Delicious Fudgy Cheesecake Brownies
The next time someone tries the “but Vegans only eat grass…” excuse with you, introduce them to these gooey, chocolatey marbled cheesecake brownies. Honestly, I was not even sure I should be posting these here. Some people might not think I’m vegan anymore. I mean, look at that moist (sorry!), fudgy texture, and tell me, do these chocolate cheesecake brownies look like dairy-free brownies to you? Luckily, they are 100% vegan AND gluten-free. Plus, you might be surprised to read, but…
There Are No Hidden Vegetables In This Recipe
After posting the recipes for my Sweet Potato Brownies, my Best Vegan Brownies (with peas!), and my Healthy No-Bake Brownies, I decided to make these vegan cheesecake brownies. After all, what could be better than cheesecake and chocolate combined? I love to experiment with my baked goods by adding ‘interesting’ ingredients, like black beans or vegetables like zucchini to make Zucchini Brownies. I even once tried making an eggplant brownie but… Well, let’s just say that there’s a reason why that hasn’t made its way to my blog… With this recipe, I wanted to see if I could get brownies that are still fudgy and rich, but without any of the legumes, vegetables, and other “exotic ingredients.” Spoiler alert – the answer is a definite yes!
The Different Layers
By using creamy silken tofu within the cheesecake layer – and lots of moisture-providing ingredients in the brownie batter – the results are deliciously moist. More so than you would even think possible with completely dairy-free brownies. However, if you want to make these brownies soy-free, then you could also use soy-free vegan cream cheese instead. I’m unable to buy any, where I live; however, having looked at the ingredients list, it should work. Just leave out the coconut oil (but still use the starch!), and the result should be the same! As rich and delicious as my other veggie-inclusive brownies are, when you’re in the mood for something a little bit more naughty, you can’t get much more decadent than these chocolate cheesecake brownies.
How To Make The Cheesecake Brownie Recipe
Making these vegan brownies is super simple and only includes a few steps to fudgy, cheesecakey heaven. For the full ingredients list, measurements, and nutritional information, read the printable recipe card below. STEP 1: Begin by preparing the flax eggs, leaving them aside for 5 minutes to thicken. Once ready, preheat the oven to 360°F/180°C and line your baking pan of choice with parchment paper. STEP 2: Add all the ingredients for the chocolate brownie layer to a large bowl and mix with an electric hand whisk until combined. STEP 3: For the cheesecake layer, simply add all the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. An immersion blender should work too. STEP 4: Using a separate spoon for each batter, take turns spooning the chocolate and cheesecake batters into your pan. Optionally, you can also use a toothpick to swirl the batters together a bit more on top for that perfect cheesecake swirl brownies look. As noted in the recipe tips, you can also spoon some additional ‘toppings’ on top of these brownies (see below for options). STEP 5: Bake in the oven for between 30-45 minutes. Use a toothpick to test that they are ready (it should come out ‘almost clean’ – not wet but not completely dry). I suggest checking at 30 minutes and then again in five-minute increments. If overbaked, you won’t get the delicious fudgy texture. STEP 6: Leave it to cool down completely before cutting into bars/slices and try not to eat them all at once. Check the below step-by-step photos:
How To Store This Brownie Cheesecake
If you have the willpower to not gobble these up in a single day, then these vegan brownies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. In fact, I encourage you to leave some for a day or two. These marbled brownies taste even better on day 2 and 3! Freezing silken tofu can affect the texture, so I haven’t personally tried it. However, if you do and find that you don’t mind the resulting texture, then they will last for 2 months in the freezer.
Useful Tips & Variations:
Flour: You can also swap the rice flour with whole wheat flour if you are not allergic to gluten. All-purpose flour or spelt flour should work fine too. Flax seeds: Feel free to use ground chia seeds instead of ground flax seeds as the egg alternative in these eggless brownies Milk: Any plant-based milk will work in the recipe; almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, coconut milk, etc. Baking dish: If a square bake isn’t what you’re in the mood for, then you could use a round cake pan to make a delicious brownie cheesecake. Sweetness: Please note that the cheesecake layer isn’t super sweet. If you prefer it sweeter, simply add more sugar- just taste the batter before you spoon it into the pan. Add-Ins: Make these cream cheese swirl brownies even more versatile with the addition of extra fruity flavoring. Use a few spoonfuls of your favorite fruit jam or preserve to swirl into the top of the brownies. My personal favorites are raspberry, cherry, blackberry, and this Strawberry Compote. You can also swirl in some of your favorite nut butter or even a caramel sauce, like the one I use in this Vegan Snickers Recipe. Glaze: Alternatively, you could double up on chocolate and add a creamy chocolate glaze to this cheesecake brownie recipe. Simply check out the other brownie recipes I linked at the top of the post for the glaze recipe.
This Recipe Is:
Plant-based (dairy-free, egg-free) Gluten-free Fudgy Chocolatey Rich Gooey Delicious Easy to make And they can be made refined sugar-free And also nut-free
If you give this cheesecake brownie recipe a try, I’d appreciate a comment and recipe rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram & Facebook with @elavegan and #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.
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