Rich fudge brownies topped with a swirl of creamy vanilla and gingerbread cheesecake & mini gingerbread men!
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gingerbread cheesecake brownies
Obviously, I’m biased, but are these not the prettiest, most adorable brownies ever?! They’re *so* delicious and perfect for the holiday season! They start off with my perfect fudge brownies (because all brownies should be fudgy). Then, they’re topped with a swirl of vanilla and gingerbread cheesecake, because you know I can’t help but marble everything. And then they’re topped off with little gingerbread men. They’re so fun to make, so delicious, and so pretty. The only warning I’ll give is that there are quite a few bowls involved in the process, but it’s totally worth it for the taste in the end.
expert baking tips
Weigh your ingredients: My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale.
Mix the batter carefully: When adding in the flour, only fold the mixture just until no flour streaks remain. Overmixing the dough leads to more gluten formation, which can make the brownies tough and chewy rather than fudgy.
The secret to crackled brownie tops: The secret to getting those perfectly crackled tops in this small batch brownie recipe is all in the eggs, sugar, and chocolate. We’ll beat the eggs vigorously for a few minutes so it gets nice, light, and foamy. This will add air into the batter, which will cause the brownies to rise, then fall while baking – leading to that perfectly crackled top. Of course it’s not as important in these brownies since they get topped with cheesecake but, that’s my secret! Also note that I’ve found that chocolate chips make a more prominent crackled top than chocolate bars.
How to get perfect brownie slices: Brownies and bars can be annoying to cut, especially when they start dragging the batter and it seems like half of the brownies have ended up on your knife! To get perfect brownie cuts, get a clean knife and a tall glass of hot water. Dip the knife in the hot water, then make a slice in the brownies. Continue dipping and slicing to be left with perfectly cut brownie slices!
How to tell when brownies are done baking: Fudge brownies are a little more difficult to tell when they’re done since they are essentially meant to be a little raw. For that reason, I definitely don’t recommend using the standard toothpick test. Instead, you’ll know that your brownies are done when the edges have fully set and the middle of the brownies just BARELY move when the pan is jiggled. The listed time for baking is 20 minutes which is true if your oven is at 350F and are using a standard metal baking dish. I recommend against using glass pans, so please note that if you do use a glass pan, your baking time will increase. I highly recommend using an oven thermometer so you know if your oven is actually the temperature it claims to be!
How to make your chocolate more chocolatey: The secret to getting more flavor out of your cocoa powder? Bloom it! Usually this is done with a hot liquid like espresso, but since we don’t want to add liquid into these brownies, we’ll do it by mixing the cocoa into the hot chocolate/butter mixture.
A note on oven temperature: Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature and might not always actually be at the temperature they claim to be at. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you! I use this one.
ingredients and substitutions
gingerbread vanilla cheesecake swirl:
- Cream cheese: the base of the cheesecake and what makes it tangy, rich, and creamy.
- Eggs: binds the batter together.
- Granulated sugar: for sweetness and helps lock in moisture. You could also use light brown sugar here if you wanted a bit more molasses flavor.
- Heavy whipping cream: for moisture and richness. You can substitute sour cream here but note that the texture will be a little less creamy.
- Vanilla: for flavor.
- All purpose flour: for a little bit of structure.
- Molasses: for that classic gingerbread flavor.
- Gingerbread spices: ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves – for flavor. You could also add in a little nutmeg – just use your favorite gingerbread spices here! 🙂
fudge brownies:
- All purpose flour: lends some structure to the brownies and makes them slightly chewy. A 1:1 gluten-free flour would work well here if needed.
- Salt: helps balance and bring out the sweetness and flavor of the brownies.
- Unsalted butter: makes the brownies tender and gives them that melt-in-your-mouth feel. You can use salted butter in place of the unsalted, or a dairy free butter stick (not oil) just be sure to omit the extra salt from the brownies if you’re using a salted butter.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: where the main flavor of these brownies comes from! I use chocolate chips as I have noticed that they are better for bringing out that crackled top when compared to using a baking bar. Make sure you use good quality chocolate chips here as this part makes up the entire flavor of the brownies!
- Granulated sugar: sweetens the brownies, helps lock in moisture in the batter, and helps contribute to that perfect crackled top.
- Dutch processed cocoa powder: lends a deeper chocolate flavor to the brownies than natural cocoa. You can use natural cocoa, just note that your brownies will be lighter in color and slightly less “chocolatey”
- Eggs: binds the brownie batter together, adds moisture to the brownies, and is the main contributor in getting that perfectly crackled top.
how to make gingerbread brownies
Below is just a little breakdown with pictures on how to make the brownies, the full recipe with instructions are at the bottom of this blog post!
