Raspberry Balsamic Cheesecake Brownies

A thick, dark chocolate brownie layer topped with a tangy cheesecake layer swirled with raspberry compote and balsamic reduction. These cheesecake brownies are simple to make, while also being a fancy and decadent dessert.

It’s snowing! As I’m sitting on my couch writing this blog post, there are cute little flurries coming down outside my window. Of course, it’s too warm for them to stick and as soon as they hit the ground they melt, but I will take it. The little Florida girl in me is so excited for my first real winter (Seattle was mostly just gray and rainy and Nashville was all ice and slush) and I can’t wait for all things frosty. I have a parka, wool socks, hats, a bevy of Netflix Christmas movies, a freezer full of cookie dough, and I am READY.

I will also have brownies.

raspberry balsamic cheesecake brownies

These brownies were a spontaneous bake born out of a need to use up a jar of leftover balsamic reduction and then I fell in love with them. They are thick and fudgy, there’s a bit of depth from the dark chocolate and the balsamic vinegar, with a creamy, tangy cheesecake layer and bright, fruity raspberry balsamic jam. And an added bonus, the swirls make them look fancy and festive and they make a great, simple holiday bake.

There are essentially three components to these brownies:

The brownie layer is very straightforward, a riff on the basic brownie recipe that I tinkered with for about 5 years until I got it just right, with some balsamic reduction added.

The cheesecake portion is also pretty simple—cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla—that gets layered on top for that two-toned vibe.

And then finally, the raspberry balsamic compote. A bunch of fresh raspberries, sugar, and more balsamic reduction simmered until the sugars are dissolved, the berries are smushed and broken down, and the compote has slightly thickened.

All simple (and delicious) components on their own, but when combined, they create something really spectacular.

balsamic vinegar vs balsamic reduction

Ok, let’s chat balsamic. Balsamic vinegar originated in Italy and is, in the simplest of terms, grape must that has been reduced and fermented. There are all different types (traditional vinegar, balsamic condiment, igp, and more) that vary in classification based on specific processes, ingredients, and location. If you’re interested in a very in-depth look at balsamic vinegars, read this article from Serious Eats. Flavor-wise, most balsamic vinegars have a sharp, acidic flavor, but I’ve found that the higher quality the vinegar, the smoother and less astringent the vinegar taste.

For this recipe, I used a balsamic reduction because it’s what I had on hand. A balsamic reduction is simply balsamic vinegar simmered for a long-ish stretch of time (with a bunch of spices) until enough of the liquid evaporates and you’re left with a thick, syrup-like sauce. Because it has all of that simmering time, it is sweeter than traditional balsamic and the flavor is more concentrated and mild. You can reduce balsamic vinegar and then keep it in a sealed jar for a couple of weeks.

I recommend using the balsamic reduction recipe below (see the notes section of the recipe card) because the spices give a really nice flavor to the brownie. That being said, balsamic vinegar will work and if you decide to use balsamic vinegar in place of a reduction, I recommend using a high-quality vinegar (I really like Monari) and tasting it before you use it. If you buy one that is exceptionally tangy, you may want to reduce the amounts slightly so that it doesn’t overpower the chocolate.

Yield

16 brownies

Author

Anna Ramiz

Prep time

30 Min

Cook time

30 Min

Total time

1 Hour

Print

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Raspberry Balsamic Cheesecake Brownies

A thick, dark chocolate brownie layer topped with a tangy cheesecake layer swirled with raspberry compote and balsamic reduction. These cheesecake brownies are simple to make, while also being a fancy and decadent dessert.

Ingredients US Metric

for the raspberry compote

• 6 oz raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction*
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar

for the brownie layer

• 11 oz dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup (125 g) all purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 6 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (213 g) brown sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction*

for the cheesecake layer

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction*

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a 9x13” baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, combine raspberries, balsamic, and sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the raspberries are broken down and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
3. To make the brownies, combine chopped chocolate and cubed butter in a large bowl set over a pot of boiling water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate and butter are completely melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
4. Meanwhile, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
5. Add the sugar and brown sugar to the melted chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Add 3 of the eggs and whisk until combined, then add the remaining two eggs and balsamic and whisk until the batter is thick and homogenized.
6. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the brownie batter until no dry streaks remain and then pour batter into your prepared baking dish.
7. Using an electric mixer or stand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla and continue to beat for 2-3 minutes until very well combined. Pour the cheesecake mixture in an even layer on top of the brownie batter.
8. Dollop the raspberry compote on top of the cheesecake layer, along with 1-2 tablespoons of balsamic and then use the tip of a knife or a skewer to swirl.
9. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is completely set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving.

