Combine the best of creme brûlée, cheesecake, and brownies into one amazing gluten-free dessert. These brûlée cheesecake brownies are sure to be family favorite!
Food allergies and food sensitivities are real. I’m lactose-intolerant, my stomach can’t digest certain shellfish, and raw celery makes me itchy.
Luckily, I am able to enjoy my favorite dairy desserts thanks to lactase pills. A world without ice cream? No cheese pizza? No cappuccino or latte? I don’t want to even imagine such things.
Unfortunately, those with wheat sensitivities, or more extreme cases like celiac disease, cannot take a magical pill to eat cookies, cakes, and brownies.Especially during the holiday season, I think everyone should be able to enjoy a little something sweet.
Gluten-Free Cheesecake Brownies
Two party staples that I always serve are cheesecake and brownies. But you guessed it, the buttery graham cheesecake crust and my fudge brownies both have wheat. Luckily, there is a solution!
I’ve partnered up with Krusteaz to participate in their Gluten Free Bake-Off! I have been challenged to create a unique holiday recipe using one of their new gluten-free mixes.
I had to choose among Buttermilk Pancake, Honey Cornbread, Blueberry Muffin, and Double Chocolate Brownie. Picking was a no-brainer. Of course, I had to go with the Double Chocolate Brownie. It was the chocolate chips included in the mix that won me over. Plus, those who say no to chocolate are crazy.
Make Boxed Brownies Better
Brownies are great, but cheesecake brownies are better! Instead of traditional cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, I’ve made a cheesecake with a brownie crust.
And to further up the ante, the cheesecake has a caramelized brunt sugar topping- just like my mini cheesecake brûlée! YES. I combined creme brûlée, cheesecake, and brownie into one dessert. (I bet you wish we were neighbors.) Like any other box mix, the brownies were easy peasy to whip together. In a large bowl, you combine the brownie mix with water, oil, and one egg. That’s it!
Recommended Baking Vessel
Like traditional cheesecake, this cheesecake brownie is baked a springform pan. Springform pan allows for easier unmolding and removable.
If you don’t have a springform, use a square baking pan. Line the bottom of the pan and up the sides with parchment or foil to allow to easy unmolding.
Serving Suggestions
Once the cheesecake brownies are cooled and chilled, use a sharp knife to slice into 12 servings.
This stuff is potent and full of sugar (just like any cheesecake/brownie), so you could slice even smaller wedges if you’d like.
Quick tip: Warm the knife in hot water for cleaner cuts. Be sure to wipe the blade clean each time you slice.
I separated one slice to show you how much sugar I sprinkle on top of the cheesecake. Depending on how much you are planning to serve, you can brûlée the cheesecake brownies slice by slice, or all at once like the photo below.
Just be sure to slice the cheesecake brownies BEFORE you brûlée. Otherwise, the sugar crust will crack into a bunch of pieces.
The brownies are super chocolatey and fudge-like. The inclusion of chocolate chips in the brownie mix leaves little pockets of melted chocolate throughout the dessert.
The smooth and slightly tart cheesecake layer plays well with the sweet brownies. And my favorite part, the brûlée sugar crust adds bitterness and much needed crunch!
Mind you, gluten-free does not mean fat-free! These brûlée cheesecake brownies are rich, decadent, and sinful- only the best kind of dessert! Gluten-free desserts don’t have to be intimidating or tasteless. These box mixes make it really easy.
So far I’ve only tried the double chocolate brownie mix and honey cornbread mix. Both exceeded my expectations. (I’m used to making everything from scratch. The last time I used a brownie mix was in college!) I can’t wait to use the buttermilk pancake mix this weekend…I’m thinking cinnamon apple pancakes with brown butter. YUM.
More Gluten-Free Desserts
- Chocolate Butter Mochi Cake
- Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Biko Filipino Sticky Rice Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Pear Cake
Gluten-Free Brûlée Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 box Krusteaz Gluten Free Double Chocolate Brownie Mix
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
Cheesecake Layer:
- 16 oz cream cheese, room temp
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- granulated sugar, as needed for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly grease the sides of 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine brownie mix, espresso powder, water, oil and egg using a sturdy spatula. Mix until there are no longer any dry streaks of brownie mix. Transfer to prepared springform pan. Spread into an even layer
- Cheesecake Layer: In another large bowl (or stand mixer), beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream, sugar, egg, egg yolk, vanilla, and salt. Scrape down bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing. Continue to mix on low speed until smooth. Pour cheesecake batter into springform pan on top of brownie batter. Spread into an even layer.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes until cheesecake layer is set and cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cheesecake may puff slightly but it will flatten once cooled. Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to the fridge. Let chill for at least 1 hour. Gently unmold cheesecake brownie. Slice into 12 servings using a sharp knife. Sprinkle the cheesecake generously with granulated sugar. Using a kitchen torch, burn the sugar. Let sugar cool for 3 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
As tempting as all of the dessert mixes sound, I am most interested in trying the buttermilk pancakes. I have yet to taste a gluten-free pancake that actually resembled a pancake!!
Hi Maryanne! This looks delicious! You’re so creative!
Thanks Jessica! :)
Hi Maryanne, the brownie cheese cake cremebrule looks amazing!
I would love to try the gluten free brownie mix!
You are a genius. That is all.
You make me happy :)
those brownies look incredible! i’d love to try that same brownie mix
I can’t wait to try this recipe. I never used a mix and this pie sounds wonderful. I. I am on my way to the supermarket for the ingredients.
Chocolate cake/brownie + cheesecake is THE BEST! I used to get this all the time at this restaurant in Pittsburgh, until they closed.
Did we go to that place?!
OK, so I’m freaking out. My family has a summer house in Nova Scotia, and when my sister and I were little we would pick blueberries from our back yard almost every morning, then bring them inside to my dad, who’d cook us blueberry pancakes. Due to eating pancakes nearly every morning each summer of our lives, we became pancake connoisseurs. Our favorite mix that we discovered throughout the years? Krusteaz. Like literally my sister and I would shout “Krusteaz!!” every time my parents brought it home from the grocery store. The pancakes were always light and fluffy and not too heavy…. Ugh, I’m STILL obsessed.
So… if I were to win this magical giveaway? I would want the pancake mix. Because it’s my favorite pancake mix in the world.
Eeeeee Krusteaz!
That’s awesome! I, too, grew up eating Krusteaz pancakes. But as a kid I had the hardest time pronouncing the name!
These brownies are serious perfection!