Kahlua Cheesecake Brownies

Yummy note:
I was inspired to make these after a long day at work. Being a cold wintery day in Chicagoland, I thought this would be a good idea... a nice warm cup of hot cocoa and Kahlua paired up nicely with brownie. I mean what else can a girl want, chocolate & alcohol paired together for some well-deserving treats. So on to the Kahlua and brownie idea... I went on a recipe hunt, looking for brownies with kick and found these guys. They seriously were a hit, I see why this recipe is so popular out there. It was delish. Next time, maybe I'll think about making my brownies from scratch, but the way my day was going, I wasn't going to take any chances! Enjoy.

Ingredients

Cheesecake Topping
8 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
5 Tbsp. butter (at room temperature)
1/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. Kahlua (or other coffee liqueur)

Brownies
Vegetable oil spray
1 packaged brownie mix (~19.8 ounce box or a brownie mix that makes 9x13 pan)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup Kahlua or other coffee liqueur
2 large eggs
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Cooking Directions
To prepare the cheesecake topping: Cream together the cream cheese, butter, sugar, egg and Kahlua in a large bowl. Mix until well combined and smooth. I used a wooden spoon, but you could use an electric mixer on low speed if you wanted.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly spray the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan with vegetable oil spray.

Now on to the brownies: Place the brownie mix, oil, Kahlua, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. At this point, you may add in your chocolate chips or wait until later, or you could do both if you'd like! Stir with a wooden spoon until all the ingredients are mixed together, about 50 strokes. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly.

Next spread the cheesecake topping over the top of the brownie batter, and using a knife, swirl it into the batter to create a marbled effect. At this point, you can sprinkle more chocolate chips over the top, if desired.

Place the pan in the oven on the center rack. Bake the brownies until they are lightly browned and the outer 2 inches or so form a crust, roughly 27 to 32 minutes, depending on your oven. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Cut the brownies into 24 or so pieces.

*Store these brownies, covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze them, wrapped in foil, for up to 6 months. Thaw the brownies overnight on the counter before serving.

Original recipe found here: Marbled Cream Cheese and Kahlua Brownies Recipe - ABC News