Because my preferred cheesecake genre is…cheesecake *brownies.* To make these, I used a box brownie base and Preppy Kitchen’s cheesecake topping with a few tweaks to the baking process.
Ingredients
Boxed brownie mix batter, prepared
16 ounces room temperature cream cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
To garnish (optional): Blueberries and strawberry leaves
Instructions
Bake prepared brownie batter in a 9×9-inch square pan or similarly sized rectangular pan (the only noticeable difference will be the thickness of the resulting brownie and cheesecake layer) for 10 minutes at 350° F, just until a thin crust forms. Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare the topping.
Use a hand mixer to whisk together the cream cheese at medium speed for 3 minutes until fluffy. Reduce speed to low and mix in the sugar. Add salt and vanilla. Finally, add the eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating and scraping the bowl down in between.
Pour the mixture onto the brownie base, spread out, bang pan on counter a few times to release any air bubbles, then bake for 10 minutes at 350° and another 30-33 minutes at 325°.
Decorate with blueberries and strawberry leaves. I prefer them chilled for a few hours in the fridge! Consistency is better and fudgier.
Notes
Storage: I actually prefer the consistency of these when refrigerated, so I’ll usually pop them in there right after cooling—they’ll keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. At room temperature, they’ll last about 24 hours. To freeze, wrap baked, un-garnished brownies tightly and enjoy within a month.
