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.
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.
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?
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.
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. You need (roughly) a pound (4 cups) of sugar per half-pound (8 ounces) of cream cheese to stabilize the cream cheese component enough to sit out at room temperature.
Whew! Are you still with me after our kitchen chemistry explanation?
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, I’ll let them stay at room temperature for a day or two, but if we won’t eat them right away, store them in the refrigerator.
Rich and fudgy brownies with a tangy cream cheese swirl – these cream cheese swirl brownies are perfect for sharing!
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.