Recipes

[lovesrecess]

A friend just gave us a large pan of brownies with cream cheese frosting....do I need to refrigerate these? You think they would freeze okay? I don’t even like cream cheese frosting so no way we will finish these very soon...

[Mom2Dogs]

@lovesrecess , I freeze just about everything and yes these will freeze just fine.  If you do not like the frosting, just scrape it off!  DH does not care for the type of frosting either, I like it, but in small doses.... way to sweet.  Enjoy!

[Annabellethecat66]

I make cream cheese brownies all of the time (used to make them often).

I've always refrigerated them.  I don't leave them out overnight or in the car.  If they're sitting on the kitchen counter and it's not hot in the house, I've just let them sit there for a few hours.

If you think about it.....the cream cheese mixture (in the middle of my brownies) is cooked and I use Pillsbury canned icing.

So, why can't you leave on the counter for a few hours.  

I'm normally over conscious when it comes to anything questionable.  But with this I leave out for a few hours.

This is a favorite of all of my family (there are a lot of them when we get together).  They've begged me to bring them and when I'd have a party I always had to make them.

I think people have to get past the fact that it's 'cream cheese' but it's not like people think.

The way I make them they have a zillion (not much exaggeration) calories in them though.

[Drythe]

@Annabellethecat66 

Do you share recipes?

I’d love to have your’s if you do.

[Annabellethecat66]

@Drythe It's not some secret recipe.  The trick is to make the right  waves through the top part of the brownie cake so that they don't separate when you cut it into brownies.

I am totally going by memory.  This used to be on the outside box of the brownie mix.  I buy the larger size of the brownie mix.  I think it's like 9X13 or something.

Instead of putting 2 eggs in the brownie mix I put in 3 whole eggs.

Mix up the brownie mix according to package but don't forget the extra egg. Put one layer on the bottom of a 9X13 pan (use 1/2 of the mix) (in the pan I always use the Betty Crocker stuff that you can buy at Michaels and JoAnn's with the party stuff.  It's amazing and keeps everything from sticking and burning.  I'll find it and post a picture of it.

So in another smaller bowel, put in the softened cream cheese (the larger size).  Now comes the calories...put 1/2 cup of sugar in the mixture, and 2 whole eggs and 1 tsp (teaspoon) of vanilla (I only use real vanilla).

Now spread out the cream cheese mixture on top of the first half of the brownie mix in the pan, all of the cream cheese mixture.

After you do that, put the other half of the brownie mix on top of the cream cheese.  Spread it around but leave a tiny bit from the edges (just a tiny bit so it will get a little hard)  Some like it all soft so you might want to go to all of pan.

Now comes the tricky part.  My friends have made this and they don't mix up the top part of the brownie mix with the bottom part.  If you don't mix it right (too little it will come apart top and bottom) but if you do it too much, it will not have the cream cheese mixture like you want it).

I use a knife and swirl it around.  Just do it and don't be afraid of overdoing it.  I think that's what most people do, they don't swirl it enough so it separates.

I follow the cooking on the box.  I test it by sticking toothpicks in it.  It's a little tricky because the cream cheese will make it seem like it isn't done.

I believe the instructions are still on the boxes, but the difference is what I put in the cream cheese.  

A total of 5 eggs (the extra on the brownie mix makes it more cake-like and the cream cheese mixture makes it sweeter and more taste of vanilla.

If you want it really good too.  Use Almond (real) flavoring in cream cheese instead of vanilla.  Some people don't like the almond flavoring.

For the icing, I just use the vanilla sweet icing.  I don't use cream cheese icing on my brownies.

I have an amazing (sweet and zillions of calories) for banana cream (with cream cheese) pie with graham cracker crust (I buy the crust at the store).

I gave my youngest daughter my favorite Betty Crocker cookbook.  It had hand written recipes in it.

The banana cream pie was at one time included with the graham cracker crust you'd buy.  I tweaked it a bit.  Oh!  My it's sweet but it's so freaking good.

I apologize for the terrible instructions.  As you can see I'm terrible at giving instructions for everything. 

Believe me, after I'd give you instructions to anything you'd want to shoot yourself!  Ha!  Sorry!

[Annabellethecat66]

@Drythe  Here's the non-stick stuff I was talking about.  It's been some time since I bought it.  When I bought it it came in a squeeze bottle.

I've only been able to find the spray can.  Walmart, Michaels, JoAnn craft store also sells it.  It's made by Wilton.

I also sometimes use parchment paper.  I swear by those.

I'm not a very good cook, but when I do cook, it's pretty good if I say so myself!  Ha!

[Drythe]

@Annabellethecat66 

Thank you!

I always enjoy your posts. You and your DH seem to have had a special relationship.

This one made me HUNGRY!  Have saved a copy and will make them soon.

Will have to FREEZE 1/2 of them.  Beloved DH does not believe in leftovers!

Best to you.

CHEERS

[deepwaterdotter]

I make my cream cheese brownies similar to @Annabellethecat66 , with a layer of filling in the middle:

Filling:

8 oz room temperature cream cheese

2/3 cup sour cream

1/4 cup sugar

2 tbsp flour

Batter:

9 oz finely chopped semisweet chocolate

8 oz butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/3 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

Whip cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth.  Mix in sour cream, sugar, and flour on medium speed.

Melt chocolate and butter in big, microwave-safe bowl on 50% power .  Microwave in 1-minute intervals until smooth, stirring at end of each minute.  Whisk in sugar, eggs, and vanilla until combined.  Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined (no dry streaks).  

Spread 1/2 of batter in foil-lined and greased 9x13" baking pan (leave some foil hanging over rim of pan).  Drop big spoonfuls of cream cheese filling over batter and spread into layer.  Microwave remaining batter for 10 seconds and stir.  Drizzle over cream cheese layer.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Completely cool in pan, then refrigerate for a couple hours.  Lift brownies from pan with overhanging foil. 

[Annabellethecat66]

@Drythe OMG!  I almost (well I did) forget to tell you that in the cream cheese mixture be sure to put a few spoonfulls (maybe 3 or 4 tablespoons) of flour into the cream cheese.  It will give it substance.

Special thanks to @deepwaterdotter because by reading her recipe it reminded me about the flour.

I'm sure that's all I forgot.  I don't put sour cream in mine.  I guess it's all in what you like.

Like I said, I'm not a great cook but what I do make people seem to really like.

I don't cook much at all anymore.  It's just me and the cats.

[Annabellethecat66]

I don't know about you ladies but with my grandchildren (and some adults) if you say "Cream cheese brownies" people with wrinkle up their noses and say, "Ugh!  I don't like cream cheese".

But the funny thing is it's not like they think it tastes.  When they eat the brownies, they love them.

I'm going to make them maybe this week and take them over to my daughter's house.  I guarantee you if she keeps her yap shut and doesn't call them 'cream cheese brownies' those teenagers will gulp them down in a minute.  Ha!