Fudge chocolate brownies meet creamy mint cheesecake in this deliciously decadent dessert. Like my coconut cheesecake brownies, these mint chocolate chip cheesecake brownies come together with 2 simple batters. Fans of mint + chocolate flavors will enjoy this special dessert combination for St. Patrick’s Day, Christmas, or truly any day of the year that calls for an indulgent treat!
I love making homemade brownies, and have several variations published on my website. Have you seen my Brownies and Bars category? Hello, chocolate!
Today I’m taking everything we love about layered mint chocolate brownies, but instead of mint frosting, let’s add a simple mint-kissed cheesecake batter. YUM. Channeling my chocolate cupcakes with mint chip frosting, we’ll also throw in a good handful of mini chocolate chips. Just like a good ol’ scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream!
These Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies Are:
- Made from 2 simple batters
- The best of cheesecake and a batch of brownies combinedโand with less work!
- A smooth pairing of chocolate and mintโif you love the flavors in mint chocolate cake, you’ll surely enjoy them in these brownies
- A texture-lover’s dream, pairing chewy, fudgy brownies with creamy cheesecake
- A favorite St. Patrick’s Day recipe, but equally festive for the winter season
- Easy to slice, stack, and transport to any gathering
You have to prepare 2 separate batters for today’s brownies, but don’t let that deter you from trying the recipeโboth are simple, and take just a few minutes to prep.
Make the Brownie Batter
The brownie batter starts with my frosted brownies recipe. Out of all of my brownie recipes, I found this one works wonderfully (with a few small tweaks) for swirling. It uses a little less butter and flour than my other homemade brownies recipe, giving you an ultra-dense and fudge-like brownieโbut one that isn’t too thick to swirl.
For real, deep, dark chocolate flavor, use pure melted baking chocolate instead of cocoa powder. You can find baking chocolate in the baking aisle sold in 4-ounce bars. Baker’s or Ghirardelli are my top choices.
You also need butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, and a little salt. Combine everything together in your mixing bowl and set aside as you prepare the cheesecake batter.
Then Prepare the Cheesecake Batter
You need just a handful of basic ingredients for the cheesecake portion of this recipe. Many of the same staples as regular cheesecake like cream cheese, sugar, and an egg yolk, plus a few extras like peppermint extract, mini chocolate chips, and optional green food coloring. Grab an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer) for this portion.
Like when making cheesecake pie and no-bake cheesecake, use full-fat brick cream cheese in the cheesecake batter. The fat content helps the cheesecake swirl set; cream cheese spread that you buy in tubs simply won’t give the same results here.
Now let’s talk chocolate chips… a favorite topic of mine. ๐ While regular chocolate chips will work, I recommend using mini chocolate chips. I use them in my Amaretto cheesecake recipe and taste testers RAVE about the delightful texture contrast. Mini chips also make the swirling step easier. Plus, by using minis, you get more chocolate chips in every bite!
Success Tip: Peppermint Extract vs. Mint Extract
If you’ve made my mint chocolate cake, or really any of the mint chocolate recipes on my site, you’ll notice I use peppermint extract instead of mint extract. I find that mint extract can taste like toothpaste. Mint extract contains both peppermint and spearmint (toothpaste vibes!), while peppermint extract is just pure, strong peppermint.
How to Assemble Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies
- Line an 11×7-inch baking pan with parchment paper (helps the bars lift out easily for cutting).
- Pour brownie batter into the pan first, reserving about 1/4 cup of batter.
- Dollop cheesecake batter on top of the brownie batter.
- Spoon the remaining 1/4 cup of brownie batter on top.
- Using a knife, create a swirl throughout the pan. Simply glide it around, just like you would if making cinnamon swirl quick bread. (Or take a look at the video for my white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars, noting that I use a toothpick there because that batter is much thinner.)
And then it’s time to bake! Be sure to cool the brownies completely before slicing and serving.
More Mint Chocolate Favorites
- Mint Chocolate Checkerboard Cookies
- Andes Mint Chocolate Cookies
- White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes
- Mint Chocolate Swirl Bark
- Andes Mint Chocolate Chip Fudge
Mint Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: 20 brownies
- Category: Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Enjoy the best of cheesecake and a batch of brownies combinedโand with less work! These mint chocolate chip cheesecake brownies come together with 2 simple batters. Be sure to cool the brownies completely before slicing and serving.
Ingredients
Brownie Batter
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter
- 8 ounces (226g/two 4-ounce bars) semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*
- 1 and 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (94g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Mint Cheesecake Batter
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract*
- 2 drops liquid or gel green food coloring
- 2/3 cup (115g) mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower-third position and preheat the oven to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC). Line the bottom and sides of an 11×7-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out of the pan. Set aside.
- Make the brownie batter first: Melt butter and semi-sweet chocolate together in a medium saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. You can place the melted chocolate/butter mixture into the refrigerator for a few minutes to speed this up, if desired. Don’t refrigerate too long, as the butter will start to re-solidify.
- Whisk sugar into cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Add in the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until combined. Whisk in the vanilla, and then gently fold in the flour and salt. Pour batter into prepared pan, reserving about 1/4 cup of batter (doesn’t have to be exact).
- Make the cheesecake batter: Using a handheld mixer orย stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in the sugar, egg yolk, peppermint extract, and 2 drops of food coloring until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Feel free to add more green food coloring, if desired. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
- Dollop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture on top of the prepared brownie batter. Spoon remaining 1/4 cup of brownie batter on top. Glide a knife through the layers, creating a swirl pattern. Add more mini chocolate chips on top, if desired.
