Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies (Printable)

Fudgy brownies with red velvet and creamy cheesecake swirls—perfect for indulgent occasions.

# Components:

→ Red Velvet Brownie Layer

01 - 4 oz unsalted butter, melted
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1 tablespoon red food coloring, liquid or gel
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
08 - 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

→ Cheesecake Layer

09 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
10 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
11 - 1 large egg
12 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Method:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing edges to overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and red food coloring; mix until fully combined.
03 - Sift flour, cocoa powder, and salt into the wet mixture. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
04 - Reserve 1/4 cup of red velvet batter for swirling. Spread remaining batter evenly across the prepared pan.
05 - In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, egg, and vanilla extract; beat until creamy and lump-free.
06 - Pour cheesecake mixture over red velvet batter and spread evenly across the pan surface.
07 - Dollop reserved red velvet batter by spoonfuls over cheesecake layer. Draw a knife or skewer through the batters to create decorative swirls.
08 - Bake for 35 minutes until center is just set. A toothpick inserted should emerge with a few moist crumbs.
09 - Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate for minimum 2 hours before cutting into 16 squares.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These brownies look like you spent hours in a pastry kitchen, but they're honestly straightforward enough for a weeknight craving.
  • The cream cheese layer keeps them moist for days, meaning you can make them ahead and actually enjoy your guests instead of panicking in the kitchen.
  • That red velvet-meets-chocolate moment is genuinely addictive—fudgy, elegant, and impossible to eat just one.
02 -
  • The cream cheese must be softened or your cheesecake layer will have a gritty texture that feels disappointing when you bite in—room temperature really does matter.
  • Do not skip the refrigeration step; a hot or warm brownie will fall apart when you cut it, and you'll end up with crumbly pieces instead of clean squares that photograph well.
  • Overmixing the brownie batter is the fastest way to make them cake-like instead of fudgy—fold gently and stop as soon as you don't see flour streaks.
03 -
  • Weigh your ingredients if you have a scale; baking is chemistry, and grams don't lie the way cup measurements sometimes do.
  • The reserved red velvet batter for swirling should go on top of the cheesecake layer, not underneath—layers in this order give you the visual effect that stops people mid-conversation.
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