Baileys Cheesecake-Marbled Brownies
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
Spiked with Baileys Irish Cream, these chocolate brownies with a swirl of tangy cheesecake are out of this world.
Spiked with Baileys Irish Cream, these brownies with a swirl of tangy cheesecake are truly out of this world. Think of them as a boozy cross between my go-to brownie recipe and cheesecake bars. They’re cakey on the bottom, fudgy and creamy in the center, and crisp on top. I’m especially proud of them—it took six tries and a full day in the kitchen to get them just right. For a real treat, enjoy them warm out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And be sure to cut them small; they’re incredibly rich!
“As big fans of Baileys, these are delicious, light and fluffy but still very rich.”
What You’ll Need To Make Cheesecake-Marbled Brownies
- Cream Cheese: Provides a rich and creamy base for the cheesecake layer.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness to the cheesecake mixture to balance the tanginess of the cream cheese. Additionally, it sweetens the brownies and helps create a shiny top.
- Egg Yolk: Adds richness and helps to set the cheesecake batter.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of both the cheesecake and brownies with its aromatic richness.
- Baileys Irish Cream: Infuses both the cheesecake and the brownie layers with a distinct creamy liqueur flavor.
- All Purpose Flour: Helps thicken the cheesecake batter for better texture and provides structure to the brownie batter.
- Butter: Adds moisture and richness to the brownies.
- Bittersweet or Semisweet Chocolate: Provides the primary chocolate flavor and fudginess for the brownies. (Bittersweet and semisweet chocolate differ primarily in their cocoa content, with bittersweet being slightly less sweet and more intense; they are typically interchangeable in recipes.)
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to the brownies’ structure.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds moisture and a hint of caramel flavor. When measuring brown sugar, always pack it tightly to eliminate air pockets.
- Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Intensifies the chocolate flavor and adds depth to the brownies.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Cheesecake Mixture
Begin by combining all of the ingredients for the cheesecake filling. You’ll need warm cream cheese, an egg yolk, sugar, vanilla, Baileys and flour.
Beat until the mixture is smooth and set aside.
Step 2: Make the Brownies
For the brownie batter, begin by melting the butter in the microwave. Immediately add the chopped chocolate.
Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. If any bits of chocolate remain, you can pop the bowl back in the microwave for 20 seconds. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, Baileys and salt.
Beat until well combined.
Beat in the butter/chocolate mixture.
Then mix in the flour and cocoa powder.
Scoop out 1/2 cup of the brownie batter and set aside.
Pour the remaining batter into a greased 8-inch square pan.
Pour the cheesecake batter over top and gently spread to cover evenly. Then heat the reserved brownie batter in the microwave until warm and pourable, 15 to 20 seconds, then dollop it over top of the cheesecake layer.
Use a butter knife to swirl the batters together—don’t overdo it or the colors will get muddled.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until puffed and set, and the edges are starting to brown. Don’t undercook them or they’ll be too wet in the center.
Let cool on a wire rack, then cut into squares. Note that the brownies will seem very fudgy when you cut them, but they will firm up as they sit out. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can replace the Baileys with an equal amount of heavy cream. Another alternative is to omit it. If you do, you’ll need to make a few minor tweaks to maintain the consistency – omit the flour from the cheesecake batter and increase the butter in the brownie batter to 1 stick (8 tablespoons).
Sure – the brownies can be frozen for up to 3 months. After they are completely cooled, double-wrap them securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
When swirling them together, it’s important not to over-marble the batters, or the flavors can become muddled. A few swirls around the pan with a knife is usually enough.
You May Also Like
Baileys Cheesecake-Marbled Brownies
Spiked with Baileys Irish Cream, these chocolate brownies with a swirl of tangy cheesecake are out of this world.
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake Batter
- 8 ounces cream cheese, preferably Philadelphia brand
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
For the Brownie Batter
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup Baileys Irish Cream
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife
- 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
For the Cheesecake Batter
- In a small bowl, microwave the cream cheese until soft, 20 to 30 seconds. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese with the sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, Baileys and flour until smooth. Set aside.
For the Brownie Batter
- In a medium bowl, melt the butter in the microwave, about 1 minute. Immediately add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth. (If bits of chocolate remain, place the mixture back in the microwave for 20 seconds.)
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, Baileys and salt on medium speed until smooth. Add the chocolate/butter mixture and beat until well incorporated. Add the flour and cocoa powder and mix on low until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Transfer ½ cup of the brownie batter to a small microwave-safe bowl (it's fine to use the same bowl you melted the butter and chocolate in). Spread the remaining brownie batter in the prepared pan. Spread the cheesecake batter evenly over the brownie batter. Microwave the reserved ½ cup of brownie batter until warm and pourable, 15-20 seconds. Using a spoon, dollop the warm batter over the cheesecake layer, about 8 dollops (for the prettiest marble effect, leave as much space as possible between the dollops). Using a knife, swirl the brownie batter through cheesecake batter, making a marbled pattern. Don't overdo the marbling or the batters will get muddled.
- Bake until puffed, set in the center and just starting to brown around the edges, 40-45 minutes. (Don't undercook, or the brownies will be too wet in the center.) Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cut the brownies into 12 or 16 squares, wiping the knife clean between slices. The brownies will seem very moist and fudgy at first, but will firm up once cut and left out for a bit. (The brownies may also be served warm with vanilla ice cream; just let them cool at least 30 minutes after baking.)
