If you’re looking for a fun and different treat for your valentine this year, here ya go! These quick and easy Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies start with a simple chocolate boxed cake mix and are transformed into something amazing. Show your loved one just how special they really are with this yummy homemade treat!
The best thing is how easy these are! The most difficult part of the whole process is making the layers, but even that is easy. Simply layer the brownie batter, top with the cheesecake mixture, then drop dollops of the reserved brownie batter on top and swirl them together. Get the whole recipe below!
Recipe Card
Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients
For the brownies:
- 1 (15.25-ounce) box chocolate cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons red food coloring
For the topping:
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9x13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray or by lining it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cake mix, melted butter, oil, egg, and food coloring. The batter with be very thick. Reserve about 1/3 cup of the brownie batter/dough and press the remaining batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Add 3 tablespoons of water to the reserved batter to thin it; set it aside.
- To make the cheesecake topping, combine the cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla using a hand mixer or in a stand mixer. Beat until well combined. Pour on top of the brownie batter and spread evenly. Drop the reserved, thinned, brownie batter over the cheesecake layer and swirl the two layers together using a butter knife.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the brownies are set. Cool completely before slicing.
* If nutritional values are provided, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Carol Hamre
these are fabulous! we have made them for events and everyone loves them. can they be made ahead and frozen?
Yep, I think these could be frozen just fine.
Emily
These are super easy and yummy to make! Make sure you soften the cream cheese plenty, and it’s also super good with Nutella drizzled on top
I totally agree, softening the cream cheese really makes a difference. And Nutella on top sounds like a delicious twist—I’ll have to try that next time!
Shanika
The most perfect recipe. Perfectly fudgy and flavorful. I used this recipe in place of my original and the response was out of this world!
Thank you, Shanika!!
Alison
So, am I baking these Brownies with the Cream Cheese Topping already applied? I usually add the Cream Cheese Topping after the Brownies are Baked.
Yes. It’s more like a cheesecake filling than it is a cream cheese frosting.
Lee
Am I buyi g cake mix or brownie mix?
The recipe calls for cake mix.
Diane
I made these with a red velvet cake mix but the brownie part tasted a little dry and they were more cake than brownie. Would adding a little more oil or adding an extra egg make it more brownie moist?
Some more oil might help.
Michele
making these for a food tasting party this weekend, I’m really excited!!!
Hope y’all will enjoy them!!
Mari Dominguez
Would this recipe work with a fudge brownie mix?
Absolutely!
Sarah @ aBrickHouse
Thanks for this great recipe – I made them today and they are delicious! 🙂
Wonderful!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!!
stephanie
Was wondering in the first part “for the brownies” all that butter, eggs, and oil is that on top of what we need to mix to make the brownies? ….just seems like a lot of eggs and oil.
Nope, you don’t make the brownies according to the package, you just use the mix with the oil, butter and eggs in the recipe.
Margaret
Ok some how after i posted that comment the ingredients and everything else showed up lol
Glad it worked out for you! 🙂
Margaret
Why cant I see the ingredients or the directions??
Nana
I am anxious to try this recipe as it combines two of my favorite desserts. I wondered though if you are aware there is a red velvet cake mix sold that would eliminate the extra food coloring and yes it is very red when baked.
Absolutely! In fact, I have another recipe that calls for the boxed red velvet mix. However, after a couple tests, I found that I liked the flavor of the chocolate cake mix with this better than the boxed red velvet. The other would work just as well, though.
ThePC
Stacey do you think this would work as a cake instead of brownies
I don’t see why not. 🙂
Virginia Carol Moore
Stacey, these Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies sound delicious and I plan to make them soon. However, I am having one small problem when I copy your recipes into my own file. They always copy as one long running sentence! There are no carriage returns at all and no space after the periods. I wonder if anyone else has this problem?