These Brownie Bottom Cheesecake Bars combine a fudgy brownie base, silky cheesecake layer, and glossy chocolate ganache on top. Perfect for dessert lovers and easy to make at home!
When it comes to cream cheese desserts, cheesecakes are always in my top three favorites.
Since everyone in my family loves brownies, I thought, why not combine the two? That’s how I came up with these Brownie Bottom Cheesecake bars—a dessert that’s sure to please anyone.
After my husband tried it, he said he couldn’t stop eating it!
After my husband took the first bite, he couldn’t stop—he kept saying it was “so good” and went back for more!
The best part? The process is incredibly simple and similar to my Matcha Brownie Recipe. There’s no oven needed, no complicated steps—just layers of fudgy brownie, smooth cream cheese filling, and a perfectly indulgent dessert that everyone will love.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Three Layers of Indulgence: From the fudgy brownie bottom to the creamy cheesecake middle and the glossy chocolate glaze on top, every bite delivers a different chocolate experience.
- Perfectly Balanced Bittersweet Flavor: The slight bitterness of dark chocolate pairs beautifully with the creamy, slightly tangy cheesecake, creating a dessert that’s rich without being overly sweet.
- Surprisingly Simple Process: Despite its impressive layered appearance, this recipe follows a straightforward flow—bake the brownie, prepare the cheesecake layer, add the glaze, and chill. It’s easier than you might think.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the Chocolate Brownie Layer
- Dark chocolate – I recommend using dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content. Higher-quality chocolate melts more smoothly and yields a richer final texture.
- Unsalted butter – Unsalted butter adds richness and moisture to the brownie. Using unsalted allows you to control the overall flavor. Melt it together with the chocolate for a smooth, cohesive base.
- Room-temperature eggs – Eggs at room temperature emulsify much more easily with the other ingredients, helping to create a tender, slightly airy brownie structure. Cold eggs can cause the chocolate mixture to seize.
- Granulated sugar – A moderate amount of sugar balances the bitterness of the dark chocolate. You can reduce it by 5–10g if you prefer a more bittersweet brownie.
- Cake flour – The low protein content of cake flour is essential for achieving a tender, delicate crumb. I don’t recommend substituting with all-purpose or bread flour, as they will make the brownie tough.
- Cocoa powder – Pure unsweetened cocoa powder deepens the chocolate flavor and adds richness to the brownie, enhancing both color and taste.
- Baking powder – Just a small amount gives the brownie a gentle lift, preventing it from becoming too dense. I wouldn’t skip this ingredient.
For the Cheesecake Layer
- Cream cheese – This is the heart of the cheesecake layer. It needs to be softened to room temperature until it’s easily pressed with a finger. This ensures a smooth, lump-free texture that’s essential for a silky cheesecake.
- Granulated sugar – A small amount of sugar balances the slight acidity of the cream cheese without overpowering the chocolate flavors from the other layers.
- Heavy cream – I recommend using animal-based heavy cream at room temperature. It adds richness and helps create that silky, creamy cheesecake texture.
- Warm milk – Whole milk is ideal here. The warmth helps dissolve the gelatin without being too hot, which could affect the cream cheese. It also adds a subtle richness.
- Gelatin sheets – These are crucial for setting the cheesecake layer. Be sure to soak them in cold water until softened, then squeeze out the excess water before using. Avoid soaking in hot water, which will cause the gelatin to dissolve prematurely.
For the Chocolate Glaze
- Dark chocolate – Pure dark chocolate works best here, creating a glossy, rich glaze with a deep chocolate flavor that complements the layers beneath.
- Heavy cream – When heated and combined with chocolate, it creates a smooth, pourable glaze that sets beautifully on top of the cheesecake layer.
Ingredients for Recipe Format
Chocolate Brownie Layer
- 120 g dark chocolate
- 70 g unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 70 g cake flour
- 10 g cocoa powder
- 3 g baking powder
Cheesecake Layer
- 80 g cream cheese, room temperature
- 10 g granulated sugar
- 70 g heavy cream
- 40 g warm milk
- 5 g gelatin sheets
Chocolate Glaze
- 60 g dark chocolate
- 70 g heavy cream
How to Make Brownie Bottom Cheesecake Bars
For the chocolate brownie layer
Preheat your oven to 175°C. Line a 5-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring the bottom and sides are fully covered for easy removal later.
Place 120 g dark chocolate and 70 g unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Stir until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and let cool until just warm to the touch.
In a large bowl, combine 3 room-temperature eggs and 50 g granulated sugar. Whisk with a hand whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes pale and uniform.
