These raspberry cheesecake swirl brownies are a slightly healthier version of the famous brownies from Baked!
Right after Christmas, Betsy from Java Cupcake came up to Berlin and of course, we had to bake! As you can imagine, the opportunity to bake with another American food blogger in Germany doesn’t come up very often. ;)
We thought it’d be fun to make two versions of the same recipe. I went with 100% whole wheat and a little less sugar and Betsy went with the traditional, all-purpose flour way. It took a while, but we finally decided on the Baked brownie! Or rather, a raspberry cheesecake brownie based off the ones from Baked!
The Baked brownies, which were featured as one of Oprah’s favorite things, were all the rage in the blogging world a few years ago but I made them and wasn’t all that impressed. They were good but I preferred an adaption of these brownies from Allrecipes. Adding the raspberry cheesecake topping to the Baked brownies made a world of difference! And these were so much more fudgy. I’m guessing I might have taken the brownies out of the oven a little too early (whoops ;)) but they were absolutely perfect the way they were.
When I adapt a recipe from somewhere, other than using 100% whole wheat (or making it grain-free), I normally change the butter to coconut oil and reduce the sugar by a ton and use coconut sugar. But because I had a special guest and limited time to bake, I didn’t want to risk the chance of having these turn out cakey! So I didn’t bother with coconut oil and I didn’t reduce the sugar all that much. You could definitely reduce the sugar a little more, if you like. Just don’t go wild (unless cakey brownies are something you enjoy). And I’m assuming coconut oil would work but I’m not guaranteeing anything. :) So these aren’t exactly healthy cheesecake brownies but they are healthier!
We made several changes to the recipe, like leaving out the tiny bit of cocoa powder, using an 8″x8″ instead of a 9″x13″ and adding a little more egg yolk (just because we didn’t want to mess with half an egg!) One change I’d make next time is to leave out the espresso powder. Normally you add espresso powder to chocolate brownies or cake to enhance the chocolate flavor, but on the second day, I could definitely taste the espresso powder in these. In my opinion, raspberry and espresso aren’t the best fit so I’ve left it out of the recipe.
And if the cheesecake topping is too fussy for you, just skip it and bake the brownies for 20 – 25 minutes.
For the more traditional version, check out Betsy’s post: Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
And by the way, nobody could tell a difference between the all-purpose and 100% whole wheat version in these healthier raspberry cheesecake brownies! If you’ve never baked with whole grains before, here’s the perfect recipe to start with. :)
Raspberry Cheesecake Swirl Brownies (whole grain option)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: 16 brownies
Ingredients
- 6 ounces (170 grams) semi-sweet or dark chocolate
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) butter
- 3/4 cup (112 grams) coconut sugar or granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (70 grams) whole wheat flour, whole spelt flour or all-purpose flour
- 8 ounces (225 grams) cream cheese
- 1/3 cup (66 grams) granulated or raw sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup frozen raspberries, defrosted + 1 tablespoon sugar
For the brownies:
For the cheesecake topping:
Directions
- First, prepare the cheesecake filling. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla.
- In a small bowl, mash the defrosted berries with the sugar. It should be fairly fluid and not lumpy. You could also use an immersion blender here. Set the two bowls aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). Line an 8"x8" pan with parchment paper.
- In a small pot over low heat, melt the chocolate and butter. Stir occasionally.
- Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the sugar. Let it sit for a few minutes or until room temperature.
- One by one, whisk in the eggs and egg yolk. Stir just until combined! Add in the vanilla and salt.
- Fold the flour into the chocolate mixture, just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not over mix or your brownies will be cakey!
- Pour the batter into the pan and spoon the cheesecake batter on top of the brownie batter.
- Dollop tablespoons of the mashed raspberries on top of the cheesecake batter and using a toothpick or a knife, swirl the raspberries into the cheesecake batter.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean (it shouldn't be totally wet).
- Cool the brownies in the pan and then lift them out using the parchment paper.
- Cut the brownies and place in an airtight container.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, as seen on The Baked Brownie by Browned Eyed Baker
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179 comments on “Healthier Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies” — Add one!
