I love them all on their own, but I also like to make them the base of a brownie cheesecake sundae, with vanilla bean ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Why You’ll Love These Cheesecake Brownies

What I love about this brownie cheesecake bar recipe is that it is so incredibly easy thanks to using a simple boxed brownie mix. From start to finish it only takes 15 minutes to prep and then the oven does the rest.

• Speedy– with only 15 minutes of prep time (or less), you’ll have these whipped up and in the oven in nearly no time with using boxed brownie mix.
• Portable- wrap the brownie cheesecake bars in plastic wrap and toss them in a tote as a treat on a picnic or after a hike or put them in lunch boxes during the week.
• Simple– requiring only six ingredients, many of which may already be in your pantry or refrigerator, these are easy to mix up on the fly.
• Versatile– these brownie cheesecake bars are as great as a sweet after-dinner treat at home as they are to take to a party.

I also love that they’re a quick handheld version of a chocolatey cheesecake. You can refrigerate brownie cheesecake bars for up to a week, so you can bakes them on the weekend and they’ll last all week in the refrigerator. Unless everyone else in the house finds them, of course!

These cheesecake brownies are perfect for parties. They travel well and they’re so deliciously dreamy no one will ever guess what a cinch they were to make. Also, their fudgy texture mixed with the sweet cheesecake make them a hit with both adults and kids.

Ingredients

• Brownie mix- choose any boxed mix that you like. Be sure to only use the dry mix in this recipe- do not prepare brownies as directed on the box.
• Unsalted butter– melt the butter but allow it to slightly cool before using it in the recipe. Make sure to use unsalted, rather than salted, butter.
• Egg– be sure to use a large egg. This is the standard size to use in baking.
• Vanilla extract– if you make your own homemade vanilla extract, you can use that, or if you already have pre-packaged vanilla extract in your refrigerator that will work as well.
• Cream cheese– make sure to use full fat cream cheese that is sold in blocks rather than the whipped variety sold in small tubs. To soften, leave the cream cheese on the counter for about an hour prior to using.
• Sweetened condensed milk– you can easily find this ingredient in the baking section of your grocery store, but you can also make sweetened condensed milk at home.

How To Make Cheesecake Brownies

1. Preheat the oven and make sure the oven has reached this temperature before putting the pan in the oven – cheesecake can be finicky and requires consistent, even heat.
2. Using parchment paper, line the baking pan. Be sure to use enough parchment paper so that it will extend beyond the sides of the pan to allow for easy removal of the bars, like a sling.
3. To prevent the bars from sticking, spray the parchment with non-stick cooking spray.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add the dry brownie mix, butter, egg, and vanilla extract to make a dough. Beat for until fully combined, being sure to not overmix the batter. If your brownie mix has lumps, sift it so you don’t have to overmix.
5. Next, beat the cream cheese in a separate bowl on high. Do this until the cream cheese is smooth.
6. Then, add the sweetened condensed milk into the cream cheese, beating again until smooth.
7. Remove ⅔ of the cheesecake brownies mixture and place it in the prepared pan, pressing it evenly to cover the bottom. Using a spatula lightly sprayed with non-stick cooking spray may help to ease the process of spreading the dough.
8. Next, use a spatula to spread the mixture of cream cheese and condensed milk over the dough in the pan. Ensure that the mixture is spread evenly.
9. Take the rest of the ⅓ of the batter and flatten into very thin pieces. Use these pieces to cover the top layer as much as possible, though some of the cheesecake layer may still be visible.

10. Put the pan in the oven and bake. When finished, the edges will be slightly browned and the middle will be set. To test, insert a toothpick and be sure it is clean when it is removed. Avoid over-baking so that the bars retain their moist, gooey texture.
11. The bars will need to cool in the pan.
12. Once cooled, remove the brownie cheesecake from the pan. Lift it using the edges of the parchment paper.
13. Slice into 16 bars. To get squares with clean edges, use a sharp knife and wipe it with a damp paper towel or cloth between each slice or use a plastic knife.

