Cream Cheese Brownies: National Cream Cheese Brownie Day

Last year I posted a recipe for Cream Cheese Brownies for National Cream Cheese Brownie Day that used a  Brownie Mix. This year I thought I'd post a From Scratch Brownie Recipe, because really there's not all that much difference in the work, and you can control the quality of the chocolate. Philly Cream Cheese is usually my cream cheese of choice since I'm from Philly originally, but I've been known to substitute local rich California Cream Cheese. The extra dark chocolate chips are a great addition, and you can actually add more than 1/2 cup. I chop up high quality chocolate. Celebrate! Make Cream Cheese Brownies today!

Cream Cheese Brownies

Brownies
1/2 cup sweet butter
4 oz 85-95% good quality chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup sugar
1 tsp Madegascar vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks or chips

Cream Cheese Layer
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp Madegascar vanilla extract
1 large egg

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
1. Line a 9 x 9 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil across the bottom and up two opposite sides of the pan.
2. In  stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt butter and chocolate.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Use a spoon. Stir in flour and salt and beat, until the batter is smooth and glossy and comes away from the sides of the pan (about a minute).
4. Remove 1/2 cup of the brownie batter and set it aside.
5. Fold chocolate chips (broken up chocolate) into the remainder of the brownie batter and then pour batter evenly onto the bottom of the prepared pan.
6. Using mixer or food processor, whip cream cheese until smooth. Add tugar, vanilla, and egg and process just until smooth.
7. Spread cream cheese mix over the brownie layer. Spoon small clumps of reserved brownie batter on top of the cream cheese filling. Then with knife or wooden skewer, swirl two batters without mixing them.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the pan and edges just begin to brown.
9. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool.
10. Refrigerate brownies until firm enough to cut into squares (at least two hours).
11. Once chilled, remove brownies from pan by lifting with  ends of foil and transfer to cutting board. 12. With sharp knife, cut into squares.
Brownies can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

Want to try some variations on Cream Cheese Brownies?
Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies with Heath Bars from Recipe Girl
Nibby Cream Cheese Brownie Cupcakes from The Spice Life
Bailey's Cream Cheese Brownies from Tasting Spoons

Cream Cheese Brownies

Enjoy these two variations of a chocolate cream cheese brownie recipe.

Cream Cheese Brownies

4-ounce package German sweet chocolate
5 tbsp. butter
3-ounce package cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. flour
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup nuts, chopped
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Melt chocolate with 3 tbsp. butter over low heat, stirring constantly. Cool.

Cream remaining butter with cream cheese until soft. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar. Blend in 1 egg, 1 tbsp. flour, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Set aside.

Beat remaining eggs until thick. Gradually add remaining sugar. Add baking powder, salt, and remaining flour. Blend in cooled chocolate mixture, nuts, almond extract, and remaining vanilla.

Measure 1 cup chocolate batter and set aside.

Spread remaining chocolate batter in a greased 9-inch square pan. Top with cream cheese mixture. From the 1 cup chocolate batter set aside, drop the chocolate batter by the tablespoon onto cheese mixture; swirl to marbleize.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool. Cut and store in refrigerator.

Cream Cheese Brownie Recipe

Brownie Batter:

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs
3/4 cup powdered baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour

Cream Cheese Brownie Marbling:

1 egg
1/4 c. sugar
4-oz. package cream cheese, softened

In a large mixing bowl combine in the following order: butter, 2 cups sugar, vanilla extract, 4 eggs, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and flour.

Grease 9x13-inch baking pan. Pour batter into prepared pan.

In a separate mixing bowl beat until smooth: 1 egg, 1/4 cup sugar, and softened cream cheese.

Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture on the brownie batter. Run knife lengthwise across pan dragging through the cream cheese. Turn pan and drag knife again across the pan to marble the mixture, but not combine.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until brownies just begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool. Cut into bars. Makes about 24 brownies.