Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

We love making homemade brownies for a weeknight dessert. Adding in the cheesecake and puree raspberries makes these the ultimate brownie recipe. Start with a chocolate flavor brownie mix to make this dessert recipe even easier.

Baking during the holiday is one of my favorites to celebrate the holidays. With the hint of the red color from the raspberries makes these the perfect Christmas Brownies. Make these fudgy brownies for your Christmas dinner. They are rich, creamy and full of cheesecake and raspberry flavor. You may want to try Reindeer Brownies.

Why We Love this Brownie Recipe

• Amazing Flavor – The chocolate flavor of this brownie mixed with the cheesecake and raspberries makes this the ultimate brownie dessert.
• Soft Texture – These brownies bake perfectly with a soft and chewy texture.
• Perfect Holiday Dessert – These Raspberry Brownies look so beautiful on the dessert tray at Christmas. The red and pink color makes them look like it took all day to bake.

Ingredients

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.

Substitutions and Additions

• Raspberries – We used fresh raspberries to make this recipe. But you can also use frozen raspberries or raspberry jam. If you use frozen raspberries, we recommend thawing prior to placing in the food processor.
• Brownies – We used a box brownie mix, but you can easily make brownie from scratch. Use dutched process cocoa powder for the best tasting brownies.
• Fruit Variations – Feel free to change the fruit for this recipe. You can make this recipe with strawberries. We still recommend placing the strawberries in a food processor to puree them.

How to Make Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies

Step 1 – Heat Oven and Prepare Pan – Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Prepare brownie box mix based on the package instructions and pour the batter into a 9X13 baking dish.

Step 2 – Make Cream Cheese Filling – For the cheesecake filling, beat Cream Cheese with a hand held mixer until creamy. Add sugar, egg and vanilla. Mix creamy cheesecake well until well combined.

Step 3 – Place raspberries in food processor – To make the raspberry swirl, place the ¼ cup to ½ cup of raspberries and sugar into a food processor.  Blend until smooth.  Then strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove all of the seeds.

Step 4 – Drop Cheesecake layer in Brownies – Drop the cheesecake batter by tablespoonfuls over brownie batter.

Step 5 – Drop Puree Raspberries – Use a spoon to drop small drops of the raspberry puree on top of the cheesecake mixture.  

Step 6 – Swirl Batters on top of brownie – Use a knife to swirl both of the batters into the brownie batter. Swirl the mixture on top to show the layers as the brownie mix bakes.

• Step 7 – Bake Brownies – Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until cream cheese mixture is slightly browned and the brownies are cooked through.
• Step 8 – Serve & Enjoy – Cool completely before cutting and enjoy.

Recipe Tips

• Brownie Mix – Prepare boxed brownie mix as directed on the package with the ingredients.
• Puree Raspberries – We recommend using a mesh strainer to remove any seeds from the raspberries.
• Cheesecake Filling – Start with room temperature cream cheese for best results, This allows for the mixture to be smooth and creamy.
• Swirling the Mixture – When swirling the raspberry and cream cheese into the brownie mix, just lightly swirl. You want to see the layers as the brownie bakes.

How to Store Brownies

These Raspberry Brownies are best stored in the refrigerator. Store and cover in air tight container. They will stay fresh up to 4 days.

Can you Freeze Cheesecake Brownies?

Yes, you can freeze cheesecake brownies. I like to prepare ahead of time and make some of my holiday desserts. These cheesecake brownies are always on the list because of how easy it is to freezer.

• Place the brownies in a freezer safe container.
• We recommend placing wax paper in between the layers of the brownies. This helps to prevent them from sticking to each other.
• If stored properly these brownies will stay fresh for up to 6 months.
• When ready to serve, allow them to thaw in the fridge.

How to Cleanly Cut Brownies

These steps will help you cut brownies cleanly.

• Step 1 – Make sure brownies have cooled completely to room temperature before cutting.
• Step 2 – Use a plastic knife to cleanly cut brownies.
• Step 3 – If brownie starts to build up on the knife, simple wipe it off with a paper towel. When the knife is clean, this helps the brownie cleanly cut.
• Step 4 – To keep a clean knife, wipe the knife after each cut.
• Step 5 – If you are still having problems, getting a clean cut run the knife under hot water. Then wipe dry and continue cutting.
• Step 6 – Using a regular knife still works, we just recommend spraying with cooking spray.

Serving clean cut brownies on a dessert tray is always impressive.