These indulgent chocolate brownies with cream cheese frosting are perfect for the chocolate lover in your life! These extra fudgy brownies are full of chocolate flavor thanks to melted chocolate and cocoa powder, plus you get an extra chocolate kick with chocolate cream cheese frosting.
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These chocolate brownies with cream cheese frosting are mind-blowingly good. I literally could not stop eating them! These brownies are perfect for cake lovers because of the frosting (which I'm going to be honest, is my favorite part of eating cake).
They're based on my super easy triple chocolate fudge brownies! I then added a simple chocolate cream cheese frosting, because what's better than more chocolate?
If you're looking for more of a cheesecake brownie vibe, check out my marbled cheesecake brownies. Or if you want more brownie recipes, you need to try my white chocolate chip brownies, double fudge brownies, or birthday cake brownies!
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Why I love these brownies!
- Simple Ingredients - these brownies with cream cheese frosting recipe uses simple pantry ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.
- No Mixer for the Brownies - usually I recommend using a hand held mixer to make brownies to get that crinkly top, but since the brownies are going to be covered in frosting you can just make the brownies by hand!
- Can Be Made Ahead - you can make the brownies the day before, which I actually recommend as that will give them time to set and become super fudgy.
Grab your ingredients!
- Cocoa Powder: I'm using dutch processed cocoa powder which is very rich and chocolatey, but if you only have natural unsweetened cocoa powder you can use that instead. You'll need it for both the brownies and the cream cheese frosting.
- Espresso Powder: this won't make your brownies taste like coffee, but it will really enhance the chocolate flavor! Feel free to leave it out though if you don't have it on hand.
- Chocolate: I'm using dark chocolate here(about 60% cocoa), you can use semi-sweet chocolate. You can use chocolate chips or a chopped up chocolate bar.
- Cream Cheese: if you're in Europe and your cream cheese comes in tubs, make sure to pat it dry before using! Cream cheese in Europe has a higher moisture content.
How to make chocolate brownies with chocolate cream cheese frosting
- Step 1: Melt the butter in a large bowl in the microwave. Add the cocoa powder to the hot melted butter and whisk together. Add the chopped chocolate, let sit for a few minutes then whisk until smooth.
- Step 2: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugars for 2 minutes. The mixture should turn lighter in color and have bubbles.
- Step 3: Pour the egg mixture into the melted chocolate and whisk. Add in the vanilla extract. Then stir in the flour, espresso powder and salt.
- Step 4: Pour the brownie batter into a parchment lined 8x8 baking pan and bake in an oven preheated to 350ºFahrenheit for 26-30 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Step 5: In a mixing bowl with a handheld mixer or in a stand mixer, beat the butter with the powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the salt and vanilla. Then mix in the cold cream cheese and cocoa powder.
- Step 6: Spread the chocolate cream frosting on top of the cooled brownies. Slice and enjoy!
Ella's Baking Tips
- Let the brownies cool - make sure the brownies are completely cool before you take them out of the pan and cover them in the cream cheese frosting. If they're still too warm the brownies might fall apart and also melt the frosting.
- Keep the frosting ingredients cold - usually I say to use room temperature ingredients, but for this cream cheese frosting recipe you want the cream cheese to be cold! Using room temperature cream cheese (especially if your cream cheese comes in tubs) will make the frosting super runny.
- Different Frostings - feel free to leave out the cocoa powder in the frosting to have vanilla cream cheese frosting, or add Oreo crumbs to have an Oreo frosting. You can also use my whipped chocolate ganache to frost these brownies!
- Perfect Slices - I recommend wiping the knife down with a paper towel after every slice to get super clean brownie slices.
Common FAQs
Why is my cream cheese frosting runny?
If you're using a low-fat cream cheese the frosting will be runny and won't firm up. If you're using cream cheese that comes in a tub, then it has more moisture and could also make the frosting runny. This is why I recommend using the cream cheese while it's cold as it's less likely to go runny.
Why are my brownies cakey?
Cakey brownies are either a result of too much flour or being overbaked. Make sure you're measuring the correct amount of flour and cocoa powder, and don't overbake the brownies.
Can I use a 9x9 pan for these brownies with cream cheese frosting?
Yes, just note that the brownies will be much thinner and will need less time in the oven.
Try these brownies and blondies next!
Made This Recipe?
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Thank you!
Ella
Recipe
Chocolate Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Extra fudgy brownies topped with cream cheese frosting.
Equipment
- 8" square pan
Ingredients
Chocolate Brownies
- ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (45 grams) dutch process cocoa powder
- 4 oz (113 grams) semisweet or dark chocolate chopped
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (60 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 ¾ cups (423 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 oz (113 grams) cream cheese cold
- ½ cup (42 grams) dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream optional
Ella's Baking Tip!Weigh your ingredients with a kitchen scale for the best results!
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃ and line an 8x8 baking pan with foil or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. It should be hot.¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter
- Add the cocoa powder to the hot butter and whisk until smooth. This is called blooming the cocoa powder and will make your brownies much richer.½ cup (45 grams) dutch process cocoa powder
- Pour in the chopped chocolate and let sit for a minute or two. Whisk until smooth.4 oz (113 grams) semisweet or dark chocolate
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Whisk for 2 minutes.3 large eggs, 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar, ½ cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
- Once the melted chocolate mixture has cooled down slightly, pour in the sugar mixture. Whisk until smooth and add in the vanilla extract.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- With a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, salt and espresso powder.½ cup (60 grams) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- Pour the brownie batter into your prepared pan. Bake for 26-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs.
- Let the brownies cool completely in the pan. To have even fudgier brownies, place the cooled brownie pan in the fridge for a few hours.
Frosting
- In a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar together until light and fluffy.¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, 3 ¾ cups (423 grams) confectioners' sugar
- Mix in the vanilla extract and salt.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Beat in the cold cream cheese and cocoa powder, mixing until just combined.4 oz (113 grams) cream cheese, ½ cup (42 grams) dutch processed cocoa powder
- If the frosting is too thick, you can add heavy cream, a tablespoon at a time.1 tablespoon heavy cream
- Frost your cooled brownies and enjoy!
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Notes
My recipes have been developed and tested in metric grams. I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. I have provided a conversion to US cups but please note that I haven't tested the recipe with this method. Just click on 'Metric' above the ingredients to see the metric measurements.
Temperature for Ingredients: I usually recommend having all of your ingredients be at room temperature before starting, but you want the cream cheese for the frosting to be cold - keep it in the fridge until you're ready to start making the frosting!
Salt: If you don’t have kosher salt, halve the amount of salt called for in the recipe. 1 teaspoon kosher salt = ½ teaspoon fine salt. Please note, this is diamond crystal salt and not Morton salt, which is much too salty for this.
Cocoa Powder: I'm using dutch processed cocoa powder but you can swap it out for natural cocoa powder, just note that the brownies won't be as rich.
Storage: Keep the frosted brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below! You can also tag me on Instagram @alpineella so I can see what you made!
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