Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies are awesome! These are the most spectacular, decadent red velvet brownies you'll ever eat. They're swirled with a luscious cheesecake batter and bake up rich and fudgy because they have Ghirardelli's semi sweet chocolate in the batter. Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies are very festive for holiday baking especially Valentine's Day, Christmas or Mother's Day but they're wonderful for any occasion. These luscious brownies will cure any sweet tooth craving and knock your socks off at the same time!
Spray a 10x15” baking dish very generously with Baker’s Joy cooking spray. Set aside.
Melt butter and chocolate in small saucepan over low heat on you stove.
Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and red food coloring.
Add chocolate mixture and stir until smooth.
Add flour and stir just until combined.
Do not use a mixer to add in the flour or brownies can become tough.
Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.
Dollop cheesecake mixture over top of the red velvet layer.
Swirl both layers with a knife.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until brownies and cheesecake are set.
(After 15 minutes tent brownies with foil so cream cheese doesn’t brown too much).
To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the pan and see if it comes out clean.
Remove brownies from oven.
Let brownies cool completely in pan on a cooling rack before cutting into squares.
CHEESECAKE LAYER:
Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth.
Spread the cream cheese mixture over top of the brownie layer.
Swirl the two layers together gently with a knife or spatula.
Notes
NOTE: I recommend using Ghiardelli’s semi-sweet chocolate bars for this recipe.NOTE: I recommend tenting the brownies with foil after about 20 minutes baking time so the cream cheese doesn’t brown too much. (I actually tented with foil the entire time).NOTE: You may want to refrigerate the brownies for 1-2 hours before cutting into bars.NOTE: Because I had these brownies tented with foil the whole length of cooking time, they took 65-70 minutes to bake completely, but the cream cheese didn’t brown!NOTE: I do not recommend baking this recipe in a metal pan. The consistency of the brownie is such that it will come out of a glass baking dish much easier than a metal pan. Metal bakes differently than glass as well.