The best of all desserts.
These mocha cheesecake brownies are every bit as decadent and rich as they appear. They’re incredibly dense with a thick layer of sweet cheesecake and plenty of mocha flavor. If you love coffee, if you love chocolate, if you love brownies, if you love cheesecake, and—heck! if you love dessert—you must whip up a batch.
We’ll begin with the brownie layer. Now, I’m not going to try to convince you that my homemade brownies are better than box brownies (they are) but I AM going to tell you that my homemade frosted brownies recipe is one of the most popular recipes on my blog. And homemade brownies really aren’t that difficult to make.
To make homemade brownies, you have to start with really quality ingredients. My brownie recipe has butter, pure chocolate (key to the best flavor!), sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and a little salt. About the chocolate? I’m talking about pure chocolate, not chocolate chips. Pure chocolate sold in bar form in the baking aisle. For the sugar? Sometimes I use brown and white granulated sugar, but since this brownie recipe has a sweet cheesecake layer, I only use white granulated sugar and I slightly reduced the amount.
I don’t like to use too much flour in my homemade brownies because I like to keep them as dense and fudgy as possible. More flour equals a cakey brownie. A little bit of cocoa powder intensifies the chocolate flavor. Don’t leave it out. You can use natural unsweetened or dutched cocoa. Espresso powder gives the brownies their mocha flavor. You can find espresso powder in most major grocery stores in the coffee aisle or purchase it online. If you pick up a new jar, know that you’ll use it often your baking. It’s fantastic in recipes like chocolate cake, mocha blondies, and Guinness chocolate cupcakes. Here are all of my recipes using espresso powder if you need ideas.
Notice how there is no leavening agent in these brownies? I do not add baking powder or soda to my brownies because I prefer them as dense (not airy or cakey!) as possible.
And, finally. The eggs. Eggs are crucial to making the very best brownies. I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times… eggs do hundreds of things in baking. From binding, to adding richness, to tenderizing, to providing structure and lift. My homemade brownie recipe uses 3 large high-quality eggs, which give the brownies a tight crumb, rich flavor, and the ultimate fudge-like texture.
Think a chocolate truffle meets chocolate fudge. That’s the texture of the homemade brownie layer.
The cheesecake layer! Super simple here: just brick-style cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg, and vanilla extract. I also add a fun secret ingredient: white chocolate chips. The white chocolate chips melt in the cheesecake layer as the brownies bake. And it tastes absolutely divine. They give the layer that little something extra. I added them at the last minute and, as it turns out, it was the best brownie decision ever.
The cheesecake layer is spread between two layers of brownies. So, you’ll spread half of the brownie batter into the pan, followed by the cheesecake, then the remaining brownie batter. Halving the brownie batter for the layers doesn’t have to be exact. It’s ok if there isn’t as much batter for the top layer—just do your best to spread it around on top of the cheesecake layer. It’ll taste good no matter how you layer it.
A sprinkle of mini chocolate chips on top of everything seals the deal: the amount of chocolate in these brownies is OUT OF CONTROL.
Moist, rich, and fudgy with coffee flavor and an absurd amount of chocolate… these mocha cheesecake brownies are the QUEEN of dessert.
Try my Nutella swirl cheesecake bars, coconut cheesecake brownies, or mint chocolate chip cheesecake brownies next. You are welcome.
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Mocha Cheesecake Brownies
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours
- Yield: 16 brownies
- Category: Brownies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Indulgently rich and fudgy homemade mocha brownies are layered with white chocolate chip-studded cheesecake. They’re moist, rich, and fudgy with coffee flavor and lots of chocolate!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter
- 8 ounces (228g) coarsely chopped quality semi-sweet chocolate
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons (78g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 Tablespoons (10g) natural unsweetened or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder*
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- optional: 1/2 cup (90g) mini or regular size semi-sweet chocolate chips (for topping)
Cheesecake Layer
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (180g) white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Make the brownie batter: Melt the butter and chopped chocolate in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Or melt in a medium microwave safe bowl in 20 second increments, stirring after each, in the microwave. Remove from the heat, pour into a large mixing bowl, and allow to slightly cool for 10 minutes.
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides to easily lift the brownies out of the pan when cool. Set aside.
- Whisk the granulated sugar into the cooled chocolate/butter mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla. Gently fold in the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Make the cheesecake batter: In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese for 1 minute on high speed until completely smooth and creamy. Reduce to medium-high speed and beat in the sugar until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined. Finally, fold in the white chocolate chips with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon. Set aside.
- Spread about half of the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan. The batter is thick, so do your best to spread it to every corner making 1 even layer. Top with all of the cheesecake batter. Spread this in a thick, even layer. Layer on the rest of the thick brownie batter, spreading as best you can. If some cheesecake swirls out on top or if you can’t quite cover the corners with brownie batter, that’s ok! Sprinkle the optional chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 35–38 minutes or until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with only a few moist crumbs when the brownies are done. All ovens are different, so keep an eye on them after 30 minutes and use the toothpick test to see when yours are finished.
- Allow the brownies to cool in the pan set on a wire rack for 45 minutes. Then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. The cheesecake layer must be cold before cutting into squares.
- Once chilled, lift the parchment out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into squares. For neat squares, I use a very sharp knife and wipe it clean with a paper towel after each cut.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Store brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze the brownies for up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Parchment Paper | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack
- Espresso Powder: You can leave the espresso powder out to make regular cheesecake brownies. If you can’t find espresso powder, use 1 heaping Tablespoon of instant coffee (not ground coffee).
- Adapted from my Frosted Brownies recipe.
Second question, it’s difficult to find anything labelled “semi sweet chocolate”
Do I need to adjust the sugar if I’m using nestle plaistowe 70% cooking chocolate?
Hi Karnage, you can use the bittersweet bars and follow the recipe as is for a deeper chocolate brownie.
Why does this one have a full egg for the cheesecake part as opposed to the red velvet one which has an egg yolk?
Can this be done as a swirl as well? And can I just swap the other cheesecake topping for this one? (Not a fan of white chocolate)
Hi Karnage, the fillings are a bit different between the recipes. This one may be more difficult to swirl with the white chocolate chips in the batter. You can use the other one if you wish.