Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies – Fudgy brownies are taken up a few notches with the addition of raspberry swirl cheesecake.
As I’ve mentioned numerous times before, my previous work in the food service industry has greatly influenced many of the recipes you’ll find on this blog. There was this vanilla bean cheesecake that I fell in love with while working at TGI Fridays. And let’s not forget the black & white cookies that I tried for the first time while working at Starbucks. Who knows where my tastebuds would be if not for these two jobs!
Today’s recipe is another part of the collection of treats that I tasted during my time at Starbucks. It combines two incredible sweet treats in one – cheesecake and brownies. How could you possibly go wrong with that duo?!
And to make it even better, it’s just not any cheesecake people – it’s raspberry cheesecake. You guys know how much I love raspberry. So let’s recap…cheesecake, brownie, raspberry. Drooling yet?
If not, you sure will be after these photos!
Upon my first bite of this brownie, it captured my heart. It has all the things I look for in a brownie: chewy, gooey, incredibly moist. And with the addition of the raspberry cheesecake, it has a layer of sweet and tart flavors that help balance out the richness of the chocolate. How dreamy is that?! It sure was a struggle to work next to a brownie like that and not inhale it immediately.
But if I had to pick a favorite part of this brownie, it’s the little pockets of raspberry puree. They’re such a contrast to the rest of the brownie, so each bite of it is so refreshing to me.
To make this brownie, it’s actually easier than you think. It’s not super complicated, but it does take a few steps. Let’s break it down:
- Make brownie mix and pour into baking dish
- Beat cream cheese with sugar and vanilla to make cheesecake layer. Pour on top of brownie
- Puree raspberries and sugar and drizzle over cheesecake layer
- Bake until set
- Cool before diving in
Of the steps above, number 5 is the most underrated, yet arguably the most important. If you want the cheesecake brownies to come out in perfect bars, you need to let them cool. Have you ever tried cutting a brownie when it’s warm. Big mess. But imagine with a layer of cheesecake on top…nearly impossible! I even chill my brownies to make them even easier to slice.
And while I’m at, here are a few more tips to make sure these brownies comes out perfectly:
- As a rule, whenever using cream cheese in baking, you ALWAYS want to make sure it’s room temperature. It’s much easier to work with at room temperature and it will comes out extra creamy this way. If you’ve ever tried to beat cream cheese while cold, you’ve noticed that the cream cheese had lumps in it. That’s because it was cold.
- Always make sure you are using great chocolate, especially when it’s the star of a recipe. I used Ghiradelli for this recipe. Guittard or Bakers are also great choices.
- The raspberry puree was giving me issues in my blender because I wasn’t adding any extra liquid. But then I started to shake it up a bit while it was blending and it pureed perfectly. I don’t have a fancy blender so that was probably why it struggled. Moral of the story – if my blender could puree these berries, yours can too.
So after reading all about these incredible brownies, which part is going to be your favorite? The cheesecake, the brownie, or the raspberry swirl?? Let me know in the comments below!
Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients
For the brownies:
- 1 1/4 cup flour
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped
- 1 cup butter unsalted, diced
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
For the cheesecake:
- 12 ounces cream cheese block-type, not from a tub, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
For the raspberry puree:
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
For the brownies:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, salt, and cocoa powder together. Set aside. Place a large bowl over a saucepan filled with water, making sure the water does not touch the bowl. Place saucepan over medium bowl. Add chocolate and butter to large bowl and stir while it slowly melts.
- Once it's fully melted, turn off heat but keep bowl over the saucepan. Add sugar and whisk together for about a minute. Remove from the saucepan.
- Add eggs and whisk just until they are combined. If you overmix, the brownies will be too cakey. Add flour to the chocolate mixture and fold (don't whisk) together. Pour batter into prepare pan and smooth the top. Set aside while we make the other components.
For the cheesecake:
- Place cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium until it's smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add sugar and vanilla. Beat for another 1-2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each one. Pour cheesecake evenly over the brownie batter in the pan. Smooth the top. Set aside while we make the puree.
For the raspberry puree:
- Add raspberries and sugar to a blender or food processor. Blend until a puree forms. Depending on the type of blender you have, you may have to shake the blender a little to get it all to blend evenly.
- Pour puree over the cheesecake in stripes. Using a toothpick or sharp knife, make perpendicular stripes in the mixture to swirl the puree a little.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until cheesecake appears set and had a very slight golden brown edge. Remove from oven and let them cool completely before cutting. I like to chill mine completely before cutting to make it easier to slice.
Your desserts are always beautiful and delicious. This one too . Tried these beauties and they didnt disappoint either. Gone in no time.
With this trio – brownies, raspberries, and cheesecake I’ve hit the jackpot. Yesterday we had a family gathering and I made your recipe. It was a HUGE hit. They especially loved how I added the swirls on top. I did say that I was inspired by a very talented blogger. Thank you – I’ll be making this recipe again.
WOW. How pretty are these cheesecake brownies. Looks so perfect too. I will try these soon. Thanks for sharing.
Wow brownies and cheesecake in one! Yum! I even have raspberries growing in the garden to make them with!
These cheesecake brownies look soooo delicious! I want to make them for our house party next week! Will let you know how they came out!
These are a favorite of mine! I haven’t had these in forever!! Thanks for sharing this! I need to make ASAP!
Omg these brownies were perfect! Fudgy, and the cheesecake top was so delicious and that raspberry swirl? Swoon. Amazing!!
These brownies sound SO GOOD! I love the raspberry cheesecake swirl and will be baking these this weekend đŸ™‚
Oh that tartness of raspberries mixed with chocolate sounds perfect!
OMG! These look so decadent! Brownies are one of my all time favorite desserts but I usually make it vegan. We have some non-vegan friends over for dinner next weekend, so I’ll give it a go! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Okay, so your are combining my two favourite desserts into one and I love it!! Bookmarked to make this weekend, thank you so much for the recipe!!
I am totally drooling over your delicious raspberry cheesecake brownies. I could literally eat them off the screen đŸ™‚ Thanks for the recipe. I’m a huge raspberry fan and you can’t go wrong with cheesecake and brownies. A triple win!!
Seriously drooling over these! They look so ooey gooey and delicious, I’ve gotta try them!!
wow those do look like a wonderful treat! Pinning for later
This sounds delicious, you definitely combined two of my favourite things!
Made these for Easter and they were sooooo amazing. Back to make them again!
Brownies and cheesecake together? How did you know? đŸ™‚ This dessert looks insanely delicious!
Thanks so much!
Rasberry cheesecake and brownies are one of my most favorite combinations! That will be a perfect treat for this summer!
Glad you like it!
Yum!! Cheesecake and brownies is such a great combo! Love the addition of the raspberry swirl!!
Isn’t in the best?!
Oh my gosh, these brownies look so perfectly dense and gooey! The raspberry cheesecake topping just makes them that much better!
Gooey brownies are the best!
Ok, you’ve TOTALLY inspired me! So, I am a Food Blogger too and I also used to work at a restaurant. I’ve never ONCE thought about remaking a recipe off our menu but oh my goodness – what a fabulous idea!! My creative wheels are turning! Ok – these look amazing and I’m so going to make these! Thank you for inspiring me!!
Glad you were inspired!
These look just divine!! The tartness of raspberry works so well with chocolate….running to my kitchen to make these!
You’re so right!
I am a huge cheesecake lover and I always like to drizzle raspberry sauce over my slice. The chocolate brownie combo sounds so tasty!
You had me at cheesecake and brownies but then you said raspberry!! Now I have to try this. I love raspberry! Saving this for later. Yum!
Raspberry takes these to a whole other level!
I love the combo of cheesecake, raspberry and brownie flavors together! These look melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
Totally agree! Thanks so much!
Oh, wow! These bars looks SO fantastic! Love that raspberry swirl, too!
Thanks so much!
Raspberry and Chocolate are one of my absolute favorite combinations. I love this! It looks so delicious!
Thank you!
dang these sound good! Paired with a very large glass of milk and I’m good to go!
Yesss!
These photos are captivating! They look so delicious! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Thanks Steph!
Totally love the swirl on top of these brownies. The perfect dessert to take along when you have to bring something. Chocolate and raspberries is a classic combo that is delicious any time of year.
So true!
I love these bars. I have a very similar recipe on my blog. YUM!
Thanks!
These look like some awesome treats that would not last very long in our house. Yum.
Thanks!
All of my favourite things in one recipe! These brownie cheesecake bars look amazing.
Thank you!
I need this immediately. This sounds absolutely delicious and just what the doctor ordered on this Monday.
Thank you!
Two of my very favorite desserts joined together in complete bliss!! I am loving this!
Thanks!
These look incredibly rich. They would make a welcome addition to any dessert table.
So true!
Whoa! You’ve combined two delicious desserts to make a mega dessert! What a perfect thing to bring to a potluck!
Ooo love that idea!
Yes, I am drooling over these brownies! I love the combination of brownie, cream cheese, and raspberry. Delicious!
Thanks!
This looks like a great dessert to take to Easter dinner or my next GNO! Yum!
Mariah
http://www.likehoneyblog.com
So true!