Brownie Bite Cheesecake

Complete with brownie bites baked into this cheesecake and piled high on top,
this Brownie Bite Cheesecake is an impressive dessert to serve to company!

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Complete with brownie bites baked into this cheesecake and piled high on top, this Brownie Bite Cheesecake is an impressive dessert to serve to company!It’s one of the world’s greatest debates.  I’m not talking Backstreet Boys vs. ‘ N Sync here.  Nor am I talking about Mario vs. Luigi.  It’s all about brownies today here on Spiced!  (Well, brownies and cheesecake.  But we’ll get to the cheesecake part in a bit.)  So how do you like your brownies?  Do you like your brownies to be nice and chewy, or are you on the cakey brownie side of this battle?  

Complete with brownie bites baked into this cheesecake and piled high on top, this Brownie Bite Cheesecake is an impressive dessert to serve to company!For me, I’ve always favored the corner pieces of a pan of brownies.  (I’ve also always favored the end pieces on loaves of bread.)  You can have those center pieces.  Just leave me the four corners, and I’ll be one happy camper!  But I think I may have discovered an even new favorite way to eat brownies.  That’s right…in a cheesecake!  I told my wife that I was planning on making a cheesecake, and I asked her what variety she would like.  After thinking for a moment, she came back with Brownie Bite Cheesecake.

Complete with brownie bites baked into this cheesecake and piled high on top, this Brownie Bite Cheesecake is an impressive dessert to serve to company!Hmm.  Brownie Bite Cheesecake, eh?  Not at all what I was expecting, but then again it sounded like a great idea!  The gears in my brain starting turning (they were a bit rusty, so it was slow going), but I realized that I could make a pan of thin brownies.  Then just fold half of those brownies into the cheesecake batter.  The other half could get piled on top.  Ok, maybe the other half minus the few that I snacked on.  Oops.  (I know you nibble when you make recipes, too.  Don’t lie.)

Complete with brownie bites baked into this cheesecake and piled high on top, this Brownie Bite Cheesecake is an impressive dessert to serve to company!For this cheesecake, I used Fat Daddio’s 8″x3″ round cheesecake pan.  This pan has a removable bottom (perfect for cheesecakes!), but it’s also deeper than most cheesecake pans.  That means this pan is your go-to for either regular cheesecakes or those nice and tall “mile high” cheesecakes like you find in restaurants.  Who doesn’t want restaurant quality cheesecake for dessert tonight??  I went with a normal-sized cheesecake for this Brownie Bite Cheesecake because I knew this cheesecake was destined for greatness.  It was destined to be piled high with brownie bites!

Complete with brownie bites baked into this cheesecake and piled high on top, this Brownie Bite Cheesecake is an impressive dessert to serve to company!But let’s talk about baking cheesecakes for a minute.  I knew they are a bit more challenging than a standard cake.  Cheesecake ingredients are pricey.  And then there’s the whole baking them in a water bath thing.  Sounds like a pain, huh?  Not at all!  Here’s a couple of easy tips that I’ve picked up over the years:

  • The water bath is important!  As the cheesecake bakes, the water evaporates which creates a nice steam-filled environment inside the oven.  But how do you fill the baking pan with water, you ask?  Easily!  Just wrap the bottom of the cheesecake pan in foil and then place it on a standard baking sheet.  Put the tray most of the way into the pre-heated oven and then use a teapot to pour hot water into the baking sheet.  Slide that baking sheet on into the oven and close up the door.  80-90 minutes later you’ll have a perfectly baked cheesecake!
  • Use softened cream cheese.  Pull the cream cheese out of the fridge an hour or so before you plan on baking the cheesecake.  If you use cold cream cheese, then you’ll end up with a lumpy batter full of chunks of cream cheese.
  • Scrape down the mixing bowl…several times!  I know it might seem like overkill, but use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl after pretty much every step.  This is key to creating a smooth batter.  And smooth batters lead to deliciously creamy cheesecakes.
  • Make the cheesecake the day before you want to serve it.  Why is this?  Because it leads to perfect triangular slices of cheesecake.  I’ve tried the whole trick of using dental floss to slice the cheesecake.  Sure, it kinda works.  But the best trick I’ve found is freezing the cheesecake overnight.  As soon as the pan is warm enough to touch, just wrap the entire thing up in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer.  The next day, the cheesecake pops out nice and easy (kinda like a hockey puck).  Put it on a nice pretty plate and let it thaw in the refrigerator.  While the cheesecake is still partially frozen, go ahead and pre-cut your slices.  Because it’s still frozen in the center, you’ll end up with a perfectly clean slice with a nice point at the end.  It’ll look like it came from a restaurant!
  • Use good quality bakeware.  This one should go without saying.  If your cheesecake pan is poor quality, then you can follow all of the tips in the world and your cake still might not turn out well.  As you guys have probably noticed, I’m a huge fan of Fat Daddio’s bakeware.  Their Professional Series line features an anodized aluminum material.  My wife is a metallurgist (seriously!), and she confirmed that aluminum does indeed heat faster and cool quicker than other common bakeware materials.  The anodized process means that the pans will not rust, peel, chip or flake.  This means that your professional-quality pan will last for many, many cheesecakes!

