These Halloween Ghost Cheesecake Brownies are an easy spooky treat to make for trick or treaters, a Halloween party, or for your family during autumn. The brownies are made using my best ever brownie recipe - they're super fudgey, chocolate packed and absolutely decadent. On top is eggless cheesecake mixture made to look like ghosts. It's a really simple and easy effect to add to these brownies, making them perfect for Halloween, and totally delicious too!
Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information
- Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before you start baking. The butter can be cold for this recipe, as you are going to melt it anyway. It will just take slightly longer to melt.
- I used unsalted butter for this recipe.
- I used light brown soft sugar for the brownies, which I do recommend using as it makes them extra fudgey, but you can also use caster sugar.
- For the cream cheese layer, I find that Philadelpha cream cheese works best, but you can use other brands too. Just make sure to stick to full fat for the best consistency.
- I used white chocolate chips in the brownies, you can swap to milk or dark chocolate chips, or leave them out
- For all of the answers to more questions about brownies, check out my Chocolate Brownies guide!
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Halloween Ghost Cheesecake Brownies
Make the cheesecake first. Mix together full fat cream cheese, caster sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. In a mug or smaller bowl, combine the milk and cornflour, then pour it into the cream cheese mixture and combine. Cover the mixing bowl and pop it in the fridge while you make the brownie batter. Melt together the dark chocolate and butter in a pan on a low heat, when fully melted, set aside to cool for 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the light brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract for 5 minutes using an electric mixer.
Pour the melted chocolate and butter mixture into the sugar and egg mixture, whisking gently with a hand whisk as you pour. Then add the flour and gently whisk it in. Then add the white chocolate chips and mix them in. Pour the batter into a lined traybake tin, reserve 1 ½ tbsp of it and place into a small piping bag.
Add the cheesecake mixture on top of the brownie batter in spoonfuls. Use a cocktail stick to give each spoonful a slight swirl. Wipe the cocktail stick clean with some kitchen roll in between each one. Then pipe the reserved brownie batter onto the cheesecake spoonfuls to create the ghost's eyes and mouths. Bake the brownies for 20-25 minutes, leave to cool completely, then put in the fridge to chill for 1-2 hours before slicing up and serving.
Can these brownies be baked in different size tins?
Yes! All you need to do is adjust the baking time. Bake for 20-25 minutes if using a 9" x 12" traybake tin, around 30 minutes if using a 9" square tin, or around 40 minutes if using a 8" square tin. Test they are done by poking in the centre with a cocktail stick. It should come out with moist crumb on it, but not be wet. I wouldn't recommend using anything smaller than an 8" square tin though.
What type of chocolate is best for brownies?
It’s hard to give an exact answer, because it depends on personal preference, but most dark chocolates will work well. I would always say to use a dark chocolate that you like to eat. One of the main ingredients of this recipe is melted dark chocolate, so it contributes massively to the flavour of the brownies. If you prefer a very dark chocolate that’s less sweet then use a higher cocoa bar, for example 70% cocoa and higher. If you prefer a milder dark chocolate, then a cocoa content around 40-50% will suit you better. One chocolate I would avoid using is cheap cooking or baking chocolate. You can get good quality baking chocolates (for example Lindt make one, and I have made amazing brownies with it) but any cheaper lower quality brands can taste very ‘fake’. For more tips on making brownies, check out my Chocolate Brownie making guide!
How should the brownies be stored and can they be frozen?
They should be stored in an airtight container, or covered on a plate, in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the brownies. Once they are fully cool, wrap them well in cling film or place them in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
How do you know when the brownies are baked?
The best way to check is with the toothpick test, poke one into the middle of the brownies. It should come out with a few moist crumbs on it, but not be wet. It's better to underbake brownies rather than overbake them, especially for fudgey brownies, and you can always put them in the fridge to firm up.
Can the brownies be made gluten free?
For gluten free brownies, you can replace the plain flour with a gluten free plain flour blend. Please do check the labels of everything you use if you are serving this recipe to anyone with an allergy or intolerance.
Can the brownies be made dairy free?
To make the brownies dairy free, use a dairy free butter alternative. I recommend Flora Plant, or the Stork Baking Block. Or you can replace the butter for 200ml vegetable oil (or another mild tasting oil like sunflower or canola oil). You will also need to make sure the dark chocolate you use in the brownie batter is dairy free, and replace the cream cheese and milk with dairy free alternatives for the ghost. Please do check the labels of everything you use if you are serving this recipe to anyone with an allergy or intolerance.
More tips for making the Halloween Ghost Cheesecake Brownies:
- Make sure to line your tin with greaseproof baking paper so the brownies come out easily
- If it's not Halloween, you can still make these brownies! Just don't reserve any brownie batter for piping the ghosts eyes and mouths on, then add the cheesecake on top in spoonfuls, and using a butter knife, glide it through the batter to create a pretty swirl!
Troubleshooting
If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
- Mixing bowls
- Traybake tin
- Measuring spoons
- Cooling rack
- Kitchen scales
- Electric hand mixer
- Piping bags
- Dark chocolate
*I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!
More Halloween recipes...
Halloween Ghost Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients
For the cheesecake ghosts
- 150 g Full fat cream cheese I used Philadelphia
- 25 g Caster sugar
- ¼ tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp Milk
- 1 tsp Cornflour (also known as cornstarch)
For the brownie batter
- 350 g Dark chocolate
- 250 g Butter unsalted
- 250 g Light brown soft sugar
- 3 Eggs large
- 120 g Plain flour
- 125 g White chocolate chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/350F/Gas Mark 4 and grease and line a 12" x 9" traybake tin
- To make the cheesecake ghost layer, mix together the full fat cream cheese, caster sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl until smooth
- In a smaller bowl or mug, combine the milk and cornflour, then add it to the cream cheese mixture and combine them. Cover the mixture and pop it in the fridge while you make the brownie batter
- For the brownie mix start by melting the dark chocolate and butter in a pan on a low heat, once melted stir together then set aside to cool for 10 minutes
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to mix together the light brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until frothy - this takes about 5 minutes
- Slowly pour the melted chocolate and butter into the egg mixture, whilst constantly whisking - ideally with a hand whisk
- Add the plain flour and gently whisk in
- Remove 1 ½ tbsp of the brownie batter and place it into a piping bag
- Then add the white chocolate chips and mix them in
- Pour the brownie batte into the traybake tin, then add the cheesecake mixture on top in spoonfuls
- Use a cocktail stick to swirl out each spoonful of cheesecake to create the ghost shape. Wipe the cocktail stick clean between each one using some kitchen roll
- Pipe the ghost's eyes and mouths on using the reserved brownie batter
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cocktail stick inserted in the centre comes out with moist crumbs on it
- Leave to cool completely, then refridgerate before removing from the tin and cutting into squares
- Store in the fridge and eat within 3 days
Notes
- Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before you start baking. The butter can be cold for this recipe, as you are going to melt it anyway. It will just take slightly longer to melt.
- I used unsalted butter for this recipe.
- I used light brown soft sugar for the brownies, which I do recommend using as it makes them extra fudgey, but you can also use caster sugar.
- For the cream cheese layer, I find that Philadelpha cream cheese works best, but you can use other brands too. Just make sure to stick to full fat for the best consistency.
- I used white chocolate chips in the brownies, you can swap to milk or dark chocolate chips, or leave them out
- For all of the answers to more questions about brownies, check out my Chocolate Brownies guide!
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
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