Go Back
–+ servings

Want to save this recipe?

We'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus get great new recipes from us every week!

Five chewy chocolate brownies with vanilla or chocolate cream cheese frosting on a beige plate.

The Best Chocolate Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Marissa
Café-style chewyy chocolate brownies topped with creamy cream cheese frosting in vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, lemon or lingonberry flavors.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American, European
Servings 16 squares
Calories 333 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Skillet or 9 x 9 pan (see recipe notes for 9 x 12 inch pan instructions)
  • 1 Hand mixer or similar To whip up cream cheese frosting
  • 1 Rubber Spatula
  • 1 Measuring spoons and cups

Ingredients
  

For Baking the Brownies in a 8x8 or 9x9 pan or smaller skillet. See notes for 9x13 pan ingredient quantitites

  • 3/4 cups unsalted butter (170 grams)
  • 1½ tsp neutral oil vegetable or light olive
  • 6 oz dark chocolate (170 grams) Cadbury, Lindt, or baking chocolate
  • 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (25 grams) sifted
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar (130 grams) lightly packed
  • 2 1/2 tbsp white sugar (30 gramns)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ tsp espresso powder optional
  • 85 g all-purpose flour
  • ⅜ tsp fine sea salt
  • 60 g chocolate chips or chunks optional
  • Flaky sea salt for topping

For the Frosting

Vanilla:

  • 8 oz cream cheese (225 grams) room temperature
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (55 grams) room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar 120 grams

Chocolate: Use vanilla base recipe and add:

  • 25 g unsweetened cocoa powder (25 grams) sifted
  • 1 tbsp milk Only if needed, to smooth out the consistency.

Strawberry: Use vanilla base recipe and add:

  • 3 tbsp Strawberry puree or jam You may need to use less sugar in the base vanilla recipe if your jam is very sweet.

Lemon: Use vanilla base recipe and add:

  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Lemon zest finely grated

Lingonberry: use vanilla base recipe and add:

  • 3 tbsp Lingonberry jam Ikea sells this jam.

Instructions
 

How to make the fudgy chocolate brownies base:

  • Line your pan (if using) and gather your ingredients. You can either bake directly in your cast iron skillet or transfer to a 9 x 12 or 9 x 9 pan. If using a pan, line it with parchment paper or grease lightly. Preheat oven to 175°C/350°F.
  • Melt butter, neutral oil, cocoa powder and chocolate until smooth. Use a fork or whisk to make sure there are no lumps. Remove from heat immediately.
  • Add brown and white sugars and mix vigorously. Then beat in eggs, one at a time and quickly, so they don't have time to "cook" in the chocolate mixture. You don't want bits of cooked egg! Finally, add vanilla extract and expresso powder.
  • Add flour and salt and fold in gently with a rubber spatula. Don't over-mix. Stop when it's just mixed in.
  • Fold in chocolate chunks or chips if using, or scatter them on the top and gently push them in with a fork.
  • Either bake directly in your cast iron skillet or pour the brownie batter into your pan. Bake 22-28 minutes depending on size.
  • How to know when the chocolate brownie is done: A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not dry. Don't over-bake! They continue to set as they cool, giving you that fudgy texture.

How to make the cream cheese frosting:

  • Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth (hand mixer or stand mixer).
  • Add powdered sugar (or maple syrup).
  • Separate the base vanilla frosting into smaller bowls and flavoring: vanilla, lemon, cocoa, strawberry (or any berry) or lingonberry.

How to assemble the chocolate brownies with cream cheese frosting

  • Spread the frosting over fully cooled brownies with a rubber spatula or knife.
  • Chill for 15-20 before slicing to get cleaner slices.

Notes

 
How to know when the chocolate brownie is done: A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not dry. Don't over-bake! They continue to set as they cool, giving you that fudgy texture.
You need to cool your brownies before frosting them otherwise the frosting will melt, or at least not hold its shape on the brownies.
 
Storage:
  • Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
  • Freeze leftover brownies for 1-2 months, but only if they are unfrosted. Then you can frost them when they are defrosted.
  • These chocolate brownies with cream cheese frosting actually taste better the next day and are best served at room temperature.
 
The ingredients in the recipe card above are for a 8x8 or 9x9 pan or smaller skillet. If you would like to bake the brownies in a 9x13 or larger skillet, use the quantities below. You may also have to adjust the baking times and bake a little longer.
Ingredients for 9 x 13 inch pan:
  • 1 1/8 cups unsalted butter (255 grams)
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil (12 grams)
  • 9 oz Dark chocolate (255 grams, about 1 1/2 cups chopped)
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder (40 grams)
  • 1 cup brown sugar (195 grams)
  • 1/4 cup white sugar (45 grams)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp expresso or coffee powder
  • 1 cup flour (125 grams)
  • Sea salt (1/2 tsp)
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chunks or chips (135 grams)
 

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting Notes

For the strawberry puree (or any berry puree for that matter), you can buy store bought puree or just use jam, but you can also make it yourself for the best flavor. Here is how to do it:
  • Prep strawberries: Wash, hull and chop into smaller pieces.
  • Simmer with a splash of water and a tiny bit of sugar for 5-8 minutes, until it thickens up. You will need to stir pretty constantly so it does not stick to the bottom or burn.
  • Cool completely (you can transfer to a bowl and put it in the fridge to speed things up).
  • Optional: Add 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice to the puree to enhance the icing flavor.
  • Add a couple of teaspoons to the cream cheese mixture and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to harden up again.

Nutrition

Serving: 1squareCalories: 333kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 3gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 167mgPotassium: 154mgFiber: 2gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 551IUCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Chocolate
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!