Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting

brownie with cream cheese frosting on a wooden cutting board.

5 from 1 vote

Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Chewy Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting are rich and fudgy with tangy, not-too-sweet frosting that perfectly complements the deep, dark chocolate flavor. They're the ultimate, most decadent brownies ever!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Total Time40

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 248kcal

Author: Cara Lanz

Ingredients

Fudgy Brownies

1 cup brown sugar I use dark brown sugar
½ cup extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
¾ cup flour
¾ cup dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, optional
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup dark chocolate chips

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces softened cream cheese
4 tablespoons softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Make the Brownies

Preheat the oven to 325. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper with enough overhang so you can easily lift the brownies out of the pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, olive oil, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs until well combined.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt into the wet ingredients. You can also whisk them together in a separate bowl before adding them.
Stir until just combined -- do not overmix. The batter will be very thick. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Spread the brownie batter into the prepared pan, using a knife to push the batter into the corners and even out the top.
Bake for 20-24 minutes or to an internal temperature of 180-190, the edges will look set, and the middle will look underbaked. A toothpick inserted 1 - 2 inches from the sides should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Place the brownies on a wire rack to cool completely before removing them from the pan.

Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on high speed with an electric mixer until fluffy and smooth with no lumps.
Add the powdered sugar. Mix on low until just combined, then on high until creamy.
Evenly spread the cream cheese frosting onto the brownies. If desired, sprinkle the top with a little cocoa powder. Serve and enjoy! Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Notes

Be careful not to overbake the brownies. They will continue to cook as they cool.
For sweeter or firmer frosting, add more powdered sugar, ¼ cup at a time, up to 1 cup more.
If the frosting is too warm or too soft, place it in the refrigerator to slightly firm up.
Store brownies with cream cheese frosting in the refrigerator.

Nutrition