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The brownies can be frozen for up to 3 months. After they are completely cooled, double-wrap them securely with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (16 servings)
- Calories: 240
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Sugar: 23g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Cholesterol: 63mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Hi Jenn
I am a seasoned cook and baker of many years. Your recipes are the best hands down. I just bought your cookbook and love it. I plan on giving it as gifts for birthdays etc and Christmas.
I would like to make this recipe in a 9 inch spring form pan for presentation purposes. How do you suggest I go about this? Many thanks
Rosemary
Thank you, Rosemary – so happy you’re enjoying the recipes! What a fun idea to make this as a cake. I’d multiply the recipe by 1.5. You’ll likely need to increase the baking time a bit but it’s hard to say by how much; you’ll just have to keep an eye on it. Hope that helps and please let me know how it turns out.
you say this recipe can be baked in a 9 in. springform pan but multiply by 1.5.
do you have a simple formula to achieve the proper amounts. Sorry, I am mathematically challenged. I love love every recipe I have tried and love your book. I am so looking forward to making this brownie cheesecake
Here you go, Angie. Hope it helps!
FOR THE CHEESECAKE BATTER
12 ounces cream cheese, preferably Philadelphia brand
1/2 cup sugar
1.5 large egg yolks
1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
FOR THE BROWNIE BATTER
7.5 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife
3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
These were delicious. Took me quite a while to organize and put together but they were well worth the effort. (Read the instructions carefully; you save 1/2 CUP brownie batter to dollop on top – not 1/2 the batter.) They have a lovely texture; cakey and slightly fudgy. I let them cool completely on a rack then put them in the fridge until dinner. They were easy to cut and then I let them come to room temp to serve. Some guests topped them with vanilla ice cream; some preferred them on their own. The 6 of us could just barely detect the taste of Bailey’s – I might add more next time. Highly recommend.
It’s a sin indeed!! I love how your recipes always turn out so well. Your cookbook is beginning to look so battered because I always bring to the kitchen. You are my hero dear… Question: If I want thicker cheese layer, can I double the cheese batter? Love to hear your suggestion.
Hi Erlina, so glad you enjoy the recipes!! And I do think you could double the cheesecake layer but I’d use a 9-inch baking dish instead of 8-inch. They may take a smidge longer in the oven (but not definitely so keep an eye on them). Hope you enjoy!
If I doubled this recipe, could I use a 13x9x2 pan without changing the cooking time and temp?
would the consistency be the same?
Yes, Kai, that should work with no adjustments (and the consistency will remain the same). Hope you enjoy!
I’m planning on making these brownies. They sound delicious. I’m baking for a crowd. Can the recipe be doubled?
Hi Gail, Yes, you can double this recipe successfully. Hope everyone enjoys!
They were a hit!
Hello. I am really eager to make these. Just wanted to know if I can use semi sweet chocolate chips in this recipe. Thanks!
Hi Chidi, just wanted to clarify — are you saying you’d like to add chips to the brownies, or use them in place of the chopped chocolate? Thanks!
Hey Jenn. Thanks for your response. I meant that I wanted to use the chips in place of the baking chocolate, as I did not have any in the house at the time:) I do have some now, and will be making the recipe later today.
Problem solved – hope you enjoy the brownies!
Hey Jenn. I made these on Friday and they are fantastic. The only thing I would do differently for myself next time is to reserve only about 5-6 dollops of the brownie batter for the top layer as I found that I had too much on top to get a good swirl pattern. Thanks for a wonderful recipe!!
Everyone loved these! A friend tried to hide them so he wouldn’t have to share. 🙂
I am planning to make them again, but I also would like to tweak the recipe to accommodate some gluten free friends. If I swap the all purpose flour for a gluten free all purpose flour, do any other adjustments need to be made to quantities or baking time/temperature? Thank you!
Glad everyone liked them! I’ve never made a gluten-free version of these, but I think you could use an all-purpose gluten-free flour like this one without any adjustments.
If I wanted a more boozy version of this, would I have to make any other changes to the recipe in addition to ofcourse increasing the Baileys?
Loved this recipe as it is, but have been requested to make a boozier version by a friend!!
Thanks in advance!!
Vanita
Hi Vanita, You could add a bit more booziness to both the cheesecake and the brownie batter by replacing the vanilla extract in both with Baileys. You could also add another tablespoon or two to the brownie batter, but I wouldn’t add more than that as then you’d need to change the amount of the other ingredients. Hope that helps!
You could make a nice rum glaze icing for this:
1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter (melted)
1 cup of light-brown sugar
1/3 cup of dark rum (Meyers’ Original is great)
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 cup of buttermilk (not lemon soured whole milk, but the real thing)
Mix it up and glaze the pan of brownies. Refrigerate for an hour to let it set-up.
Sorry forgot to add the powdered sugar to the above (about 1-1/2 cups)…
I will be making these tonight for a birthday party tomorrow. With all the great reviews, I know these will be scrumptious! Thanks!
Can you freeze the Baileys Cheesecake Brownies? I want to make them this week and serve them for New Years
Yes Diane, they freeze very well.