Strawberry Cream Cheese Brownies
These brownies combine strawberry preserves and cream cheese with an easy brownie recipe to make a delicious chocolatey treat.
This recipe comes from Camilla Saulsbury’s “Enlightened Chocolate,” a fantastic cookbook filled with unique and delightful ways to use cocoa in sweet and savory dishes.
Though the original recipe calls for raspberry preserves, we thought strawberry would be a good choice, too. Either way, these brownies are moist and delicious! The addition of cream cheese lends the brownies a hint of creaminess and allows you to marble the tops for a picture-perfect result.
Strawberry-Cream Cheese Brownies
Ingredients
- 4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
- 1-1/4 cups sugar, divided use
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided use
- 3 large egg whites, divided use
- 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch process
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup seedless strawberry, or raspberry preserves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray the bottom only of an 8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 egg white with an electric mixer set at medium speed until blended and smooth; set filling aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, melted butter, water, egg, remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, remaining 2 egg whites and remaining 1 cup sugar until well blended. Add to the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened.
- Spread two-thirds of batter in bottom of prepared pan. Pour cream cheese filling over batter, spreading evenly. Carefully drop the remaining batter and preserves by spoonfuls over filling; swirl together using the tip of a knife to marble.
- Bake 38-40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out almost clean (be careful not to overbake; brownies will continue to set as they cool). Transfer pan to wire rack. Cool completely.
One Comment on “Strawberry Cream Cheese Brownies”
Wow! This looks delicious! Something I can make for Valentines. Thanks for this!