Rich chocolate brownies are swirled with classic creamy cheesecake made into these Keto Cheesecake Brownie Bars for a decadent dessert.  They are the perfect treat for special occasions, but easy enough to make anytime.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Keto Cheesecake Brownie Bars Recipe

• Rich chocolate brownie
• Classic cheesecake
• Swirled into decadent bars
• Gluten-free, sugar-free and kid friendly
• Perfect for special occasions

These brownie cheesecake bars are bring together 2 classic and beloved desserts. The brownie batter has a rich chocolatey flavor, without being overly sweet. The cheesecake layer tastes just like traditional cheesecake.

They’re great to take to a potluck or picnic, they taste every bit as good as the sugary high carb version.  No one would even be able to tell they’re Keto friendly.

These bars are definitely worth trying and they will likely become your new favorite dessert to make.

🛒 Ingredients for Keto Brownie Bars

• Cream cheese
• Semi-sweet sugar free chocolate chips
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
• Super fine almond flour
• Butter
• Monk fruit/allulose
• Eggs
• Sour cream
• Vanilla extract
• Instant coffee powder

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Mixing bowls
• Fine mesh sieve
• 8 x 8 baking dish
• Offset spatula
• Hand mixer
• Parchment paper
• Butter knife

🔪 How to Make Gluten-Free Cheesecake Brownie Bars

Preheat oven to 350°F 

Add the butter, instant coffee and chocolate chips into a microwave safe bowl.

Heat for 30 seconds, whisk together and continue to heat for 10 second increments until the chocolate chips are melted.  Set aside and allow to cool slightly.

Add the eggs, one at a time, into the melted chocolate and butter, mixing between additions. Add in the sweetener, and briefly mix.

Sift in the almond flour and cocoa powder using a fine mesh sieve, removing any lumps, then mix just until combined, without over mixing. Measure out 1/2 cup and reserve it for the top.

Pour the rest of the brownie mixture into an 8” x 8” casserole baking dish that’s been lined with parchment paper. Using an offset spatula, smooth into one even layer.

In a separate bowl, add the cream cheese and sour cream to a large mixing bowl and fluff up using a hand mixer. Add in the egg, vanilla extract and sweetener, then continue mixing until well combined, but do not over mix.

Pour the cheesecake layer over the brownie layer and smooth the top.

Take the reserved 1/2 cup of brownie mix and dollop it over the top of the cheesecake layer.

Using a butter knife, hold it upright and gently swirl it through the cheesecake layer, creating a marbled look.

Bake for 30 minutes or until mostly set with a slight jiggle in the center.

Let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, then chill it in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight until completely set. 

Slice into bars and serve.

☑️ Storage Instruction

Store leftover bars in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze.

💡 Tips

• Be sure to let the melted butter and chocolate cool a bit before adding in the eggs, otherwise you risk slightly scrambling them.
• Don’t skip sifting the almond flour and cocoa powder, as this removes any lumps and ensures a smooth batter. 
• Don’t over mix the cheesecake batter, adding in excess air can cause the cheesecake to rise when you bake it, then fall as it cools, making for a more dense bar.  Over mixing can also cause cracks in the bars, which you definitely don’t want.
• Allow at least 4-6 hours before cutting into the bars. Cutting them too quickly before they are fully set can result in the bars not holding their shape and become too soft.

🔄 Substitutions and Additions

• If you don’t have monk fruit/allulose mix, you can use all allulose, just be sure to add extra, since allulose isn’t as sweet as monk fruit. So for the cheesecake layer, you’d need 1/2 cup of allulose and for the brownie layer, add between 3/4 – 1 cup.
• If you don’t care for sour cream, you can substitute with Greek yogurt.
• If you don’t have instant coffee, you can omit it from the recipe. It’s only used to enhance the rich chocolate flavor, but don’t make the brownie batter taste like coffee.  The bars will still taste great without it.
• If for some reason, you didn’t want to do the swirl, you could just create layers of both the cheesecake and brownie batters instead. I think the swirl makes them so much more special and it’s really so easy to do.

Can I just add cream cheese to brownie mix?

You will not achieve the same difference in textures that each batter has separately. So you wouldn’t have that rich thick and fudgy/chewy brownie texture or the traditional cheesecake texture if you mix them together.

How to make keto brownies from scratch?

I actually have a separate recipe for Keto Fudge Brownies that you can check out.

What are some common mistakes in making cheesecake brownies?

Overcooking them is probably the most common mistake people make. It’s important to pull them out of the oven once they are mostly set, but still have a jiggle in the center. Some think because of the jiggle that they’re not cooking through, but they actually are.

Over-mixing the batter is another common mistake, which can result in dense bars and/or cracks.

🍽️ More Keto Dessert Bars

• Keto Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Keto Lemon Bars
• Keto Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
• Salted Caramel Bars
• Vanilla and Chocolate Cheesecake Bars