These Swirled Cookie Butter Brownie Bars are thick and luscious with just the right balance of chocolate and cookie dough flavors.

If you’re one of those people who had just to discover the joys of cookie butter–you’re in for a treat! Think cookies blended with oil to create a spreadable mass just like peanut butter. There is nothing healthy about it, but it tastes like cookie dough. You can find it at Trader Joe’s as Speculoos and at other stores as Biscoff or as a generic.

Cookie butter can pretty much replace peanut butter in any recipe, or even on something as simple as a sandwich. Here, it’s great swirled in with brownie batter. Chocolate and cookie dough, ever the perfect combination.

Since the swirl-in includes cream cheese, be sure to refrigerate these after they’ve baked and cooled. They are divine straight from the fridge!

PrintBready or Not Original: Swirled Cookie Butter Brownie BarsThese gorgeously-swirled bars infuse the gentle flavor of cookie butter with rich brownies, a perfect combination.Course Dessert, SnackKeyword brownies, cookie butter, cookies, cream cheeseAuthor Beth CatoEquipment13×9 panaluminum foilnonstick sprayuneven spatulacutting boardIngredientsBrownie base3 large eggs room temperature1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) melted2 teaspoons vanilla extract2 cups white sugar1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour3/4 cup baking cocoa sifted1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon salt1 cup milk chocolate chipsCookie butter swirl-in2 boxes cream cheese (8 ounces each) softened1/2 cup creamy cookie butter1/4 cup white sugar1 large egg room temperature2 Tablespoons milkInstructionsPreheat oven at 350-degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with foil and apply nonstick spray.In a big bowl, beat together eggs, butter, and vanilla. In another bowl, combine the brownie dry ingredients and gradually add them to the egg mix. Fold in the chocolate chips. Set aside 1 cup of the brownie batter for the topping. Scoop the rest into the prepared pan and use an uneven spatula to even it out.In another bowl, beat together the cream cheese blocks, cookie butter, and sugar. Once that is blended, add the egg and milk. Use an uneven spatula to spread the mixture in a thin layer across the top of the brownie batter in the pan. Dollop the reserved brownie batter on top. Use the tip of the uneven spatula or a butter knife to create swirls.Bake pan for 35 to 40 minutes, until the very middle passes the toothpick test. Cool on a wire rack for an hour, then place in fridge to completely chill. Use the foil to lift the contents onto a cutting board. Slice up and store in a sealed container in the fridge. Keeps for at least 3 days.OM NOM NOM!