This shockingly easy burnt chocolate brownie Basque cheesecake is made in small batch form with a rich, fudge vegan brownie bottom and ridiculously creamy chocolate Basque “cheesecake” on top! No eggs and entirely dairy free, yet you’d never know 😉 

sliced vegan brownie Basque cheesecake

Why you’ll love this small batch cheesecake recipe:

You know we’re big fans of small batch recipes here- small batch cookies, small batch brownies, and even small batch cupcakes and cakes.

But we’ve yet to do a small batch cheesecake, so this just had to happen. It’s combining two of my favorite desserts: brownies and cheesecake, and this recipe is truly for chocolate lovers only!!

Now, of course, we’re also vegan here, so this small batch brownie Basque cheesecake is made entirely without eggs and dairy.

sliced Basque cheesecake

But trust me, it actually works better than a regular cheesecake because Basque cheesecakes tend to be creamier and more custard-like, so vegan cheesecakes naturally lend themselves to be more in the Basque cheesecake category!

Andddd you don’t need a water bath. Just make the brownie batter followed by the cheesecake batter, bake, and set! How simple is that?!

Key tips to keep in mind:

  • Keep all ingredients warm or room temperature: This is to ensure that the melted chocolate in the cheesecake batter completely integrates into the cheesecake batter. Otherwise, you’ll get specks of chocolate throughout your batter instead of a consistently creamy, rich chocolate Basque cheesecake.
  • Assemble the brownie batter first, then the Basque cheesecake batter: When you let the brownie batter sit, it starts to set and harden over time if it’s not immediately put into the oven. To prevent this, once you’ve finished the brownie batter, immediately pour it into your pan. Otherwise, it’ll be harder to spread onto the bottom of your loaf pan.
  • You can use cornstarch or arrowroot starch: The only reason to use one over the other would be for an allergy. Both are interchangeable!
  • Don’t be afraid to use your broiler! That’s what creates the burnt top on top of your cheesecake! I’ve noticed that vegan cheesecakes are a bit harder to “burn” like with a traditional Basque cheesecake, so it’s okay to use the broiler for 1-2 minutes to get that burnt look.
plate of brownie Basque cheesecake

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.

brownie batter
brownies
cheesecake batter
Basque cheesecake before baking
decorated brownie Basque cheesecake
sliced brownie Basque cheesecake

Can I make this brownie Basque cheesecake gluten free?

Absolutely!! While Basque cheesecakes typically use flour for thickening, a chocolate Basque cheesecake uses cocoa powder, which is naturally gluten free!

And the brownie bottom is easily made gluten free with gluten free flour (I use King Arthur measure-for-measure gluten free flour!).

bitten brownie Basque cheesecake

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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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sliced Basque cheesecake

Molten Small Batch Vegan Brownie Basque Cheesecake

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Britt Berlin
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 25
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Cheesecake
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

This shockingly easy burnt chocolate brownie Basque cheesecake is made in small batch form with a rich, fudge vegan brownie bottom and ridiculously creamy chocolate Basque “cheesecake” on top! No eggs and entirely dairy free, yet you’d never know 😉 

Ingredients

Scale

Brownie layer:

  • 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

Basque Cheesecake:

  • 16 ounces (450 g) vegan cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup (60 g) dairy free yogurt, room temperature
  • 3/4 (180 mL) vegan heavy cream, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) organic granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp (24 g) cornstarch or arrowroot starch
  • 5 ounces (140 g) vegan chocolate, melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 2 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder

Toppings:

Instructions

  1. 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 brownie batter first, then the cheesecake batter.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Fold in the remaining chocolate: Add in the additional chocolate chips, and fold with a silicone spatula to evenly distribute throughout the batter. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan, and spread the batter to the edges. Set aside.
  6. Make the chocolate Basque cheesecake batter: In a food processor, add in all cheesecake ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour the cheesecake batter ingredients on top of the brownie batter, and spread the batter to the edges of the pan.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Slice and serve: When ready to serve, top with vegan chocolate ganache and additional brownies for decoration, slice, and serve! Store any leftovers in an airtight container and in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Equipment

Notes

See blog post for all tips & tricks!