To start making these delicious red velvet brownies with a cheesecake filling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and make sure to grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.
For the brownie batter, begin by whisking together 1 cup of sugar and melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the cocoa powder, red food coloring, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, vinegar, and salt, one at a time, making sure to mix well after each addition to avoid any lumps. Then, mix in 2 eggs until thoroughly combined.
Once the brownie batter is mixed, stir in the flour just until it's combined. Reserve 1/4 cup of the brownie batter and pour the rest into the prepared baking dish.
Next, for the cheesecake filling, beat the cream cheese in a separate bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until it becomes light and fluffy. Add 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 egg, and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract and continue to beat until it's well blended and only small lumps remain, which should take about 3 to 4 minutes.
To assemble the brownies, spoon dollops of the cream cheese mixture over the batter in the pan and gently smooth the tops of the dollops until they're even with the batter, using a knife or offset spatula. Be careful not to overmix. Drizzle the reserved 1/4 cup of brownie batter over the dollops of cream cheese mixture and drag a knife or skewer through the batter and cream cheese mixture to create swirls.
Bake the brownies in the preheated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is dry and the edges have started to pull away from the sides of the pan. Once the brownies are done, cool them completely before cutting them into bars, and store them covered in the refrigerator. Enjoy these decadent red velvet brownies with a creamy cheesecake filling!
