If you haven’t made cheesecake brownies before, this is the perfect time. These red velvet cheesecake brownies are chewy, chocolatey, and swirled with a layer of creamy cheesecake. On top of all that, it comes together easily by hand and it’s the perfect Valentine’s Day treat!

I love all brownies, but cheesecake brownies definitely top the list for me. I love a brownie that has a good chewiness to it along with a deep, dark chocolate flavor. Let’s get to it!

How to Make Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

This recipe comes together with a handful of simple ingredients and it’s a variation on my classic cheesecake brownie recipe, but we’re using red food coloring of course, plus a little white vinegar for that extra brightness we all expect from red velvet.

Ingredients for Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

To start off, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, and oil in a large bowl until well combined. It will be a bit lumpy at this point which is totally fine. Then add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and red food coloring all at once and give everything a good whisk to combine it until it looks smooth.

sugar, oil, butter, and brown sugar in a bowl for Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Adding in the eggs, vanilla extract, red food coloring, and white vinegar for Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Add in the dry ingredients next- flour, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, salt, and a little bit of baking powder. I always use Dutch-processed cocoa powder because it brings a much deeper chocolate flavor to the mix, and it’s especially important at high-altitude where flavors can come out a little weaker sometimes.

Adding in the dry ingredients for Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Cheesecake filling ingredients in a bowl for Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Give the batter a good whisk- you want a chewy texture here so you need to whisk the batter for about 5 full minutes at this stage. Then whisk up the ingredients for the cheesecake topping.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies before baking

Pour almost all of the brownie batter into your prepared pan, reserving about a half cup- there’s no need to measure this, just leave a little bit in your bowl. Then pour the cheesecake topping over the top of the brownie batter in the pan, and finally drizzle the remaining brownie batter over the top. Use a toothpick or a knife to gently swirl the brownies together before baking.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies after baking

slice of a Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownie

The brownies are ready when they are set and the top is lightly golden brown all over. Let the brownies cool completely before slicing and serving- enjoy!

Tips & Tricks for Perfect Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Here are my tips to help you along the way to perfect brownies:

Do I have to mix the batter by hand? No, you can absolutely swap in an electric mixer if you prefer, and since there’s a good amount of mixing this batter it can be easier. I prefer mixing by hand here though because it’s pretty simple.
Can I skip the food coloring or use a natural option? Yes, you can omit it all together without any other changes to the recipe. I typically find that natural food coloring can’t compete with the dark color of a brownie batter, so you may not really see any color with something like that, but feel free to give it a shot!
Do I have to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder? Yes, this recipe was developed with dutch-processed cocoa powder and it makes a big difference in flavor. I do not recommend using natural cocoa powder here.
Don’t skip the long mixing step- this helps create the perfect chewy texture in these brownies. It’s a lot of whisking if you’re going by hand, but it makes a big difference!
What sized pans can I use? I recommend using a quarter sheet pan like I did, but you can also make these in a 9×13 inch pan, or even in a square pan. If you’re using a square pan, you’ll end up with thicker brownies and it may take 5-10 minutes longer to bake.
My cheesecake filling has lumps, what can I do? This happens when the cream cheese isn’t completely at room temp. You can let the filling sit for an additional 20-30 minutes at room temp and whisk vigorously to remove the lumps, but don’t go too far with this. It’s ok if it’s not completely perfect. The best way to avoid this is to start with room-temp cream cheese first.
How do I know when the brownies are finished baking? The brownies should be puffed up and dry on top, and lightly golden brown all over. They should look set when you jiggle the pan.
I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft. above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.

Enjoy!