These super fudgy chocolate brownies are covered with the most delicious strawberry cheesecake topping! You don't need a mixer to make these strawberry cheesecake brownies and it takes just 20 minutes to prepare.
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Brownies have to be one of my absolute favorite things to bake, like these triple chocolate cherry brownies or these brownies with peanut butter cups. I love them as you don't need a mixer to make them and they come together really easily, plus you can make them ahead of time as they taste better the next day!
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- These brownies are extra chocolatey thanks to 2 types of chocolate: cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate.
- Because there isn't a leavener like baking soda or baking powder, the brownies are extra fudgy, chewy and not cakey at all.
- Make a simple cheesecake topping by whisking cream cheese, an egg, sugar, salt and some strawberry jam.
- This topping is spread on top of the unbaked brownies and then is swirled with more strawberry jam.
Ingredients Needed
The printable recipe card with the full list of ingredients and instructions can be found at the bottom of this post.
- Oil: Use any type of neutral oil, like vegetable oil, rapeseed or canola oil. Oil gives more moisture to the brownies.
- Chocolate: these brownies get a double dose of chocolate from the chopped chocolate and cocoa powder. Make sure you use dutch process cocoa powder (in the UK this is just regular cocoa powder) and chocolate that is over 50% cocoa. Why dutch process? It has a higher fat content than regular cocoa powder, giving you a richer (and more delicious) taste.
- Butter: I always use European style butter in my baking, which has a higher butterfat content.
- Cream Cheese: You're going to want to use full fat cream cheese. If you're based in Europe and your cream cheese comes in tubs and not packets, make sure to pat it down with a paper towel. Cream cheese in Europe has more moisture in it!
- Strawberry Jam: the ingredient that makes these strawberry cheesecake brownies taste like strawberries? Strawberry jam! Make sure to use the best jam you can find as it makes a huge difference to the finished brownies.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the strawberry cheesecake ingredients. You want to make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before you do this or it will be too difficult to incorporate. Set aside.
Step 2: Whisk your flour and salt together in a small bowl and set aside. Heat your oven to 350 degrees and grease and line an 8x8 baking pan.
Step 3: Whisk your eggs, egg yolk, both sugars, oil and vanilla extract in a medium jug or bowl.
Step 4: In a double boiler melt you chocolate and butter together until smooth. Take off the heat. You can also melt the butter in the microwave and then add your chopped chocolate if you prefer.
Step 5: Add in your cocoa powder and fold until it is incorporated.
Step 6: Pour in your wet ingredients and fold everything together until well combined, then pour in your flour and fold again. Make sure there are no flour pockets left.
Step 7: Pour your brownie batter into your lined pan. I find it easier to have the parchment paper almost hanging over, this will make it easier to take the brownies out once they've baked and cooled.
Step 8: Dollop your cheesecake topping all over the brownies. Use a small offset spatula to smooth the topping all over the brownies, be careful as you don't want to mix the brownie batter into the cheesecake.
Step 9: Dollop your extra strawberry jam on top of the cheesecake.
Step 10: Use a toothpick or a butter knife to carefully swirl the jam and cheesecake together. Be careful not to go too deep as you don't want to disturb the brownie batter underneath. Bake for 30-35 minutes. The edges should have set but the middle will still jiggle. Let them cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing.
Recipe Tips
- I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. It makes a huge difference to your baking and is the most accurate way to bake!
- I make sure that all of my ingredients are at room temperature before I start the recipe, so pull out all of the ingredients about 2 hours before you start baking.
- Let the brownies cool until you lift them out of the pan. If you do it while they're still too hot or warm, they will collapse when you try to take them out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, keep your brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
I always make my brownies in a metal pan. Metal conducts heat much better than glass or ceramic pans. Note though that a dark metal will make your brownies more crispy than a light metal.
You never want to overbake your brownies, but with the cheesecake topping it can be slightly difficult to tell when they're finished! You want the sides to be set but the middle will still jiggle if you move the pan. The brownies will continue baking when you take them out of the oven and the middle will set as they cool.
Try these brownie and bar recipes next!
Have you made this recipe? Make sure to tag me on Instagram @alpineella and leave a review below if you have! If you want more baking ideas, you can follow me on Pinterest.
Recipe
Strawberry Cheesecake Brownies
Equipment
- 1 8x8 inch pan
Ingredients
Cheesecake Topping
- ¼ cup (50 grams) sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese room temperature
- ¼ cup (80 grams) strawberry jam
- ⅛ cup (40 grams) strawberry jam to swirl on top
Brownies
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 grams) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (72 grams) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (40 grams) cocoa powder
- 4 ounces (113 grams) dark chocolate chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (100 grams) light brown sugar
- ¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C. Grease and line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper so the parchment slightly overhangs. This will make it easier to lift the brownies out once they've baked and cooled.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together your cream cheese, egg, jam (the ¼ cup), sugar and vanilla. Whisk until it is smooth. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt
- In a large jug, whisk eggs, egg yolk, sugars, oil and vanilla extract
- Over a double boiler, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat until it's completely melted and smooth. Take it off the heat.
- Add the cocoa powder to the chocolate and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the sugar mixture into the chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth
- Add the flour mixture and fold, making sure there are no flour pockets.
- Pour your brownie batter into your pan, using an offset spatula to make the top even
- Dollop your cheesecake layer and use a small offset spatula to carefully cover the brownie layer.
- Dollop the strawberry jam on top and use a butter knife to swirl the cheesecake and jam together. I found it easiest to do very small amounts of jam all over the cheesecake, then gently swirling as you don't want to disturb the brownie layer below.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. The edges will have set but the middle will still have a bit of a jiggle to it. Let it cool completely before slicing.
- You can slice it into 9 large brownies or 16 smaller ones.
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Ellie says
Can I use a brownie mix instead of making homemade brownies? If so, what will the cook time look like? Thanks.
Ella says
I haven't tested this but the cook time should be about the same, I would just keep an eye on them in the oven!
Catherine says
These look amazing! So pretty.
Off to bake them now. Glad I read your tips first as I use a ceramic dish to bake & they always take longer!
Now I know why.