Baileys Cheesecake-Marbled Brownies
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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.
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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
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- 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.
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I now see someone else asked about rum and you suggested Kahlua as a replacement. Can I assume the same measurements as for Baileys?
Yep 🙂
Hi Jenn:
Is it too decadent to frost them?
I think it would be, Mary — sorry!
Hi Jenn, I was pleased with the recipe but struggled with cutting them so they looked nice….the top brownie was cracking when I put the knife in. Cleaned the knife after each cut even tried heating the knife nothing seemed to work. Any suggestions?
Martha
Hi Martha, Sometimes when you stir brownies, you create air bubbles that expand in the oven. When you take the brownies out of the oven, the air bubbles shrink and this can cause the top to crack a bit. You can try to minimize that by stirring the batter until just combined. To neatly slice brownies, it’s best to let them cool completely first and use a straight fluid motion (instead of “sawing). Last (and I don’t recall where I learned this trick), but use a plastic (disposable) knife. It really helps!
Dear Jenn,
Thank you for the wonderful recipe.I tried it and it was yummy ….as always:)
I was just wondering if we could make these as cupcakes as my son wished to eat cupcakes
Another question can we use chocolate chips instead of cooking chocolate in the brownie batter?
Thank you in advance for your reply.
Warm regards,
DV.
Hi DV, Yes and yes 🙂 Keep in mind the cook time will be less if you bake the batter in a muffin pan. I’d start checking around 20 min.
5 stars! I love these brownies. It’s one of my go to desserts for company; quick to make and always delicious. I love Baileys so the flavor is perfect for me. The recipe has a bunch of steps but it’s really quick and easy to throw together. I only make these for company or to take to a gathering – otherwise I’d eat them all!
I just came across these and they look fabulous. Bailey’s doesn’t agree with me so I was thinking about a substitute. Obviously a different flavor, but what about Grand Marnier with a straight swap in the cheesecake and maybe 1 TBL + 3 Tbl half & half in the brownies? I’m thinking an even exchange in the brownies might make the flavor overwhelming. Other suggestions?
Hi Robby, I think that what you’ve suggested (with the ratios you’ve suggested) will work well. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Bailey’s flavored desserts are one of my most favorite…and this was really great, as most of your recipes. And, once again, you do not disappoint. Happy Holiday.
Just made these recently for a potluck, overall really good reviews! I wanted to re-ask that question that got unanswered: Is it possible to substitute the baking chocolate/chocolate chips for cocoa powder, or would it lose a bit of its taste?
Hi Jon, I don’t recommend it – you need both for the best flavor and texture. Sorry!
Hi Jenn,
These turned out amazing! My only problem is that when I microwaved the brownie batter it startrd to cook so instead of warm dollops it was a mixture of batter and small brownie pieces. In the end I think it worked out as they added crunchy bits of brownie batter to the top :).
Another minor thing is that when spreading cheesecake mixtute it seemed to push the brownie batter to the sides so the sides were mostly brownie. Do you hav any tips on how to make spreading easier?
Thanks again for another delicious recipe
Hi Francisco, Glad you enjoyed the brownies! For the first issue, try microwaving at half power next time. For he second issue, try following the cheesecake batter around the edges of the pan and spreading inwards. Hope that helps!
Thanks Jen! I’ll be making them again this weekend for a bake sale and will try that :).
I made these brownies yesterday and everyone in my house liked them!
Some comments:
1. I mixed the batters by hand in the same bowls I microwaved them in. This way I didn’t have to deal with washing 2 extra bowls+the mixer.
2. I didn’t have 2 large eggs, so I subbed with 3 small ones, and the brownies were more cakey than fudgy. I think next time I’ll stick with 2 eggs, even if they are small.
3. I followed the advice of another reader to omit the Bailey’s from the cream cheese. I only had a 50 mL bottle so that worked for me.
4. I started at 10, mixed everything by 10:20, and had them cooled and ready to eat by 11:30.
5. Cost is about $9 to make ($3 cream cheese, $3 Ghirardelli bar, $2 butter/sugar/flour, $1 Irish Cream mini bottle,)
6. For users concerned about alcohol, a 1/4 cup of Bailey’s is 60 mL. With 12 cut pieces, each square would have 5 mL of Bailey’s, of which only 17% is alcohol (i.e. 0.85 mL). Breads and fruits have a similar amount of alcohol.
7. Try this recipe! The marbled design makes people excited to try it and it actually tastes as good as it looks!