These brownies have a rich and tangy layer of sweetness that comes from a cheesecake swirl.

Learn how to make cream cheese brownies, and discover your new favorite way to make these chocolaty treats.

Recipe Update

This recipe was retested and updated in April 2024.

Southern Living Cream Cheese Brownies cut to serve

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

The bake time was adjusted.

Ingredients

Bakingspray

1/2cup(4 oz.

)unsalted butter

2cups(12.25 oz.)

Southern Living Cream Cheese Brownies ingredients

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

)unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2cup(2.12 oz.

Grease a metal 9- x 13-inch baking pan with baking spray, and set aside.

Melt chocolate:

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low until bubbling but not brown.

Southern Living Cream Cheese Brownies melting the butter in a saucepan

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Turn off heat, add chocolate chips, and stir to coat.

Let sit for 5 minutes.

Stir again until the chocolate is completely melted and combined with the butter.

Southern Living Cream Cheese Brownies melting the chocolate chips with the butter

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Whisk until well combined.

salt, cocoa powder, and flour and stir together until well combined.

Spread batter evenly in prepared baking pan.

Southern Living Cream Cheese Brownies chocolate chips fully melted

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

vanilla, 1/8 tsp.

salt, and 1 egg until well combined, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Dollop over top of brownie batter.

Southern Living Cream Cheese Brownies brownie batter after adding the eggs

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Allow to cool completely before cutting, about 2 to 3 hours.

The cream cheese, though baked, is dairy, and it should be kept in the fridge.

Use a warm knife (and run it under warm water between slices) to get a clean cut.

Southern Living Cream Cheese Brownies spreading the brownie batter into the pan

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

We also prefer serrated knives for cutting brownies.

Southern Living Cream Cheese Brownies mixing the cream cheese mixture

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Cream Cheese Brownies cream cheese mixture on top of the brownie mixture

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Cream Cheese Brownies in the pan before baking

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Southern Living Cream Cheese Brownies in the pan after baking

Credit:Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox