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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.

Baking dish of Baileys cheesecake-marbled brownies missing a slice.

Spiked with Baileys Irish Cream, these brownies with a swirl of tangy cheesecake are out of this world. Think of them as a boozy cross between my go-to brownie recipe and cheesecake bars. They are cakey on the bottom, alternately fudgy and creamy in the center, and crisp on top. I’m very proud of them: it took six tries and a full day in the kitchen to get them right. For a real treat, try them warm out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And be sure to cut them small—they’re rich as sin! 🙂

What you’ll need to make Cheesecake-Marbled Brownies

Brownie ingredients including vanilla, cream cheese, and cocoa.

How to make the Cheesecake Filling

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.

Bowl of unmixed cheesecake filling ingredients.

Beat until the mixture is smooth and set aside.

Electric mixer in a bowl of cheesecake filling.

How to make the Brownies

For the brownie batter, begin by melting the butter in the microwave. Immediately add the chopped chocolate.

Bowl of chocolate and melted butter.

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.

Bowl of melted chocolate.

In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, Baileys and salt.

Eggs, brown sugar, and Baileys in a bowl.

Beat until well combined.

Electric mixer beating egg mixture.

Beat in the butter/chocolate mixture.

Chocolate added to a bowl of egg mixture.

Then mix in the flour and cocoa powder.

Electric mixer beating flour and cocoa into an egg mixture.

Scoop out 1/2 cup of the brownie batter and set aside. Pour the remaining batter into a greased 8-inch square pan.

Baking pan of brownie batter.

Pour the cheesecake batter over top and gently spread to cover evenly.

Cheesecake layer on a layer of brownie batter in a baking pan.

Heat the reserved brownie batter in the microwave until warm and pourable, 15-20 seconds, then dollop it over top of the cheesecake layer.

Dollops of brownie batter on a cheesecake layer in a baking pan.

Use a butter knife to swirl the batters together — don’t overdo it or the colors will get muddled.

Knife swirling batters together in a baking pan.

Bake for 40-45 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.

Baking dish of Baileys cheesecake-marbled brownies.

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!

Baking dish of Baileys cheesecake-marbled brownies missing a slice.

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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.

Servings: 12-16 brownies
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Total Time: 65 Minutes

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

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray.

For the Cheesecake Batter

  1. 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

  1. 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.)
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.)
  5. 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 Edamam

  • 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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Comments

  • Hi! First I LOVE ALL of your recipes!!! Each one I’ve made has been a HUGE success!
    I know you say either Bittersweet or Semisweet chocolate for this recipe – but which do you prefer? I already have the Bittersweet, but if you prefer the Semisweet, I’ll pick up that – I would image they are two very different flavors?

    • — Gretchen on March 8, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Gretchen, thanks for your nice words about the recipes – so glad you like them! Regarding the chocolate, truly, either bittersweet or semisweet are fine – I’ve used both (based on what I’ve had on hand. If you’ve got bittersweet at home, I’d go with that . Hope you enjoy!

      • — Jenn on March 8, 2024
      • Reply
      • Thank you!!!!!! Making this weekend for my St. Patrick’s Day feast! 🙂

        • — Gretchen on March 12, 2024
        • Reply
  • Jenn,
    Do these brownies need to be stored in the refrigerator? Or are they ok at a cool room temperature?
    Thank you!
    Stephanie

    • — Stephanie on February 26, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Stephanie, They are fine to store at room temperature. 😊

      • — Jenn on February 26, 2024
      • Reply
  • As big fans of Bailey`s these are delicious,light and fluffy but still very rich.Easy to follow instructions for this recipe makes it fun,never tried the swirl before and it looked like yours Jenn! Thanks for another great recipe.Keep up the good work.

    • — lowandslow on December 10, 2023
    • Reply
  • Hi,
    I was wondering if one could use the cream cheese that is available in a tub as I have not found the brick one where I live.
    Thanks in advance for your reply.
    Warm rgds

    • — D on September 24, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi D, I think you can probably get away with it. Please LMK how they turn out if you try it!

      • — Jenn on September 25, 2023
      • Reply
      • Hi Jenny,
        They turned out well with the Cream cheese that is in the Tub. It tasted absolutely..STUNNING.
        What a delicious recipe,have baked it twice now.
        However I do not get that layer,it looks like the cream cheese is too less because i’m not stirring it much. What do you think?
        Taste wise—fabulous.
        Thank you
        Regards,
        D

        • — D on November 3, 2023
        • Reply
        • Hi D, I suspect the reason that you didn’t get that distinct layer is because of the tub cream cheese; it probably doesn’t hold up quite as well if used in that way. Glad they tasted good though!

