Ingredients
½cupunsalted butter,melted
1cupwhite sugar,plus additional ¼ cup for cream cheese batter
¼cupunsweetened cocoa powder
1ozred food coloring
1tspvanilla extract,plus additional ¼ tsp for cream cheese batter
1tspwhite vinegar,distilled
¼tspsalt
2large eggs,slightly beaten, plus additional 1 for cream cheese batter
¾cupall-purpose flour
8ozcream cheese,(1 package) at room temperature
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan.
Whisk melted butter with 1 cup of sugar in a large mixing bowl; stir cocoa, red food coloring, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, vinegar, and salt into the butter mixture 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition to avoid lumps.
Stir 2 eggs into the mixture until thoroughly combined.
Stir flour into the cocoa mixture just until combined; set aside ¼ cup batter. Pour the remaining batter into the prepared baking dish.
Beat cream cheese in a bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy; beat the remaining sugar, egg, and vanilla extract into cream cheese until very well blended and only small lumps remain.
Spoon cream cheese mixture in dollops over the batter in pan; gently smooth tops of dollops even with batter using a knife or offset spatula. Do not overmix. Drizzle reserved batter over the dollops of cream cheese mixture.
Drag a knife or skewer through the batter and cream cheese mixture to create swirls.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting into bars; store covered in the refrigerator for half an hour.
Serve and enjoy.