Notes:

For the balsamic component of this recipe, you can either use a balsamic reduction or a high-quality balsamic vinegar. I used a reduction because I had leftover from another recipe, but either option will work fine. To make a balsamic reduction, simply combine 16 oz of balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp of honey, and a few whole spices (I used a piece of fresh ginger, 2 cinnamon sticks, and 2 cardamom pods this time) in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring every 5-10 minutes, for about an hour, or until the balsamic has thickened to a syrup-consistency and has reduced by a little more than half. Let cool completely and then store in a sealed jar.

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Lavender Wild Berry Muffins

Growing up, some weekday mornings were far more special than the others. My mom is a teacher, and somehow in her mad rush to get my sister and I up, dressed, fed, and out the door, she occasionally found the time to bake muffins for breakfast and those were the very best mornings. You knew it was muffin day right when you opened your eyes because that freshly baked smell wafted through the house, greeting you as you rolled out of the bed. My absolute favorite muffins were these little wild berry muffins, the dry ingredients coming in a little pouch tucked in next to the cornbread mix on the bottom row of the grocery store shelves. I’ve also always wondered how likely it was that a packaged muffin mix actually used wild-grown berries, they probably should have been named mixed berry muffins, but the word wild made them feel even cooler. Regardless, we would split open the warm muffins, slather them with butter, and then wrap them in paper towels to eat in the car on the way to school. What a great way to start the day.

These are the muffins I make when I want to pretend I’m back in elementary school, eating muffins in the backseat. You can mix in any berries you want, wild or otherwise, frozen or fresh, just make sure that you go heavy on the berries. My ideal muffin is just a scoop of berries, barely bound together by batter. Most muffins are made using a liquid fat and the blending method, with the primary focus being moisture and tenderness. These muffins, however, are made using room temperature butter and the creaming method, like a cake, making them a tall and fluffy bakery-style muffin. I like to sprinkle them with just a bit of crunchy demerara sugar, but they would also be great with a crumb topping or even no topping at all. Don’t forget to finish them with a big pat of butter and a sprinkle of flaky salt.

Lavender Wild Berry Muffins 

Yield: 15 muffins

Ingredients

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature 

1/2 cup (110 g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (95 g) brown sugar

1 tbsp dried lavender

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour

1/4 cup (60 g) whole milk

2 tbsp whole milk yogurt 

1 1/3 cup (about 200 g) mixed berries, frozen or fresh

demerara sugar for sprinkling, optional

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 350° F and line a muffin pan with cupcake liners. 

2. In a small bowl, combine granulated sugar and lavender and rub with your fingers until fragrant and set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add a tablespoon of the flour mixture to the berries and toss to coat. In a glass measuring cup, combine milk and yogurt. Set all of this aside for now. 

4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, brown sugar, and sugar and lavender mixture. Cream on medium speed until light and fluffy and no chunks of butter remain. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

5. With the mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract and mix until smooth and homogenous. 

6. With the mixer on low speed, alternate between adding the dry ingredients and the milk/yogurt mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients (dry-wet-dry-wet-dry). 

7. When the last of the dry ingredients have been added, remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape down the sides to ensure everything is well-combined. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the berries until they are evenly distributed. 

8. Use a large cookie scoop to portion batter into your prepared muffin cups, sprinkle with demerara sugar and bake for 20-25 minutes until muffins are tall and golden brown, and a knife or toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Cool slightly and then enjoy warm, split open and slathered with lots of butter and flaky salt. 

