These rich and fudgy red velvet brownies are swirled with creamy cheesecake for an amazing dessert. They are decadent, rich, and so yummy! Plus, the beautiful red color makes them look just as good as they taste!
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Brownies are a true weakness of mine. They’re pretty much the perfect desert: super chocolatey, fudgy, rich….how could they be bad? Be it caramel brownies, white chocolate chip brownies, or chocolate coconut brownies, leave me alone in a room with a full pan of them and they’ll be gone in about 10 minutes. Guaranteed.
These red velvet cheesecake brownies combine all three flavors of red velvet cake, brownies, and cheesecake in every bite. They’re one of my new favorite brownies!
How to make red velvet cheesecake brownies
The base of these fudgy brownies is a simple red velvet brownie recipe with cheesecake batter swirled in. My favorite brownies use cocoa powder and butter to give them a rich chocolatey flavor. To make them red velvet, I add apple cider vinegar (optional) and red food coloring. I prefer to use gel food coloring since it doesn’t add extra liquid to the batter.
There are three steps to making these brownies:
- Make the brownie batter
- Make the cheesecake batter
- Swirl the two together
Make the brownie batter
- Melt together the butter, cocoa powder, and salt. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until the butter has melted and the ingredients are combined.
- Add the sugar and whisk until combined.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and vinegar. Whisk together until incorporated.
- Add 2-3 teaspoons of red gel food coloring until the batter appears red.
- Lastly, pour in the flour and fold together using a rubber spatula.
- Set aside ⅓ cup of the batter and pour the rest into a prepared pan. Smooth the top.
Make the cheesecake batter
- Beat cream cheese and sugar together. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Scrape down the sides and bottom as needed with a rubber spatula, making sure everything gets well combined.
- Add in the egg and vanilla extract and beat until evenly mixed.
Swirling the batters
- Dollop spoonfuls of the cheesecake batter over the pan with the brownie batter, making sure they are evenly distributed. Spoon the reserved ⅓ cup of the brownie batter over the combined red velvet cheesecake bars.
- Use a sharp knife and gently swirl the two batters together. This will create a beautiful marble effect for your red velvet swirl cheesecake, ensuring each bite is full of all three flavors.
- Bake. Bake the brownies for 25-30 minutes at 350°F/180°C.
Tips for making red velvet cheesecake brownies
- Don’t overmix the brownie batter. This can make them more tough and less fudgy and gooey. Once you add the flour, combine it gently and slowly (I prefer using a rubber spatula to do this).
- Don’t overbake your brownies: The #1 mistake people make in brownies is overbaking them. Timing is everything — you want a fudgy center that’s still a bit gooey when you take them out of the oven, so start testing for doneness after a out 25 minutes. Your brownies will be done with a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Swirl, don’t mix, your batters: You may be tempted to swirl your batters together so much that they end up mixing into one combined batter. Be careful not to over swirl, otherwise you won’t get that beautiful marble appearance.
Can I leave out the food coloring?
Yes, the food coloring simply makes the brownies red. If you prefer to leave it out, it won’t affect the flavor or texture of the brownies.
Can I freeze red velvet brownies?
Definitely. These brownies freeze very well in a freezer-safe container. They’ll stay fresh for up to 2 months.
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More of my favorite brownie recipes
- Nutella Brownies: Fudgy, gooey brownies layers with creamy Nutella.
- Peanut Butter Pretzel Brownies: Salty and sweet can’t be beat!
- Snickers Brownies: Chunks of Snickers bars add amazing flavor.
- Cheesecake Brownies: Super rich and so easy to make!
Red Velvet Brownies
Decadent, fudgy brownies swirled with cheesecake batter make delicious red velvet brownies! They taste incredible and are so easy to make.