Variations of Cheesecake Brownies

• Nuts– fold chopped nuts, like pecans or walnuts, into the batter for a crunchy addition.
• Fruit– while these brownie cheesecake bars can be handheld, if you’re prepared to dive in with a fork you can top them sliced fruit like strawberries or blueberries, or drizzle a raspberry sauce over top.
• More chocolate– there is plenty of chocolate flavor in these bars, but is there ever too much chocolate? Adding a bit of homemade fudge sauce over top makes these bars even more decadent.
• Candy bar pieces- crush your favorite candy bar and sprinkle it into the dough mixture for some extra sweetness and crunch.
• Chocolate chips– Is there such a thing as too much chocolate? Fold chips into the brownies, the cheesecake or sprinkle on top.
• Dollop of Frosting– You can also use a large star tip and give each cut brownie a quick dollop of vanilla buttercream frosting.

If you’re looking to add any more sweetness to these brownie cheesecake bars, there are tons of good brownie topping options. You can add mini marshmallows, cookie pieces, or chocolate or peanut butter chips. You even drizzle your brownie cheesecake bars with a powdered sugar glaze. These bars are the best base for experimenting!

Storage & Freezing

Cheesecake Brownies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Be sure to store the bars in an airtight container or wrap them tightly with plastic wrap.

They can be frozen if wrapped tightly with plastic wrap or freezer paper for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

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Cheesecake Brownies

Take a box of brownie mix to new heights with these fudgy brownies laced with rich, creamy vanilla cheesecake.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword brownie cheesecake bars, cheesecake brownies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Calories 234kcal

Ingredients

• 18 ounce box dry brownie mix
• ½ cup unsalted butter melted but slightly cooled
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 ounces block style cream cheese softened
• ½ cup sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line an 8” x 8” baking pan with parchment paper. Leave the sides a little higher than the pan so the bars can be lifted out easily after they’ve cooled. Spray the parchment paper lined pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat together dry brownie mix, butter, egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined (about 30 seconds). Do not overmix.
• In a separate medium bowl, beat cream cheese on high until smooth (about 30 seconds).
• Beat sweetened condensed milk into the cream cheese until smooth (about 30 seconds). Set aside.
• Press about 2/3 of the dough mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. This dough will be thick (cookie dough consistency). If having difficulties spreading dough into the pan, lightly spray a spatula with non-stick cooking spray to help spread out the bottom layer.
• Spread the cream cheese & sweetened condensed milk mixture evenly over the first dough layer.
• Press the remaining 1/3 of dough into super flat pieces and cover as much of the cream cheese & sweetened condensed milk layer with the dough as possible. It’s okay if some of the cheesecake layer is still exposed.
• Place baking tray in oven and bake for 29 to 31 minutes – the middle will look set and edges will be slightly browned. Do not over bake or these bars will lose the gooey texture.
• Let bars cool in pan for at least 60 minutes before removing from pan and slicing into 16 squares. For clean edged squares, wipe the knife with a damp cloth in between cutting each row.

Notes

* This recipe starts with the dry mix only. Do not prepare the brownies as directed on the box.

** This recipe uses the block style cream cheese not the spreadable cream cheese found in the little tubs.

Nutrition

Calories: 234kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 61mg | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 221IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Cheesecake Brownies (Brownie Cheesecake Bars) appeared first on Best Dessert Recipes .

Got a couple overripe bananas on the counter? They are just what you need to make these chocolate banana brownies. Well, that and a few other staples you probably already have in your pantry.

I’m all for an easy brownie recipe and a box of brownie mix is always one of my pantry staples. But sometimes I’m just really in the mood to bake something from scratch.

With a peanut butter swirl on top of the brownies and a rich chocolatey flavor with a hint of banana, this has quickly become a favorite recipe of mine.

This peanut butter banana brownie recipe would make a killer base for a banana split or brownie sundae. With the flavors of peanut butter, banana and chocolate, it’s a dessert fit for Elvis himself!

