These Cherry Cheesecake Brownies start with fudgy homemade brownies, topped with cheesecake and cherry pie filling. They are the BEST brownies! Includes step by step recipe video
Table of Contents
When I came up with these brownies, I thought I was a complete genius.
I ate a lot of cheesecake in my University days.
When we lived in the city while I attended, we had a weekly “tradition”, if you will, with friends of ours: the guys went for wings and the girls went for cheesecake.
Kind of the best tradition ever, right?!?
Now that we have kids and don’t live in the city anymore, we don’t eat nearly as much cheesecake. It’s pretty sad, but luckily there are quite a few treats that are coming out of this kitchen.
These Cherry Cheesecake Brownies are one of my favorites (and I don’t make them nearly enough!), but this No Bake Oreo Cheesecake or even this classic Easy Cheesecake Recipe will do the trick just fine!
Luckily though, my good friend and cheesecake-eating partner was out for a visit the day that I made these the first time, so I had someone to share them with. She approved, and so here we are today!
Variations on these Cherry Cheesecake Brownies:
- You can swap the cherry pie filling for any flavor of pie filling — strawberry, blueberry or mixed berry would also be great!
- For a holiday twist, color the cheesecake filling with green food coloring (don’t add any mint flavoring though, I’m not sure mint and cherry are a good idea!)
- Make individual cherry cheesecake brownies in a muffin pan or mini muffin pan — use paper liners for easy removal
Tips and Tricks for Making the Cherry Cheesecake Brownies:
- The batter will be thick, so you won’t be able to spread the top layer well. That’s okay! It will just give you a peek of what’s inside.
- I use whole wheat flour because in this recipe you really can’t tell the difference. All purpose works perfectly as well!
- You can healthify the recipe slightly by using light cream cheese (which I usually do) and reduced sugar pie filling or making your own.
Cherry Cheesecake Brownies
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
Brownies:
- 1 cup butter melted, cooled slightly
- 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar 500g
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (or sub all-purpose) 190g
- 1 cup cocoa 95g
- 1/2 tsp salt
Cherry Cheesecake filling
- 1 8 oz package cream cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 can cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Line a 9×13″ pan with tin foil and spray with cooking spray — this makes for easy clean up. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- BrowniesIn a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar until smooth. Add vanilla and eggs and whisk until combined.
- Add flour, cocoa and salt and stir until combined. Batter will be thick.
- Spread half (or just over half) of the batter into the bottom of the pan.
- Cherry Cheesecake filling:With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, egg, vanilla and sugar until smooth.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture over the brownie batter. Top with spoonfuls of cherry pie filling and spread slightly.
- Drop spoonfuls of remaining brownie batter on top of the pie filling. You won’t be able to spread the brownie batter easily, you will just try to cover a good amount (but certainly all) of the filling with the batter. Smooth out the batter the best that you can.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes, until center appears set. Note that your brownies might still have a little jiggle to them — this is because of all of that gooey deliciousness below. I baked mine for 35 minutes in a dark non-stick pan.
- Let cool to room temperature before cutting. They will cut more easily if refrigerated for a few hours, but I couldn’t wait, so I didn’t!
Nutrition Information
Want to save this recipe?
Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again.
Tried this recipe?
Tag @thereciperebel or hashtag #thereciperebel — I love to see what you’re making!
Tag @thereciperebelPost and recipe updated from February 3, 2015
Trina says
Thank you for sharing this recipe because my son has food allergies and I cant seem to find many sweets he can have. and my son loves cheesecake and brownies-His two faves, so I’m going to combine them both to put a smile on his face. Thank you once again for sharing. 🙂
HAPPY BAKING! 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad you like it!
Lisa d says
Just made this for my hubby’s “birthday cake”. I did do some modifications, like I added pecans as topping and used the whole can of cherries vs’ half. Lowered the sugar but everything else was the same. I have to say I was pretty nervous as my textures did not look the same as the video. I also cooked it a bit longer due to the additions and the high altitude area we live in.
He had to test it out of course and it was love at first bite. Not rich at all just very yummy. Add some vanilla bean ice cream and bam we’re the bomb! I think he fell in love with me all over again. ?
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so glad he liked it!
Stephanie says
Do you think I can freeze these once baked?
Ashley Fehr says
Absolutely! They’ll freeze perfectly.
