Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
Pumpkin cheesecake and fudgy brownie swirl together to create these decadent brownies that are perfect for fall and just a little different. The brownie is deliciously rich and fudgy, then the pumpkin cheesecake layer is creamy and a little tangy with the perfect pumpkin spice flavor.
Servings 12 brownies
Calories 317kcal
Equipment
- 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) pan
Ingredients
Brownie Layer
- 4 ounces dark chocolate (112 grams) I used 70%
- ½ cup unsalted butter (112 grams) salted is fine, just omit the salt from the recipe
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (65 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Cheesecake Layer
- ½ cup pure pumpkin AKA pumpkin puree
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese (226 grams)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar (66 grams)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice see notes for substitution
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F (160C) degrees.
- Line an 8x8 inch (20x20 cm ) baking pan with tin foil, leaving an overhang around the edges. Lightly grease with non-stick cooking spray.
Brownie Layer
- Chop the chocolate into very small pieces.
- Place the chocolate in a large heat proof bowl with the butter cut into about 8 pieces.
- Microwave on medium power (not high power, which is the default on many models) for 45-second intervals. Stir between each interval until smooth.
- Whisk in the sugar and vanilla extract.
- Whisk in the eggs 1 at a time until combined. Make sure to do this by hand and not with an electric mixer.
- Gently stir in the flour and salt. Set aside as you make the pumpkin cheesecake layer
Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer
- Blot/squeeze the excess liquid out of the pumpkin using a paper towel. I typically place a paper towel into a small bowl and add in the pumpkin. Then squeeze out any excess liquid. If you skip this step, the cheesecake layer will be too thin and need much longer to bake than the brownie.
- In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and pumpkin pie spice until smooth and creamy. There should be no lumps.
- Stir in the pumpkin. Be sure not to add any liquid from the bottom of the bowl that you've squeezed out.
- Mix in the egg until just combined.
Assemble & Bake
- Reserve ½ cup of brownie batter. Pour the rest of the brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer.
- Spoon the pumpkin cheesecake layer over top of the brownie and smooth the top so that all the brownie layer is covered.
- Drop small spoonfuls from the reserved ½ cup of brownie batter on top of the cheesecake layer. I typically do 4 rows of 4 dollops of brownie batter. Each is a bit more than a teaspoon.
- Use a knife or wooden skewer to swirl the dollops of brownie into the cheesecake layer. The brownie is thicker than the cheesecake so it can take a little work.
- Bake the brownies in the preheated oven for about 27-33 minutes, or until the top looks set. The cheesecake layer may still have a little wobble to it.
- Cool the brownies fully. Then cover the pan and place in the fridge to chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
- When ready to serve, lift the brownies out of the pan using the overhang of the tin foil and place on a cutting board.
- Peel back the tin foil. Slice the brownies with a sharp knife (not a table knife). Wipe the knife clean in between each slice for clean cuts.
Notes
- Dark Chocolate: I recommend using 70% dark chocolate so that the brownies aren't too sweet. Anything between 50-70% works.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: The cream cheese and eggs must be room temperature before getting started so that everything mixes together evenly with no lumps.
- Cream Cheese: Make sure to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese. Do not use any low fat version or anything that comes in a tub.
- Pumpkin: Make sure you're using canned pure pumpkin (sometimes labeled pumpkin puree). Do not use canned pumpkin pie filling.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can make your own pumpkin pie spice with ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger and a sprinkle of ground cloves and nutmeg.
- Nutrition: Details are an estimate only and based on 1 brownie, assuming the pan is sliced into 12 equal-sized brownies.
- Storage: Store brownies in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Because of the cheesecake, they really must be stored in the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 131mg | Potassium: 142mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 2151IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg