CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

bars and brownies· dessert· Valentine's Day

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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!

Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies with raspberry swirl on top Stack of Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies with a bite out of one

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.

Closeup on a Raspberry Cheesecake Brownie to show the raspberry swirl on top

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:

  1. Make brownie mix and pour into baking dish
  2. Beat cream cheese with sugar and vanilla to make cheesecake layer. Pour on top of brownie
  3. Puree raspberries and sugar and drizzle over cheesecake layer
  4. Bake until set
  5. 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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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!

Print Recipe

Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

Fudgy brownies are taken up a few notches with the addition of raspberry swirl cheesecake.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 15 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.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Baker by Nature

Raspberry Cheesecake Brownie on brown paper

Pin for later:

Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies photo collage

More desserts you’d love:

Snickers Cheesecake

Snickers cheesecake slice with snickers pieces on top

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse

Bowl of Chocolate Raspberry Mousse

Ultimate Brownie Sundae Pie

Slice of Ultimate Brownie Sundae Pie with a bite from the front

Comments

  2. Marisa F. Stewart says

    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.

    Reply

  3. kushigalu says

    WOW. How pretty are these cheesecake brownies. Looks so perfect too. I will try these soon. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  10. Natalia says

    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!

    Reply

  11. Cathleen says

    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!!

    Reply

  12. Rosemary says

    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!!

    Reply

  21. Amanda Mason says

    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!!

    Reply

  30. Gloria says

    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.

    Reply

  37. Marcie says

    Whoa! You’ve combined two delicious desserts to make a mega dessert! What a perfect thing to bring to a potluck!

    Reply

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