Complete with brownie bites baked into this cheesecake and piled high on top, this Brownie Bite Cheesecake is an impressive dessert to serve to company!Ok, enough of the nerdy tips on how to bake the perfect cheesecake.  Let’s turn our attention back to this tasty Brownie Bite Cheesecake!  This bad boy is the perfect way to satisfy both chocolate fans and cheesecake fans.  Not only are there brownie bites piled on top of the cake, but there are bites hiding in the cake as well.  So here’s to delicious desserts and perfectly chewy brownies!

What is your favorite type of brownie?  Have you ever put brownies inside of a cheesecake?  (If not, go do it.  #TrustMe)

Complete with brownie bites baked into this cheesecake and piled high on top, this Brownie Bite Cheesecake is an impressive dessert to serve to company!

Complete with brownie bites baked into this cheesecake and piled high on top, this Brownie Bite Cheesecake is an impressive dessert to serve to company!

Brownie Bite Cheesecake

Complete with brownie bites baked into this cheesecake and piled high on top, this Brownie Bite Cheesecake is an impressive dessert to serve to company!
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 613kcal

Ingredients

For the Crust

For the Brownie Bites

For the Cheesecake

Instructions

For the Crust

  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • In a food processor or mini-chopper, pulse the graham crackers until finely ground. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter. Stir until fully combined.
  • Press mixture into bottom of 8” cheesecake pan. (Tip: A flat-bottomed glass helps pack the crust mixture down evenly.)
  • Bake crust at 375°F for 7 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let cool.

For the Brownie Bites

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Grease and flour a 9”x13” baking pan; set aside.
  • Using a medium saucepan, add the butter, unsweetened chocolate and 1 cup of chocolate chips. Place over medium-low heat, stirring often, until butter and chocolate have fully melted; set pan aside to cool.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Stir the egg mixture into the warm chocolate mixture.
  • In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture.
  • Stir the remaining ¾ cup of chocolate chips into the batter.
  • Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the brownies comes out mostly clean.
  • Set pan aside to cool.
  • Once cool, cut the brownies into ½”-1” cubes.

For the Cheesecake

  • Using a countertop mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until completely smooth (~3 minutes).
  • Add the sugar and mix well. (Tip: Don’t forget to scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl to fully incorporate the sugar.)
  • Add flour and mix well.
  • Whisk the eggs and egg yolks together and add to the bowl in 3 additions, mixing fully after each addition.
  • Add the sour cream and vanilla. Mix until fully combined. (Tip: Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the filling is fully mixed.)
  • Carefully fold ~¼ of the brownie bites into the batter. Place remaining brownie bites in an air-tight container.
  • Pour the batter on top of the cooled crust.
  • Wrap the bottom of the pan with a piece of aluminum foil and place in a large baking pan. Fill pan with about 1/2”-3/4” of water. Bake at 325° until center of cake is just barely set (about 80-90 minutes). (Tip: Pull the cheesecake out of the oven when there is about 1" ring of "looser" filling left in the center of the cake.)
  • Remove cake from oven and cool for 10 min. Wrap entire pan in plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
  • The next day, remove the cake from the freezer and pop the cheesecake out of the pan using the removable bottom.
  • Transfer the cake to a serving platter and defrost in a refrigerator for 4-5 hours.
  • Top cheesecake with the remaining brownie bites before serving.

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45 Comments

    1. Thanks, Medha! Sometimes you just can’t decide between two favorites…so why not just smoosh them together into one? Haha!