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Goat Cheese and Roasted Raspberry Crumble Ice Cream

Have y’all ever been to a Jeni’s Ice Cream? If you haven't, you’re missing out. The franchise started in Ohio, but they have locations all over the Midwest and Southeast (and even California now according to the website!). We discovered Jeni’s a few years back while living in Nashville, where the ice cream shop has a cult following. It doesn’t matter if it’s 90° F and sunny or 35° F and snowy, you could always spot any Jeni’s location because of the line snaking out of the front door and down the sidewalk. They have a whole bunch of unique flavors that change seasonally, but my absolute favorite was a Goat Cheese and Red Cherries Ice Cream that only made it’s appearance in late Spring/early Summer. Usually, around mid-May, I would start seeking out Jeni’s trips to see if this perfect flavor had made it’s appearance on the board yet and get as much as I could before it disappeared at the end of cherry season. For all of the times that I went with high hopes of finding the goat cheese ice cream only to find it’s space on the flavor board empty, there was Brambleberry Crisp. Ribbons of dark, juicy berries, swirled with cobbler chunks, and although it wasn’t the goat cheese and red cherries, it made a pretty great second choice.

This ice cream is a mash-up of these two favorites. The tangy goat cheese gives almost a cheesecake flavor to the ice cream base, while bright summer raspberries are roasted until they are dark fuchsia and stirred in with chunks of crumble topping. The best part is that this ice cream can be made with or without an ice cream maker. Like all of my ice cream recipes here on the blog, it’s a creme anglaise base that gets chilled, whipped, and frozen—no churning necessary. But, if you’re one of the blessed few who has an ice cream maker at home, the base can be added to your machine and churned following the instructions on your ice cream maker. It’s a perfect summer treat for those of us without a Jeni’s around the corner.

Goat Cheese and Roasted Raspberry Crumble Ice Cream

Yield: 1 quart ice cream

Ingredients: 

for the ice cream base

2 cups (460 g) heavy cream

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 egg yolks

pinch of salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2.5 oz goat cheese

for the roasted raspberries

10 oz raspberries

2 T granulated sugar

for the crumble 

1/4 cup (35 g) all purpose flour

1/2 cup (50 g) rolled oats

3 T (40 g) brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp kosher salt

4 T (57 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Procedure: 

to make the ice cream: 

1. In a medium saucepan, heat cream over medium-low heat until it is beginning to bubble around the edges of the pan and is hot to the touch. 

2. While the cream is heating, whisk together salt, vanilla, egg yolks, and sugar in a large bowl. When the cream is hot, slowly stream it into the egg mixture, whisking continually the whole time. Transfer the entire mixture back into the saucepan and return to heat. 

3. Cook, stirring continually with a wooden spoon, over low-medium heat until anglaise sauce is thickened, but do not bring to a boil. You can test if the sauce is ready by wiping your finger through the sauce along the back of the wooden spoon. If the line your finger creates holds, the sauce is ready. If it drips, continue cooking. 

4. When the sauce is sufficiently thickened, strain into a large mixing bowl, whisk in goat cheese until melted and combined, cover, and refrigerate.

5. Whipping and chilling: When the anglaise sauce is cold, transfer to a mixer and begin whipping. Whip until soft peaks form and then return to the refrigerator.  

to make the roasted raspberries:

1. Combine raspberries and granulated sugar in a cast-iron skillet or glass baking dish. Bake at 400° F for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, gently stir raspberries and continue baking for another 10-15 until bubbly and softened. Set aside to cool.

to make the crumble: 

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine. 

3. Add cold butter to flour mixture and mix on medium speed until butter is evenly distributed and completely incorporated. (If making ahead of time, the crumble mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days.)

4. Press crumble mixture in an even-layered disc or rectangle on your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown on the edges. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on the pan and then use your hands to break up into chunks. 

to assemble ice cream: 

1. After whipping the creme anglaise to soft peaks, use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the cooled roasted raspberries and sprinkle in the crumble mixture. (Make sure to mix only until everything is evenly distributed, but that ribbons and streaks of raspberry remain.)

2. Spread ice cream in an 8x8 pan or a loaf pan, cover the dish with plastic wrap and freeze overnight (8-12 hours). 

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