I’m guessing that either brownies or chocolate chip cookies were one of the first things everyone baked. Yes, it usually came from a box but the first time I mixed up some brownie batter, I was totally surprised as to why brownie box mixes even exist—everything is so simple! Making the homemade iteration doesn’t take more time than the box variety. 

I love marbling my brownies with something because it makes it a bit more inviting and delicious-looking. These are marbled with a cream cheese mixture that is so delicious and adds a nice bit of tang to these decadent, rich, chocolate-y brownies. 

Brownie-lovers are often times super passionate about absolutely no baking powder and I am definitely in that category. I like my brownies dense and fudge-like, not cake-like. Luckily for us, the eggs act as a bit of rising agent and these brownies are like fudge, instead their a bit on the lighter side with a nice dose of tartness thanks to the cream cheese. 

Marbled Cheesecake Brownies

These marbled cheesecake brownies show why making brownies from scratch is almost as easy as using a box mix and much more tasty. (Recipe Credit: Adrianna Adarme of Fresh Tastes)

Ingredients

• Brownies: 
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Cream cheese mixture: 
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8 x 8-inch or 9 x 9-inch brownie pan and line it with a sheet of parchment, leaving some extra parchment on either side; this will help with removing the brownies. In a glass or stainless steel bowl, nestled in a saucepan with simmering water, add the butter and chocolate chips. When melted, about 5 minutes, stir until very smooth. 
2. To a medium bowl, add the eggs, white granulated sugar and brown sugar; whisk until
3. it turns a pale brown color, about 5 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and mix. Stir in
4. the salt. Fold in the flour and mix just until combined. 
5. Pour the batter into the prepared brownie pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the
6. cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk and vanilla extract. Drop a few dollop onto the surface
7. of the brownie batter and then using a skewer, run it through, creating a swirling patter.
8. Repeat any remaining cream cheese mixture. 
9. Transfer to the oven to bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is set and the edges pull
10. away from the pan. Allow to cool completely in the pan; run a knife along the edges
11. and lift up the excess parchment. Cut the brownies into squares. 

Yield: 9 (2 x 2-inch or 3x3-inch) brownies

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.