- Optional, but you can make some little gingerbread men to top the brownies with, or even use pre-baked and pre-made ones.
- Start making the cheesecake topping by beating together the cream cheese and sugar.
- Beat in the eggs, heavy cream, flour and vanilla until *just* combined.
- Split the cheesecake batter in half. To one half, gently mix in the molasses and gingerbread spices until just combined. Set the cheesecake mixtues aside.
- Melt the chocolate chips with the butter, then mix in the cocoa powder.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar.
- Gently mix the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs, and stop to take a picture because it’s too pretty not to!
- Fold in the flour, salt, and remaining chocolate chips.
- Reserve 1/4 c. of brownie batter, and pour the rest into an even layer in your prepared pan. Add dollops of the vanilla and cheesecake on top of the brownie batter to form a flat, even layer. Use a spoon to gently spread the cheesecake out over the brownies if needed.
- Dollop the remaining brownie batter on top of the cheesecake and use a knife to gently swirl it around. Bake, serve, and enjoy!
gingerbread brownies recipe q&a
Can I double this brownie recipe?
Of course – simply double all of the ingredients and bake the brownies in a 9×13″ pan, or bake them in two 8″ square pans. Be sure to keep an eye on the brownies if baking in a different sized pan, as the bake times may vary. If you’re looking for a smaller batch of these brownies, you can check out my small batch brownies here!
How to store gingerbread brownies
Because these brownies have cheesecake filling on them, they need to be stored in the fridge. Keep them stored in an airtight container in the fridge, where they’ll keep well for up to 5 days. If you’re not a fan of cold brownies, you can take them out about an hour before eating them to let them warm up to room temp.
tools and ingredients
You can find all my favorite tools and ingredients that I use on my Amazon Storefront page, here!
other recipes you might enjoy:
did you make this recipe?
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Gingerbread Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients
Gingerbread Cookies
- 12 mini gingerbread men*
Cheesecake
- 226 g cream cheese room temperature (1 block)
- 75 g granulated sugar (¼ c. + 2 tbsp.)
- 1 egg room temperature
- 55 g heavy whipping cream room temperature (¼ c.)
- ½ tsp. vanilla
- 1 tbsp. all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. molasses
- ¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ tsp. ground cloves
Brownies
- 113 g unsalted butter (8 tbsp.)
- 180 g semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 c.)
- 24 g dutch processed cocoa powder (¼ c.)
- 200 g granulated sugar (1 c.)
- 2 eggs
- 80 g all purpose flour (⅔ c.)
- ½ tsp. salt
- 90 g semi-sweet chocolate chips (½ c.)
Instructions
Gingerbread Cookies
- If you'd like to top these brownies with the little gingerbread men and make your own cookies, you'll want to do that and bake them off before starting the brownies. See the note at the end of this recipe.
Cheesecake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Butter and line an 8" square pan with parchment paper.
- Add the cream cheese and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Alternatively, you can use a hand mixer). Beat the cream cheese and sugar together for 2 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
- Add in the egg, heavy cream, vanilla, and flour. Beat the mixture on low speed *just until* the batter is cohesive.
- Transfer ½ of the batter to another bowl. Gently mix in the molasses and gingerbread spices until just combined. Set aside.
Brownies
- In a small microwave safe bowl, melt together the butter and 180g of chocolate chips in 30 second intervals, stirring in between each interval until the mixture is smooth.
- Whisk in the cocoa powder.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the eggs and sugar until the mixture is pale & fluffy.
- Add the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, and mix until combined.
- Add in the flour and salt. use a rubber spatula to lightly fold the flour into the ingredients until just a few flour streaks remain. Then, gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Reserve ¼ c. of brownie batter for swirling on top. Pour the remaining brownie batter into your prepared pan.
- Place alternating dollops of the vanilla and gingerbread cheesecake batters on top of the brownies to form a flat, even layer. Use a spoon to gently spread out the cheesecake to cover the brownies if needed.
- Dollop the reserved brownie batter on top of the cheesecake layer, then use a knife to gently swirl it together.
- Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, then open up the oven and place the baked gingerbread cookies over the brownies, very gently pressing them in.
- Continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes, until they are set on the edges and only slightly wobble in the center.
- Allow the brownies to fully come to room temperature, then slice, serve, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that the nutrition facts are only an estimate and may vary based on different brands of ingredients and any substitutions made.