Adjust the oven rack to the lower-third position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the cooled brownies out of the pan. Set aside.

In a medium bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, flour, vanilla, and raspberry powder (if using) and beat until fully combined. If you’d like a deeper shade of pink and more raspberry flavor, beat in more raspberry powder, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired shade. Finally, beat in the egg just until incorporated. Set aside.

Melt the butter in the microwave in a large heatproof bowl, or in a small saucepan on the stove. (Transfer melted butter to a large bowl if using the stove.) Whisk the sugar and oil into the melted butter. Let it sit for 1 minute to slightly cool. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk very well to dissolve the sugar, until the mixture no longer looks grainy. Add the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and hot water and whisk until combined and smooth. The batter is thick. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spread about 1/3 of the brownie batter in the lined pan. The batter is very thick, so do your best. Drop large spoonfuls of about half of the cheesecake batter over the top, then alternate dropping large spoonfuls of the remaining brownie batter and the remaining cheesecake batter. Bang the pan on the counter a few times to get the batters to settle. Drop small spoonfuls of jam all over the top. Use a knife to gently swirl the batters and jam. Bang the pan a few more times to settle the layers.

Bake for 33–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs (mine usually take 36 minutes). I recommend tenting the brownies with aluminum foil at the 25-minute mark to protect the top from over-browning.

Remove from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack. Cool brownies completely (at least 3 hours).

Lift the brownies out using the parchment paper overhang on the sides, transfer to a cutting board, and slice into squares.

Cover leftover brownies and store them in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.