Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake Brownies

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins

3 cup flour (heat treating flour for edible cookie dough is a necessity. Heat raw flour by spreading a thin layer on baking sheet and heating it at 300 F for 10 minutes)
¾ cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
⅔ cup cocoa
1½ cup cold butter

2 cup cream cheese
2 large eggs (if you are averse to using animal products, use 4 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce. Alternatively, any other vegan binding agent like xanthan gum or flax egg would work)
1 cup white sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp lemon juice
1⅓ cups fresh or frozen cherries (quartered)

In a food processor, pulse together the flour, cocoa, brown sugar, and butter until crumbly. Alternatively, mix flour, cocoa and sugar in a large bowl and simply cut the butter through the mix with a pastry knife or two butter knives held between your fingers.
Save 1 cup of this crumble mixture to sprinkle over the top later.
Now, line a baking pan (9X13 regular one would do) with parchment paper and grease it lightly with butter/oil. Press the rest of the crumble mix onto the bottom of the pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Meanwhile, let’s prepare the cheesecake filling.
Take a large bowl and beat cream cheese, white sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon juice together until smooth.
Beat in the egg (or the vegan alternative like applesauce).
Spread this cheesecake mixture evenly onto the pre-baked cookie base.
Sprinkle the chopped cherries evenly over the cheesecake batter.
Now, take the reserved cookie crumble in your fist and press it firmly to break off small pieces and sprinkle the little chunks over the cherry layer.
Put the baking pan back in the oven to bake at 325 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until the cheesecake is set at the center.
Let it cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving.
Optional- Melt together the chocolate chips and whipping cream in a double boiler. Spoon it into a piping bag and drizzle a thin stream over each brownie bar. Enjoy!