Easy-to-make, rich fudgy brownies swirled with smooth, creamy cheesecake and loaded with chocolate chips. A decadent dessert that will cure any brownie craving.
I’m a little bit addicted to cheesecake brownies. Late at night when I’m craving something sweet, I often go to Kneaders for a cheesecake brownie. I love the contrasting flavors and textures. The smooth cheesecake, the fudgy brownie, and the chunks of chocolate chips is a heavenly combination.
One night last week, I was craving brownies, but fortunately, my husband and boys were home to help me eat them, so I decided to make the brownies at home instead of trekking toKneaders.
These chocolate chip cheesecake brownies are easy to make because they start with a brownie mix. Ghirardelli makes an excellent brownie mix so no one will ever know that they started with a mix.
The Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix has chocolate chips in the mix and then you add more chocolate chips on top. I buy the mixes at Sam’s Club or Costco. This recipe uses two 20 oz. pouches.
When I’m cutting bar cookies, I love to use my Kuhn Rikon Melon Knife. It’s long enough to cut the bars across in one cut, so you don’t have to drag the blade through the bars. The serrated blade also helps me get nice, clean cuts.
I also like to line the pan with foil so I can lift the brownies out of the pan to cut them. It makes it harder to spread the batter, but it’s worth it when it comes time to serve the brownies.
These brownies didn’t even last two days at our house. My oldest son said my cheesecake brownies are way better than Kneaders. I guess I’ll be making them at home more often.
Easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients
- 2 20- ounce pouches Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix
- 1 8- ounce package cream cheese room temperature
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°.
- Prepare brownies as directed on box, using the recommended oil, water and eggs for fudgy brownies. Spread batter in to a 13"x9" pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or lined with foil.
Prepare cheesecake batter:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla just until smooth.
- Put dollops of the cheesecake batter on top of the brownie batter and use a knife to swirl some of the brownie batter in to the cheesecake batter. Sprinkle chocolate chips across the top.
- Bake 50 - 55 minutes until edges are pulling away from the side of the pan, and the middle is set but not firm. Allow to cool completely in the pan before serving.
More brownie recipes you might like:
Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies, Barbara Bakes
Christmas Brownies, Just A Taste
Black Forest Waffle Brownies, Barbara Bakes
Peppermint Pattie Brownies, Two Peas and Their Pod
Fudgy Brownies with Candy Cane Frosting, Roxana’s Home Baking
Milk Chocolate Truffle Brownies, Recipe Girl
Kathy Freeman
These turned out amazing! Do they need to be stored in the fridge once baked or can they stay out like regular brownies?
Barbara Schieving
Thanks for the rave review Kathy! If you’re not going to eat them within a day, I would refrigerate or freeze them. https://www.livestrong.com/article/544770-do-you-have-to-refrigerate-cream-cheese-after-you-bake-it/
Joanne
Can these be frozen after baking? Will Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Premium Brownie Mix work? Will it make a difference in baking time?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Joanne – yes, the Triple Chocolate mix will work as well with no change in time. These freeze well. I like to cut them into squares and freeze them in Ziploc freezer bags so I can just take out as many as I want later. Enjoy1
Susan
Could you use this recipe for cupcakes instead of one big pan? If so would you still need 2 pls of brownie mix for 12 cupcakes, and the same with the cream cheese filling would you cut that in half also??? I am having my daughter & daughters in law over for lunch and trying to make something different that just brownies, although they love Brownies!!!
Barbara Schieving
Hi Susan – I haven’t tried making brownie cupcakes from this recipe but I do have this chocolate muffin recipe with a cheesecake swirl that you could use instead https://www.barbarabakes.com/tuxedo-chocolate-chocolate-chip-muffins/
Susan
Thankyou 😊 i just think i will make the brownie ones i have the ghirardelli mix already!!
T. Johnson
Question what are the recommended amounts of oil, water and eggs for fudge like browns As I don’t see it on the box.
Barbara Schieving
If there aren’t separate instructions for fudgy brownies, just use the recommended amounts of oil, water and eggs for two packages. Enjoy!
Daniella
So delicious! I used EVOO and Oat milk with the brownie mix, and Vegan cream cheese and a whole egg for the cream cheese mixture. They turned out well despite it being my first time with any sort of cream cheese. The vegan cheesecake filling is tangy and balances out with the chocolate. Instead of extra chips on top I sprinkled with a cup of chopped walnuts before baking. Excellent!
Barbara Schieving
So glad they were a hit. Thanks for sharing your changes Daniella.
Ana
Can’t I double the cheesecake mixture?
Barbara Schieving
Hi Ana – yes, you can double the cheesecake mixture. The cook time will probably be a little longer, but probably not too much.
Kim
These look amazing. Did you use semi sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips?
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Kim! I almost always use semi sweet chocolate chips because I keep a big Costco size bag in the pantry. However, if you prefer you could use milk chocolate chips.
Vicki greene
Just made these for the second time this week. Outstanding!
Vicki greene
Where is the recipe. I just got the ingredients.. Recipe was there last week.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Vicki – sorry you had troubles. You must be using a mobile device or a tablet. I’ve added a read more link for mobile, so you just need to click the read more link and the rest of the post will load for you.
Vicki greene
Thank you. It’s a tablet.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Vicki – sorry you had troubles. You must be using a mobile device or a tablet. I’ve added a read more link for mobile, so you just need to click the read more link and the rest of the post will load for you.
Vickie S.
I’m getting a kick out of the folks who have mentioned their knives here! Many years ago, and by that I mean at least 20 (and maybe 30) years, I bought a fabulous knife from a man on a truck. It sounds crazy but it’s really true. It’s a serrated bread knife that’s 25 inches long. I wasn’t sure that day what I would need it for but I knew I had to have it, and that knife has come in handy so many times through the years! From breads to brownies to cake layers, to giant cantaloupes, it never fails. Who knew?
Adri
I adore Cheesecake Brownies, and these look great. I too use a long knife – a Forschner 14″ blade – for cutting brownies. I originally purchased the knife for splitting cakes, but I confess it has cut more brownies than cakes! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
2 Sisters Recipes
Oh Boy we ADORE anything with cream cheese, chocolate and Chocolate chips! And these bars are calling our names,,,,, and an EASY recipe ? you are the best Barbara ! Have a great week!
xo Anna and Liz
Amanda
Oh my word, these looks completely amazing!!!
Brooks
Goodness, these brownies look as scrumptious as can be! And easy to boot, too. Lovely work, Barbara.
Emily
This is one of my favorite brownie recipes but yours look extra fudgy. Yum!
Betty
I love cheesecake and brownies- Together they are unbeatable! Who needs to go out for brownies when you can have these at home? 🙂