Cheesecake Brownies

I have another delicious recipe to share with you today!

Don't worry all you crafters, I have some projects coming up.  I just didn't have a lot of time to devote to my craftiness over the summer.  I've been busy having fun and doing summery stuff with my kiddos.  But now that school is in session, I feel my crafty bug biting at me . . . 

But today we're talking brownies.  And not just any brownies.  Cheesecake brownies.  Holy moley, were these good!

Here's how you make them.

Cheesecake Brownies

Brownies:

Your favorite brownie recipe

Cheesecake Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp butter, softened

1/4 tsp almond extract

1 tsp vanilla

3-4 cups powdered sugar

For the brownie part, I used my favorite {homemade} brownie recipe.  The recipe calls for butter, but I substituted half of the butter with cream cheese.  If you are using a boxed brownie mix, don't worry about this part.

While my brownies were cooling, I made the cheesecake frosting.  The frosting is what makes these brownies!!!  Mix the cream cheese and the butter together until smooth.  Add the vanilla and almond extract.  The almond extract is what sets this apart from regular cream cheese frosting and gives it more of a cheesecake flavor - yummy!  Mix well.  Add your powdered sugar, one cup at a time, mixing before you add the next cup.  Add until you have your desired consistency.  I made my frosting pretty gooey.

Now go ahead and smooth the frosting over your brownies.  After you've snuck a taste or two.

At this point, you, of course, will taste your cheesecake brownies.  But be careful - you may or may not be able to stop at just one.  Just sayin'.

If you like cheesecake treats, you'll love these Cheesecake Brownies!!!  They went fast at my house.  I really need to make another batch, pronto!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

I'm still trying to recover from last weekend - we went to Sedona, AZ for Labor Day.  We had so much fun!  But getting back to real life is always hard after a fun vacation . . .

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Peanut Buttery Brownies

If you know me well, you know that I heart peanut butter. 

I mean I really, really love it.

And, of course, I have a child allergic to it.  So I have to get my PB fix at night after she goes to bed.

'Cuz I really can't live without it!

So today I bring you an easy but delicious recipe - my Peanut Buttery Brownies!

 Don't they look good?!

Here's the recipe:

What you need:

- Brownie mix (any brand will do, just use your favorite)
- Baking chocolate or chocolate chips
- Peanut butter
- Butter
- Powdered sugar

I started off by making the brownies according to the package.  I happened to have a Kroger brownie mix on hand (I have to have a brownie mix on hand at all times because my husband loves brownies!  Sometimes I make them from scratch, but most of the time I use a mix).  

I wanted to add a little something extra and saw that I had a bar of Ghirardelli baking chocolate on hand.  Perfect!  

{Or you could use chocolate chips - one to two cups.  The more you use, the more chocolatey it will be!}

I chopped the baking chocolate into small squares {I used the whole bar} and added them to my brownie mix before I put the brownie mix into my 9x13 pan.  Bake the brownies according to package.

To make the peanut butter layer, mix:

1 cup peanut butter

2 Tbsp butter

2 cups powdered sugar

4 Tbsp milk

Cream the peanut butter and butter.  Add the powdered sugar and milk.  If the mixture seems too stiff, don't be afraid to add a little more milk, a tablespoon at a time.  I put in about 3 tablespoons milk and should have put just a little more, which is why for the recipe I put 4 tablespoons.  You don't want it runny, but you want it soft enough to spread on the brownies - just a little thicker than frosting would be.

After the brownies are cooked and cooled, add the peanut butter mixture.  Just spread it all over the brownies.

Cut 'em up and eat 'em!

But, make sure you have a tall glass of milk to go along with your brownies 'cuz these babies are rich!  And oh so delicious!



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