  1. Oh heavens dude – I am mesmerized by the creamy texture of your cheesecake! No – I’ve never had brownie bite cheesecake – Mrs. Spiced has some genius ideas indeed! When I was in her “predicament”, my brain was all fogged up – I would never have come up with this – but I would have gladly eaten it – then and now – though my lactose intolerant self could probably clear a room after eating it now! 🙂

    1. Hah…her brain is most definitely fogged, Shashi! I found her cell phone in the trash the other day. It was still connected to the power cord, so she claims it just got knocked in there by mistake…but we know the real truth. Stinks that your lactose intolerant self can’t share this cake with us. Oh well, more for me then! Mwahaha!

  2. I can’t have brownies (allergic to cocoa), but I can eat the shhhhhh out of blondies! I like mine to be cakey… but I’m with you on the corner pieces too (and the ends of bread!). I guess I like it all… no discrimination here! This Brownie Bite Cheesecake looks stellar and I love that you incorporated pieces of brownie IN the cheesecake- straight up geniusness going on here! My hubs would devour this in .5 seconds. Definitely going to have to make this, as is, for him, and sub blondies for me! Cheers, buddy!

    1. Oh no! Cocoa? I haven’t heard of that before, but we can definitely make you a blondie bite cheesecake! Maybe you’ll be nice and share a slice with me? 🙂 Hope you and the hubs are having an awesome weekend, Cheyanne!

  3. Hi David! All I can say is WOW! I go for the corners first and then dive into the rest – no discrimination here! I once made a friend an Oreo cheesecake for her birthday – does that qualify? I like “crusty” which is why I never use a loaf pan for meatloaf, I use a larger pan and freeform shape it into an oval to get more “crust”. That’s an appropriate comment on a cheesecake post isn’t it? 🙂

    1. Oreo cheesecake absolutely qualifies…in fact, I made one of those not too long ago, too. (We kinda like our cheesecake around here…haha!) Talking about meatloaf is totally appropriate for a cheesecake post. I mean, you’ve got to have a yummy meal before you can have yummy dessert, right? 🙂

    1. I like that, Savita! “Double surprise cheesecake!” Sometimes when you can’t decide between two trusty favorites, just smoosh them together into one, right? 🙂

    1. Thank you so much, Manali! Cheesecakes have to be one of my favorite desserts of all time. I have to space out when I make them, though, as I absolutely cannot be trusted around them. I can’t wait to see your newest cheesecake creation!

  4. Chewy, gooey, and fudgy for me! I would be all over this cheesecake regardless of the brownie texture. I’m definitely going to try that freezer tip the next time I make one. And after seeing this brownie cheesecake business needs to happen soon!

    1. Oh yes, I could totally go for a chewy brownie right now! I mean, when is it NOT appropriate to go for a chewy brownie? Come on! Haha! And yes, the freezer technique works like a charm for cheesecake. Sure, you have to make it the day before and then remember to pull it out to thaw in the fridge…but it’s totally worth it in my book!

    1. Thank you so much, Christina! I gotta admit that I might have nibbled on a couple of those brownie bites while I was taking this pictures. Oops. Haha!

  5. You may have just created the perfect cheesecake. When thinking about what my favourite dessert is, it’s always a split between cheesecake and brownie, but now I don’t need to decide, as you have combined both. You are a genius!

    1. That’s the thing, Dannii! Sometimes I just can’t decide, too. Cheesecake and brownies are two of my favorites, too…so it seemed only logical to just smoosh them together. Haha!

  6. Backstreet Boys v N’Sync? Really? You debate about that? I am not impressed my friend. Not Impressed at all…
    But I’m impressed by this Cheesecake with all those brownies piled on top. And I’m super impressed by all the cheesecake baking tips, especially the water bath part.
    #WolfpackMaitrePatissier

    1. Hey, I never said I debated that one, Alpha. My wife debates that one. I, my friend, choose to spend my time thinking about Mario, Luigi and Koopa. Man, those were the days! Tell me you played some old school Nintendo, Mike. Or did you sit around listening to Backstreet Boys? Just kidding…haha!

    1. Yes! I’ll fight you for the corner brownie pieces, Sam! Put your boxing gloves on! And then we can end up calling a truce and having brownie bite cheesecake instead. 🙂

  7. OUTSTANDING, outstanding OUT-standing! Serve me up a slice or three.
    Me, I’m a more of a chewy, gooey brownie guy, but for this you need more cakelike for sure. PLUS, cheesecake happens to be one of my all time fav desserts. You’re killing me with this beauty! #WolfpackEats #WolfpackTrustsYou

    1. Haha…thank you so much, Kevin! I love cheesecake, too, but I have to be careful how often I make it since I can NOT be trusted with it hanging around the house. In fact, I think I could go for another slice of this cheesecake right about …..

