Scream Cheese Brownies

These are an easy Halloween treat...brownies with a cream cheese layer. Normally you are supposed to put chocolate frosting on top but I wanted the Halloween colors to show so I added a little bit more sweetness to the brownies to make up for it. These can easily be adapted for Christmas or any other holiday colors. Betty Crocker has a version of this recipe here but this version came from one of my readers Annie. Thank you Annie...I had one for breakfast!

Swirl the batter with a knife...

Scream Cheese Brownies

Mix by hand:
1 brownie mix with ingredients required in mix (I like Betty Crocker's Triple Chunk Supreme or use half of this homemade brownie recipe)

Cream cheese layer:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons flour
orange food coloring (optional)

Mix by hand your favorite brownie mix. Spread ½ of the brownie mixture in 9x13 inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Mix cream cheese, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and flour and mix well. Add orange food coloring to desired color. Spread cream cheese mixture on top. Drop remaining brownie batter on top and pull a knife through. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Frost with chocolate icing when cool if desired.