Gluten free cheesecake brownies with a rich, fudgy chocolate layer topped with cool, creamy cheesecake layer with swirls. Super easy & totally indulgent!
Fall in love with these gluten free cheesecake brownies! They are chocolatey, chewy, and super fudgy with the most amazing (and easy!) cheesecake layer on top.
Free from: Wheat, gluten, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, coconut, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, mollusks, celery, corn, sesame, mustard, lupin, sulfites, nightshades, tomatoes, and more
Brownies are some of the best desserts because you can dress them up or down, pop them in lunchboxes for on the go, or enjoy as a full dessert. For more brownie recipes check out my best gluten free brownies, gluten free mint brownies, or vegan brownies.
This recipe was updated February 2023 with new text, new images, and an improved recipe.
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Why You’ll Love Them
- Rich, indulgent chocolate flavors
- Creamy cheesecake that’s easy to make
- Fancy enough to impress guests
- Easy enough to make anytime of the week
- Gluten free, nut free recipe
Ingredients
While these have a few more ingredients than some of the other recipes on the blog, these rich brownies are so worth it! Here is a quick rundown of what you will need:
- Gluten free flour: Use a good gluten free flour mix that contains xanthin gum. For this recipe, I typically use either King Arthur Measure for Measure, or my own homemade gluten free flour blend.
- Butter: A good butter is essential.
- Chocolate: Adding a chocolate bar to the cocoa powder gives this double chocolate brownie a rich depth of flavor.
- Sugar: Stick with white sugar for this recipe.
- Cocoa powder: Use either natural or Dutch processed for these brownies. I used Dutch processed for these photos.
- Eggs: You need eggs for both the brownie layer and the cheesecake layer.
- Cream Cheese: Essential for the cheesecake layer! I always use full fat cream cheese.
- Vanilla Extract: A good vanilla extract is essential.
- You’ll also need: Baking powder, salt, hot water
Allergy Substitutions
If you are avoiding corn, make sure that your vanilla extract, gluten free flour, and baking powder are all corn free. You can check out my shop page for my personal favorite corn free baking products.
Instructions
Here is a quick rundown of how to make this recipe. For the full notes, plus ingredients measurements, please see the recipe card below. Or, you can use the “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page.
This brownie is made in three parts: Make the brownie layer, make the cheesecake layer, and bake them both together.
First up, the brownie layer!
- In a medium sauce pot on the stove, melt the butter and chocolate bar together. Remove it from the heat and add the cocoa powder and sugar. Mix until combined. Then add the eggs and vanilla.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. This batter is thick! I like to use a wooden spoon or spatula for this.
- Reserve a ¼ cup of this batter for the swirls on top.
- Pour into a parchment lined pan and press it into the corners.
- Pop it in the fridge while you make the cheesecake layer.
Now for the cheesecake layer!
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the soft cream cheese and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix again.
- It should be smooth and creamy.
Finally, put them together.
- Mix the reserved brownie batter with warm water to make it more like cake batter. This makes it easier to swirl.
- Carefully pour the cheesecake layer on top of the unbaked brownie later.
- Dollop the reserved brownie batter on top and swirl with a chopstick or knife.
Bake!
- Bake this at 350F for 10 minutes.
- Then, lower the temperature to 325F and bake for another 45 minutes.
- Let it cool on the countertop for an hour and then chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Overnight is better.
- Slice and serve!
FAQs
Due to the sugar in the cheesecake layer, these are safe to keep on the countertop for 1 day. I personally prefer to store my brownies in the fridge to keep them fresher. Plus, I love a good chilled cheesecake brownie!
It is not recommended to cut brownies before they are cool.
Use a sharp knife that you wipe between each cut to keep them with the cleanest edges when cutting. Or, you can use a plastic knife to cut the brownies. I don’t know why but a plastic knife gives me the best cuts every time!
How to Store
Countertop: Keep in an airtight container for up to 1 day on the countertop.
Fridge: Keep for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge. This is my preferred method of keeping these brownies.
Freezer: You can freeze fully baked and cooled brownies in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Slice and store each brownie in between layers of parchment paper for best results. Allow the brownies to thaw in the fridge overnight before serving after freezing.
More Brownie Recipes to Love
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Recipe
Equipment
- 8x8 brownie pan (metal or glass)
- mixing bowls
- mixing spoons
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Sauce pot
- Which
- parchment paper
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- Knife or chopstick
Ingredients
Brownie Layer
- ½ cup butter
- 2 oz chocolate bar
- 1 ½ cups white sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup cocoa powder Dutch processed preferred
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup gluten free flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons water
Cheesecake Layer
- ¼ cup reserved brownie batter
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 egg room temperature
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F /177°C. Line an 8x8 inch or 9x9 inch metal pan with parchment paper. Set it aside.
- Make the Brownies Layer
- Mix wet ingredients. In a medium sized pot over low-medium heat, melt the butter and chocolate bar together. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder. Next add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients. Add the gluten free flour, baking powder, and salt to the wet ingredients. Stir well with a wooden spoon or spatula. The brownie batter will be thick!
- Reserve brownie batter. Reserve ¼ cup of finished brownie batter. This will become the swirl on top.
- Brownies in a pan. Carefully pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top and make sure the batter is in each corner. Set the brownies into the fridge while the cheesecake layer is made.
- Make the Cheesecake Layer
- Mix the cheesecake. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese with white sugar. Mix on medium speed for about 2 to 3 minutes or until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix again until smooth.
- Make the Cheesecake Brownies
- Pour the layers. Carefully pour the cheesecake batter on top of the unbaked brownie layer in the pan. Try to pour it over the entire surface. Use a spoon or a spatula to gently spread it into the corners.
- Mix the brownie swirls. In a medium bowl, combine the reserved brownie batter with 1 to 2 tablespoons of warm water. Mix this until it is thinner in consistency, kind of similar to cake batter. This helps the brownie swirl into the cheesecake.
- Add swirls. In small spoonfuls, dollop the reserved brownie batter on top of the cheesecake layer. Using a knife or a chopstick, gently swirl the two together, making sure that the chopstick does not go all the way to the bottom of the pan. Swirl until you are happy with the results.
- Bake. Bake the brownies at 350°F/177°C for 10 minutes. Then, lower the temperature to 325F/162C for 45 minutes. Remove the brownies and let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Slice into 9 or 16 squares and enjoy!
Notes
- How to Store
- Countertop: Keep in an airtight container for up to 1 day on the countertop.
- Fridge: Keep for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge. This is my preferred method of keeping these brownies.
- Freezer: You can freeze fully baked and cooled brownies in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Slice and store each brownie in between layers of parchment paper for best results. Allow the brownies to thaw in the fridge overnight before serving after freezing.
- Allergy Substitutions
- If you are avoiding corn, make sure that your vanilla extract, gluten free flour, and baking powder are all corn free. You can check out my shop page for my personal favorite corn free baking products.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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