  8. Once I made brownie cheesecake ice cream, with cream cheese and brownies biets, but I’ve never made this kind of dessert. Thanks for your nerdy tips, but I’m not interested in theoretical stuff right now. Let’s discuss more important question – how could I get a piece of this? 🙂 P.S. I prefer chewy, with creamy and moist texture, brownies.

    1. Woah, I didn’t think there was a way to make this brownie bite cheesecake even better…but you took it and turned it into an ice cream. Now that, my friend, would absolutely win the day! And I think I might have a slice or two of this cheesecake left…but you’re gonna have to hurry! 🙂

    1. Yeah, you definitely can’t count calories when it comes to brownie bite cheesecake. This is definitely one of those ‘weekend splurge’ type of desserts! The way I see it is I eat mostly healthy all week, so a slice of cheesecake on the weekend is totally allowed. 🙂

  9. Your wife is beyond amazing- CHEESECAKE brownie. This is too good- I’m like you, the corner pieces are amazing as are the corner pieces of bread. So I just learnt today that a non chocolate brownie is called a blondie…in Australia we call it a ‘slice’ and I’d always be so confused haha!

    1. Yeah, as much as I would like to take credit for this own…Laura definitely gets the nod here. Of course, I did the execution part…does that count for something at least? 🙂 And ‘a slice’ huh? I figured you guys would call it a cookie or a cake or something else that makes no sense at all. Haha…just kidding!!

  10. Amazing combination! And great tips on getting the perfect cheesecake slice. I wouldn’t have thought to freeze the cheesecake before slicing it. Makes perfect sense!

    1. Yeah, the freezing step definitely adds a bit of extra time and planning, but it’s how I do all of my cheesecakes now. Thanks, Tamara! 🙂

  11. That is one of life’s greatest debates. But like I will always be a diehard BSB fan, I will always want the center piece of a fudgy brownie…and that is that. But NOW I also want a brownie bite cheesecake. Stat. Your cheesecake looks perfect – all rich and creamy! ps- I have never heard of cutting cake with dental floss…people actually do that?!

    1. Well that works out well. You can have the center and I’ll take the edges! Actually forget that, I’ll just take the cheesecake slice instead. 🙂 (And yes, I learned that dental floss trick when I worked in a bakery for a couple of months. And then I swear they mentioned it in culinary school again, but I was a huge fan of freezing the cheesecake. I found it much easier. But you gotta use non-flavored dental floss…unless you are making a grasshopper cheesecake or something. Haha!)

    1. Yes, this is one decadent dessert for sure, Emanuele! But it is totally worth saving for a special occasion. And that brownie debate? Settled for sure!

  12. Would I be able to make this in a toaster oven? I don’t have access to a conventional oven right now (and won’t for a good long while because they are hella expensive.*sigh*) so I’m having to do all my baking in a counter-top oven. It’s one of the larger ones with a rotisserie hook up.

    What would i have to adjust?

    1. Hey there, Sage! Hmmm…that’s a tough one. I do agree that conventional ovens are hella expensive. I’m guessing cheesecake would be a rather difficult recipe to make in a toaster oven, although if yours is one of the larger ones that it just might work. (Hey, you never know until you try, right?)

      As far as adjustments, I’ve found that toaster ovens often run hot (at least mine does). Do you have a way to test the temperature in yours just to make sure it’s accurate? You’d want to make sure the temperature stays down around that 325° mark for the cheesecake.

      The second issue is whether your oven is large enough for an 8″ (or 9″ works too) cake pan. If not, you might need to split the recipe into 2 smaller pans…but if you do that, it will bake a lot faster. The rule of thumb with cheesecakes is you want to pull them out of the oven when you see about a “quarter-sized” circle of filling that still looks loose and “jiggles” when you shake the pan. (You’ll be able to see what I mean here as the cheesecake bakes.) The cheesecake will continue to bake a little bit after it comes out of the oven, and that little circle of slightly looser filling will keep the cheesecake from over-baking. Does that make sense?

      And finally, it is important to put the cheesecake pan in a tray of water. The water evaporates in the oven as the cheesecake bakes creating a nice humid environment for the baking. Hopefully you have a baking tray that fits in your toaster oven…then you can just wrap the bottom of the cheesecake pan in foil and set it in the baking tray. Then fill the baking tray with water. I hope this makes sense. Good luck…I think this can be done, but it’ll definitely be a bit of a challenge! It’s worth it, though…this cheesecake is one of my favorites! 🙂

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