Love Baileys, cheesecake and brownies? Why choose between them when you can have all three at once? These decadent Baileys cheesecake brownies combines rich chocolate brownie and velvety cheesecake swirls with a hint of Baileys Irish cream.
If you’ve never tried adding creamy cheesecake swirls to brownie batter, then I have just two words to say – DO IT!
These Baileys cheesecake brownies are so decadent. Rich, fudgy chocolate brownies with soft cheesecake swirls with the kick of Irish Cream Liqueur….you’re basically having two desserts for the price of one.
My no bake Baileys Cheesecake recipe was so popular last Christmas. I know you’re going to love these too!
They make a perfect sweet treat for parties. If you’re feeding lots of people, you could always cut them into small bite sized pieces. Just don’t expect them to hang around for very long…
Love brownies? Take a look through my Brownies and bars archive for lots of inspiration!
why you’ll love this recipe
- Fudgy chocolate brownies – using good quality dark chocolate, cocoa powder and real butter are essential ingredients for brownies with a perfect, fudgy texture.
- Baileys cheesecake in every bite – with the cheesecake in the middle and on top of the brownie, the brownie to cheesecake ratio is HIGH.
- simple recipe – these cream cheese brownies are easy enough for even novice bakers to whip up without any problems.
key ingredients for baileys cheesecake brownies
- Butter. For the very best results, please use real block butter. Baking spreads and margarine don’t produce great results. If you use unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon of fine salt. For salted butter, decrease the salt to 1/8 teaspoon.
- Dark Chocolate with a minimum of 52% cocoa solids. Since I get through a lot of chocolate when recipe testing, I buy it in bulk. My favourite brand is Callebaut, but a good quality supermarket brand of dark chocolate would be more than good enough.
- A little espresso powder is delicious in the brownies – you’ll only get a very slight hint of coffee flavour, but it’s so good with the Baileys and enhances the chocolate flavour. If you don’t like coffee, just leave it out.
- I use Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract in the brownies and the cream cheese mixture. Whatever brand you use, please ensure it’s pure extract, not essence.
- Two large eggs. They need to be at room temperature so when whisked with the sugar, they expand in volume.
- Don’t worry about buying caster sugar. Granulated sugar works just fine for brownies.
- It’s important to use Full Fat Cream Cheese. Low fat will not work as well. The cream cheese should be at room temperature.
- One whole egg, to set the cheesecake.
- Baileys Irish Cream. I’m sure other brands would work just as well, but I haven’t tested this!
step by step instructions
Please scroll to the end of the post to find a printable recipe card with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions for making these brownies.
Step 1 – Melt chocolate and butter. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. When completely melted, remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the espresso powder (if using) and vanilla extract. Set aside.
Step 2 – Whisk eggs and sugar. Using a stand mixer or hand-held electric whisk, whisk the eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed until the mixture is thick and when you lift the beaters, it makes a “ribbon” pattern in the bowl. You’re looking for it to have least doubled in volume. This takes anywhere from 3-5 minutes.
Step 3 – Add melted chocolate and butter to egg mixture – Fold the slightly cooled melted chocolate into the whisked egg mixture. Stop folding when you have a smooth, shiny brownie batter.
Step 4 – Add the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, cocoa powder, salt and 2 tablespoons of Baileys. The brownie batter should be quite thick (but it needs to be to support the cheesecake filling).
Step 5 – Make the cheesecake. You don’t need to use any special equipment for this. A bowl and a spoon does the job.
Give the cream cheese a quick mix until smooth, but don’t overbeat it. Then stir in the egg, vanilla extract, caster sugar and Baileys. It will be quite a runny mixture, but that’s ok.
Step 6 – Assemble. Spoon (the batter is too thick to pour!) about half of the brownie batter into a greased and lined 22cm (9 inch) square baking tin. Take some time to spread the batter right into all the corners of the tin.
Pour the cheesecake mixture right over the brownie batter. Now, place the remaining brownie batter over the top of the cheesecake mix in random spoonfuls.
Using the tip of a knife, swirl the cheesecake and brownie together to create a marbled effect.
Step 7 – Bake. Place in a preheated oven (180C/160 Fan/350F/Gas Mark 4) and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the brownie looks set on top and around the edges, but it should still wobble slightly. The cheesecake will be light golden brown.
Step 8 – Cool. Allow the brownie to cool completely in the tin for several hours before removing from the tin. I always transfer brownies to the fridge (wait until the tin is cold) to set overnight.
recipe notes
- While testing this recipe, I added a little plain flour to the cheesecake mixture. This resulted in a firmer set cheesecake with slightly more defined swirls. If you would prefer this, I would recommend adding 20g of flour to the cheesecake. But for a creamier, softer cheesecake texture, leave it out.
- For perfect brownies, I urge you to use a digital scale. There is just too much room for error when using cups to measure the flour, sugar and cocoa powder.
- Chilling the brownies for several hours or overnight makes them so much easier to cut into neat squares.
storing cheesecake brownies
The brownies are best kept in the fridge. They’ll keep for up to 5 days. You can enjoy them chilled (I personally love a cold brownie) or bring them to room temperature before serving.
can they be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze cheesecake brownies for up to 2 months. Wrap them in cling film and tin foil or place them in an airtight freezer bag or container before freezing. Defrost them in the fridge or at room temperature.
more recipes using baileys Irish cream
Baileys Cheesecake Brownies
Baileys Cheesecake Brownies are a delicious marriage of two desserts! Fudgy, rich chocolate brownies with creamy Baileys Irish Cream Cheesecake swirls.
Ingredients
- 200g good quality dark chocolate (a minimum of 52% cocoa solids)
- 125g unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 160g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 225g granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons Baileys
- 250g Full Fat Cream Cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 50g Caster Sugar
- 80ml Baileys Irish Cream
- For the cheesecake:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160 Fan/350F/Gas Mark 4 and grease and line the base and sides of a 22cm (9inch) square baking tin, making sure the baking parchment sits a few centimetres above the edges to allow for easy removal of the baked and cooled brownie later.
- Make the brownie: Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Once completely melted, remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the espresso powder (if using) and vanilla extract. Set aside.
- Combine the flour, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl.
- Using a stand mixer or hand-held electric whisk, whisk the eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed until the mixture is very thick and pale. When you lift the beaters, the mixture should make a "ribbon" pattern in the bowl. Fold the still-warm melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Stop folding when you have a smooth, shiny batter.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture, then the Baileys. The brownie batter should be shiny and quite thick.
- Make the cheesecake: Using a wooden spoon, lightly beat the cream cheese until smooth, but don't overbeat it. Stir in the egg, vanilla extract, caster sugar and Baileys. It will be quite a runny mixture.
- Spoon about half of the brownie batter into a greased and lined 22cm (9 inch) square baking tin. Take some time to spread the batter right into all the corners of the tin.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture right over the brownie batter. Now, place the remaining brownie batter over the top of the cheesecake mix in random spoonfuls.
- Using a knife, swirl the cheesecake and brownie together to create a marbled effect.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the brownie looks set on top and around the edges, but it should still wobble slightly. The cheesecake will be light golden brown.
- Allow the brownie to cool completely in the tin for several hours before removing from the tin. I always transfer brownies to the fridge (wait until the tin is cold) to set overnight before slicing - they are much easier to slice chilled.
Notes
For a firmer set cheesecake, add 20g of plain flour to the cream cheese mixture.
The brownies will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 282Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 100mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 1gSugar: 26gProtein: 3g
Calories and nutritional information are provided by a third party application and should be viewed as indicative figures only.