Rich and fudgy brownies with a tangy cream cheese swirl – these Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies are perfect for sharing! Plus, tips on how to properly store cream cheese desserts.

Brownies are one of those foods that are not remotely seasonal.  There’s no special ingredient that is only available one time of year.

It’s not like soup or a popsicle, which you only crave when temperatures reach certain highs or lows.  Brownies are, truly, an all-the-time option.

There’s just something about summer, however, that calls for brownies.  Picnics in the park, potluck BBQs, 4th of July parties.  Stoop sitting, although that might mostly be a Philly thing.

All perfect situations for sharing a big pan of brownies.  So now that the temperature has jumped to 90 (wah!) and summer is well on its way, let’s talk brownies.  Like these Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies.

Best Fudgy Brownies

These cream cheese swirl brownies are made using my favorite easy brownie base. Trust me, these are so easy to make – and taste even better than a boxed mix! No using a mixer, no creaming butter – just one bowl and a wooden spoon to make the brownies.

Some people think that using cocoa powder results in “cakey” brownies, but I’m here to assure you that it just plain isn’t true! Cakey brownies are the result of either adding (a) too much flour or (b) not adding enough fat.

These brownies have just the right ratio of flour to fat to prevent them from becoming dry and cakey!

Now onto these cream cheese swirl brownies! I’m calling them “cream cheese swirl” and not “cheesecake” brownies because it’s really just that — a light, cream cheese swirl.  The swirl adds just a little creamy cheesy tang, a perfect complement to rich, fudgy brownies.  Perfect for sharing at potlucks, picnics, or stoop-sitting sessions.  Or for hoarding and eating all yourself, because… brownies.

Do You Need To Refrigerate Buttercream Frosting?

One of the most common questions I receive about ANY recipe with cream cheese is asking if the final baked dessert has to be refrigerated. Do we have to refrigerate these brownies with a cream cheese swirl? What about a cake decorated with cream cheese frosting?  Or a cake with buttercream frosting?

Buckle up, because it’s obviously time for my favorite subject… kitchen chemistry!

Kitchen Chemistry

Sugar acts as a preservative.  Sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water.  It can draw the water out of dairy, thus reducing the amount of water available for the growth of bacteria.  Butter, cream, and cream cheese are stabilized by all the sugar, and thus safe to store at room temperature for up to three days if the sugar content is sufficient.

Take American-style buttercream frosting.  Butter is 80% fat, 20% water, so you need enough sugar to stabilize the 20% water from the butter (and a splash of heavy cream).  American buttercream is super sugary, so you don’t need to worry about it – there is plenty of sugar compared to the 20% water in the butter.

Do You Need to Refrigerate Cream Cheese Frosting?

Cream cheese, however, is roughly 33% fat and up to 55% water — that’s a lot more water!  So you have to have more sugar present to act as a preservative.

Not all cream cheese frosting recipes (or cream cheese swirl, in the case of these cream cheese swirl brownies) contain enough powdered sugar to control for the excess water in cream cheese.  You need (roughly) a pound (4 cups) of sugar per half-pound (8 ounces) of cream cheese to stabilize the frosting enough to let it sit out at room temperature.

Whew!  Are you still with me after our kitchen chemistry explanation?

If you want the TL;DR version: American-style buttercream frosting is fine to keep at room temperature.  Cream cheese frosting is okay… if you are confident that you use enough sugar.

Personally, I will let a cake with cream cheese frosting sit at room temperature overnight, but any longer than that and I pop them into the refrigerator (or freezer) for storage.

How to Store Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

How about these cream cheese swirl brownies?  Well, the sugar content in the swirl is definitely less than necessary for preservation… but the brownies are baked, which also helps to dry out the excess moisture.  

So for these, much like the frosting, I’ll let them stay at room temperature for a day or two, but if we won’t eat them right away, I’ll usually store them in the refrigerator.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

1. For the fudgiest brownies, bake them in a light-colored, metal pan!  Darker pans will transfer more heat into the brownies and cook the edges more quickly than the center, which results in dry and cakey edges.
2. Using good-quality cocoa powder is the best way to ensure that your brownies have a wonderful flavor. Lower-quality cocoa powder will result in a less chocolatey brownie (and who wants that?!).
3. If you want to bake these cream cheese swirl brownies in a 9×13 pan, just double the recipe and add about 5 minutes to the cooking time!
4. Cool the brownies completely before slicing.  The brownies will set quite a bit as they cool.  For smooth, even cuts, refrigerate the brownies for an hour before cutting.

More Brownie Recipes:

• Caramel Pecan Turtle Brownies
• Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
• Ultimate Nutella Brownies
• Frosted Sprinkle Brownies
• Cookie Dough Brownies
• All Brownie Recipes ≫