There are times when you crave sweet and simple. With the holiday weekend, I was fortunate enough to have a lazy and relaxing long weekend, leaving me with ample time to make a dessert.
After flipping through various cookbooks and browsing food blogs, I kept coming back to an old favorite of mine. I have to admit that brownies might be my favorite type of dessert ever, trumping even the best of cookies, cupcakes, and pies. The rich decadence of fudgy chocolate brownies never ceases to satisfy my cravings, and a cream cheese brownie is one of my favorite desserts ever.
The Betty Crocker recipe I picked is almost embarrassingly simple – I think the Kitchenarian herself was appalled when I brought out the box of brownie mix! However, it was a perfect choice for an easy baking spree. The cream cheese mixture and chocolate chips were perfect additions to the brownies, enhancing the rich flavors and changing up the texture of a regular brownie. But as I worked, I couldn’t help but think of all the other things to add to this recipe, such as peanut butter chips or white chocolate. I know I’ll certainly be coming back to these brownies again this summer to change up the flavor and find an even more appealing brownie (as if these beautiful brownies aren’t appealing enough!).
Ingredients:
Filling-
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla
Brownies-
1 box classic brownie mix (1 lb 2.4 oz)
Water, vegetable oil, and egg called for in brownie mix
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350F. Grease bottom only of 9×9 or 8×8 brownie pan. In small bowl, beat filling ingredients together with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Make brownie batter as directed on box. Pour 2/3 of brownie batter into pan. Spoon the cream cheese filling on top and sprinkle in the chocolate chips evenly. Then spoon remaining brownie batter on top. Cut through mixture with knife several times for the marbled design. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in brownies comes out almost clean.
Sous Chef’s Note: After making this recipe, I’m pretty sure I would add more of the cream cheese filling than this recipe called for. I will be on the search to find another recipe with more cream cheese filling next time!
Oh, and click here to enter The Kitchenarian’s muffin giveaway. Giveaway ends on Thursday, June 2nd at midnight EST.
{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh yum! These sound wonderful! I made a somewhat similar version this weekend with a chocolate chip cookie base!
Cream cheese + brownie. Win every single time!
this is a delicious combination looks wonderful
Hey..now that i think about it I HAVE all of these ingredients at home… Maybe I should brownie it up.
This look sooo delicious and I loveee all the ingredients!!!
Beautiful tasty photos!!!!
Perfect combination, love it!! Embarrassingly simple is sometimes the only way to go!
Ooh, these look fabulous! And SO easy! What a bonus…chocolate goodness in record time 🙂
Cream cheese brownies are always a big hit in my household, and I use a box mix too (the Costco one). It is probably the most requested item for the bake sales at my girls school. Thanks for the reminder that I need to make them again soon.
I love brownies made with cream cheese…it’s a delicious combination!!
Brownies with cream cheese are amazing! Such a great combo. Yum!
These brownies look great! But, I’d probably add a lot more cream cheese swirl as well. It tastes so delicious in brownies!
Zebra brownies were my favorite at PJ’s (the coffee shop on campus, back in the day). Yours look just like theirs! I need to give these a try.
Hey, it’s ok to use mixes for time to time! Love it! these look awesome!
I can’t believe these came from a box! I can’t wait to try these in my own kitchen.
I’m ALWAYS craving sweet and simple! These look great! And I love your whimsical picture 😀
I love these brownies! There’s something so awesome about the creamy sweet swirls..like chocolate cheesecake but more approachable, which I adore. Love it!
Aw I love these! I used to eat these all the time as a kid… I’ll have to bring this treat back to my kitchen! 🙂
A little cheesecakey, a little brownie – it’s one of my fav combos. I bet these would be lovely with a few raspberries or raspberry jam baked in.
Wonderful brownies…I can eat them EVERY day….lovely photos as always:)
https://mywanderingspoon.wordpress.com/2011/06/01/chocolate-wonderland/
I love your brownies, they are simple to prepare and look delicious.
There is nothing better with a brownie than cream cheese 🙂 These look fantastic and I love the simple, reliable recipe…perfect!
This looks yummy….you have a lovely blog…I am having a giveaway in my blog..Y dont you check and join that
http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/2011/05/chocolate-recipe-and-chocolate.html
These look delicious. Definitely putting on my ‘to make’ list!
Gorgeous swirl! These would so hit the spot…..soothe the savage chocolate lover in me. 😉
I love the marbles in the photo! I know that has nothing really to do with the brownies, but I think they are so cute and made for a great picture! (sorry to be off topic!)
{ 1 trackback }