Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Blondies

5 from 2 votes

Prep Time : 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time : 1 hour hour

These chocolate chip cheesecake blondies have the chew of a blonde brownie with a hint of the creamy texture of a perfectly baked cheesecake.

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These chocolate chip cheesecake blondies have the chew of a classic blondie with a hint of the creamy texture of a perfectly baked cheesecake. The perfect alternative to gluten free brownies!

How to make cheesecake blondies

The ingredients in and process of making these layered blondies are simple, but there are two steps. The total baking time is nearly an hour, but most of it is inactive, just waiting for the bars to bake low (300°F) and slow (nearly an hour) in the oven.

Reading through the recipe once entirely before getting to work is a good idea for every recipe. But it's especially important when you're making a layered dessert that is essentially two recipes in one. 

First, parbake the crust

The blondie layer is divided into two portions, one on the bottom that makes a crust, and one on top of the cheesecake filling. Since the blondie batter is thick and sticky, it is possible to place one raw blondie layer on the bottom, followed immediately by a cheesecake layer and the remaining blondie batter on top.

I've tried making this recipe just like that, without parbaking the crust by baking it alone for 10 minutes in a 325°F oven. But I find that the cheesecake layer bakes into nothing more than a swirl in all the blondie batter when the recipe is made that way. Plus, you have to bake the cheesecake longer to get it to set properly, so it's less creamy.

When you parbake the crust, it's a thin enough layer that it's mostly set after 10 minutes. Allow it to cool a bit, so the pan is easier to handle, then top it with the cheesecake batter followed by the remaining blondie batter.

Since the blondie batter is relatively thick and sticky, it will combine a bit with the cheesecake batter as you spread it out. The three layers aren't as distinct as they are in, say, rainbow cookies, but the textures are all just right this way. 

Bake the bars low and slow (“water bath” optional)

One of the most common ways of baking a cheesecake evenly, without any cracks in the surface, is to bake it in a bain-marie, or a water bath. Placing the cake pan in a larger pan with water that climbs about halfway up the sides of the cake pan keeps the cake from baking too quickly on the outside and keeps the temperature surrounding the cheesecake constant. 

I used to go through that sort of trouble baking cheesecakes and it was such a pain since cheesecake is typically baked in a springform pan, which isn't watertight. I graduated to adding a pan of water to the oven positioned on the rack below the cheesecake and gave myself permission to shrug off any cracks.

Then, finally, I learned that the main cause of cracks in a classic cheesecake is overbeaten eggs. So now I beat the cream cheese, sugar, salt, and vanilla until very light and fluffy. But once I add the egg, the mixture is beaten only to combine, no more.

I do still recommend adding a separate pan of water to the oven. These cheesecake blondies are most tender and chewy when they bake in a moist environment. 

Ingredients and substitutions

Dairy

This is a tough one since I don't know of any proper substitute for traditional cream cheese in cheesecake. You can try using your favorite nondairy cream cheese in place of the cream cheese, and possibly adding another egg white to help the cheesecake set up in the oven.

In place of the butter in the blondie layer, you can use Melt vegan butter (my favorite butter substitute) or half Spectrum nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening + half Earth Balance buttery sticks. And be sure to use nondairy miniature chocolate chips.

Eggs

There are two whole eggs and one egg white in the blondie layer, and one whole egg in the cheesecake layer. I'm afraid that's just too many eggs to expect to replace with egg substitutes.

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Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Blondies

These chocolate chip cheesecake blondies have the chew of a blonde brownie with a hint of the creamy texture of a perfectly baked cheesecake.

Course: Bars

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Yield: 9 bars

Author: Nicole Hunn

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

For the blondie layer

• 1 ⅓ cups (187 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
• ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 ¼ cups (273 g) packed light brown sugar
• 8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
• 1 (25 g) egg white at room temperature, beaten
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the cheesecake layer

• 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg at room temperature
• 4 ounces miniature chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with greased aluminum foil and set it aside.

Make the blondie layer.

• In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, salt and baking soda, and whisk to combine well. Add the brown sugar, and mix to combine and break up any lumps in the brown sugar.
• Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the butter, eggs and egg white, and vanilla, and mix to combine. The batter will be very thick and relatively sticky.
• Transfer about half of the batter to the prepared baking pan, and spread it into an even layer with a moistened knife or spatula. Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven, and bake for 10 minutes.
• The crust should be mostly set. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool briefly while you make the cheesecake layer.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F, and place a pan filled with room temperature tap water on a rack in the bottom position in the oven.

Make the cheesecake layer.

• In a large, clean bowl, place the cream cheese and beat until light and fluffy.
• Add the granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt, and beat again until very well-combined. Add the egg, and beat again until just combined.
• Add most of the chocolate chips, reserving a few to sprinkle on top, and fold into the cheesecake batter with a separate spatula until they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Aseemble and bake.

• Pour the cheesecake layer on top of the parbaked blondie layer in the baking pan, and spread into an even layer with a spatula.
• Scoop the remaining blondie batter in dollops all around the top of the cheesecake layer.
• Spread the blondie batter as evenly as you can over the top of the cheesecake batter. The layers will likely mix a bit, which is fine.
• Sprinkle a few more mini chips on the very top.
• Place the pan in the center or top of the 300°F oven (with the pan of water on the bottom) and bake for about 50 minutes or until the top appears set and doesn’t jiggle easily when shaken lightly from side to side. The top will not be completely firm to the touch.
• Remove the pan from the oven and allow the blondies to cool completely in the pan. Once cool, remove the blondies from the pan and slice into 9 equal pieces with a sharp, wet knife.
• Serve chilled or at room temperature. Wrap tightly and freeze any leftovers.

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Thanks for stopping by!

Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!

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