- Bake brownies for 30โ35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs. I recommend tenting the brownies with aluminum foil after about 20 minutes to protect the top from over-browning. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Cool brownies completely.
- Lift the brownies out using the parchment paper overhang on the sides. Cut into squares.
- Cover leftover brownies and store at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions:ย Freeze cut brownies in single layers between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Special Tools (affiliate links):ย 11×7-inch Baking Pan | Parchment Paper |ย Medium Saucepan |ย Glass Mixing Bowls |ย Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack
- Chocolate: For the best results, use two 4-ounce โbaking chocolateโ bars found in the baking aisle. I prefer Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands. You can use semi-sweet, bittersweet, or even milk chocolate. Do not use chocolate chips, as they contain stabilizers preventing them from melting into the proper consistency. You can, however, use chocolate chips as the add-in, as listed in the ingredients above. Just do not use them to replace the chocolate bars that you need to melt in step 2.
- Peppermint Extract: Taste the mint cheesecake mixture after you mix itโif it needs more peppermint flavor, add 1/4 teaspoon more peppermint extract.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Very easy recipe, brownies are very moist. The next I make them I will add a little more peppermint extract. I didn’t taste it mint. Thought instead of mini chocolate chips could I use Andes Creme De Menthe thins and chop them into small pieces? Do you know if they would melt?
Hi Leona, that should work, yes!
I’m excited to make this recipe! I clicked on the affiliate link for the 11×7 pan and saw that it was glass – should I adjust the temp/time if using an aluminum pan?
Hi Jennie, same time and temperature for an aluminum pan. Hope you enjoy the brownies!
Hi, Sally!! If I were to double this recipe, what size pans would it fit in, maybe a 9 by 13?
Hi Leslie! This recipe calls for an 11×7 in pan, so double the amount of batter would be too much for a 9×13. You could use a 9×9 pan instead if you don’t have one. We’re unsure which pan would be best for a double batch.
I did not have a green coloured top like yours may be because the top got baked. Inside there was bright green colour. I want top as yours what should I do. Thanks
Hi Gursimrat, it’s possible the brownies were a bit overbaked. For next time, you can try a minute or two less in the oven, and if you see them browning too quickly during bake time, lightly tent the pan with aluminum foil. This will prevent the tops from browning while allowing the brownies to fully bake. Thanks for giving this recipe a try!
Hi, Sally
Do you think these are sturdy enough to ship through the mail? My brother loves anything mint chocolate chip, and I’m hoping to make these and mail them to him at college for his birthday.
Hi Natalie, what a sweet idea! Bars and brownies are generally a great choice for shipping since they can be packed tight. But with the cheesecake in these brownies, they should really be storied in the fridge/kept cold. You could look into shipping them with cold packs, or maybe he would love these mint chocolate checkerboard cookies or plain brownies!
I want to make these but I donโt have an 11 x 7 pan [Iโm not even sure what size that is or what the pan looks like!]. If I double the recipe will it fit in a 9 x 13? Or can I just make them in a 9 x 13?
Hi Julia, a 9-inch square pan would be the best replacement. The bake time will be longer.
I made these and put mint leaves in to the brownie part and they were delicious. I had fun making them and they turned out really good.
I made this for yesterday. I had a hard time swirling the cheesecake and the brownies mixture because the brownie mixture was very thick to the point of being stiff. It tastes amazing though.
I made these with my cousin for St. Patrick’s day and they were so good! It was also really fast and easy to make! Thank you so much for such a great recipe!
Hi Sally,
This may be a silly question, but after dolloping the cheesecake mixture on, do you dollop or spread the remaining batter on the cheesecake mixture then swirl?
Yep! See steps 2 and 3.
Can you use any brownie recipe?
You can as long as it’s not super thick. When I tried it with my Ultimate Fudge Brownie recipe it was too thick to swirl!
I made these for St. Patrick’s Day yesterday and they are amazing! Everybody loved them with a scoop of ice cream. They are even better the next day – fantastic recipe!
These are fantastic! While devouring these my husband asked if I could make them with peanut butter instead of the mint/green. Woah would that be good! Any suggestions on how to do this?
Hi Robyn, for this I would beat in 1/2 cup of creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling.
I made these today for a little Saint Patricks Day dinner. They were soooooooo yummy! Everyone loved them. Great recipe!
Hi Sally! What size pan should I use instead of the 11X7 inch pan? Unfortunately, I don’t have one.
A 9×9 pan would be a great substitute. The baking time will be a few minutes longer since the pan is slightly smaller. I’m unsure of the exact time. Same baking temperature though. Enjoy!
These look amazing. I want to make them for Saint Patrick’s Day but I have to ask, why don’t you recommend using chocolate chips? I have those on hand and not baking chocolate bars so I had planned on using them until I read through the whole post.
Hey Brianna! Chocolate chips are not pure chocolate. For the best taste in my homemade brownies, I encourage readers to use pure chocolate.
Your recipes for the mint filled brownies look soooooooooo good. Is there any way to do the mint filling without cream cheese? I wasn’t sure if there was another ingredient that could be filled in for cream cheese. Would love to know.
Hi Ruth! Unfortunately there is no substitute for cream cheese in the cheesecake swirl.