These ultra fudgy homemade brownies pair perfectly with a creamy, tangy raspberry cheesecake filling swirled throughout. Dotted with fresh raspberries on top, raspberry cheesecake brownies give a whole new meaning to pretty in pink. When it comes to indulgent and festive Valentine’s Day dessert recipes, this luscious cheesecake + brownie combo checks all the boxes!
There’s always something extra special (and extra tasty) about developing recipes that take 2 great desserts on their own and combine them into 1 INCREDIBLE dessert. I’m talking brownie cookies, pecan pie cheesecake, and cookie dough cupcakes. Swoon.
Enter raspberry cheesecake brownies. I have a few of these magical brownie + cheesecake pairings on my website, like coconut cheesecake brownies and mocha cheesecake brownies. The combination of dense, fudge-like brownies with creamy, tangy cheesecake just… works.
Today we’re adding some raspberry preserves and optional fresh raspberries to the mix for a treat that’s just as pretty-pink as strawberry cake. They’re an obvious choice when looking for Valentine’s Day dessert recipes, but after 1 taste, you won’t want to limit these to just 1 month of the year!
Tell Me About These Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
- Flavor: A sweet yet slightly tangy raspberry cheesecake filling tempers the deep, dark taste of the brownie base. With an undeniably rich and decadent treat like this, you’ll want a glass of milk nearby!
- Texture: This dense, fudge-like brownie batter bakes up flawlessly with the creamy raspberry cheesecake swirl. You get the best of both worlds in each bite.
- Ease: While these raspberry cheesecake brownies look fancy, pulling them off is easier than you may think. It takes a little more work than a regular pan of homemade brownies, but mixing up the 2 batters and swirling them together is doable for bakers of any skill level.
If you love this combination of flavors, you’ll also love these white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars and my dark chocolate raspberry coffee cake.
Testing the Recipe
We’re using the same brownie base as these coconut cheesecake brownies. The recipe used to be quite similar to these frosted brownies, but that batter is so thick, swirling was often difficult. I’ve made a lot of brownie recipes before, but I really enjoy this one because the brownies remain soft, don’t dry out, and are intensely chocolatey.
Butter and sugar make up the base of the brownie batter. I always love how vegetable oil keeps this brownie pie filling extra moist and rich, so I add some here as well. I also love that all of the chocolate flavor comes from cocoa powder, so you don’t need baking chocolate.
This brownie batter bakes up beautifully with a cheesecake topping.
How to Assemble Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
- Make the cheesecake batter: Just like when we’re making classic cheesecake or cheesecake pie, full-fat block cream cheese is the best option for a creamy cheesecake swirl. Combine with sugar, egg, a little flour, and raspberry jam/preserves. Use room temperature ingredients so that the batter comes together easily, and without lumps. The cheesecake batter will be a light shade of pink, but feel free to add a few drops of pink or red gel food coloring for a more vibrant color.
- Make the brownie batter: Pretty straightforward here. Melted butter and cocoa powder are the keys to this brownie batter. I like to make this after the cheesecake batter because it thickens quickly, which makes swirling difficult. Make this right before you assemble/swirl.
- Swirl: This is where the magic happens. After the batters are prepared, reserve about 1/2 cup of brownie batter. Pour/spread the remaining batter into a lined 9-inch square or 11×7-inch baking pan. Simply drop spoonfuls of cheesecake batter on top of the brownie batter. Spoon the remaining brownie batter on top of it all, then take a knife and swirl. For a visual of the swirling process, you can watch the video from my white chocolate raspberry cheesecake bars. (Note that I use a toothpick in that video since the batter is thinner. A knife is necessary for this thicker combination of brownie and cheesecake batter.)
- Add fresh raspberries: This is an optional final touch. The bright pop of red raspberries is gorgeous.
Then it’s time to bake!
The most difficult part about the recipe is the test to your self control as the brownies cool. Allow the raspberry cheesecake brownies to completely cool for at least 3 hours before cutting. And then get started on your next batch, because I promise they’ll be gone just as quickly. 😉
More Beloved Brownies:
- Guinness Brownies
- Salted Caramel Turtle Brownies
- Cookies & Cream Brownies
- White Chocolate Brownies
- Nutella Brownies
Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes (plus cooling)
- Yield: 16
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Enjoy homemade brownies swirled with creamy, tangy raspberry cheesecake filling and dotted with fresh raspberries. These raspberry cheesecake brownies are fruity, fudge-like, and unapologetically rich! Wait at least 3 hours before slicing and serving.
Ingredients
Brownie Batter
- 1/2 cup (115g; 1 stick) unsalted butter
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (62g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (63g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Raspberry Cheesecake Batter
- 8 ounces (224g) block-style full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (15g) all-purpose flour
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (80g) raspberry preserves or raspberry jam*
- optional: 1–2 drops pink or red gel food coloring
- optional: fresh raspberries, for topping
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower-third position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square or 11×7-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the cooled brownies out of the pan. Set aside.
