There’s always something extra special (and extra tasty) about developing recipes that take 2 great desserts on their own and combine them into 1 INCREDIBLE dessert. I’m talking brownie cookies, pecan pie cheesecake, and cookie dough cupcakes. Swoon. Enter raspberry cheesecake brownies. I have a few of these magical brownie + cheesecake pairings on my website, like coconut cheesecake brownies and mocha cheesecake brownies. The combination of dense, fudge-like brownies with creamy, tangy cheesecake just… works. Today we’re adding some raspberry preserves and optional fresh raspberries to the mix for a treat that’s just as pretty-pink as strawberry cake. They’re an obvious choice when looking for Valentine’s Day dessert recipes, but after 1 taste, you won’t want to limit these to just 1 month of the year!
Tell Me About These Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
Flavor: A sweet yet slightly tangy raspberry cheesecake filling tempers the deep, dark taste of the brownie base. With an undeniably rich and decadent treat like this, you’ll want a glass of milk nearby! Texture: This dense, fudge-like brownie batter bakes up flawlessly with the creamy raspberry cheesecake swirl. You get the best of both worlds in each bite. Ease: While these raspberry cheesecake brownies look fancy, pulling them off is easier than you may think. It takes a little more work than a regular pan of homemade brownies, but mixing up the 2 batters and swirling them together is doable for bakers of any skill level.
If you love this combination of flavors, you’ll also love these white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars and my dark chocolate raspberry coffee cake.
Testing the Recipe
We’re using the same brownie base as these coconut cheesecake brownies. The recipe used to be quite similar to these frosted brownies, but that batter is so thick, swirling was often difficult. I’ve made a lot of brownie recipes before, but I really enjoy this one because the brownies remain soft, don’t dry out, and are intensely chocolatey. Butter and sugar make up the base of the brownie batter. I always love how vegetable oil keeps this brownie pie filling extra moist and rich, so I add some here as well. I also love that all of the chocolate flavor comes from cocoa powder, so you don’t need baking chocolate. This brownie batter bakes up beautifully with a cheesecake topping.
How to Assemble Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
Make the cheesecake batter: Just like when we’re making classic cheesecake or cheesecake pie, full-fat brick cream cheese is the best option for a creamy cheesecake swirl. Combine with sugar, egg, a little flour, and raspberry jam/preserves. Use room temperature ingredients so that the batter comes together easily, and without lumps. The cheesecake batter will be a light shade of pink, but feel free to add a few drops of pink or red gel food coloring for a more vibrant color. Make the brownie batter: Pretty straightforward here. Melted butter and cocoa powder are the keys to this brownie batter. I like to make this after the cheesecake batter because it thickens quickly, which makes swirling difficult. Make this right before you assemble/swirl. Swirl: This is where the magic happens. After the batters are prepared, reserve about 1/2 cup of brownie batter. Pour/spread the remaining batter into a lined 9-inch square or 11×7-inch baking pan. Simply drop spoonfuls of cheesecake batter on top of the brownie batter. Spoon the remaining brownie batter on top of it all, then take a knife and swirl. For a visual of the swirling process, you can watch the video from my white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars. (Note that I use a toothpick in that video since the batter is thinner. A knife is necessary for this thicker combination of brownie and cheesecake batter.) Add fresh raspberries: This is an optional final touch. The bright pop of red raspberries is gorgeous.
Then it’s time to bake! The most difficult part about the recipe is the test to your self control as the brownies cool. Allow the raspberry cheesecake brownies to completely cool for at least 3 hours before cutting. And then get started on your next batch, because I promise they’ll be gone just as quickly. 😉
More Beloved Brownies:
Guinness Brownies Salted Caramel Turtle Brownies Cookies & Cream Brownies White Chocolate Brownies Nutella Brownies