          • — Jenn on November 3, 2023
          • Reply
  • Hi, I have to say these brownies are amazing! I have made them in a square 8 inch pan, but I would like to make more for our party this weekend. If I doubled the ingredients can I make them in a 38 x 26 x 3 cm pan without changing anything else?

    • — Emma on April 27, 2023
    • Reply
    • Glad you like them! You can double them and use that size pan but the brownies will be thinner and take less time in the oven so keep a close eye on them. If you have a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, that would be perfect.

      • — Jenn on April 27, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi, I was wondering, would it be okay to use just white sugar instead of light brown? Or would it change the texture or taste too much?

    • — Emma on April 1, 2023
    • Reply
    • Hi Emma, you can get away with that here. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on April 3, 2023
      • Reply
  • Hi Jenn
    I made this for my sons Christmas lunch office party, and they were a “big hit” as others have said.
    Not a brownie crumb left in the container.
    Actually, they were fairly simple to make. I ended up making a second batch for my freezer.
    Great, great!!!

    • — Carol on December 13, 2022
    • Reply
  • These brownies look and sound amazing. I am going to be making them for a group of bear hunters and was wondering if you could swirl in a can of cherry pie filling before baking?

    • — Dee on October 4, 2022
    • Reply
    • Hi Dee, I wouldn’t recommend it — I’m concerned it would throw the wet to dry ratio off — sorry!

      • — Jenn on October 5, 2022
      • Reply
  • I made these recently for a fundraiser luncheon and they were **chef’s kiss**. I read some of the reviews and some found it difficult to get them out the pan, but I used a Pyrex like in the photo plus some Baker’s Joy and they released with barely a crumb left behind. These were decadently rich and fudgey. I love Bailey’s so that extra flavor was delicious as well. I’m not a huge sweets person, but I’d make these again!

    • — Kristen on September 27, 2022
    • Reply
  • Hi dear,
    What is irish cream? And what is the substitution of it, if it is not here in my country.
    Thanks a lot.

    • Hi Mojgan, Instead of the Baileys, you’d need to use another cream liqueur, like Kahlúa. If you don’t have access to that, you could just omit the alcohol. The recipe will still work but you’ll need to make a few minor tweaks to maintain the batter’s consistency– omit the flour from the cheesecake batter and increase the butter in the brownie batter to 1 stick (8 tablespoons). Hope you enjoy them!

    • Instead of the Baileys, you’d need to use another cream liqueur, like Kahlúa. If you don’t have access to that, you could just omit the alcohol. The recipe will still work but you’ll need to make a few minor tweaks to maintain the batter’s consistency– omit the flour from the cheesecake batter and increase the butter in the brownie batter to 1 stick (8 tablespoons). Hope you enjoy them!

  • do you think i could replace the Baileys with Disaronno (amaretto), rum or triple sec??

    • Hi Lola, Any of those would work here but keep in mind that they will provide a stronger flavor than the baileys. Please LMK how they turn out!

  • These sound wonderful! Do you think I could sub eggnog for the baileys? I have a lot of very strong eggnog left from Christmas!

    • Sure, that should work. Enjoy!

  • I made these and they were quite tasty, but I found them very difficult to get out of the pan. Is it just me? Also, do they need to be refrigerated or can they sit out for a few days without poisoning anyone? I do find that your recipes are consistently wonderful! Thanks for sharing with all of us and making us better cooks and bakers!

    • — Barbara Patterson
    • Reply
    • Hi Barbara, glad you enjoyed these but sorry to hear you had a problem getting them out of the pan. Did you let them cool completely before removing them? Was the pan thoroughly greased? And they do not need to be refrigerated. They will keep nicely for a day or two stored in an airtight container on the counter. To keep them a bit longer, feel free to refrigerate.

  • Hi! If I don’t have baileys is it possible to substitute for another kind of alcohol, say whisky? Thanks!

    • Hi Sarah, You’d need to use another cream liqueur, like Kahlúa (or cut the whiskey with some heavy cream). Enjoy!

  • Hi what size pan do I need for this?

    • Hi Chaya, You need an 8-inch square baking pan for these. Hope that helps!

      • Made these brownies today, they were delicious! I omitted the baileys and used your suggested adjustments to the recipe (in the comments). Turned out great!

  • I saw this recipe and I could not pass it up. These brownies are amazing!!! They are moist, chocolatey and delicious. It takes some time and a few bowls, but worth every minute!

  • Do you need to make any adjustments if you do not add Baileys?
    Love your recipes.

    • Hi Barb, Glad you like the recipes! You can omit the Baileys, but you’ll need to make a few 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). Hope you enjoy!

  • A fun twist on the traditional brownie. Made for girlfriend get together. Was a hit!!

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