Rich and fudgy cream cheese brownies with fresh raspberries are a decadent dessert. A little raspberry jam with the cream cheese is just the thing to transform a regular brownie into a spectacular one.
Now that we can’t get local fruit, I look for desserts where I can either use frozen fruit or where just a small amount of fresh fruit is used. For these brownies, a container of raspberries is all it takes to make a decadent homemade brownie.
What fruit FREEZES well
Whether you have an abundance of fruit and have frozen what you couldn’t eat, or you’re buying frozen fruit in the dead of winter, some fruit retains it’s flavor and texture better than others. I’ve found that blueberries freeze so well, that it’s hard to tell whether they’re fresh or frozen when baked.
The same is true for peaches and cherries. So most desserts that call for fresh fruit, like Lime Coconut Blueberry Cobbler, Cherry Hand Pies, or Peach and Pecan Sandy Crumble, will all be wonderful with frozen fruit. Howeer, for cheesecake brownies, frozen raspberries won’t work.
What you’ll need
- For the brownies you’ll need 4 ounces of chocolate, butter and eggs and pantry items- flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla
- For the cheesecake layer, you’ll need cream cheese and butter along with an egg, flour and sugar.
- And last but not least, raspberry jam and fresh raspberries.
For this recipe, you’ll only need a small container of fresh raspberries. In the winter months, we mostly see raspberries from Southern California and Central America. They’re a little pricey but you only need a few. The rest of the raspberry flavor comes from raspberry jam. I like the Bonne Maman brand.
How do you make raspberry cream cheese brownies
Step 1: Make the brownies first. Melt butter and bittersweet chocolate in the microwave and whisk in the eggs and the rest of the ingredients. Place in the pan.
Step 2: For the cream cheese layer, combine the cream cheese and butter and then add sugar, egg, vanilla, raspberry jam and a little flour.
Step 3: Pour the cream cheese mixture over the brownie mixture and take a knife and swirl it. Add fresh raspberries to the top and bake. These need to cool completely before cutting. They will make prettier slices if you refrigerate them first.
The raspberries on top makes them look festive which is great around Christmas. Raspberries and chocolate have always been a favorite combination for me. These easy homemade brownies aren’t too sweet but are rich and fudgy.
I found idea for the recipe in a magazine that was featuring Joy the Baker’s new cookbook. After making these I was convinced to order the book. I have her first one and it has some great recipes. I can’t wait to experiment with more of her dessert ideas.
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These were so delicious that I had to give some to a friend before I ate the whole batch. This is a dessert bar that you can eat right out of the freezer. The cream cheese keeps them from needing to thaw before taking a bite for those occasions when you need something sweet right away!
FAQ’s and tips
For most brownies they will start to pull away from the sides of the pan when they are done. With the cheesecake topping on these, check with a toothpick, it should be dry or just have a few crumbs.
These work best with fresh raspberries.
My favorite is Ghiradelli or Guittard. You need one 4 ounce bar.
More BROWNIE recipes
- Get in the holiday spirit and make Peppermint Brownies
- Add cookie dough on top for a decadent treat
- Go basic with the BEST fudgy brownies
- If you like dulce de leche, you’ll love these
- Chocolate covered peanut butter brownies are awesome
Dessert bar recipes you’ll love
- Apple bars
- Cherry streusel bars
- Apricot coconut bars
- Cinnamon sugar bars
- Lemon pistachio bars
- Blondies with sprinkles
- Peppermint blondies
- Carrot cake cheesecake bars
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Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies
Ingredients
BROWNIE
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate
- 2 eggs beaten
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
CREAM CHEESE LAYER
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temp
- 2 tablespoons butter room temp
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons raspberry jam
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon flour
- ½ cup raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º and grease an 8 x 8 inch pan lined with parchment paper.
- Brownie: Melt chocolate and 4 tablespoons butter in microwave until just melted. Let cool slightly.
- Whisk 2 beaten eggs into chocolate mixture. Add ¾ cup sugar and combine. In a smmall bowl, whisk together ½ cup flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture until just combined. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and spread mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Cream Cheese Layer: In a separate bowl, stir together cream cheese and 2 tablespoons butter until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 egg and 2 tablespoons jam and mix well. Stir in 1 tablespoon flour and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Dollop onto brownie mixture and use a butter knife to swirl into the brownies. Press fresh raspberries into the top.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs, 30-35 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing.
Video
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- Make sure you use fresh raspberries, not frozen.
- Let the cream cheese come to room temperature before making the cheesecake layer.
- To freeze, let them come to room temperature first.
Nutrition
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