Peppermint Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Rich, gooey brownies topped with a layer of creamy peppermint cheesecake and peppermint chips.

It’s here… Day 4 of cookie week is here, and I’m excited to share this recipe for peppermint cheesecake swirl brownies.

Yeah, I get it. This recipe isn’t exactly a cookie recipe. All right, so it’s not anything like a cookie. Heck, it isn’t a cookie at all. In my defense, I always group cookies and brownies together. And, this recipe is a winner.

So, you’ll let this one slide, right?

The brownie layer is a thick, fudgy hunk of chocolate love. It’s rich, gooey, and extra dense. In my opinion, it’s everything a brownie should be. Some folks like cake-like brownies. I, however, am not one of them.

Just say no to cake-y brownies, m’kay?

To achieve extra fudgy, extra gooey brownies, I combine good quality melted chocolate with a butt load of melted butter. It’s the only way. It’s the right way.

To ensure my brownies are extra chocolatey, I add a scoop of cocoa powder to the batter along with the melted chocolate. After the batter is mixed, I add a handful of chocolate chips. In this case, I mixed in white chocolate chips because white chocolate and peppermint belong together–it really is the best combo!

These brownies bake up with a super thick, fudgy brownie base topped with a rich, creamy layer of peppermint cheesecake that has been sprinkled with peppermint baking chips (I used Andes).

Since they come together with little effort, they’re the perfect dessert to make for the holidays.

The crowd will go wild…promise!

Print Recipe

Peppermint Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

Rich, gooey brownies topped with a layer of creamy peppermint cheesecake and peppermint chips.

Yield: 1 (8-by-8-inch) square pan

Total Time: 50 minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

Brownies:

• 2/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Cheesecake Layer:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup peppermint chips (I used Andes)

Directions:

Brownies:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 8-by-8-inch square pan with parchment that overlaps on each side of the pan. Spray the pan with non-stick baking spray.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt.
3. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler until smooth. Take off the heat and allow the chocolate to cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and the eggs until slightly pale in color, about 1 minute. Whisk in the melted butter and vanilla extract until combined. Whisk in the chocolate.
5. Fold in the flour mixture until thoroughly combined.
6. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
7. Pour the batter into your prepared brownie pan.

Cheesecake Layer:

1. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with a handheld mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the peppermint extract and egg yolk. Beat until combined.
2. Spread the cheesecake mixture over the brownie mixture. Sprinkle with the peppermint chips.
3. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (a few crumbs are okay).
4. Allow the brownies to cool in the pan for 30 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. When the brownies are completely cool, cut into squares with a serrated knife.

All images and text ©One Sweet Mess.

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