Description

These Red Velvet Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies combine rich red velvet brownie layers with creamy vanilla and chocolate cheesecake fillings. The recipe features a nutty browned butter base, luscious ganache, and a decadent swirl of cheesecake, creating a perfect balance of flavors and textures for a show-stopping dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

Vanilla Cheesecake Filling

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature (226g)
¼ cup white sugar (50g)
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla

Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

100g dark or semi-sweet chocolate
¼ cup heavy cream (60g)
6 oz cream cheese, room temperature (170g)
¼ cup white sugar (50g)

Red Velvet Brownie Batter

12 tbsp unsalted butter (170g)
50g dark chocolate
¾ cup white sugar (150g)
½ cup brown sugar (100g)
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
½ tsp vinegar
½ tbsp red food color
1 cup all purpose flour (130g)
2 tbsp Dutch processed cocoa powder (12g)
¾ tsp salt
100g chopped white, dark, and milk chocolates or chocolate chips

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Instructions

Prepare Vanilla Cheesecake Filling: Add cream cheese, sugar, heavy cream, egg, and vanilla to a bowl. Whisk on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Avoid overmixing. Set aside.
Prepare Chocolate Cheesecake Filling: Place chocolate and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 20-second increments until chocolate melts and forms a smooth ganache. Separately, whisk cream cheese with sugar on medium-low speed until creamy. Gently fold ganache into the cream cheese mixture without overmixing. Set aside.
Make Red Velvet Brownie Batter: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter until brown specks appear and it smells nutty. Remove from heat immediately to prevent burning. Stir in dark chocolate until melted. In a large bowl, whisk white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla on high speed for 3-4 minutes until pale and frothy. Add vinegar, red food color, and butter-chocolate mixture and combine. Sift in flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. Optionally fold in chopped chocolates or reserve for assembly.
Assemble and Bake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (conventional, no fan). Line a 9x9-inch pan with parchment paper. Spread half the brownie batter evenly and sprinkle with some chopped chocolate. Pipe the two cheesecake fillings in thick alternating lines over the batter. Top with remaining brownie batter and dollop any leftover cheesecake fillings. Swirl the layers using a toothpick and sprinkle more chopped chocolate on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. Let rest at room temperature for 20 minutes, then refrigerate for 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Notes

Brownie batter firms up over time making it harder to spread. To ease spreading, spread on parchment paper then transfer to the baking pan.
Store brownies in the fridge due to the cheesecake filling; serve at room temperature or gently warmed.
For best swirl effect, add chopped chocolates during assembly rather than folding into batter.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 brownie
Calories: 320 kcal
Sugar: 28 g
Sodium: 180 mg
Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 12 g
Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 4 g
Cholesterol: 65 mg