Nutella Cheesecake Brownies

These decadent and delicious Nutella cheesecake brownies have the perfect combination of flavors, and are so rich and chocolatey!

Okay, friends! I'm back with my first new recipe post in months, and it is an excellent one. I've actually been cooking and baking pretty much like normal for the past few months, but with a baby in a cast (and everything else going on in my life lately) there hasn't been a lot of time to sit down and edit photos or write posts on the computer. My husband has been having some tough days at work lately, since his hospital has been so busy, and I wanted to make a special treat for him to look forward to at the end of his three shifts for the week. He is totally crazy for all things Nutella, cheesecake, or chocolate related, so these brownies were a no brainer. They were super easy to make, and so delicious. He was thrilled when he came home to find some rich chocolatey goodness waiting for him!

These brownies are simple to make, and I love the combination of flavors. I'm actually not a big cheesecake fan (don't hate me!) but even I thought the cheesecake layer was pretty tasty. You can definitely eat these brownies at room temperature, but I thought they were even more delicious after chilling. The Nutella cheesecake layer became almost fudge-like, and silky smooth. So yummy!

I would suggest storing any leftover brownies in the fridge, both to keep them fresh and because I think they taste better chilled, but I'm sure they would be fine at room temperature for several hours if you wanted to take them to a potluck or party. These brownies are a must bake!

Nutella Cheesecake Brownies

for the brownies:
6 tablespoons butter
4 ounced semisweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder

for the cheesecake layer:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 egg
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup Nutella

for topping:
3 tablespoons Nutella

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a 9 x 9 baking dish with parchment. To make the brownies, add the butter and semisweet chocolate to a small saucepan and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder, and mix until just combined. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake 10 minutes.

While the brownie batter is baking, beat the cream cheese with the sugar and flour until well blended. Add the egg, heavy cream, sour cream, and vanilla, and mix until well combined. Add the nutella and mix until smooth. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the top of the brownie batter, spreading evenly. Heat the 3 tablespoons of nutella in the microwave until warmed (about 30 seconds). Drizzle the nutella over the top of the cheesecake mixture, and use a toothpick to swirl it throughout the batter. Bake 35-40 minutes, until the cheesecake is set and only jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken gently. Let cool completely before slicing and serving.

adapted from Life Made Simple