HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Halloween and Thanksgiving are the right time to make the ultimate pumpkin cheesecake brownie. Chocolate frosting’s optional but highly recommended. Spread it on top or serve it warm, on the side, for dunking.
Make these gluten free with a gluten free flour mix. For a vegetarian and dairy free option, use vegan butter, coconut cream and dairy free chocolate chips.
Let’s BAKE!
If you make these brownies or any treats on this blog, please share and tag your creations with #diginwithdana. Or leave me a comment and rate recipes below. I’d love to see what you’re cooking and baking this season!
PrintPumpkin Swirl Brownies with Chocolate Frosting
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 16 large or 32 minis 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Trick out your brownies with a luscious layer of pumpkin cheesecake and 2 ingredient chocolate frosting. Easy to assemble and dangerously delicious! Decorate with your favorite Halloween or Thanksgiving candies and store in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
- For Pumpkin swirl filling:
- 3 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) (130 gm)
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons sugar (45 gm)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (4 gm)
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (gm)
- For brownies:
- ½ cup AP flour (or gluten free flour blend + 1/4 teaspoon xanthum gum) (65 gm)
- 1 cup sugar (230 gm)
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder ( 1 oz/10 gm)
- ½ cup salted butter ( vegan okay), melted (4 oz/113 gm) or substitute unsalted butter + pinch of kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (7 gm)
- For Chocolate frosting: (optional)
- 6 oz. chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chunks/chips
- 1/3 cup whipping cream or full fat coconut cream (85 gm)
- Candy corns or M & Ms for decoration. (Optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9-by-9-inch baking pan and line with parchment.
- Pumpkin swirl filling: Use an electric or hand held mixer on low speed to beat together all filling ingredients until smooth. Set aside.
- Brownies: In a medium bowl, whisk to combine flour, sugar and cocoa. In another small bowl, stir together melted (but not hot) butter, eggs and vanilla. Use a rubber spatula to fold egg mixture into flour mixture until just combined.
- Spread 3/4 of the brownie batter into the pan. Pour or scoop pumpkin filling evenly over batter. Spoon remaining brownie over the filling.
- Cut through batter with a knife or chopstick to make a marbled design.
- Bake in center of oven 45 – 50+ minutes, until toothpick inserted in middle of pan comes out almost clean.
- Optional frosting: Use a microwave safe bowl to melt together chocolate and whipping or coconut cream on high for one minute. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Let stand until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Let brownies cool completely in the refrigerator for an hour or two (or overnight) before cutting. Cut brownies into 16 squares ( or 32 minis) before frosting some or all of them with frosting. (Brownies look good unfrosted too.)
- Spoon a teaspoon or two of frosting on top of some of the brownies and decorate with candy, such as candy corns or M & Ms.
- Wrap loosely and refrigerate leftovers for up to a week.
Counting calories?
Cut each large brownie in half for mini brownies with just 114 calories and 6 grams of fat.
Treat your friends and family to this incredibly delicious brownie!
★★★★★