Sweet Potato Cheesecake Brownies
A from-scratch fudgy brownie base swirled with a spiced sweet potato cheesecake layer and mini chocolate chips. One 9x13 pan, sixteen squares, no box mix.
Servings 16 brownies
Ingredients
For the Brownie Layer
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Sweet Potato Cheesecake Swirl
- 8 oz full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- ¾ cup mashed sweet potato cooled
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
Prep and Make the Brownie Batter
- Heat the oven to 350F. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an inch of overhang on the long sides.
- Whisk the melted butter and granulated sugar together for a full minute, until the mixture looks glossy rather than grainy.
- Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.
- Sift in the cocoa powder, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Fold just until no dry streaks remain.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan, reserving about ½ cup in the bowl for the swirl.
Make the Cheesecake Layer
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl, until completely smooth.
- Beat in the cooled mashed sweet potato, egg, and vanilla on low speed just until combined.
- Fold in the mini chocolate chips by hand.
Swirl and Bake
- Dollop the cheesecake mixture over the brownie base in spaced-out spoonfuls, then drop the reserved brownie batter into the gaps between them.
- Drag a butter knife through the top half of the pan in long lines one direction, turn the pan a quarter turn, and drag through once more. Two passes only.
- Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the cheesecake portions look set and a toothpick in a brownie section comes out with moist crumbs.
- Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then chill at least 2 hours. Lift out by the parchment and cut into 16 squares.
Notes
- Cool the puree: warm sweet potato thins the cheesecake mixture and the swirl sinks into the brownie batter.
- Use minis: full-size chocolate chips are heavy enough to sink through the swirl.
- Box-mix shortcut: one prepared 18-ounce boxed brownie mix can replace the scratch base, but the leavening makes it cakier.
- Full-fat cream cheese: reduced-fat carries more water and bakes up loose and slightly grainy.
- Storage: airtight in the fridge up to 5 days, or wrapped individually in the freezer up to 2 months.