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Cheesecake Brownies give you two desserts in every square, a fudgy chocolate base with ribbons of tangy cheesecake baked right in, and because the base starts with a box mix they come together with Tuesday afternoon energy while looking fully homemade. Maddie calls dibs on the corner pieces every single time, the same way she does with our mint brownies.
Come October, a toothpick turns those cheesecake dollops into the cutest ghosts on the dessert table.
Cheesecake Brownies Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 27 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 37 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 24 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 168kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Fudgy chocolate with tangy vanilla cheesecake ribbons
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our chocolate chip cookie bars
Quick Answer
Mix a box of fudge brownie mix with eggs, water, and melted butter, then beat cream cheese with an egg, sugar, flour, and vanilla for the cheesecake layer. Pour half the brownie batter into a greased 9×13 pan, smooth two thirds of the cheesecake batter over it, top with the remaining brownie batter, then dollop the rest of the cheesecake on top and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 27 minutes until a toothpick comes out mostly clean, and cool completely before slicing.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Box mix is the smart shortcut here. The cheesecake layer is where the homemade magic happens, so letting a fudge mix handle the chocolate base saves 15 minutes without costing any flavor.
- Melted butter makes the mix taste scratch made. Swapping butter in for the oil the box calls for deepens the chocolate flavor and gives the brownies a richer chew.
- Layering twice builds real cheesecake ribbons. Sandwiching most of the cheesecake between two brownie layers means every bite gets cream cheese, not just the top.
- Clear vanilla keeps the cheesecake snow white. Regular extract works, but clear vanilla keeps the swirls bright white so they pop against the dark chocolate, which matters double for the ghosts.
- A little flour stabilizes the cheesecake. Two teaspoons keep the cream cheese layer sliceable instead of gooey so the bars hold clean layers.
- Mostly clean toothpick is the doneness cue. Pulling them when a few moist crumbs cling keeps the brownie layer fudgy, they firm up as they cool in the pan.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Two desserts in one pan, fudgy brownies and creamy cheesecake in every square.
- The box mix base means 10 minutes of prep, but nobody will ever guess.
- The ghost trick takes 30 extra seconds and steals the whole Halloween spread, right next to our pumpkin cheesecake bars.
- It is the kind of no fuss win that pairs beautifully with our copycat cheesecake factory pineapple upside down cheesecake on a busy week.
- It earns a spot in the rotation right next to our mississippi mud brownie bars.
- It is the kind of no fuss win that pairs beautifully with our mini pumpkin cheesecake on a busy week.
Key Ingredients
One box plus a short cheesecake list is all it takes.
- Fudge brownie mix: One standard box is the chocolate base. Grab family size if it matches a 9×13 pan and skip the ingredients the box lists, we are using our own.
- Cream cheese: Eight ounces, fully softened, so the cheesecake layer whips up silky smooth with no lumps.
- Eggs: Three go into the brownie batter for structure and one into the cheesecake layer for that custardy set.
- Clear vanilla extract: Keeps the cheesecake layer bright white for dramatic swirls and glowing ghosts, regular vanilla tastes just as good if that is what you have.
- Chocolate chips: Mini chips make the ghost eyes and regular chips make the mouths, or fold a handful into the batter for classic swirl bars.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Same pan, different personality.
- Classic swirl: dollop the last of the cheesecake on top and drag a knife through in figure eights for a marbled top instead of ghosts.
- Make the ghosts: shape the top dollops with a toothpick into wispy ghost shapes, then press in mini chocolate chip eyes and a regular chip mouth after baking.
- Add a peppermint twist with a drop of mint extract in the cheesecake layer for a holiday version.
- Stir a swirl of caramel or peanut butter into the top layer along with the cheesecake for a candy bar vibe.
- Love the tangy layer best? Our no bake cheesecake gives it the full spotlight.
- For another spin on this idea, try our basque cheesecake next time.
- In the mood for something different? Our cosmic brownies recipe scratches a similar itch.
- For another spin on this idea, try our cheesecake dip recipe next time.
How to Make Cheesecake Brownies
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan. Stir the brownie mix with the eggs, water, and melted butter until no dry patches remain. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, sugar, flour, and vanilla until smooth. Pour half the brownie batter into the pan, smooth two thirds of the cheesecake batter over it, cover with the remaining brownie batter, then dollop the rest of the cheesecake over the top and shape with a toothpick, swirls for classic bars or little ghosts for Halloween.
