Fudgy Marbled Cheesecake Brownies

Difficulty: Easy
Yield: 16 brownies
Nutritional Info per Serving (1 of 16): Calories 400, Total Fat 23 g, Saturated Fat 13 g, Carbohydrates 46 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g, Sugar 34 g, Protein 5 g, Cholesterol 110 mg, Sodium 165 mg
Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes (includes chilling and cooling)
Active Prep Time: 45 minutes

Indulge in the ultimate dessert mash-up: ultra-fudgy brownies swirled with creamy cheesecake for a marbled masterpiece. This easy recipe delivers rich chocolate bliss and tangy cheesecake in every biteperfect for impressing friends or satisfying your sweetest cravings. Create that stunning tie-dye effect effortlessly with just a wooden skewer (or toothpick)!

Ingredients:

2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the foil
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (avoid Dutch process)
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook's Note)
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 1/3 cups sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Special Equipment: a wooden skewer

Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325F. Line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with foil, ensuring a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Grease the foil with butter.
In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, salt, and 1 1/2 cups of flour.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and chocolate while stirring frequently. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Whisk in 2 cups of sugar and 4 eggs. Stir in the flour mixture until combined. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat cream cheese, vanilla extract, leftover 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 egg in a large bowl until smooth. Mix in the remaining 1/4 cup flour until just combined.
Using two ice cream scoops or large spoons, alternate dropping scoops of brownie and cheesecake batters into the prepared pan. It's normal for the brownie batter to be more than the cheesecake batter; spread both as evenly as possible. Place kitchen towels on the countertop. Gently tap the baking pan on the towels multiple times to level the batter (the towels will catch any splatters).
Create the marbled pattern by dragging a wooden skewer through the batter, reaching the bottom of the pan, producing a tie-dye effect. Tap the pan a few more times on the towels to smooth the surface.
Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the top is set and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs, approximately 50 minutes.
Allow the brownies to cool completely on a rack. Lift them from the pan using the foil overhang. Slice into 16 pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.