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Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

These beautiful red velvet cheesecake brownies are moist and delicious with a swirl of decadent cheesecake batter! Perfect for red velvet cake lovers; adds a different twist to the traditional cake. A great dessert for Valentine's Day and can be made ahead.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 12 people
Calories 3195.9 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 8x8 inch Baking Pan Ensure it's greased for easy removal.
  • 2 Mixing Bowls One large for brownie batter, one for cheesecake filling.
  • 1 Electric Mixer Essential for achieving a light and fluffy cheesecake filling.
  • 1 Whisk For combining initial brownie batter ingredients.
  • 1 Knife or Skewer For creating the distinct swirl pattern.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 ounce red food coloring
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs slightly beaten
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.
  • For the red velvet brownies: Whisk 1 cup sugar and melted butter in a large mixing bowl; stir in cocoa, red food coloring, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, vinegar, and salt, one at a time, mixing well after each addition to avoid lumps. Mix in 2 eggs until thoroughly combined.
  • Stir flour into cocoa mixture just until combined; set aside 1/4 cup batter. Pour remaining batter into the prepared baking dish.
  • For the cheesecake filling: Beat cream cheese in a bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract; continue to beat until well blended and only small lumps remain, 3 to 4 minutes.
  • Spoon cream cheese mixture in dollops over the batter in pan; gently smooth tops of dollops even with batter using a knife or offset spatula. Do not overmix. Drizzle reserved 1/4 cup of batter over the dollops of cream cheese mixture. Drag a knife or skewer through the batter and cream cheese mixture to create swirls.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until top is dry and edges have started to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into bars; store covered in refrigerator. Allrecipes

Notes

Ensure cream cheese is at true room temperature for a lump-free, silky cheesecake filling. Overmixing the flour into the brownie batter can develop gluten, resulting in a tougher brownie; mix just until combined. For vibrant red color, a high-quality gel food coloring is recommended over liquid, which can alter batter consistency. The vinegar reacts with cocoa powder, enhancing the red hue characteristic of red velvet. When swirling, aim for gentle, broad strokes to create distinct marble patterns, rather than fully blending the batters. Cooling completely is paramount before cutting to achieve clean, defined squares and allow the cheesecake layer to fully set.