📖 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan, or line with parchment paper leaving an overhang on the sides. This makes for easy brownie removal later. Trust me, you'll thank me later.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined. The mixture should be smooth and almost caramel-like.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. Make sure everything is properly combined and there aren't streaks of egg yolk.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, and salt. These are the flavors that make it gingerbread!
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few streaks of flour are okay. The batter will be thick.
6. For the Cream Cheese Swirl: In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and egg yolk until smooth and creamy. Add a tiny dash of vanilla if you want, can't hurt.
7. Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly. Drop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the brownie batter. Don't be shy! Use a knife or skewer to swirl the cream cheese into the brownie batter. Create a marbled effect.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached. Be very careful to not overbake. Start checking at 25 minutes
9. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares. Patience is key here. Resist the urge to cut into them while they're warm, unless you enjoy messy brownies.
10. Lift the brownies out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang (if you used it) and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve. I like to dust them with powdered sugar for an extra touch.