Peanut Butter Banana Brownies Ingredients

• Ripe bananas – Mashed bananas are easier to achieve if they are really ripe. That means brown spots and all.
• Sugar – While ripe bananas are pretty sweet on their own, we also need to add some sugar to this recipe.
• Unsalted butter – I always prefer to use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of salt going in. Make sure it is melted.
• Vanilla extract – Vanilla is used in baking to round out all of the flavors, and add another flavor profile to your brownies.
• Egg – Eggs act as a binder. When a recipe calls for eggs, always assume it means large eggs.
• All-purpose flour – The flour is what holds these brownies together.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – This is what gives us that rich, chocolatey brownie flavor that we all know and love.
• Baking powder – This helps provide lift and gives our brownies a cakey texture.
• Fine sea salt – We use unsalted butter for these chocolate brownies so that I can control the amount of salt in the recipe. I prefer using fine sea salt when baking.
• Creamy peanut butter – I prefer to use smooth peanut butter rather than crunchy peanut butter. I’ve never tried these brownies with other nut butters, but I bet almond butter would work just the same. Natural peanut butter is not usually great for baking though.
• Peanut butter chips – These help really bring out the peanut butter flavor, but feel free to use regular chocolate chips or even dark chocolate chunks instead.

How to Make Peanut Butter Banana Brownies

1. Prepare oven and brownie pan. Preheat the oven and line a square baking dish with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.
2. Combine wet ingredients. In a, large bowl, combine the bananas with sugar, melted butter, vanilla and egg.
3. Sift dry ingredients. Sift or whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
4. Combine. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in the peanut butter chips.
5. Add to pan. Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared baking dish.
6. Melt peanut butter. Heat the peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl just to loosen it. Add dollops of peanut butter on top of the batter in spoonfuls. Using a butter knife or toothpick, swirl through the batter as best you can.
7. Bake. Bake until the center is set and no longer jiggly. These are fudgy brownies, so the toothpick test isn’t always reliable.
8. Cut. Remove and allow to cool fully before removing using the parchment paper like a sling. Cut into bars.

Want to take these bad boys up a notch? Try topping them with gooey, warm fried bananas.

Storage and Freezing

Store this Peanut Butter Banana Brownies recipe in an airtight container. Just like regular brownies, they will be good for up to five days total.

You can freeze these moist brownie for up to three months. These are best enjoyed at room temperature (no one likes cold brownies!) so allow them to come up to room temp to enjoy any leftovers. 

More bar desserts:

• Banana Blondies
• Coffee Cheesecake Bars
• Thin Mint Cheesecake Bars
• Peanut Butter Stuffed Brookies

Mississippi Mud Brownies

Using an upgraded box mix, this Mississippi Mud Brownies recipe has a gooey brownie layer, fluffy marshmallow and decadent ganache!

Check out this recipe

Print

Peanut Butter Banana Brownies

With a peanut butter swirl on top and a rich chocolatey flavor with a hint of banana, these Peanut Butter Banana Brownies are the best!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword banana brownies, peanut butter banana brownies, peanut butter brownies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 9

Calories 400kcal

Ingredients

• 2 ripe bananas peeled and mashed
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 /2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9 square baking pan with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray. Set aide.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or the bowl of a large mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer, combine the bananas with sugar, melted butter, vanilla and egg.
• Sift or whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
• Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients until just combined.
• By hand, fold in the peanut butter chips.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
• Heat the peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup for 30 seconds-1 minute just to loosen it. Dollop onto the brownies in 9 spoonfuls. Using a knife or toothpick, swirl through the batter as best you can.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the center is set and no longer jiggly. These are fudgy brownies, so the toothpick test isn’t always reliable.
• Remove and allow to cool fully before removing using the parchment paper like a sling. Cut into 9 large bars (or 18 smaller bars).
• If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Notes

Store this Peanut Butter Banana Brownies recipe in an airtight container. Just like regular brownies, they will be good for up to five days total.

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 358IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg

The post Peanut Butter Banana Brownies appeared first on Best Dessert Recipes .

In the case of Mississippi Mud Brownies, this means using an easy boxed brownie mix, topped with a layer of marshmallow fluff and then chocolate ganache and more marshmallows. They are rich, decadent and always a crowd-pleaser.

And the best part about using a box mix? This Mississippi Mud Brownie recipe uses less than ten ingredients to take a regular brownie and turn it into a sweet treat that will be enjoyed by all. With flavors reminiscent of a Mississippi mud cake, it’s quickly become a favorite recipe of mine.