Pour the cooled chocolate-butter mixture into the egg mixture and whisk until fully combined and smooth.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together 70 g cake flour, 10 g cocoa powder, and 3 g baking powder. Sift the dry ingredients directly into the chocolate-egg mixture. Use a spatula to fold gently until no dry flour remains and the batter is smooth. Be careful not to overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly. Bake at 175°C for 25 minutes. The brownie is ready when the surface is slightly cracked and it springs back when lightly pressed. Remove from the oven and let the brownie cool completely to room temperature.
For the cheesecake layer
Place 80 g room-temperature cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Add 10 g granulated sugar and use a silicone spatula to stir until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and completely free of lumps.
Add 70 g room-temperature heavy cream to the cream cheese mixture. Use a hand whisk to whip until it reaches a thick, yogurt-like consistency.
Soak 5 g gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water for 5–10 minutes until softened. Remove the gelatin sheets from the cold water and squeeze out any excess liquid. Add the softened gelatin to 40 g warm milk and stir until completely dissolved.
Slowly pour the warm milk-gelatin mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Fold gently with a spatula until the cheesecake mixture is smooth and uniform.
Pour the cheesecake mixture over the completely cooled brownie layer. Use a spatula to spread it evenly to the edges. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes to allow the cheesecake layer to set quickly.
For the chocolate glaze
Place 60 g dark chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan, heat 70 g heavy cream until it reaches about 70°C—you’ll see small bubbles forming around the edges, but do not bring it to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the dark chocolate and stir gently until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Let the chocolate glaze cool until just warm to the touch.
To assemble and chill
Remove the pan from the freezer. Slowly pour the cooled chocolate glaze over the set cheesecake layer. Gently tap the pan on the counter to help the glaze spread evenly across the surface.
Place the cake in the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours, allowing the glaze and cheesecake layer to fully set and meld together.
To serve
Once fully chilled, remove the cake from the pan by lifting the parchment paper. Peel away the paper and slice into bars or squares. Serve immediately.
Easy Brownie Cheesecake Bars You'll Fall in Love With
Ingredients
Chocolate Brownie Layer
- 120 g dark chocolate
- 70 g unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 70 g cake flour
- 10 g cocoa powder
- 3 g baking powder
Cheesecake Layer
- 80 g cream cheese room temperature
- 10 g granulated sugar
- 70 g heavy cream
- 40 g warm milk
- 5 g gelatin sheets
Chocolate Glaze
- 60 g dark chocolate
- 70 g heavy cream
Instructions
For the chocolate brownie layer
- Preheat your oven to 175°C. Line a 5-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring the bottom and sides are fully covered for easy removal later.
- Place 120 g dark chocolate and 70 g unsalted butter in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Stir until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Remove from heat and let cool until just warm to the touch.
- In a large bowl, combine 3 room-temperature eggs and 50 g granulated sugar. Whisk with a hand whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes pale and uniform.
- Pour the cooled chocolate-butter mixture into the egg mixture and whisk until fully combined and smooth.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together 70 g cake flour, 10 g cocoa powder, and 3 g baking powder. Sift the dry ingredients directly into the chocolate-egg mixture. Use a spatula to fold gently until no dry flour remains and the batter is smooth. Be careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly. Bake at 175°C for 25 minutes. The brownie is ready when the surface is slightly cracked and it springs back when lightly pressed. Remove from the oven and let the brownie cool completely to room temperature.
For the cheesecake layer
- Place 80 g room-temperature cream cheese in a mixing bowl. Add 10 g granulated sugar and use a silicone spatula to stir until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and completely free of lumps.
- Add 70 g room-temperature heavy cream to the cream cheese mixture. Use a hand whisk to whip until it reaches a thick, yogurt-like consistency.
- Soak 5 g gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water for 5–10 minutes until softened. Remove the gelatin sheets from the cold water and squeeze out any excess liquid. Add the softened gelatin to 40 g warm milk and stir until completely dissolved.
- Slowly pour the warm milk-gelatin mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Fold gently with a spatula until the cheesecake mixture is smooth and uniform.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture over the completely cooled brownie layer. Use a spatula to spread it evenly to the edges. Place the pan in the freezer for 30 minutes to allow the cheesecake layer to set quickly.
For the chocolate glaze
- Place 60 g dark chocolate in a bowl. In a small saucepan, heat 70 g heavy cream until it reaches about 70°C—you'll see small bubbles forming around the edges, but do not bring it to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the dark chocolate and stir gently until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Let the chocolate glaze cool until just warm to the touch.
To assemble and chill
- Remove the pan from the freezer. Slowly pour the cooled chocolate glaze over the set cheesecake layer. Gently tap the pan on the counter to help the glaze spread evenly across the surface.
- Place the cake in the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours, allowing the glaze and cheesecake layer to fully set and meld together.
To serve
- Once fully chilled, remove the cake from the pan by lifting the parchment paper. Peel away the paper and slice into bars or squares. Serve immediately.
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