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Stack of fudgy ube cream cheese brownies with rich chocolate bases and marbled purple ube and cream cheese swirls, photographed in soft natural light.
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Ube Cream Cheese Brownies

Rich, fudgy chocolate brownies swirled with creamy ube-infused cream cheese for a striking purple marbled finish and a lightly sweet, nutty flavor. These ube cream cheese brownies are dense, indulgent, and bakery-style, with a cheesecake-like contrast that makes them as beautiful as they are decadent.
Course Dessert, Party Treat, Snack
Cuisine American, Filipino-Inspired
Keyword cream cheese brownies, Filipino ube dessert, fudgy brownies, marbled brownies, purple brownies, ube brownies, ube cream cheese brownies, ube dessert, ube swirl brownies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 16 brownies
Calories 300kcal
Cost $12 for entire recipe

Equipment

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

Ingredients

Brownie Base

  • ¾ cup 150 g granulated sugar
  • ½ cup 113 g unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup 60 g all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup 35 g unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ¼ tsp salt

Ube Cream Cheese Swirl

  • 8 oz 226 g cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup 50 g granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ½ cup ube halaya preferred or 1–2 tsp ube extract
  • Optional: 1–2 drops purple gel color for extra vibrancy

Instructions

  • Prep: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line pan with parchment, leaving overhang.
  • Brownie Batter: Whisk sugar and melted butter until glossy. Add eggs and vanilla; whisk smooth. Fold in flour, cocoa powder, and salt just until combined.
  • Ube Cream Cheese: Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in yolk and ube halaya (or extract). Adjust color if desired.
  • Assemble: Spread brownie batter evenly in pan. Dollop ube mixture on top.
  • Swirl: Use a knife to gently marble—don’t overmix.
  • Bake: 30–35 minutes, until edges are set and center has a slight jiggle.
  • Cool: Cool completely, then chill 1–2 hours for clean cuts.

Notes

  • Use ube halaya for best flavor: It gives deeper, authentic ube taste and a naturally creamy texture compared to extract alone. If using extract, add a touch more sugar to balance bitterness.
  • Room-temperature cream cheese matters: Cold cream cheese can create lumps and muddy swirls instead of smooth marbling.
  • Don’t over-swirl: 4–6 gentle passes with a knife is plenty—too much swirling will turn the top grayish-purple.
  • For ultra-fudgy brownies: Slightly underbake; the center should look just set with a soft jiggle.
  • Chill before slicing: Refrigerating for 1–2 hours gives clean, bakery-style cuts and sharper purple contrast.
  • Color control: Ube halaya varies by brand—add 1–2 drops purple gel food coloring if you want a more vibrant swirl.
  • Flavor boosters (optional): A pinch of salt in the ube mixture or a few white chocolate chips in the brownie base pairs beautifully with ube.
  • Pan choice: Metal pans give crisper edges; glass pans may need an extra 5 minutes of bake time.
  • Storage: Keep refrigerated after the first day due to cream cheese; brownies taste even better chilled.