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Cream Cheese Brownies

Cream Cheese Brownies

Amazing combination from the excellent 100 Cookies by Sarah Kieffer.

  • 24 brownies
  • 20 minutes
  • 35 minutes

Ingredients

Cream cheese filling

  • 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch salt
  • 1 egg

Brownies

  • 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (160 g) all all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (112 g) canola oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 8 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 8 oz bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped
  • 1/4 cup (25 g) dutch process cocoa powder

Directions

  1. Preheat oven, with rack in middle, to 350 °F. Prepare a 9x13 pan with grease and a parchment sling.
  2. Prepare the CC filling (in medium bowl or a stand mixer if two mixer bowls are available). Mix cream cheese, sugar, butter, flour, vanilla and salt until no lumps remain. Add the egg and mix until combined.
  3. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat; be careful to stir frequently so not to burn. Once smooth, remove from heat and stir in the cocoa powder. Allow to cool, briefly.
  4. Meanwhile, prepare the brownie batter. In a small bowl mix dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking powder). Then, in the bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugars, oil, and vanilla until fluffy and well combined.
  5. Add the chocolate mixture to the sugar-egg mixture and whisk until smooth. By hand, add the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
  6. Add 3/4 of the batter to the pan, then add the cream cheese mixture and remaining brownie batter, in an alternating pattern. Swirl with the tip of a butter knife.
  7. Bake until sides of the brownies have set, the top is glossy and starting to crack, and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with crumbs (not wet, but not totally dry). Usually 28–34 minutes.
  8. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, then pull from the pan using sling and slice. Keep in a tight sealed container at room temperature, or the refrigerator.

Notes

  • To make plain brownies, follow steps 1, and 3–5. Then pour all of batter into pan, and bake for only 22 to 27 minutes.