Brownie Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Brownie Chocolate Chip Cheesecake is a dynamic duo dessert. You have a thick and creamy vanilla cheesecake that is loaded with mini chocolate chips and a brownie bottom. For a finishing touch, I piped tall swirls of chocolate ganache on top. This chocolate chip cheesecake with brownie bottom is sinfully delicious. Tangy and sweet, and I guarantee you will want just one more slice. Check out the rest of my cheesecake recipes.
What I love about this chocolate chip cheesecake with brownie crust is it has a brownie crust instead of a traditional graham cracker crust. Don't get me wrong, I love a graham cracker crust, but the soft, fudgy brownie just takes this cheesecake to a whole new level. The brownie gives this homemade cheesecake recipe a whole new texture and flavor that you won't get with a graham cracker crust.
Brownie Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
You can serve this up for birthday parties, baby showers, holidays, and more. You will never hear me say there is a wrong time to make cheesecake. After all, it is a favorite dessert of mine.
If you have incredibly picky eaters (like my dad) when it comes to cheesecake but want something a little more decadent than a regular New York Style Cheesecake, this is the cheesecake for you.
It has a thick, creamy vanilla cheesecake with mini semi-sweet chocolate chips folded in and a soft, fudgy brownie bottom. There aren't any crazy flavors and if you aren't sure about the texture that the mini chocolate chips will add, leave them out! It won't hurt the cheesecake at all.
Chocolate Chip Brownie Cheesecake Ingredients
- brownie crust ingredients - these are listed in the recipe card.
- cream cheese - Use full-fat cream cheese that is at room temperature. This typically takes about 30 minutes and will be noticeably softer.
- sugar - for the cheesecake, you'll need a granulated sugar.
- eggs - I always use large eggs for my recipes including in this brownie crust and cheesecake.
- sour cream - This doesn't need to be at room temperature but should always be full-fat unless specified otherwise.
- mini chocolate chips - The mini chocolate chips can be even larger or left out completely. They will firm up in the fridge and I know some people like to stick with everything being creamy in their cheesecake.
- vanilla - vanilla extract, vanilla paste, or the seeds from inside a vanilla bean will work in this recipe.
- heavy cream - This will be mixed into the brownie chocolate chip cheesecake instead of whipped up for homemade whipped cream.
How To Make A Brownie Bottom Cheesecake
Making a brownie bottom for your cheesecake is pretty easy to do. It's all about the brownie right? So you'll need to create a homemade brownie batter OR if you need a shortcut, you can use a boxed brownie mix.
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To create the brownie bottom:
- Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a double boiler.
- Whisk together the melted chocolate/butter, vegetable oil, and both sugars in a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk in the vanilla extract and eggs until it becomes lighter in color.
- Stir in sifted cocoa powder, flour, and salt.
- Pour the brownie batter into a prepared springform pan.
- Bake it in the oven for 30 minutes.
- While the crust is baking, start on your cheesecake topping.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over the warm crust and finish baking the cheesecake as directed below.
Can You Use Milk Chocolate Chips in the Brownies?
Yes, feel free to use milk chocolate chips if you prefer. I find that semi-sweet chips offer a richer flavor but if you want a sweeter brownie base, use milk chocolate. It will taste incredible either way. It is all about your personal preference.
Can You Use Boxed Mix Brownies?
Now if you are wondering can I used a boxed brownie mix instead of homemade, the answer is yes! Feel free to swap with a boxed brownie if you would prefer. I just love the flavor of this brownie mixture with the cheesecake.
More chocolatey cheesecake recipes:
- Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
- Baileys Chocolate Cheesecake
- Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cheesecakes
- Cheesecake Brownies
Brownie Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Ingredients
Brownie
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melted
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cheesecake
- 24 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 10 ounce mini chocolate chips
Ganache
- 1 ½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Brownie
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9.5-inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray. Place a circle piece of parchment paper in the bottom on the springform pan and a strip of parchment paper on the sides of the pan. Wrap the outside of the springform pan in tin foil to prevent the butter from spilling out while it's baking. Set aside.
- Add the butter and chocolate chips in a double boiler and melt until smooth. You can make your own double boiler by placing a heat-proof bowl on top of a saucepan that has 1 inch of simmering water in it. Don't let the water touch the bowl.
- In a large bowl, add in the melted butter and chocolate, vegetable oil, and both sugars. Whisk to combine.
- Add in the vanilla extract and eggs. Whisk for about 1 minute until the batter is lighter in color.
- Sift in the cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Pour the brownie batter into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake until set, about 30 minutes. Prepare cheesecake batter while the brownies are baking.
- Remove the pan from the oven and reduce heat to 325 degrees.
Cheesecake
- Add the cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer on medium until smooth. Scrape down the bowl.
- Add in the sugar and vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Add in the vanilla extract and then the eggs one at a time. Beat in each egg completely before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl after incorporating each egg.
- Add in the heavy cream and sour cream. Beat just until everything is worked into the batter. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Stir the chocolate chips into the cheesecake batter.
- Pour the batter into on top of the brownie crust.
- Place the cheesecake inside a slightly larger pan. Then add the two pans inside an even larger pan and fill the largest pan with about 1 inch of water to create a water bath.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake is set up. To make sure the cheesecake is done, gently give it a wiggle. If it slightly jiggles in JUST the middle like jello, then it's done. If it jiggles all over, it needs to bake longer. Turn off the heat and crack the oven door slightly. Let it cool in the oven for 1 to 2 hours until it reaches room temperature and then place in the fridge to chill overnight.
Ganache
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add chocolate chips and heavy cream. Microwave in 30-second intervals and stir after each one. Repeat until the ganache is smooth and completely melted.
- Let it sit at room temperature until it thickens to a spreadable consistency. You can speed up the process by placing it in the fridge. Keep an eye on it.
- Add the ganache into a piping bag fitted with a 1M tip. Pipe swirls on the top of the cheesecake.
- Store in the fridge.
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
Do you have Sugar free recipes for diabetics?
You will find most are regular recipes on here, but you can always convert ingredients to sugar free options.
I combined this recipe with your coffee cheesecake recipe to make a brownie, coffee, mini-chocolate chip cheesecake and it is SO good. The slight bitterness of the coffee is offset by the sweetness of the brownie and chocolate chip.
I love that idea, so glad you enjoyed it Mimi!