Creamy cheesecake meets nutty brown butter meets juicy blueberries. Chewy Blueberry Cheesecake Brown Butter Blondies are a mash-up recipe that combines sweet, tangy, and buttery flavors in every bite.
It's hard to pick what is the most tempting quality of these blondies. Honestly, I love every part - the tangy cream cheese, the pop of blueberry flavor, and the buttery richness. This is a dessert you can't say no to. You will keep coming back for another slice of this addictive comfort food.
If blondies are a favorite dessert, here is another recipe made with juicy summer cherries - https://tenpoundcakecompany.com/brown-butter-cherry-blondies/
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- The irresistible chewy blondie texture is rich and pairs perfectly with the rich cheesecake filling.
- The brown butter adds a nutty depth of flavor to the blondies
- The luscious blueberries bring pops of bright, juicy flavor.
- The tangy and silky cheesecake is indulgent - the perfect balance of rich and creamy.
- The blondies travel well, making this a great potluck dessert.
Blondie Ingredients
Blondie Base - all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt
Wet Ingredients - brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, brown butter, egg
Cheesecake Layer - cream cheese, brown sugar
Tangy Blueberry Compote - sweet blueberries, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and juice
Step - by- Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Lay a piece of parchment paper like a sling with excess paper higher than the sides of the pan. This will make removing the chewy brown butter blondies from the pan much easier.
The dessert is created by assembling the 4 different components.
Create the Tangy Blueberry Compote
- Combine the blueberries, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and juice in a small pot.
- When the blueberry mix comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a rapid simmer. Cook for 9-10 minutes. Some of the blueberries will burst during the cooking process. As the mix cools, it will become thicker and more syrupy.
- Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
Brown the Butter
- You are going to brown 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Add the butter to a small skillet over medium heat. As the butter melts, large bubbles start to form. There may be some spitting from water as it melts. The milk solids will start to turn brown and coat the bottom of the skillet as the butter continues to cook. Continue stirring the melted butter so the brown bits are incorporated throughout.
- When the butter is nut-colored brown and there is a layer of small-bubbled foam, remove the butter from the pan. This process takes about 5 minutes. Pour the butter into a small bowl, scraping the bottom of the pan to release the brown bits. Set aside to cool while you prepare the other ingredients. If you leave the butter in the pan, it will continue to brown until it is burned.
Cheesecake Layer
- Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature. It is much easier to work with when it isn't cold and hard. Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the cream cheese in a small bowl. Mix everything together until the sugar has dissolved.
Blondie Base
- In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together, ensuring the baking powder is incorporated.
- When the brown butter is cool, combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and the brown butter. Add the egg and whisk it into the wet ingredients until a cohesive mix forms.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and combine until everything is thoroughly incorporated. The mix will be thick. Add the batter to the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.
Create a Swirl
- Add dollops of the rich cheesecake filling and the syrupy blueberries in a random pattern over the top of the blondie base.
- With a skewer or knife, gently swirl everything - blueberries, cream cheese, and blondie base. You aren't trying to completely mix the ingredients together in a homogeneous blend. The idea is to loosely swirl everything into a random mix.
Bake
- Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake the blondies for 40-45 minutes. Test the doneness by inserting a toothpick or a cake tester in the middle of the blondies. The blondies have finished baking if the tester comes out clean with no batter on it.
- Let the blondies cool for 15 minutes before cutting.
FAQ's
Yes, you can use frozen blueberries. Defrost them first and drain any excess juice.
A: Bake until the edges feel firm. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean with no wet batter on it. If there is batter on the toothpick, return the pan back to the oven for an additional 3-5 minutes.
A: Once cooled, store the blondies in an airtight container and refrigerate. Bring them back to room temperature before serving so the texture is softer but still chewy.
Fancy Comfort Food
Imagine a luxurious fusion of tangy cheesecake, juicy blueberry compote, and brown butter blondies. This is an indulgent and rich dessert, which may feel very fancy, but it is comfort food at its core.
Chewy Blueberry Cheesecake Brown Butter Blondies are the ultimate bars - it's hard to stop at one. This is a great way to enjoy summer berries and a perfect dessert for a potluck or a holiday barbecue.
Recipe
Chewy Blueberry Cheesecake Brown Butter Blondies
Equipment
- 1 8x8 pan
- 1 small skillet
- 1 small pot
- 1 rubber spatula
- parchment paper
- 2 small bowls
- 1 medium bowl
- 1 skewer or toothpick
Ingredients
Brown Butter
- 1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons, 4 ounces/112 grams)
Blueberry Compote
- 2 cups fresh blueberries (10 ounces/284 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (3.5 ounces/99 grams)
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Cheesecake Filling
- 4 tablespoons cream cheese (4 ounces/113 grams)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (packed)
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (4.6 ounces/132 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup brown sugar (packed) 4.8 ounces/136 grams)
- ¼ cup maple syrup (4 tablespoons/59 mls)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- It is important to remove the cream cheese from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Prepare the blueberry swirl and the brown butter first. This allows them to cool while you prepare the other parts of the blondies.Prepare an 8x8-inch pan by adding 2 sheets of parchment paper in a criss-cross pattern to the pan. The sides should overhang the edges of the pan. This will make removing the blondies from the pan much easier.
Blueberry Compote
- Combine the blueberries, granulated sugar, lemon zest, and juice in a small pot over medium-high heat.
- When the blueberry mix comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a rapid simmer for 9-10 minutes.
- As the mixture cools, the consistency will thicken. Set aside to cool while you prepare the other ingredients.
Brown Butter
- Place a stick of butter (8 tablespoons) in a small skillet over medium heat.
- As the butter melts, large bubbles start to form. There may be some spitting from the water in the butter. You may also notice the white milk solids on the top of the bubbles.
- The milk solids will start to turn brown and coat the bottom of the skillet. Keep stirring the melted butter so that the brown bits are incorporated throughout.
- When the butter is nut-colored brown and a layer of small-bubbled foam has formed, scrape the butter and the solids from the pan into a separate bowl. If you leave the butter in the pan, it will continue to brown until it is burned. The browning process takes less than 5 minutes.
- Set aside to cool as you prepare the other ingredients.
Cheesecake Layer
- Add 2 tablespoons of brown sugar to the room temperature cream cheese in a small bowl. Mix everything together until the sugar has dissolved.
Blondie Base
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the dry ingredients - all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt - ensuring the baking powder is incorporated.
- Make sure the brown butter is cooled. Combine the wet ingredients by whisking together the brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and the brown butter. Add the egg and whisk it into the wet ingredients until a cohesive mix forms.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until everything is thoroughly incorporated. Add the thick batter to the prepared pan and spread the layer evenly.
- Add dollops of the cream cheese mix and the syrupy blueberries in a random pattern over the top of the blondie base.
- Use a skewer, toothpick, or cake tester to swirl the three components together. You aren't trying to completely mix the ingredients together into a homogenous blend. The idea is to loosely swirl everything into a random mix.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake the blondies for 40-45 minutes. Test the doneness by inserting a toothpick or a cake tester in the middle of the blondies. If the tester comes out clean without crumbs, the blondies are finished baking.
- Let the blondies cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing into bars.
Notes
Nutrition
Julie says
Decadent dessert!
Julie says
Absolutely delicious