The Ultimate Sweet-Heart Brownies
Servings 9
Ingredients
For the Red Velvet Base:
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp red food coloring for that classic pop of color!
- 1 tsp vinegar trust me, it reacts with the cocoa for the best flavor
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 cup flour
For the Cheesecake Swirl:
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease an 8-inch square pan (or line it with parchment paper for easy lifting).
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar. Stir in the eggs, vanilla, red food coloring, and vinegar. Sift in the cocoa powder and flour, then gently fold them in until the streaks just disappear. Remember: Set aside 1/4 cup of this batter for later!
- In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until it’s smooth and creamy.
- Spread the main red velvet batter into your prepared pan. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the top and spread it out evenly.
- Take that reserved 1/4 cup of red batter and drop small "dots" on top of the cheesecake layer. Use a toothpick or skewer to drag a line through the center of each dot to create your little hearts, or just swirl it around.
- Pop them in the oven for 25–30 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the edges are set, but the center still has a tiny bit of "wobble" (this keeps them fudgy!).
- Let them cool completely on the counter, then place them into the fridge for 1–2 hours. This is the secret to getting those clean, professional-looking squares!
Notes
A quick tip from my kitchen to yours: Use the full-fat block cream cheese and make sure your eggs are at room temperature. It really helps the cheesecake swirl come out silky-smooth.