- Make the brownie batter: Slice the butter into Tablespoon-size pieces and melt in the microwave in a large heatproof bowl or in a small saucepan on the stove. (Transfer melted butter to a large bowl if using the stove.) Whisk the oil and granulated sugar into the melted butter. Let it sit for 3–5 minutes to slightly cool. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract until combined. Add the cocoa powder, flour, and salt and whisk until combined. Batter will be thick. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spread almost all of the brownie batter into prepared pan, reserving about 1/2 cup for top.
- Make the cheesecake batter: Using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the flour, egg yolk, and raspberry preserves. If you’d like a pinker cheesecake layer, beat in 1 or 2 drops of pink or red food coloring.
- Swirl the batters: Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese batter on top of the prepared brownie batter. Spoon remaining brownie batter on top. Glide a knife through the layers, creating a swirl pattern. Press a few raspberries into the top, if desired.
- Bake for 40–42 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs. I recommend tenting the brownies with aluminum foil after about 25 minutes to protect the top from over-browning. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Cool brownies completely, at least 3 hours.
- 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: 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): Stand Mixer or Handheld Mixer | 9-inch Square Pan or 11×7-inch Pan | Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Gel Food Coloring
- Jam: Use your favorite raspberry jam, with or without seeds.
- Cream Cheese: Use block-style cream cheese, not the spreadable kind that comes in a tub.
Keywords: raspberry cheesecake brownies
Which color of americolor red gel food color did you utilize? There were three that I noticed on the website.
Hi Zoe, we use super red. Enjoy!
Will this recipe work with a box brownie batter?
I loved this recipe so much! The brownies were so fudgy and a hint of raspberry flavor so good! Al my family loved them! I love your recipes:)
★★★★★
These sound amazing! I would like to use a cookie cutter to cut them into individual heart shapes. Do you think that would work, or should I use a different recipe? I was also considering the White Chocolate Cheesecake Bars.
Another question… do you think I could wrap and mail to someone?
Thank you so much!
Hi Theresa, After these are baked and cooled they should cut nicely with your cookie cutter. You can cut the cheesecake bars also but they may not come out quite as neat using your cookie cutter.
Wow, absolutely amazing! My raspberry bushes are still going strong in October and I was looking for a new way to use them. I made homemade jam to use in this recipe and it was perfect. I didn’t have an 11×7 pan, so I used a 13x9x2 and it worked fine. Surprisingly I needed an extra five minutes rather than less time. The brownie layer is amazing but probably too rich to eat alone. The cheesecake layer is a perfect complement
★★★★★
I just made these brownies last night for my family and everyone was raving about them — I couldn’t find my 11×7 pan anywhere, so I had to opt for a 13×9 with the original ingredient proportions (I did not double but I’m sure you could), and it came out totally fine, just a bit thinner, but definitely still a substantial brownie — everything blended well, and, from what I heard, they came out wonderfully. I found that with the 13×9 pan, the baking time was closer to 40 min; I set my timer originally for 30 and tented with foil around the 20 min mark, and I had little-to-no browning on top and they were baked right through after I gave them a little extra time. Will absolutely be making again and may try to use 1:1 GF flour! Thanks, Sally, for another great recipe 🙂
★★★★★
Hi Sally! Firstly I absolutely LOVE your recipes! They always turn out just right!
If I just wanted a basic choc cheese swirl brownie, would this recipe work by just omitting the raspberry jam?
Yep– just leave out the jam.
Hi Sally, i tried this twice and both of them browning too much (the 2nd time better) i used baking paper and i don’t cover it after 20 minute (i don’t know how to cover it), please tell me which part that i do wrong? Thanks
Covering with aluminum foil prevents too much browning. Simply set a piece of aluminum foil on top of the pan.
My house smells like heaven, thanks to these brownies. They are for guests tommorow, but I have literally no idea how I’ll stop myself from eating them today. Alone.
Thanks for this beautiful recipe. Alright, i don’t know how they taste, but let’s be serious, there’s only one option – perfect.
Not only are these delicious, but they are easy to make! I have made them for a couple of times for when we have girls night–they are always the first to go! Although I am a seasoned baker, it is always nice to have a recipe that is quick to make with amazing taste. Thanks Sally for another great dessert!
Hi Sally,
these are THE best brownies. I have made them twice in 2 weeks, once for my family and then again for guests. I think you said in the recipe that they will last up to a week in the fridge – you were wrong, they didn’t last more than a day 🙂 but everyone was very happy.
Thanks for sharing this, you have made the world a better place
J
Hey Sally
Just made these as a special treat for myself. I’ve had my eye on them for quite some time now but it’s just now I actually found time to make them.
They are DELISH! Amazing raspberry and chocolate flavor. I adore raspberries so this certainly didn’t let me down.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
Greetings from windy Denmark