Neiman Marcus Brownies

One of Kate’s most special and memorable holiday desserts has always been the Neiman Marcus Brownies that her family has been making since she was a little girl. When she posted about them last year for our Holiday Dinner Menu, I was so intrigued, because I’d never even heard of them! They sounded so good that I knew I had to give them a try for our Christmas dinner this year, and what a great addition to our dessert table they were! How could they not be divine with the name Neiman Marcus attached to it?!?!The powdered sugar and cream cheese mixture creates a rich topping that when paired with the chocolate bottom, results in a unique twist on a typical brownie that will have your guests coming back for seconds! While shopping for the ingredients, I immediately realized that the reason I had never heard of them is because they go by so many different names! From chess bars, blondies, to Paula Deen’s original Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, the ingredients are so similar just using chocolate cake mix opposed to yellow cake. So, I went ahead and made them with yellow cake mix, too, and boy are they delicious!  And that  gooey middle is certainly what makes these little square cakes divine, so you want to make sure that you don’t over cook them like I did one batch! Keep a close eye on them after 40 minutes at 300 degrees and take them out when there is still a bit of jiggle in the middle, which will make a gooey middle. They will continue to cook once they sit and cool out of the oven creating the perfect texture. To get started, you will need only five simple ingredients!With electric mixer mix together cake mix, one egg and melted butter. Place mixture in 13×9 greased baking dish and press down to form. In separate mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and two eggs. Add mixture on top of cake mix and bake at 300 degrees for approximately 40-50 minutes.

This recipe is so adjustable allowing you to make these with any flavor of cake mix including yellow, lemon butter pecan or even coconut. Next time, I may try the butter pecan and add some chopped pecans or even some coconut to make gooey coconut bars. However you choose to make these they are absolutely divine and a great dessert for any holiday or occasion!

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Neiman Marcus Brownies

A unique twist on a brownie with a rich and crunchy cream cheese topping

Prep Time 20 minutes

Servings 12

Ingredients

• 1 box German or Devil's Food chocolate cake mix
• 1 stick butter melted
• 3 eggs divided and beaten
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1 1 lb. bag or box (4 cups) confectioners' powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 300° degrees.
2. Melt butter in microwave for 20 seconds.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, 1 egg and butter with mixer until thick and stiff.
4. Spread the batter evenly on the bottom of a greased 13x9 baking dish.
5. In separate bowl, mix together last 2 eggs, cream cheese and powdered sugar with electric mixer.
6. Pour cream cheese topping over the cake mixture.
7. Bake at 325° degrees for 40-50 minutes until edges are browning and cake is still a bit jiggly in the middle as it will continue to cook once removed from oven.
8. Let cool for 30 minutes and then cut into squares and serve.

Recipe Notes

These brownies can be made with any flavor of cake mix for a different taste, such as yellow, butter pecan, coconut or strawberry. This is not an official Neiman Marcus recipe.