Do you love chocolate? What about cheese? Do you love them both? What if you paired the two in a decadent dessert? Does the mention of such an indulgence make you weak in the knees? I have just the thing for you, Swirled Cheesecake Brownies, perfect for Valentine's Day!

Two of my weaknesses are chocolate and cheese- two foods I rarely get to indulge in at the same time until now. Alas, these sinfully rich, fudgy brownies, dolloped with clouds of creamy, dreamy cheesecake, and swirled with ribbons of Cherry or Strawberry Butter, will make your head swoon, and your taste buds dance!

Since Valentine's Day is this week, I give you permission to swoon and satisfy both cravings and do some serious celebrating. So treat yourself, your valentine(s), and your shaky knees to this easy, devilishly decadent recipe. You will not be disappointed.

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Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 box fudge brownie mix, plus ingredients mentioned on brownie mix box (we used Ghirhadelli Chocolate Brownie Mix)
1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) instant coffee (trick I learned from Ina Garten)
2 8oz. packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 c. sugar
2 large eggs
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoons (tsp.) vanilla extract
1/2 jar Cherchies® Butter Spread (Cherry, Strawberry, or Apple would work nicely)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350º and spray a 9-x-13" pan with cooking oil. Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions, add instant coffee, and pour the batter into the greased pan. Set aside.

For the cheesecake mixture: In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt and mix until combined. Pour cheesecake mixture over the brownie batter.

In a small bowl, add the Cherchies® Butter Spread (choose your favorite) and mix until easy to spread. Dollop the butter spread over the brownie cheesecake mixture and swirl with a toothpick or knife, making sure to just swirl the cheesecake layer.

Bake until the edges are golden brown and the center of cheesecake mixture jiggles slightly, about 35 to 40 minutes. Let cheesecake brownies cool completely in pan.