Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
Serves 9
30 mins prep
30 mins cook
60 mins total
These pumpkin cheesecake brownies are rich, dense, and fudgy with pumpkin spice cheesecake swirls that are shaped like pumpkins on top. There's a thick layer of pumpkin cheesecake in the center so you can get fudgy brownie and creamy pumpkin cheesecake in every single bite. These brownies are perfect to make for fall, Thanksgiving, and the cooler months. The pumpkin shaped swirls on top are quite easy to make and bake up beautifully! I even added some green vines with extra cheesecake batter to really help the pattern pop.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Batter
Brownie Batter
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Pumpkin Cheesecake Batter
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine softened cream cheese and brown sugar. Use an electric mixer to mix until creamy and smooth, scraping down the bowl.
2 oz cream cheese⅕ cup brown sugarAdd pumpkin puree, the egg, cornstarch, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, and salt into the cheesecake batter. Mix just until smooth, scraping down the bowl to prevent lumps. Set this aside while you make the brownie batter.
¼ cup pumpkin puree¼ large egg¼ teaspoon cornstarch¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract½ teaspoons pumpkin spice⅕ teaspoon sea saltOptional: Set aside about 3 tablespoons of cheesecake mixture in a separate bowl. Add green food coloring to color it green, mix, and transfer it into a piping bag or plastic bag with a corner cut off to make a thin hole.
green food coloring
Brownie Batter
Line the bottom and sides of an 8" or 9" square baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
Combine the butter and semisweet chocolate chips in a small saucepan. Heat on low heat, stirring constantly, until it melts smoothly. Set it aside while you mix the rest of the batter - you still want it to be warm.
⅕ cup unsalted butter¼ cup semisweet chocolate chipsIn a separate bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Whisk with a wire whisk, by hand, for about 30 seconds, until the eggs are foamy on top.
½ large eggs⅕ cup brown sugarAdd salt, vanilla extract, espresso powder, and whisk.
⅕ teaspoon sea salt¼ tablespoon pure vanilla extract⅕ teaspoon instant espresso powderPour the warm chocolate and butter mixture into the egg mixture and whisk to combine.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the chocolate brownie mixture. Use the wire whisk to carefully fold the batter together.
⅕ cup flour⅕ cup cocoa powderTransfer half of the brownie batter into the parchment lined baking pan. Level the top.
Transfer most of the pumpkin cheesecake batter on top of the brownie batter and spread it out evenly to the edges. Leave a few tablespoons for making the pumpkins on top.
Use a spatula to transfer the rest of the brownie batter on top of the cheesecake batter. Use the spatula to carefully transfer the batter in a thin layer on top of the cheesecake batter.
Spoon the remaining pumpkin cheesecake batter into round pumpkin shapes on top of the brownie batter. Use a toothpick to spread out the edges into a pumpkin shape. Then, drag a toothpick through the bottom middle of the pumpkin to the top of the pumpkin - do this twice to create three pumpkin "lobes" on each pumpkin. If it becomes difficult to swirl the brownie batter, then place the pan into the preheated oven for one minute to heat the brownie batter a touch without cooking it.
Pipe green vines and stems on the pumpkins with the green colored pumpkin cheesecake batter.
Bake the brownie in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. The center will be puffed. Remove the baking pan from the oven and let the brownie cool inside the pan completely. I recommend refrigerating the brownie for a few hours to set the cheesecake before cutting it into 9 squares and enjoying!
