With the help of Pillsbury™ Brownie Mix and just a few other ingredients, you can make these pretty Cherry Cheesecake Brownie Cupcakes for the special people in your life.
These tasty individual cheesecakes contain one of my favorite flavor combos of all time – chocolate and cherry. Add in some creamy cheesecake and let me tell you – they are the stuff legends are made of! As pretty as they look, they’re actually super easy to pull together and just wait until you taste them.
There’s a lot going on here and it’s ALL good!
Since we’re just days away from Valentine’s Day, I wanted to share with you a couple of the sweeties in my life – Jake (Boy #2) and his cute-as-a-button girlfriend, Mina. Young love! It’s fun to bake when you’ve got people around who are so happy to consume the goods.
My inspiration for this recipe was this box of Pillsbury™ Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix that I picked up at Walmart. I love to have these mixes on hand so I can be ready to bake up a batch of brownies whenever the mood strikes. If you’ve not tried this flavor yet, you must! It has delicious deep, dark chocolate flavor and a wonderfully chewy texture. The flavor and texture could not be any more perfect for the base of these cupcakes and makes a divine backdrop for the cherry cheesecake filling.
Walmart has an excellent selection of Pillsbury™ Brownie Mix and the fun varieties of Pillsbury™ Frosting to get you started on your Valentine’s Day baking. Save on Pillsbury™ now! Click HERE for your coupon so you can mix up a moment for the loved ones in your life.
If you missed it, be sure to check out the Brownie Marshmallow Crunch Bars I made recently. They would also make an excellent sweet treat for Valentine’s Day.
Let’s get baking!
To make the cheesecake filling combine a package of cream cheese, an egg, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a medium mixing bowl.
Use and electric mixer to combine until smooth and creamy.
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil liners and lightly spray them with non-stick cooking spray. Prepare the brownie mix according to the package directions and divide it between the foil liners. They will be about 2/3 full.
Place a spoon full of the cheesecake filling over the top of the brownie batter in each liner.
Drop a small spoon full of canned cherry pie filling, including two or three cherries, onto the center of each cupcake. Don’t be overly concerned if it’s a bit off center. Just plop and move on!
Run a toothpick or the tip of a knife through the cherries to swirl them into the cheesecake filling a little bit. You can get fancy here if you’d like but I just swirled away.
Pop the cupcakes in a preheated 350 degree oven for 24 to 26 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool completely in the muffin pan. Transfer them to the refrigerator to chill for several hours before serving.
Just like cheesecake, they’re best served cold and you’ll want to store them in a covered container in the fridge.
Sweet, simple, and oh-so-tasty!
Follow Pillsbury™ Baking on Pinterest for some awesome baking inspiration.
Cherry Cheesecake Brownie Cupcakes
Ingredients
- 1 18.4 ounce package Pillsbury™ Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix
- 2/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 eggs
Cherry Cheesecake Topping:
- 1 8 ounce package low-fat (Neufchatel) or regular cream cheese
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 small can cherry pie filling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° degrees F. Place 12 foil cupcake liners in a cupcake tin. Lightly coat the foil liners with non-stick cooking spray.
- Prepare brownie mix with oil, water, and eggs, according to package directions. Set aside.
- Use an electric mixer to combine cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract in a medium mixing bowl. Beat until blended and smooth. Set aside.
- Divide the prepared brownie batter between the foil liners. Each cupcake liner will be about 2/3 full. Spoon about a tablespoon of the cheesecake topping over the top of the brownie batter in each liner. Spoon a tablespoon of cherry pie filling, including 2 or 3 cherries, on the center of the cheesecake topping. You will not need the entire can of pie filling. Run a toothpick through the cheesecake and cherries to create a light swirl pattern.
- Bake at 350 for 24 to 26 minutes.
- Cool completely and then chill for 3 or 4 hours to allow the cheesecake to set up.
- Cupcakes taste better chilled. Store covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The J.M. Smucker Company. The opinions and text are all mine.
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