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Last Updated on March 2, 2025 by becky
A blueberry cheesecake brownie recipe with lemon cheesecake swirls and homemade blueberry jam. The ultimate blueberry cheesecake brownies!
Why Make This Blueberry Cheesecake Brownie Recipe?
As a longtime New Yorker, I’m partial to a classic slice of lemon cheesecake. (Veniero’s Pasticceria and Caffe sells my favorite New York cheesecake.) And with family roots in Maine, I think the addition of fresh summer blueberries makes any dessert a winner. And dark chocolate, of course, makes everything better, always.
These blueberry lemon cheesecake brownies combine the best of all of these worlds, creating a fun, fruity twist on the classic cream cheese brownie. Featuring a dark chocolate brownie base, swirls of rich lemon cheesecake, and a sweet homemade blueberry jam, they’re sure to be a hit with family and friends.
Celebrated each year on the 26th of May, National Blueberry Cheesecake Day doesn’t have much of an exciting history behind it, but it does offer a great excuse to whip up a batch of cheesecake brownies. Although really, do you even need a reason?
Blueberry Cheesecake Brownie Ingredients
To make this cheesecake brownie recipe, start by gathering the following ingredients:
- Blueberries – You can use fresh or frozen blueberries to make the blueberry jam.
- Granulated Sugar – You’ll need granulated sugar for the jam, the batter, and the cheesecake swirl.
- Butter – You’ll need 113 grams, or 1 stick, of unsalted butter. No need to soften; you’ll melt the butter in step 1.
- Cocoa Powder – Choose regular unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe, not Dutch process.
- Kosher Salt – Kosher salt (or fine sea salt) balances the sweetness of the chocolate and sugar.
- Vanilla Bean Paste – Both the batter and cheesecake contain vanilla bean paste. You can substitute a good-quality vanilla extract, or the scrapings of 1 vanilla pod.
Blueberry cheesecake brownie recipe ingredients - Eggs – The batter requires 2 large eggs, and you’ll need 1 additional yolk for thickening the cream cheese topping.
- Oil – You’ll need 1 tablespoon of a neutral-tasting oil, like vegetable, sunflower, or canola.
- All Purpose Flour – Or plain flour. Brands like Gold Medal and Pillsbury are good choices for US bakers; in the UK I recommend McDougall’s in the red-and-white striped bag.
- Baking Powder – I’ve added a small amount of baking powder for a little extra lift. Feel free to omit for a fudgier brownie.
- Dark Chocolate – You can use chopped dark chocolate, chocolate callets, or chocolate chips.
- Cream Cheese – For the cheesecake swirl. I developed this recipe with block-style American cream cheese. I have not tested it with British cream cheese. (Please see this post for more on the differences between the two.)
- Lemon – Lemon zest and lemon oil give the cheesecake swirl its bright citrus flavor.
Checking for Thread Stage
When preparing your jam, you want to make sure to reach thread stage. You can take the temperature with a candy thermometer, or conduct a simple manual test.
To test the jam manually, spoon a small amount onto a plate and allow it to cool slightly. Place the mixture between your thumb and forefinger and pull. If the sugar syrup creates a strand, or “thread,” it is ready to use. If not, continue cooking it a little bit longer. (For more tips on measuring sugar temperatures without a candy thermometer, The Spruce has a helpful guide.)
Cheesecake Brownie Recipe Tips & Tricks
This recipe includes a homemade blueberry jam. If you don’t have the time to make homemade jam, or don’t have any fresh or frozen berries on hand, you can use a store-bought jam instead. I’d suggest a high-quality brand such as Bonne Maman.
Don’t like lemon? You can omit the lemon oil and lemon zest and make a classic cheesecake swirl instead. Or, experiment with citrus zest and oil, such as orange or lime. LorAnn oils offers a range of high-quality, food-grade essential oils.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
You can prepare the blueberry jam up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Store leftover blueberry cream cheese brownies at room temperature for up to 24 hours, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Other cheesecake brownies you might enjoy:
Brie and Cranberry Brownies
Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies
Nutella Cheesecake Brownies
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Blueberry Cheesecake Brownies
A blueberry cheesecake brownie recipe with lemon cheesecake swirls and homemade blueberry jam. The ultimate blueberry cheesecake brownies!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-60 minutes
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 16 brownies
- Category: Brownies and Traybakes
- Method: Oven + Stovetop
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Blueberry Jam:
180 grams fresh or frozen blueberries (1 1/3 cups)
40 grams granulated sugar (3 tablespoons)
Brownie Batter:
113 grams unsalted butter (1/2 cup / 1 stick)
200 grams granulated sugar (1 cup)
70 grams cocoa powder (3/4 cup)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon canola oil or vegetable oil
80 grams all purpose flour (2/3 cup)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
75 grams chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips (2 2/3 ounces; about 1/2 cup)
Cheesecake Swirl:
215 grams cream cheese, softened (8-ounce package)
65 grams granulated sugar (1/3 cup)
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon lemon oil, or to taste
Instructions
Blueberry Jam:
In a small saucepan, combine blueberries and sugar. Simmer over medium heat until berries break down and mixture thickens, and temperature reaches 106° C / 225° F on a candy thermometer. (If you don’t have a thermometer, you can manually test for thread stage. See notes in post above.)
Scoop jam into a small bowl. Set aside while you prepare the brownie batter.
Brownie Batter:
Preheat oven to 330° F / 165° C. Line an 8 x 8-inch square baking tin with parchment, allowing a 1-inch overhang on all sides. Spritz lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and kosher salt. Remove from heat and cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Mixture will be thick.
Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and vanilla bean paste and whisk to combine.
With a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, followed by the chopped dark chocolate.
Set aside while you prepare the cheesecake swirl.
Cheesecake Swirl:
Add softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, and beat on high speed until light and fluffy.
Mix in the granulated sugar, followed by egg yolk and vanilla bean paste, and continue mixing until well combined.
Mix in the lemon zest and lemon oil.
Assembly:
Spread 2/3 of the brownie batter into prepared tin.
With a teaspoon, drop cheesecake mixture over batter. Use a knife or skewer to swirl, creating a marbled pattern.
With a teaspoon, drop blueberry jam over cheesecake layer, and use a knife or skewer to swirl.
With a teaspoon, drop reserved batter over top.
Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
Cool completely prior to serving.
Store leftover cheesecake brownies in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
