Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

Name: Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 38 min
Total time: 1 h 13 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ¾ cup (12 tbsp) (170 g) unsalted butter, cut into chunks; 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar; ¼ cup, packed (50 g) light brown sugar; ¾ cup (65 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy; ½ tsp (3 g) fine salt; 3 whole (150 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract; ¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 8 oz (1 block) (225 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature; ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar; 1 whole (50 g) large egg, at room temperature; 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour; ½ tsp (2½ ml) pure vanilla extract

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Fudgy, deeply chocolatey cocoa brownies marbled with a tangy, lightly sweet cream cheese layer. The batter comes together in one saucepan, and chilling before slicing gives you clean, bakery-style squares.

Prep: 35 min
Cook: 38 min
Wait: 3 hr
Total: 4 hr 13 min
Makes: 16 brownies (one 9-inch square pan)

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Ingredients

16 servings

For the brownie batter
¾ cup (12 tbsp) (170 g) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
¼ cup, packed (50 g) light brown sugar
¾ cup (65 g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
½ tsp (3 g) fine salt
3 whole (150 g) large eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
¾ cup (95 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
For the cream cheese swirl
8 oz (1 block) (225 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 whole (50 g) large egg, at room temperature
1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (2.5 ml) pure vanilla extract

Equipment (11)

9×9-inch (23×23 cm) metal baking pan
Parchment paper
Medium saucepan
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Medium bowl
Small bowl
Butter knife or skewer for swirling
Instant-read thermometer
Wire rack
Sharp knife for slicing

Steps

Before you start

Set the cream cheese out 1 hour ahead so it is fully soft; cold cream cheese stays lumpy in the swirl.
Take the eggs out 30 minutes ahead, or set them in a bowl of warm tap water for 5 minutes, so they blend smoothly into the batter.
Use block-style cream cheese, not spreadable tub cream cheese, which is too loose and can make the swirl weep.
Plan for about 3 hours of cooling and chilling after baking. The brownies cut cleanly only once fully chilled.

1
Preheat and line panOven 350°F / 175°C
- Position an oven rack in the center and heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a 9×9-inch (23×23 cm) metal pan with parchment, leaving 2 inches of overhang on two opposite sides to use as handles.
- Lightly grease the parchment and any exposed pan sides.
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Ready when: Oven is at 350°F (175°C) and the pan is lined with the parchment sling in place.
Tip: A metal pan gives crisper edges and more even baking than glass.
2
Melt butter, mix sugars
- In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat.
- Whisk in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cocoa powder and salt for about 1 minute until smooth and glossy.
- Let the mixture sit 3 minutes so it is warm, not hot.
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Ready when: Butter is fully melted and the mixture looks like thick, grainy, shiny chocolate paste that is warm to the touch.
Tip: If the pan feels hot on your hand, wait another minute before adding eggs.
3
Beat in eggs
- Whisk the 3 eggs into the chocolate mixture one at a time, whisking about 30 seconds after each.
- Add the 2 tsp vanilla and whisk vigorously for 1 more minute.
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Ready when: Batter is thick, smooth, glossy and pulls away from the whisk in ribbons.
Tip: Vigorous whisking at this stage helps create the shiny, crackly top.
4
Fold in flour
- Add ¾ cup (95 g) flour.
- Fold with a rubber spatula about 15 strokes, just until no dry streaks remain.
- Do not overmix.
- Set aside ¾ cup (about 180 g) of batter in a small bowl, then spread the rest evenly into the prepared pan.
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Ready when: No dry flour streaks remain and the batter is thick and fudgy.
Tip: Overmixing after adding flour makes brownies tougher and cakey.
5
Make cream cheese mixture
- In a medium bowl, stir the softened cream cheese with a spatula or whisk for about 1 minute until completely smooth with no lumps.
- Mix in the ¼ cup (50 g) sugar, the egg, 1 tbsp flour and ½ tsp vanilla until just smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth, pourable but thick, like a loose frosting, with no visible lumps.
Tip: Don't use a mixer on high speed; too much air makes the cream cheese layer puff and then crack.
6
Layer cream cheese
- Pour the cream cheese mixture over the batter in the pan and spread gently to within ½ inch (1 cm) of the edges.
- Drop spoonfuls of the reserved brownie batter on top, spacing them evenly.
- The batter is thick, so don't worry about covering all the cream cheese.
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Ready when: Cream cheese forms an even layer topped with scattered dollops of dark batter.
Tip: Spread gently so the cream cheese doesn't drag the bottom batter up and muddy the swirl.
7
Swirl the top
- Drag a butter knife or skewer through the dollops in a figure-eight or zigzag pattern, going down just into the cream cheese layer.
- Make about 6 passes in each direction.
- Stop while distinct ribbons are still visible.
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Ready when: Marbled pattern of dark and pale ribbons across the surface.
Tip: Over-swirling blends the layers into a muddy brown; fewer passes give a sharper marble.
8
Bake the browniesOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake on the center rack at 350°F (175°C) for 35 to 38 minutes.
- The edges should be set and slightly pulling from the pan, and the cream cheese swirls should look matte and set rather than wet.
- Insert a toothpick into a chocolate section near the center: it should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
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Ready when: Toothpick has moist crumbs, the center barely jiggles, and an instant-read thermometer reads about 200°F (93°C) in the center.
Tip: Start checking at 35 minutes. Overbaked brownies turn dry and crumbly.
9
Cool in the pan
- Set the pan on a wire rack and let the brownies cool completely at room temperature, about 1 hour.
- They will firm up and the center will settle.
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Ready when: The pan is no longer warm to the touch on the bottom.
Tip: Don't cut warm brownies; the cream cheese layer will smear.
10
Chill until firm
- Cover the cooled pan with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight, until the cream cheese layer is firm.
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Ready when: The surface is cold and firm when pressed lightly.
11
Slice and serve
- Lift the slab out using the parchment handles and set it on a cutting board.
- Use a large sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts.
- Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows to make 16 squares.
- Serve cold or let sit at room temperature 15 minutes for a softer bite.
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Ready when: Clean, sharp-edged squares with a distinct marbled top.
Tip: Wiping the knife between cuts keeps the layers neat.

Good to know

Tips

Make sure the cream cheese is truly soft and smooth before adding the egg; lumps will not disappear in the oven.
Weigh the flour if you can. Too much flour is the most common reason brownies come out dry or cakey.
Use a thermometer if unsure of doneness: about 200°F (93°C) in the center means set but still fudgy.
For extra texture, fold ½ cup (85 g) of semisweet chocolate chips into the brownie batter just before spreading.

Make ahead

"Bake, cool and chill the brownies up to 2 days ahead; keep the slab uncut and covered in the refrigerator, then slice just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Because of the cream cheese, refrigerate in an airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 5 days. Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Freeze cut squares, wrapped individually and stored in a freezer bag, for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Serve cold, or warm a thawed square for 10 seconds in the microwave for a softer, gooier bite."

Substitutions

unsweetened cocoa powder → Dutch-process cocoa powder. Gives a darker color and smoother, less tangy chocolate flavor; texture stays the same.
full-fat block cream cheese → Mascarpone. Makes a milder, creamier swirl with less tang; use the same weight.
light brown sugar → Granulated sugar. Use an extra ¼ cup (50 g); brownies will be slightly less chewy and less caramel-like.
unsalted butter → Salted butter. Use the same amount and reduce the salt to ¼ tsp (1.5 g).