Leah says
Just. Made this today, thou I had to adjust the sugar on the brownies batter. It taste great. But I think I made a mistake on the cream cheese,i used a mixer with a paddle instead of whisk,the consistency was not the same with the video.
Ashley Fehr says
I do love how smooth the whisk gets the cream cheese! I hope you enjoyed it anyway 🙂
Mary France says
oh my- these look absolutely to die for
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you!
Jean Davis says
Has anyone ever used a packaged brownie mix? I have some that I want to use up
Ashley Fehr says
It should work just fine!
Nancy Sullivan says
Packaged brownies work fine, and I use dark cherry preserves
Miss Licious says
Bake time was definitely too short.
The middle is raw
But delicious flavors
Ashley Fehr says
The bake time is not too short, but will depend on a few factors such as the type of bakeware and exact oven temperature (which can’t be often measured without an additional oven thermometer). A range of bake times is given, and signs to look for for doneness, so there really is no room for error. If your brownies don’t meet the signs of doneness, then you keep baking them until they do. See? Foolproof.
Eden Passante says
Chocolate and cherries belong together! Love how there’s so much stuff in these brownies! They look so good!
Jake Norfolk says
You’ve got us hooked on Cherry Cheesecake Brownies! I thank you.
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Jake! I’m glad to hear you liked them!
avril says
Brilliant! These brownies look OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD!!! I will be mixing up a batch ASAP! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Ashley says
Thanks Avril! I think they are my favorite brownies to date!
William says
Thanks for this recipe.. it looks incredible… I am going to have to make it… will also try with strawberries and possibly other fruits… but cherries and strawberries for sure!
Ashley says
Strawberry would also be wonderful! Thanks 🙂
Bri | Bites of Bri says
Who cares if someone thought of these first? They look absolutely amazing and I’d eat the whole pan of these for sure! I love the color that the cherries add 🙂
Ashley says
Thanks Bri!
Jess @ Flying on Jess Fuel says
Ohhhh my gosh, these look SOOO good! Chocolate and cherry is such a great pair! And I love that they’re red and festive for V-Day!
Ashley says
Thanks Jess!
sonal says
wow it looks so delicious and yummy i really want to try this at home , but Ashley each time i bake a cake it it doesn’t cook well from inside so little nervous
Ashley says
Do you mean that they’re undercooked or dry? I always use the toothpick test — I just make sure the toothpick poked in the middle comes out with moist crumbs (but no raw batter) or completely clean. And I always set my timer at least 5-10 minutes before the recipe says, and keep an eye on it closely as it gets to the end! Everyone’s oven is different. Hope you try them!
Marcie says
Cherry cheesecake was always my favorite growing up, and now I love brownies over almost everything else. These brownies cover all my bases — I love that Black Forest combination! These are so perfect for V day!
Ashley says
Thanks Marcie! It’s a pretty epic (though unoriginal) combination in my mind!
Amber @ Dessert Now, Dinner Later! says
Hey! Your idea may not be unique according to Pinterest, but it looks flipping amazing! I too think of chocolate and red fruit for Valentine’s Day desserts! That’s what we ladies like, right?!
Ashley says
I know it’s what I like! Lol.
Christina @ Bake with Christina says
Wow those brownies look SO decadent! So many delicious flavors going on that just make my mouth drool! Pinned 🙂
Ashley says
Thanks so much Christina!
Cyndi - My Kitchen Craze says
Ashley these look out of this world amazing!! Event though you found some like your it was after that fact and you came up with it yourself. That is awesome. I rarely come up with ideas on my own. I need to make these asap!! Pinned!
Ashley says
Haha, thanks Cyndi!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
These Cherry Cheesecake Brownies look much better than any I’ve seen before. Perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Ashley says
Thanks Christin!
Mariah @ Mariah's Pleasing Plates says
I don’t care how original they are, they look amazing! And I am glad you made them! And just so you know I have done that same thing so many times, thinking I have been so creative…only to find out that someone else has already done it….I am so ready to eat a whole pan of these cherry cheesecake brownies. Yum. Pinned!
Ashley says
Thanks Mariah!
Michelle { A Latte Food } says
These look incredible! I would’ve totally eaten the pan by myself even if it wasn’t a consolation! 🙂
Ashley says
Haha, thanks Michelle!