cooking / desserts

Cream Cheese Brownies

serves 16 · about 1 hour plus cooling · 10 minutes hands on · easy

Ingredients

Cream cheese batter

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup (31g) powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cocoa batter

  • 10 Tbsp (141g) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup (50g) semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup (96g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (71g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed or natural)
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ¾ tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square pan and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides for a sling. Butter the parchment.
  2. Cream cheese batter: beat the cream cheese, egg, powdered sugar, flour, and vanilla until combined.
  3. Cocoa batter: in a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter and sugar. Cook, stirring, until the butter melts, then remove from heat. Whisk vigorously until homogenous, opaque, and the sugar has dissolved, about 4 minutes. Add the chocolate chips, let stand 1 minute, and whisk to combine.
  4. Add the eggs and vanilla; whisk smooth. Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; stir to combine.
  5. Spread about ⅔ of the cocoa batter evenly in the pan. Spread the cream cheese batter over it, dollop the remaining ⅓ of cocoa batter on top, and swirl with a butter knife.
  6. Bake 24-28 minutes until set, with a toothpick coming out with moist crumbs.
  7. Cool completely on a rack, lift out with the parchment sling, and cut into squares.

Notes

  • The cream cheese should be soft but not warm — too warm means a runny batter and no swirl.
  • The sugar may not fully dissolve after whisking; that's OK, proceed.
  • Don't let the chocolate batter sit too long before assembling.
  • Store at room temperature in an airtight container up to 3 days. They make great gifts.