This Brownie Bottom Cheesecake recipe has a rich chocolate brownie base covered with a smooth and creamy cheesecake layer, all baked in a springform pan to create a two-in-one sweet treat. Why settle for a single dessert when you can make a delicious duo?
Brownie Bottom cheesecake
This recipe for Cheesecake with Brownie Crust uses your favorite box of brownie mix to make a soft and chewy bottom that’s sturdy enough to hold the homemade cheesecake covering.
This simple brownie base cheesecake starts by preparing a packaged mix, then pours a creamy cheesecake mixture over a pre-cooked brownie layer, and bakes it all together into the best bite of brownie cheesecake.
I love how this layered dessert is both rich and fudgy and smooth and creamy all at the same time. It’s a double dose of decadence when you can’t decide on a solo dessert.
Why We Love This Brownie Crust Cheesecake Recipe
- Quick and easy to prepare.
- Uses simple kitchen staple ingredients.
- Homemade cheesecake with brownie base from a box is a shortcut solution meant to save steps.
- Rich chocolate brownie bottom baked beneath a creamy and sweet cheesecake filling.
- Two delicious desserts in every single slice.
More Easy Cheesecake Recipes
Ingredients
- Box of brownie mix plus ingredients for preparing brownies as indicated on the box (typically 2 eggs, 3 tablespoons water, ½ cup vegetable oil).
- Cream cheese
- Granulated sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream
- Heavy whipping cream
- Eggs
- Powdered sugar
- Hot fudge or chocolate sauce (for serving)
Substitutions and Additions
- Make It A Keto Cake: Make a keto version of this Brownie Bottom Cheesecake by using almond flour instead of all-purpose flour and erythritol instead of sugar.
- Grab A Garnish: Garnish your chocolate brownie cheesecake with chocolate shavings, whipped cream, toasted pecans or walnuts, or a drizzle of hot fudge or caramel sauce.
- Finish With Fresh Fruit: Feel free to pile fresh raspberries, strawberries, blueberries or blackberries on top of the finished cheesecake.
- Make It Marbled: For a marbled finish, check out my Cheesecake Brownies recipe, where more brownie batter is added on top to create a beautiful marbled cheesecake brownie.
- Change The Crust: It is easy to swap the brownie base for a cookie crust to bake below the cheesecake layer. My Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars, Lemon Cheesecake Bars, and Pecan Pie Cheesecake recipes all use cookies to create the crust.
Recommended Tools
- 9-inch springform pan
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring tools
- Hand mixer or stand mixer
See Full Recipe Card Below
Jump to RecipeHow to Make Brownie Bottom Cheesecake
- Bake The Brownies: Prepare the brownies according to the instructions on the box. Pour the batter into springform pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
- Make The Cheesecake Mixture: Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until combined. Add the flour, vanilla extract, sour cream, and heavy cream, mix, and then stir in by hand one egg at a time.
- Bake The Brownie Bottom Cheesecake: Pour the cheesecake mixture over the baked brownie. Bake for at 325 degrees Fahrenheit 45 minutes.
Pro Tip: The brownie crust does not need to be cooled after pre-baking. - Cool: Turn off the oven and keep the door closed with the cheesecake inside for 20 minutes. Then, crack open the oven door and allow it to cool for 30 minutes.
- Chill: Cool the cheesecake to room temperature, and then chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
- Garnish: Just before serving, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Top cheesecake with whipped cream and a drizzle of hot fudge sauce.
- Slice and Serve: Serve and enjoy!
How Will I Know When My Cheesecake Is Done?
There are a few ways to check if your cheesecake is done. First, if the center does not wiggle when you shake the pan, your cheesecake is probably overdone.
You can also use your finger to test the middle. If it feels firm, it’s most likely done, but if you find that your finger falls into the cake and you have some wet batter on it, it’s undercooked.
Make sure to use my method of slowly cooling the cheesecake so that it always comes out perfectly baked.
Tip From Our Recipe Developer
- I like to line my pan with parchment paper so it’s easy to transfer the cheesecake to a serving platter.
- Do not beat in the eggs. Instead, stir them in one at a time, gently. This helps to reduce the amount of air introduced into the cheesecake batter – extra air causes the cheesecake to rise and crack.
- For the creamiest cheesecake, make sure to use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream.
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your brownie crust and cheesecake as the suggested baking times approach in this recipe.
Storage
- To Store: Store your brownie cheesecake in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze your brownie cheesecake for up to 1 month.
Other Easy Cheesecake Desserts
- Mini Oreo Cheesecakes
- Strawberry Banana Cheesecake Salad
- Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
- S’mores Cheesecake Bars
- Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
- Reese’s No-Bake Cheesecake
- Chocolate Layer Cheesecake
- Bailey’s Cheesecake
Brownie Bottom Cheesecake
Serves — 16
Brownie Bottom Cheesecake has a homemade creamy cheesecake layer baked above a fudgy brownie base. It's an easy to make two-in-one treat when you can't decide on a single dessert.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Chill Time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 box brownie mix (standard size) Ingredients for preparing brownies as indicated on the box (typically 2 eggs, 3 tablespoons water, ½ cup vegetable oil)
- 16 ounces 2 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese softened
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1¼ cups heavy whipping cream divided
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ cup hot fudge or chocolate sauce for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, combine brownie mix, eggs, water, and oil and prepare according to the instructions on the box.
- Transfer brownie batter to the prepared springform pan and bake for 15 minutes until the brownies are set across the top.
- Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the granulated sugar and beat until combined.
- Add flour, vanilla extract, sour cream, and ¼ cup heavy cream and mix to combine.
- Add in one egg at a time and stir by hand until mixed in.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture over the baked brownie. The brownie crust does not need to be cooled after 15 minutes of baking.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
- Return the springform pan to the oven and bake for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, turn off the oven, keeping the door closed for 20 minutes. Then, crack the door of the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool for an additional 30 minutes.
- Remove cheesecake from the oven and cool to room temperature, and then chill in the refrigerator for 2-3 additional hours.
- Just before serving, whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Top cheesecake with whipped cream and a drizzle of hot fudge sauce.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Store your brownie cheesecake in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze your brownie cheesecake for up to 1 month.
- I like to line my pan with parchment paper so it’s easy to transfer the cheesecake to a serving platter.
- Do not beat in the eggs. Instead, stir them in one at a time, gently. This helps to reduce the amount of air introduced into the cheesecake batter – extra air causes the cheesecake to rise and crack.
- For the creamiest cheesecake, make sure to use full-fat cream cheese and sour cream.
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to keep a close eye on your brownie crust and cheesecake as the suggested baking times approach in this recipe.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 392kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.002g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 706IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg
My cheescake and brownie were sadly overcooked, and I followed the recipe to a T. I was so excited to make this.
Five