Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang, and spray with cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.

To a large microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and chocolate. Heat on high power to melt, about 2 minutes, stopping to check and stir after 1 minute. Continue heating in 15-second increments until chocolate has melted and mixture can be stirred smooth. Allow mixture to cool momentarily before adding the eggs so they don’t scramble.

Add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, optional coffee, and optional espresso granules (neither make brownies taste like coffee and both enhance and round out the chocolate flavor). Whisk vigorously to combine.

Add the flour and salt, and stir until smooth and combined without overmixing.

Turn batter out into the prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula as necessary; set aside.

To a medium bowl, add the softened cream cheese, egg, and sugar. Beat with a handheld electric mixer on high speed for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add the Yellow Food Color and Red Food Color, and mix to incorporate. As needed, add additional drops of food color to achieve the desired shade of orange. Remember to add slowly, as you cannot undo it once added.

Turn the cream cheese mixture out over the brownie layer in heaping tablespoon-sized dollops, leaving a bare 0.5-inch perimeter around the edges (the cream cheese is prone to burning if added too close to the edge). Take your time and evenly smooth the dollops together to form a solid layer.

Evenly sprinkle the chopped sandwich cookies and chocolate chips over the cream cheese layer. Bake for about 43 to 45 minutes, or until brownies are done. The toothpick test can be tricky due to melted chocolate chips and soft cream cheese, but when inserting the toothpick into the deepest brownie layer, it should feel ‘thick’ and set, not runny.

Allow brownies to cool uncovered on a wire rack for about 2 hours.

Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours (overnight is preferred) before slicing and serving. The cream cheese needs to be chilled and set before slicing.