Small Batch Vegan Brookie Basque Cheesecake Bars – No eggs, no dairy!
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For my brookie lovers (yes, the iconic cookie and brownie combo), I give you the ultimate brookie Basque cheesecake- a cheesecake made in small batch form with a fudge vegan brownie bottom and ultra creamy cookie dough Basque “cheesecake” on top! It’s a brownie and cookie lover’s dream- and it’s all made without eggs and dairy, and unbelievably vegan!!
The best of all worlds: cookie dough, brownies, and cheesecake in one!
After I shared my small bath brownie Basque cheesecake, and you all went nuts for it on Instagram, I had to come up with another creation!
So based on my absolute favorite small batch brookies and that amazing brownie Basque cheesecake, I give you the brookie Basque cheesecake. Small batch, loaded with cookie dough and brownie in every bite, and all wrapped in the silkiest dairy free cheesecake!
And of course, it’s all vegan- no eggs and no dairy, yet you’d never know. Trust me, I’ve spent 6 years perfecting vegan baking after working in a bakery myself. You won’t believe this recipe is vegan!!
Step by step overview:
For the full written instructions and ingredient measurements, see the bottom of this post in the recipe card. You can also hit the “jump to recipe” button at the top of this post! Here, we’ll go over a brief overview of the steps, along with providing visuals for a better understanding of the recipe.
Key tips to keep in mind with this recipe:
- The brownie batter is easiest to work with when all ingredients are room temperature: That goes for the cheesecake batter too. All of the ingredients mix and blend together so much more consistently when they’re a bit warmer and closer to room temperature. The brownie batter will pour (instead of being scoop able) and the cheesecake will be much more consistent!
- If your cheesecake isn’t browning on top: Use the broil option on your oven. A minute or two on broil (keep a close eye on it!!) should help brown the cheesecake top perfectly to be a burnt Basque cheesecake.
- Don’t skip the flour and cornstarch: Or arrowroot starch if you’re not using cornstarch. This helps set our cheesecake, much like an egg would do.
- For extra brownie bites on top: Okay, so I went overboard with decorating this cheesecake (worth. it.), and if you want to do the same, I just made a second batch of my small batch brown butter vegan brownies. Save a few for yourself in the freezer, and cut the rest into small, bite sized brownies for topping. So cute!!
Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below. This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
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Small Batch Vegan Brookie Basque Cheesecake Bars – No eggs, no dairy!
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: Cheesecake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
For my brookie lovers (yes, the iconic cookie and brownie combo), I give you the ultimate brookie Basque cheesecake- a cheesecake made in small batch form with a fudge vegan brownie bottom and ultra creamy cookie dough Basque “cheesecake” on top! It’s a brownie and cookie lover’s dream- and it’s all made without eggs and dairy, and unbelievably vegan!!
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup (125 g) heat-treated all purpose flour or gluten free 1:1 baking flour , sifted and spoon & leveled*
- 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted vegan butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1/4 cup (50 g) organic granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (75 g) light brown sugar
- 3 tbsp (45 g) dairy free yogurt or unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup (85 g) mini vegan chocolate chips
Brownie Crust:
- 1/4 cup (57 g) vegan butter or coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup (25 g) high quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder*
- 3 ounces vegan chocolate
- 1/8 cup (40 mL) dairy free milk, room temperature*
- 1/3 cup (75 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar
1/4 cup (50 g) dairy free yogurt - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup (100 g) all-purpose flour or gluten free 1:1 baking flour
- 1/4 cup (40 g) vegan chocolate chips, additional
Cheesecake:
- 16 ounces (450 g) vegan cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 g) dairy free yogurt, room temperature
- 3/4 (180 mL) vegan heavy cream, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 g) organic granulated sugar
- 5 tbsp (60 g) cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 tbsp (12 g) flour
- 1/2 cup vegan mini chocolate chips
Toppings:
- 1/2 batch vegan chocolate ganache
- Additional cookie dough and baked brownie bites, if desired
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 400F, and line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper. Keep in mind that if your loaf pan is smaller in width, you might need longer to bake. Read through the instructions and the ingredient list. We’ll make the cookie dough, then brownie batter, and finally the cheesecake batter.
- Make the cookie dough: In a small bowl, whisk together the vegan butter, sugar, light brown sugar, dairy free yogurt, vanilla extract, and sea salt. Then switch to a silicone spatula, and add in the flour. Fold in the flour JUST until combined, then pour in the chocolate chips, and fold to distribute. Take a third of the cookie dough and press it into the bottom of the cheesecake loaf pan. Place both the cookie dough and the loaf pan into the fridge to chill while you make the brownie batter.
- Make the fudge sauce: Heat the butter in the microwave until hot. Then pour the hot vegan butter over the 3 ounces of vegan chocolate in a heat-safe bowl. Let sit for 2 minutes to melt the chocolate, then stir until the chocolate is completely melted into the butter. Then add in the cocoa powder, and stir until dissolved. Set aside.
- Dissolve the sugar: In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together the dairy free milk, granulated sugar, brown sugar, dairy free yogurt, vanilla extract and sea salt. Mix on medium speed until the sugar is nearly dissolved. If you pinch the batter between your fingers, you should feel very small granules if at all.
- Finish the brownie batter: Pour in the chocolate fudge sauce, and mix with a hand mixer again until the chocolate mixture is combined. Then add in the flour, and mix on low speed JUST until the flour is integrated into the chocolate brownie batter.
- Fold in the remaining chocolate: Add in the additional chocolate chips, and fold with a silicone spatula to evenly distribute throughout the batter. Remove the cookie dough pressed into the loaf pan from the pan, keeping the parchment paper within in the loaf pan. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan, and spread the batter to the edges. Then place the chilled molded cookie dough on top. Set aside.
- Form the cookie dough balls: Using a teaspoon scoop, scoop the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a plate. Roll each teaspoon dollop into a ball. Place the plate or baking sheet into the fridge to continue chilling while you make the cheesecake batter.
- Make the Basque cheesecake batter: In a food processor, add in all cheesecake ingredients, except for the chocolate chips, and blend until smooth. Once blended and smooth, carefully remove the blade of the food processor and add in the chocolate chips. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter.
- Assemble: Remove the cookie dough from the fridge. Pour half of the cheesecake batter on top of the cookie dough and brownie batter layer, and spread the batter to the edges of the pan. Place about 1/3 of the cookie dough sprinkled on top of the cheesecake batter, then pour the remaining half of the cheesecake batter on top. Press another third of cookie dough into the cheesecake batter, saving the remaining third of cookie dough for decorating the cheesecake after baking.
- Bake: Place the cheesecake pan into the oven to bake for 24 minutes. Then turn the oven onto broil, and broil for 1-2 minutes, until it begins to just burn on the top. Remove from the oven.
- Cool: Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool for 20-30 minutes before covering and placing into the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Slice and serve: When ready to serve, top with vegan chocolate ganache and additional cookie dough and brownies for decoration, slice, and serve! Store any leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Gluten free: I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour.
