Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies are a gooey, chewy, and simple treat that only requires 15 minutes of prep! These are the perfect combination of rich, fudgy, and slightly tangy!
Whip up a batch of these Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies just in time for Valentine’s Day! Better than boxed brownies, you won’t want to skip this recipe! Make a complete brownie spread by whipping up a batch of my Peanut Butter Cup Brownies and Samoas Brownies!
Brownies are one of my favorite desserts, and I always have at least one pan in the house. While there is nothing quite like a regular, chocolatey, fudgy brownie, nothing beats the occasional specialty brownie. These Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies are irresistible, from the chewy corner pieces to the gooey middle piece!
When I’m looking for a quick brownie fix, I typically go right for a boxed brownie mix, but nothing compares to the richness of a homemade brownie. These brownies start with a chocolatey and chewy red velvet base, still providing the texture you know and love of your typical brownie mix.
After the red velvet brownie batter is prepped, a part of it is poured into a baking dish and topped with a homemade cheesecake filling! After that tangy, slightly sweet cheesecake filling is poured all over the first layer of red velvet, it is once again topped with the remaining brownie batter.
All that’s left after the batters are in the baking dish is to swirl it with a knife or a toothpick, slide it into the oven, and bake away! Homemade brownies are always easier to make than you anticipate, and they are totally worth the extra couple of steps that boxed mix doesn’t require!
Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies Ingredients
Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies are made with many pantry staples, only requiring a few ingredients that may have you taking a trip to the store. Ingredients such as cocoa powder, butter, sugar, flour, eggs, white vinegar, red food coloring, and salt combine to make the soft and chewy Red Velvet Brownie base.
These Brownies are completed with ingredients like cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract, creating an extremely simple cheesecake filling. This part is so easy that you’ll want to add it to every brownie recipe from here on out!
Substitutions And Variations
- Cream cheese- Whipped cream cheese can be used in place of a block of cream cheese.
- Cocoa powder- You can use dark or black cocoa powder instead of regular cocoa powder.
- White vinegar- Apple cider vinegar can be used in a pinch.
- Red food coloring- Beet juice is a decent all-natural alternative that doesn’t alter the taste too drastically. Be careful not to add too much beet juice though, because this will add more liquid to the recipe than it calls for. Use at your own risk!
How To Make Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
Step One: Preheat the oven and line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter and sugar. Add eggs, white vinegar, vanilla, and food coloring and mix well.
Step Two: In a second medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until just combined. Pour 2/3 of this batter into the prepared baking sheet and set the remaining 1/3 aside.
Step Three: In a separate mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the sugar, egg, and vanilla, and mix to combine. Pour this batter over the top of the red velvet batter in the baking dish.
Step Four: Drop the remaining 1/3 red velvet batter over the cheesecake filling by using a small cookie scoop or a large spoon. Using a butter knife, toothpick, or chopstick, carefully swirl the top layer of red velvet batter and cheesecake together.
Step Five: Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cheesecake center is no longer jiggly. Allow the brownies to cool before slicing, and enjoy!
Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies FAQ’s
Store these in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
A couple of reasons!
1. Vinegar is used in some baked goods as a leavening agent, creating a light and airy texture. However, these brownies don’t require baking soda or baking powder, so that’s not the case here.
2. Vinegar can help tenderize a product, like brownies, creating a tender texture.
3. Historically, red velvet desserts were created by vinegar reacting with cocoa powder. However, the cocoa powder we use today is much different than decades ago, so we supplement with red food coloring.
This recipe isn’t tested by using all-natural food coloring alternatives, so heir on the side of caution if you plan on adding additional liquid to the ingredients needed.
INGREDIENTS
Brownies:
- 8 tbsp. butter melted and cooled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tsp. red gel food coloring
- 1 tsp. white vinegar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Cheesecake Swirl:
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment, and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix the melted butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, white vinegar, vanilla, and food coloring, and mix well to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until just combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the sugar, egg, and vanilla, and mix to combine.
- Add 2/3 of the red velvet batter to your prepared baking dish, and smooth out evenly. Pour the cheesecake mixture over top. Drop the remaining 1/3 batter over top of the cheesecake in large spoonfuls. Use a butter knife to swirl the red velvet and cheesecake together. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the center cheesecake part is no longer jiggly.
- Allow the brownies to cool, and enjoy.
