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Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Fudgy red velvet brownies swirled together with creamy vanilla cheesecake. This cheesecake brownies recipe is a great Valentine's dessert!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time44 minutes
Servings: 16

Equipment

  • 8-inch Square Pan
  • Pyrex Glass Bowl Set of 3
  • Silicone Spatula Set
  • Electric Hand Mixer

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup 113 g unsalted butter, melted (1 stick)
  • 1 cup 200 g granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup 20 g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp red food coloring
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp distilled white vinegar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup 90 g all-purpose flour, stir, spoon & level
  • Cheesecake:
  • 8 oz 226 g block-style cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup 50 g granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg room temperature

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper leaving a couple inches of overhang for easy lifting. Use cooking spray to grease the sides not covered with paper. Set aside.
  • Red Velvet Brownies: In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, red food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar. Combine well.
  • Stir in the eggs one at a time, incorporating well with each addition. Add the flour and stir until just combined. Set batter aside.
  • Cheesecake: In another large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with an electric hand mixer. Add the egg and blend until smooth. Set aside.
  • Assembling: Reserve 1/2 cup of red brownie batter for topping. Pour the remaining red velvet batter into the prepared pan.
  • Pour the cheesecake batter evenly over the red velvet batter.
  • Dollop the reserved 1/2 cup of red velvet brownie batter over the cream cheese layer. Use a butter knife or toothpick to swirl the cheesecake together with the dollops of red velvet batter. TIP: Don't over-do the swirling. Less is more. It might be helpful to make "figure 8" swirls.
  • Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs of brownie batter or thick baked cheesecake stuck to it. If it still looks wet, bake a few minutes more.
  • Cool completely before lifting the parchment out of the pan to cut the brownies into squares.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container, with parchment paper separating any layers, in the refrigerator up to 1 week.