- Bake for 25 to 27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Cool completely on a wire rack, then press in mini chocolate chips for eyes and regular chips for mouths if you made ghosts. Slice into 24 squares and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Soften the cream cheese fully. Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that never smooth out, give it 30 minutes on the counter or 15 seconds in the microwave.
- Cool the melted butter first. Hot butter can scramble the eggs in the brownie batter, lukewarm is perfect.
- Smooth each layer gently. An offset spatula keeps the layers distinct instead of muddled together.
- Shape ghosts with a toothpick, not a knife. Dragging the tip lightly through each dollop pulls a wispy tail without smearing chocolate through the white.
- Do not overbake. The cheesecake keeps them moist, but past 27 minutes the edges turn cakey, pull them at mostly clean toothpick.
- Chill before slicing for bakery clean squares. An hour in the fridge sets the cheesecake so a hot knife glides through in neat cuts.
- Double up for gatherings. Serve it alongside our and easy lemon cheesecake and watch both disappear.
- Make it a full spread. Our smores brownies rounds out the table.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Store them covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days because of the cheesecake layer, and let squares sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving so the brownie layer softens back to fudgy. They also freeze well for up to 2 months wrapped individually.
Cheesecake Brownies FAQs
They are a layered bar that bakes tangy cheesecake batter directly into fudgy chocolate brownie batter, so every square has ribbons of creamy white cheesecake running through rich chocolate. This version starts with a box mix for the brownie layer and a quick homemade cream cheese batter for the swirl.
Absolutely. Any scratch brownie batter that fills a 9×13 pan works in place of the box mix, just keep the layering and bake time the same and watch for the mostly clean toothpick. A box of fudge mix keeps it a 10 minute prep, which is exactly why we use it here.
Dollop the cheesecake batter over the top instead of pouring it, then drag a knife or toothpick through in gentle figure eights, stopping before the two batters blend into gray. For defined ghosts, shape each dollop with a toothpick and skip the swirling entirely.
A toothpick inserted into the center should come out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter, around 25 to 27 minutes at 350 degrees. The cheesecake spots will look set but still have a slight jiggle, and everything firms as the pan cools.
Yes. Because of the cream cheese layer, store them covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve them cool for clean cheesecake flavor or let them sit out 15 minutes so the brownie layer goes soft and fudgy again.
They freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. Cool and slice them, wrap squares individually in plastic wrap, and store in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or 30 minutes on the counter, the cheesecake layer keeps its creamy texture.
Made these Cheesecake Brownies? Leave a comment and a star rating below, and tell me if yours were swirled or haunted!
Still filling out the menu? Readers love pairing this one with our pecan pie brownies, toffee bars, German chocolate brownies, and lemon brownies.
And when you are planning next week’s dinners, our snickerdoodle cheesecake bars keeps the same easy comfort going.
Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 box fudge brownie mix
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 stick 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Cheesecake Batter
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Brownie Assembly
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan, set aside.
- Mix the brownie mix, eggs, water, and melted butter in a large bowl. Stir by hand or with a hand mixer until combined and there are no dry patches. Set aside.
Cheesecake Batter
- Place everything in a large bowl. With a hand mixer, mix everything until smooth. Set aside.
Brownie Assembly
- Pour half of the brownie batter in the baking pan, smooth out evenly. Pour 2/3 of the cheesecake batter on top, smooth out evenly. Pour out and smooth remaining brownie batter on top.
- Dollop cheesecake batter all over. Using a knife or toothpick, run through the dollops and form ghosts.
- Bake for 25-27 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.
- Once cool, place mini chocolate chips as the eyes and regular chocolate chips as the mouths, press in with a toothpick.
Notes
- Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature, this will ensure that you will get all the lumps out.
- You can make your own homemade brownie batter if you’d like.
- Do not place the chocolate chips on until the brownies are cooled or they will melt.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above on how to do that.
- If you don’t want to make ghosts, simply swirl your cheesecake mixture around, this is perfect for any occasion.
- Color your cheesecake mixture with food coloring to give it some extra flair.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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I just finished my first batch of these brownies!! This recipe is so simple and fool proof! I got box brownie mix that already contained mini and regular chocolate chips 🙏 perfect.
These are adorable!
These brownies are too cute! I can’t wait to make these for Halloween!