Chocolate Swirled Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies are rich and fudgy on their own, but over-the-top delicious with chocolate pumpkin cheesecake on top! It's the best of all worlds, and a perfect dessert for anyone who loves fall flavors (and lots of chocolate).
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Ingredients
For the pumpkin swirl:
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened and room temperature
- 1 TBSP butter softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1½ cups canned pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
For the brownies:
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
- ¾ cup butter cut up
- 2¼ cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
Optional:
- OR: Use one Box Ghirardelli Brownie Mix for 9x13 Pan
Instructions
For the pumpkin swirl:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Line a 13x9 baking pan with foil, extend foil over the edges of the pan.
- Grease the foil or spray with cooking spray, then set pan aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl beat room temperature cream cheese and the 1 tablespoon butter with an electric mixer on medium for 30 seconds.
- Add sugar.
- Beat until well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally.
- Beat in 1 egg, the pumpkin, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, and all of the spices, until combined.
- Stir in the 1 tablespoon flour.
- Set aside.
For brownies from scratch:
- In a small bowl stir together the 1-1/4 cups flour, the baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In a saucepan combine the chocolate and 3/4 cup butter.
- Cook and stir over low heat until melted and smooth.
- Remove from heat.
- Add sugar, beating with an electric mixer on low speed just until combined.
- Add the 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Beat in milk and the vanilla bean paste.
- Gradually beat in flour mixture just until combined. DO NOT OVER MIX!
- Spread chocolate mixture evenly in the prepared pan.
- Spoon cream cheese mixture in several dollops on top of the chocolate batter.
- Using a knife, gently swirl the cream cheese mixture into the chocolate batter.
- Bake about 60 minutes or until center is just set when pan is gently shaken.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack, then lift brownies out of pan with foil,
- Cut into squares and serve.
For brownies from a boxed mix:
- If using Ghirardelli brownie mix or your favorite brand, then prepare according to directions on the back of the box.
- Pour mixture into greased and foiled pan.
- Add cream cheese pumpkin mixture in spoon fulls to the top of the brownie batter, swirl with a knife.
- Bake 1 hour.
Notes
Do make sure that your cream cheese and butter are at room temperature. As you can see in the photos I did not, that is why there are little white chunks of cream cheese. They do not detract from the taste, but they look a little funny.