Brownies are a truly decadent treat. There's really no need to reach for a box, especially when you are making gluten-free. The ingredients are simple and come together quickly.
Gluten eaters rejoice - this ain't just for the gluten free folk! Not only can you easily swap 1:1 back for all purpose white flour, you could just keep it with the sifted buckwheat flour to include more diverse grains in your family's diet. Buckwheat is a great source of protein!
I’m going to admit to you right off the bat - these are a decadent, not every day brownie. With cream cheese and three eggs, these are for a special occasion. (Unless, of course, you have a milk cow and chickens like us, then hooray, it's Wednesday, let's have cheesecake brownies!)
This recipe works so well with Quark, and thats such a frugal cheese to make versus buying in the store. Quark (and store cream cheese) freezes well, so I highly reccommend tucking some away.
Why You Need This Recipe
- It's a quick dessert you can make as soon as you know guests are coming.
- The ingredients are all items you should have on hand. Cream cheese keeps a long time in the fridge, so try to have some tucked away in the drawer.
- This makes a small pan, relative to some of my recipes, so it means you can enjoy a sweet treat and not have too many left.
- However you can make two pans at once and freeze them!
Key Ingredients
Buckwheat flour - Yup, even though 'wheat' is in the name, this is a gluten-free grain. I like to sift it before using to get out some of the extra bran but it's not necessary.
Unsweetened cocoa powder - Cocoa powder is great here (regular, not Dutch processed) or I prefer to use cacao powder. The price difference isn't much where I get it from, but I love the flavour cacao adds!
Butter - An entire stick! This is what makes brownies so rich and fudgy.
Eggs - There are three in this recipe, making it a special occasion recipe. Then again, if you have chickens, there are times in the year you are dying to use them up.
Cream cheese - This is an easy ingredient to keep in the fridge at all times. It has a long shelf life so I like to keep some in there for baking and cooking.
Granulated sugar - Sugar is necessary for the amazing texture of brownies. It also sweetens up the cocoa so it's not bitter.
How to Make Buckwheat Cheesecake Brownies
Step 1
Add dry ingredients to a large bowl and give a quick whisk. Crack the eggs into a well in the center of the bowl.
Step 2
Carefully whisk the melted butter into the chocolate mixture. Make sure your butter isn't too hot so you don't cook the eggs.
Step 3
Spread the chocolate into the prepared pan, reserving about a half cup or so for topping.
Step 4
Don't dirty another bowl - add the cheesecake layer ingredients to your bowl/saucepan from melting butter or set the reserved chocolate in the saucepan. Whatever works for mixing! Don't even rinse your whisk.
Step 5
Carefully spread the cheesecake layer over the chocolate layer. Now dot the top with the leftover chocolate batter.
Step 6
Bake until a knife in the center comes out clean. Let cool before slicing, if you can!
Tips and Tricks
- Two bowls are all you need here! I like to melt the butter on the stove but you can use the microwave.
- Short on time, or you just forgot to reserve some chocolate batter? No worries - it's mainly just for looks and a two-layer brownie is just as good.
- I like to store these in the fridge. I think it makes them even richer a dessert, like eating fudge.
Substitutions
You can use all-purpose wheat flour 1:1 for the buckwheat, or if you don't have buckwheat, use a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend. This recipe is super easy for whatever you need to use. I like buckwheat as it adds a different grain to our diets.
If you forgot to reserve chocolate batter, why not add a handful of chocolate chips on top? May as well go all out!
FAQs
The trick to brownies is a warm knife. Dip it in hot water, then dry on a towel. Then make one clean slice all the way across the pan. Wipe it clean and repeat for each slice. These also slice neater when they are completely cooled and/or chilled from the fridge. So enjoy them warm and messy or wait as long as you can for neat "guest slices."
I love using a Danish Dough whisk. It's tougher than a regular whisk which can get all bent up. You also don't need to dig out the hand mixer for this one, just use your muscles or make the kids do it. And don't even rinse the whisk before mixing the cheesecake layer, it doesn't matter if a few dollops get mixed in.
More Dessert Recipes
- DYI Bailey's
- Shortbread Bottom Lemon Squares
- Egg Free Cookie Bars
- Oatmeal Jam Bars
- Grandma Marg's Maple Fudge
Hey friends, don't forget to follow me over on Instagram, cause if you like me here, I post there a LOT! I'm also on YouTube with tutorials and Facebook for all sorts of things.
If you like this recipe, I’d love if you reviewed it so others can find it easier. Sharing this recipe on Facebook or Pinterest is another way you can help us out at no cost to you. Thanks, xo Kate
Gluten-Free Cheesecake Brownies
Equipment
- Danish dough whisk
Ingredients
Brownie Batter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup buckwheat flour preferably a sifted one
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup melted butter
- 2 large eggs
Cheesecake Batter
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup sugar
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat over to 350F. Melt your butter in a small saucepan and set aside.
- In a bowl mix your sugar, buckwheat flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
- Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and crack two eggs into it. Then I get my Danish dough whisk, you could use a fork or a wooden spoon, and start mixing the eggs as I pour the melted butter. Mix the batter together until well combined.
- Spread all but about ½ cup into a greased 8x8 pan. Reserve that ½ cup for topping.
- In the small saucepan I used to melt the butter, I measure in all the cheesecake batter ingredients. Use the same whisk you used to mix the brownie batter, without washing it, It's not a big deal. Mix well, then spread on top of the brownie batter.
- Then take the reserved brownie batter and dot it all over the top of the cheesecake batter. If you forget to reserve batter, or choose to skip doing so, it's just for looks anyway.
- Bake at 350 °F for about 35-40 min, or until a butter knife inserted comes out clean.
- Let cool before cutting, they can be a little crumbly if still warm but hey, serve on a plate with a fork and nobody is going to complain about a warm cheesecake brownie!
Notes
- I buy bulk raw cacao powder; price difference is not much but the flavour is so good!
- Store on the counter or if you can, in the fridge, and that gives you the best fudgy rich texture!
- Recipe adapted from Good Cheap Eats
Nutrition
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