These deliciously fudgy, moist Key Lime Cheesecake Brownies are swirled with rich key lime cheesecake filling then topped with cream cheese frosting. An easy to make rich, chocolaty dessert that is perfect for St Patrick's Day, after school snacks and spring and summer BBQs.
This is how we celebrate St. Patrick's Day here in South Florida with Key Lime Brownies. A little bit of the green from our Key Lime trees and a little bit of sweetness from some rich dark brownies. Of course, Instant Pot corned beef with beer is still on for the main course but there is always room for dessert.
This recipe is the perfect combination of tartness, sweetness, and richness. OK, maybe it is a little over the top in richness, but who doesn't like that?
The brownies I used this time around were from a boxed Ghiradelli mix, but I have made it with my gluten-free brownie recipe before and that comes out just as delicious.
I decided to use my recipe for key lime pie filling but added just a touch of cream cheese to blend better with the fudgy brownie. It was perfect!
I also decided that it needed a little of that green color on the outside so it fits in with the St. Patrick's Day theme. So, in keeping with my South Florida roots, key lime cream cheese icing it was!
I used a small decorating kit from OXO that I found on Amazon. It is the perfect decorating tool for cupcakes, cookies, brownies and even things like deviled eggs, canapes and such. It is light and easy to use and clean up is a breeze.
My husband brought them into work (his co-workers are so nice to be my guinea pigs) and they were a hit. Devoured in no time! Yay, success!
So indulge today! They take hardly any time to whip up, especially when starting with a box mix. And they'll be ready for a super after-school snack or dinner dessert. Enjoy!
More Brownies Recipes
Loaded Brownies - These are dense, chocolaty brownies that start with a box mix then loaded with your favorite candy bar. What's not to like?
Black Cherry Brownies - Just a boxed brownie mix and a can of black cherry soda and bake. That's it!
Triple Layer Brownies - Sweet & salty come together with a pretzel crust, a rich brownie layer, and topped with an ooey-gooey combination of peanut butter & chocolate.
Lemony Lemon Brownies - Have a tart, fresh taste and zingy lemon glaze.
Find lots of easy brownie recipes here on 2CM!
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KEY LIME CHEESECAKE BROWNIES
Ingredients
Brownies
- 1 Ghiradelli brownie mix (I used Ghiradelli Chocolate Supreme Brownie Mix)
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 egg
Key Lime Filling
- 2 egg yolks
- 10 key limes juiced (about ¼ cup) (If you can’t find key limes I recommend Nellie and Joe’s Key West Lime Juice)
- 3 Tablespoons cream cheese softened
- 7 oz sweetened condensed milk (½ of 14-oz can)
Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons key lime juice
- ½ teaspoon key lime zest or lemon zest
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly spray a 8x8-inch square baking dish with a nonstick spray.
- Mix batter for brownies. Pour ⅔ of it into prepared dish.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine egg yolks, key lime juice, cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Mix well. (Tint green if making for St. Patrick’s Day otherwise leave the traditional yellow color)
- Pour or drop key lime batter over brownie mixture. Pour remaining brownie mixture on top, making sure to cover most of key lime batter. Swirl with a sharp knife.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a slight amount of crumbs. Set on wire rack and let cool.
- When cool (I suggest putting it in the refrigerator for about 1 hour), either frost entire top or turn out onto wooden cutting board and cut into 16 squares, then frost each one. (Easiest to do if you run a sharp knife under very hot water, cut, wipe off blade, then cut again)
- To make frosting, mix all ingredients in a small bowl and beat until smooth. Add a green tint with food coloring for St. Patrick’s Day or leave the more traditional yellow color for summer.
- Decorate by either frosting the entire top or, using a decorator's kit with tips, cut into squares and pipe a little on top of each cut brownie.
Nutrition
This post has been updated and was first published on March 17, 2015.
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