directions
1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
2
To make the brownie batter:
Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined. Then add in the eggs and beat on high for 2 to 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the edges as needed.
3
Mix in the cocoa powder, followed by the vanilla, salt, and baking powder.
4
Add in the flour and mix until well combined, scrape down the edges as needed. Then mix in the chocolate chips until just combined. Set the brownie batter aside while you make the cream cheese mixture.
5
To make the cream cheese mixture:
Using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese, egg, vanilla, and sugar until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes on high.
6
To marble the brownie batter:
Spread three-quarters of the brownie batter in the prepared baking dish. Then pour the cream cheese mixture over the top of the brownie batter.
7
Dollop the remaining brownie batter on top of the cream cheese mixture. Then take a butter knife and lightly swirl the brownie batter and cream cheese mixture together. Try not to overmix it, it doesn't have to be perfect either.
8
Bake for 35 to 38 minutes until the center is set. There should just be a slight jiggle to the brownies when you shake the pan. Remove from the oven and let cool prior to cutting into 24 brownies. Enjoy!
Brownies + cream cheese = love!
I haven’t made non-keto brownies in years as I try to keep my sugar intake as low as possible. I occasionally indulge and when I do, I make sure it’s worth it. So let me tell you, these brownies are worth it! 🤤 And the corner pieces are my favorite!
Here’s what my Hip sidekick Chelsey L. had to say about these cream cheese brownies:
“Get your glass of milk ready because these brownies are rich! I’m usually a box mix brownie person and this was honestly the first time I’ve ever made them using a recipe, they were easy to make and delicious! The cream cheese adds an extra pop of flavor but isn’t overpowering and I loved it. They were a hit with my whole family and I’ll be adding them to my list of favorite desserts!”
Looking for more dessert recipes, check out our recipe for the Best Vanilla Crazy Cake!
Oh my, these look delicious. Thank you
You’re so welcome, Stella! Enjoy! ❤️
But… but.. but… there is NO cream cheese anywhere to be found :(.
Cream cheese can be hard to find. I have seen more in stock at my Walmart recently. Hoping you find some available near you soon! 🤞
I had not seen any food shortages untill recently. Haven been able to find cream cheese in about two months now. A few months ago and even last year when people across the country were saying, they were seeing shortages, I had no problem finding anything… that’s has completely changed now. What IS in stock most things have gone 20% up in price some things have even gone as 40% higher. It’s getting crazy expensive going grocery shopping.
I’ve made a similar thing many times by using a brownie mix for the brownie part. So easy!
Great idea, and so helpful as a time-saver! Thanks for sharing how you’ve whipped up some similar brownies, TS! 🤗