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Fudgy vanilla brownies topped with a pandan cream cheese swirl, showing a dense brownie base and vibrant green marbled topping on parchment paper.
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Pandan Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

Ultra-fudgy vanilla brownies marbled with a fragrant pandan cream cheese swirl. These brownies are rich, lightly chewy, and beautifully contrasted with bright green pandan ribbons—perfect for slicing into clean, eye-catching squares.
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Fusion, Southeast Asian–Inspired
Keyword green swirl brownies, pandan baking recipe, pandan brownies, pandan cream cheese dessert, pandan cream cheese swirl brownies, pandan dessert
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 16 brownies
Calories 260kcal
Cost $9 for entire recipe

Equipment

  • 8×8 inch baking pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Mixing bowls
  • hand mixer or whisk
  • Rubber spatula
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Toothpick or skewer (for swirling)
  • Cooling rack

Ingredients

🧈 Brownie Base Ingredients

  • ¾ cup 150g granulated sugar
  • ½ cup 115g unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup 95g all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp salt

🌿 Pandan Cream Cheese Swirl

  • 6 oz 170g cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup 50g granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1–1½ tsp pandan extract start light—pandan is potent
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream or milk

Instructions

Prep

  • Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C)
  • Line pan with parchment, leaving overhang for easy lifting

Make the Brownie Batter

  • Whisk sugar and melted butter until glossy
  • Add eggs and vanilla; whisk until smooth
  • Fold in flour and salt just until combined
  • Pour batter into pan and smooth evenly

Make the Pandan Swirl

  • Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth
  • Mix in egg yolk, pandan extract, and cream
  • Beat just until creamy and vividly green

Swirl

  • Spoon pandan mixture over brownie batter
  • Use a toothpick or skewer to gently swirl—don’t overmix (you want definition)

Bake

  • Bake 35–40 minutes, until:
  • Center is just set
  • A toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter
  • Cool completely before slicing for clean swirls

Notes

  • Do not overmix the batter after adding the flour; overmixing will make the brownies dense instead of fudgy.
  • Pandan extract varies by brand—start with 1 teaspoon and increase gradually to avoid a grassy or artificial taste.
  • For vibrant green swirls without excess liquid, use pandan paste or gel rather than water-based extract.
  • Underbake slightly for the best fudgy texture; the brownies will continue to set as they cool.
  • Let brownies cool completely before slicing to preserve clean, defined pandan swirls.
  • For sharper cuts, chill brownies 20–30 minutes and wipe the knife between slices.
  • Optional add-ins like white chocolate chips or coconut flakes pair especially well with pandan.