Mississippi Mud Brownies Ingredients

• Box brownie mix – We’re stepping up a regular box mix with some extra ingredients. Don’t forget you’ll also need the ingredients required on the back of the box to make them. These are usually large eggs and vegetable oil.
• Marshmallow fluff – That fluffy marshmallow layer on top of the brownies is made from melted marshmallow fluff.
• Butter – We use unsalted melted butter to blend with the cocoa powder to make the most delicious ganache layer to top the pan of brownies. We use this instead of chocolate icing because it has a richer chocolate flavor.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder – To make these rich brownies even richer, we use cocoa powder to make our chocolate ganache instead of chocolate chips.
• Heavy whipping cream – We need something to help thin out our ganache, and heavy cream does just that. It makes it extra creamy as well.
• Salt – We use unsalted butter for these Mississippi Mud Brownies so that I can control the amount of salt in the recipe. I prefer using fine sea salt when baking.
• Powdered sugar – Because we use unsweetened cocoa powder, we need an element of sweet for our ganache. Powdered sugar ensures that it stays nice and smooth.
• Mini marshmallows – I like to top my brownies with even more fluffy marshmallows. Not only do they taste great, but they give your brownies a fun look too.

How to Make Mississippi Mud Brownies

1. Prepare oven and pan. Preheat the oven according to the package directions for the brownie mix. Coat your pan with cooking spray or parchment paper.
2. Make brownie layer. Prepare the brownie batter according to package directions. Pour batter into pan and bake.
3. Marshmallow layer. While brownies are still warm, place marshmallow fluff in a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring bowl. Heat in intervals until melted. Pour over warm brownies, spreading out evenly using an offset spatula.
4. Make ganache. In a large bowl beat together the melted butter, cocoa powder, heavy cream and salt until combined. Add the powdered sugar slowly so the mixture is still pourable, but starts to have a little body and texture. Pour over the marshmallow layer, spreading out with an offset spatula.
5. Add marshmallows. While the chocolate ganache layer is still tacky, sprinkle mini marshmallows and gently press to adhere. Allow them to fully cool to room temperature before cutting.

I love making mine into a sundae with whipped cream (sometimes even chocolate whipped cream) and a cherry on top.

Storage and Freezing

Store this Mississippi Mud Brownies recipe in an airtight container. Due to the ganache layer, they will need to be refrigerated. They will be good for up to five days total.

You can freeze these moist brownie for up to three months. These are best enjoyed at room temperature (no one likes cold brownies!) so allow them to come up to room temp to enjoy any leftovers. 

More Bar Recipes

• Coffee Cheesecake Bars
• Flourless Avocado Brownies

Peanut Butter Banana Brownies

With a peanut butter swirl on top and a rich chocolatey flavor with a hint of banana, these Peanut Butter Banana Brownies are the best!

Check out this recipe

Print

Mississippi Mud Brownies

Using an upgraded box mix, this Mississippi Mud Brownies recipe has a gooey brownie layer, fluffy marshmallow and decadent ganache!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword mississippi mud brownies

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 16

Calories 383kcal

Equipment

• Offset Spatula
• 9×13 baking dish
• stand mixer
• electric hand mixer

Ingredients

• 18.3 ounce box brownie mix plus ingredients to make them
• 2 cups marshmallow fluff
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup mini marshmallows cut in half

Instructions

• Preheat the oven according to the package directions for the brownie mix. Coat a 9×13 pan with cooking spray or parchment paper.
• Prepare brownies according to package directions. Remove and set aside.
• While brownies are still warm, place marshmallow fluff in a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring bowl. Heat for 30 seconds on high heat, stir. If not smooth, return for another 30 seconds and then stir again.
• Pour over warm brownies, spreading out evenly using an offset spatula. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, beat together the melted butter, cocoa powder, heavy cream and salt until combined.
• Add the powdered sugar slowly so the mixture is still pourable, but starts to have a little body and texture.
• Pour over the marshmallow layer, spreading out with an offset spatula.
• While the chocolate ganache layer is still tacky, sprinkle mini marshmallows and gently press to adhere. Allow them to fully cool.
• Cut brownies into squares.
• If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comment or star ratings!

Notes

It is easiest to cut marshmallows in half using kitchen shears. 

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 135mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

The post Mississippi Mud Brownies appeared first on Best Dessert Recipes .