Ingredients
Red Velvet Brownies
- ½ cup (1 stick/115g) unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (175g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or distilled white vinegar), optional
- 2-3 teaspoons red food coloring (I use gel)
- ⅔ cup (95g) all purpose flour
Cream Cheese Layer
- 8 ounces (225g) full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
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Make the brownie batter: In a large heat-proof bowl, place butter, cocoa powder, and salt. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until melted. Add sugar and whisk until combined. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and vinegar, and whisk until combined. Add red food coloring, until desired color is reached. Add flour and fold, using a rubber spatula, just until combined. Set aside ⅓ cup of the batter and pour the rest into the prepared pan. Smooth the top.
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Make the cheesecake batter: Using a mixer or hand whisk, beat the cream cheese and sugar (on medium speed if using a mixer) until smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add egg and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Dollop spoonfuls of the cheesecake mixture over the brownie batter.
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Take the reserved ⅓ cup of brownie batter and spoon dollops over the batter. With a knife or a skewer, gently swirl the two batters together, to get a marble effect.
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Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheesecake filling is set, slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out with moist crumbs (from the brownie batter), not dry. Let the brownies cool completely and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until they are firm enough to cut. Once firm, lift them out of the pan using the parchment paper and cut into squares. The brownies taste even better the day after they're made.
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Store brownies in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Cindy says
Easy to make and delicious!!
Rachel says
I’ve made these brownies at least 5 times over the years, and they are always a hit!! So easy to make, so smooth and creamy, and overall delicious!
Shakira says
Can this be made as a cupcake?
Shiran says
It can but because it’s fudgy it might stick to the muffin liners.
Namrata says
How.can I substitute eggs?
Tennet says
I would also like to know how to substitute eggs. Or at least if the egg in the cheesecake batter can be omitted.
Thank you 🙂
Kevin Francis Anthony says
Can i make a red velvet cake instead of brownie? O mean changing the brownie part into a cake and topping it up with a cream cheese swirl… No one has done that…. i wonder
Shiran says
I don’t have a recipe for it, but sure, it’s possible 🙂
kali says
can i bake this brownies at 180 degree celcius
Mandip says
have you tried this with chocolate as opposed to powder? more specifically, dark chocolate? it’s my go to when making brownies in general so i was wondering if it would still work with this, with having to colour the mixture red.
Cheryl Suyin Jordan says
When making red velvet cake and red velvet brownies, I use 70% cacao (melted) and unsweetened cocoa powder.
Crissie says
These were incredible! I made these with my 11-year old son today for Valentine’s Day. We followed the directions exactly as written and they were perfect to eat after the 2-hour chill time in the fridge. Fantastic recipe!
Sulekha says
Do I need to switch butter to oil if I want to use this recipe to make cupcakes?
francis says
No, you can perfectly make cupcakes with butter
H says
Can this recipe be doubled?
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet. says
Absolutely!
Cupcake Mama Sia says
OMG these not only looked amazing with the vibrant colours, but tasted amazing!
Michelle Henderson says
Made these and they turned out great. Awesome recipe.
Carrisima says
My daughter made this yesterday with a little help from me. The cheesecake was awesome. Love your recipe.
Kim says
Wanting to double this & put it in a 9×13. How long would you bake & would you keep the same temp?
Talia @ Pretty. Simple. Sweet. says
Hi Kim, I would keep the oven temp the same, and check them every few minutes after the baking time the recipe calls for until they are done 🙂
Mara says
Si può sostituire la crema al formaggio con la crema di cioccolato bianco?
Carol Silvey says
Made them for my boyfriend for Valentines…he loved them! Exactly 25 minutes baking time. They are really great!
Stephanie @ Pretty.Simple.Sweet. says
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed these brownies. One of my favorites, too!
Beaux says
I made these today and although they’re delicious, the cheesecake part sank to the bottom 😭 what did I do wrong?
Stephanie @ Pretty.Simple.Sweet. says
It sounds like the cheesecake mixture was overmixed. To prevent overmixing, always make sure your ingredients are room temp. Did you use cold eggs straight from the fridge or did you let them warm to room temperature before using?