I lived in Germany in 1989/90 (in Freiburg i.B.), and visited Berlin shortly after the Wall fell. It was very exciting.
Wow! What an amazing time to have lived in Germany. Must have been very exciting!
I have always wanted to go to Hamburg Germany. It looks so beautiful in photos.
I have never been to Germany but would love to explore the wine region. Is it the Rhone valley?
It is in the Rhine region! I’ve been around here in the fall and it’s very pretty. :)
You guys are so adorable!!! These brownies look amazing! Pinned!
no but go to Berlin
OMG! I just stumbled across your website and love it! I am from the UK, married to a Ukrainian and we live in Chemnitz, East Germany! I am a graphic designer and also teach English on the side! I also have a food blog but mine is 100% gluten free as im gluten sensitive and have tummy issues! Ahhh this is soo coool! I’ve been to Berlin loads, I liked parliament and Checkpoint Charlie and the bars and clubs and shopping there and STARBUCKS! lol. we don’t have one down south here in Chemnitz! We’re thinking of moving to Leipzig soon. I always fly home to the UK from Berlin and are heading that way in June 2014 actually! :) Loving these gift prizes btw, the Ampelmaenner cookie cutters are awesome! We have some Ampelmaenner merchandise in Galeria Kaufhof but not cookie cutters! :D soo happy I found your blog, going to rummage through your recipes for some weekend delight! :D love Charlie xx
Aaah! So neat. And hey, I teach English on the side, too! I’ve never been to Chemnitz or Leipzig but hopefully I’ll be able to visit them one day. :) Going to check out your blog now!
I have never been to Germany, but would really like to visit Munich if I ever get the opportunity.
I haven’t been to Berlin, but I’d love to go there someday!
I have never been there.
I’ve been to Munich but not Berlin. It’s on my list though! Someday!
I never have, but I am studying German with the idea that I might!
I’ve never been to Berlin, but I would like to go sometime. I would love to just be able to tour all of Europe actually! :)
I have a question about your brownies. In the cheesecake recipe, what kind of sugar did you use? coconut, sucanat, white? Just curious if an unrefined sugar would taste ok there or not. Thanks!
I would like to tour all of Europe, too! ;)
And I used granulated in the cheesecake topping. Cheesecake is just about the only time I use granulated! If you have a really light unrefined sugar, you could use that. I hope you’ll like them! :)
I have not been to Berlin but I’ve heard lovely things about it from when my best friend went for a visit. I would love to go there.
I don’t think my comment went through, but I went to Munich and Frankfurt with my brother many moons ago! I loved Germany tremendously and would love to go back. It’s funny, I was supposed to go with my boyfriend as a birthday present to him, but we ended up breaking up right after we got our passports, but before I booked our flights. I figured I would go with my brother instead and we had a BLAST! Would love to visit Berlin. We went right around Christmas and I loved all the Chritmas markets and gluwein (sp?) – it was soooo cold, but it was lovely!
And happy ending: that boyfriend is now my husband – hehe!
I will try the recipe this weekend and update then. So far, your recipes are the only ones that ‘fool’ my children into eating healthier desserts! So happy I found your site!
Hehe. I love that there was a happy ending and I hope that you and your husband will be able to visit Germany together one day. :) And I’m so happy to hear that you and your kids like the recipes. I hope you’ll enjoy the brownies! Thanks so much for your comment. :)
I have never been to Germany, but I would like to go see the Black Forrest area. I would love to try their food.
I’ve never been to Germany. I have no idea where I’d visit if I had the opportunity.
I’ve never been to Berlin or any of Germany, but the family we used to share a house with is from Germany and we are hoping to go to Dusseldorf soon! (Um – these cheesecake brownies look divine!)
Thanks! And I hope you’ll enjoy Germany. Be sure to pick up some of that Viba nougat while you’re here. ;)
No I have not, and I don’t know enough about it to know which location I’d love to visit. But I do love to travel, so would love to go. :)
I’ve never been to Berlin but I think if I went to Germany, that’s where id go.
These look incredible Erin! I love the chocolate raspberry combination and the fact that you based these on those famous Baked brownies?! I have to make these..pinned! :)