Chocolate and pumpkin: the fall duo you didn’t know you needed! These Pumpkin Brownies feature a rich, fudgy brownie layer swirled with spiced pumpkin cheesecake—capturing everything we love about the season: cozy, comforting, chocolaty, and rich! Bake up a pan (or two!) when the leaves change to kick off the season on a sweet and satisfying note.
’Tis the season for cozy baking—and I am here for it! Today’s creation? Pumpkin brownies.
I’ve been working on this recipe for a few weeks now—perfecting the ratios of chocolate and butter to flour, and whipped cream cheese to pumpkin and spice—and Tommy and the kids sure aren’t complaining! Even in the earliest test batches, there was never a crumb left behind.
The final version is a true stunner and the epitome of fall baking. They’re fudgy, spiced, fun to make, and the perfect sweater-weather sweet treat—the kind of recipe the kids keep requesting and one that’s sure to stay in our fall rotation for seasons to come.
Make these bars when you’re torn between brownies and pumpkin pie, want to satisfy your sweet tooth with something uniquely fall, or are hosting friends and family for a seasonal gathering. Let’s bake!
Jump to:
What are Pumpkin Brownies?
Pumpkin brownies are a fall-inspired twist on traditional brownies. They often feature rich, fudgy chocolate batter swirled with a sweetened pumpkin cream cheese mixture. It’s the best of both worlds—decadent, buttery brownies paired with tangy-sweet pumpkin spice cheesecake. They make the perfect sweet treat for fall comfort food cravings, Halloween parties, or anytime you’re in the mood for a cozy dessert.
Why You Will Love Pumpkin Brownies
- Fudgy and Rich – Just as any self-respecting brownie should be! Swirls of pumpkin cheesecake make them the ultimate fall indulgence.
- Full of Pumpkin Spice (and Everything Nice!) – Ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves bring all the cozy vibes.
- Versatile – Perfect for an afternoon treat, a Halloween party, or dessert after Sunday supper with the family—these brownies are always a good idea.
- Great for the Whole Family – Everyone, young and old, will celebrate when these are on the menu. Little bakers will love helping make them, too!
Ingredients
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – Melted chocolate chips make the brownies ultra fudgy and rich.
- Pumpkin Purée – Keep it easy and convenient using pure canned pumpkin purée (often labeled “100% pumpkin”).
- Unsalted Butter – Also responsible for the rich, fudginess! Use unsalted butter when possible to control the seasoning best.
- Eggs – These bind the brownies and help make them tender.
- Cocoa Powder – Use natural cocoa powder for extra chocolaty flavor.
- Flour – I love baking with whole wheat pastry flour because it adds whole grains while keeping the brownies tender and light, but you can substitute all-purpose flour if needed.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend – It wouldn’t be a pumpkin dessert recipe without this, now would it?! Use your favorite store-bought pumpkin pie spice blend or make your own.
- Brown Sugar – This sugar adds a deep caramel flavor and a touch of moisture, making the brownies soft and fudgy.
- White Sugar – For a bit of extra sweetness.
- Cream Cheese – When mixed with spiced pumpkin puree, this gives the brownies a pumpkin cheesecake-like layer. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature before beating it for the easiest mixing.
- Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
Substitutions
- Chocolate – Swap 2/3 cups of a chopped semi-sweet chocolate bar for the chocolate chips.
- Pumpkin Purée – Add fresh pumpkin flavor to the brownies by using homemade pumpkin purée instead of canned.
- Flour – Use the same amount of all-purpose flour (instead of whole wheat pastry flour) or an even mix of all-purpose and whole wheat flour.
- Butter – Substitute the same amount of salted butter, reducing the added salt by 1/4 teaspoon. To reduce the dairy, you can also use melted vegan butter or coconut oil for a similar fudgy texture. Coconut oil will add nutty, sweet undertones.
How to Make Pumpkin Brownies
Now that you have your ingredients, grab your measuring cups and bowls, tie on your apron, and join me in the kitchen:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray it with non-stick cooking spray.
Step 2: Melt the butter and chocolate chips in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Set aside to start on the pumpkin cheesecake layer.
Step 3: Beat the softened cream cheese in a stand mixer until smooth. Add 1/3 cup sugar and pumpkin pie spice and beat until well combined.
Step 4: Add the egg white, reserving the egg yolk for the brownie layer. Beat in the egg white until smooth. Add the pumpkin purée and beat again. Set the pumpkin mixture aside and start the brownie layer.
Step 5: Beat the 3 large eggs, 1 egg yolk, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and frothy (about 2-3 minutes).
Step 6: While the mixer runs on low, slowly pour in the cooled chocolate butter mixture and stir until well combined. Add the cocoa powder and salt and stir until well combined. Add the whole wheat pastry flour and stir until well combined.
Step 7: Reserve about 3/4 cup of the brownie batter, and pour the rest into the prepared baking pan. Spread the batter to the edges with a spoon, it will be thick!
Step 8: Add the pumpkin cheesecake layer, spreading it to the edges.
Step 9: Add dollops of the reserved brownie batter over the pumpkin layer, then gently swirl with a butter knife.
Step 10: Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Allow the brownies to cool on a wire cooling rack, then remove from the pan, slice into 16 brownies, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Melt the chocolate over low heat. Prevent scalding (and the unpleasant burnt flavor that comes with it) by heating the butter and chocolate chips over low heat and stirring regularly. Remove the mixture from the heat as soon as it is melted and smooth.
- Stand mixer alternatives. Don’t have a fancy stand mixer? I got you! You can make these pumpkin spice brownies without fancy appliances—a hand mixer and a few large mixing bowls will do the trick!
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Periodically run a silicone spatula around the sides of the mixing bowl throughout while mixing to encourage a smooth, even emulsion.
- Don’t overmix. Stir in the flour until just combined. Overmixing can lead to tough and dense brownies. No fun!
Optional Variations
- Dark Chocolate: Use dark-chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet and opt for dark chocolate cocoa powder instead of natural for an extra-rich take on this pumpkin brownie recipe.
- Chocolate Chunks: Because extra chocolate is never a bad idea! Stir 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips into the brownie batter before spreading it into the pan.
- Mocha Pumpkin Brownies: Think fall brownies, PSL-style! Add 2-3 teaspoons of instant espresso powder to the brownie batter to add coffee undertones and deepen the chocolate flavor.
- Chai-Spiced: Add 1/2 teaspoon each of ground cardamom and cinnamon along with the pumpkin spice blend for an extra spicy, cozy touch.
- Gluten-Free: Swap your favorite 1-to-1 gluten-free flour for the whole wheat pastry flour, let the brownie batter rest for at least 30 minutes before baking, and wait to enjoy until the brownies are completely cool.
Serving Suggestions
Take any fall day from okay to yay! by making a batch of these pumpkin cheesecake brownies:
- Saturday Baking Project. Nothing says “cozy fall weekend” like a pan of these pumpkin spice brownies. They’re as fun to make as they are to eat; kids will love getting in on the baking action, too!
- After School (or Work) Sweet Snack. Everyone will love unwinding from a busy day by snacking on these fudgy, pumpkin-y goodies. Enjoy with a glass of milk or an Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea for the full experience.
- Family Dinner Dessert. Finish Sunday supper or weeknight meals with an extra-special touch.
- Fall Party-Perfect. These autumnal brownies are guaranteed to be the talk of your game day get-together, pumpkin carving party, or other fall gathering.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Leftover pumpkin brownies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, you can also freeze the brownies. Once cooled completely to room temperature, transfer them to a freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months. Defrost the brownies at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until thawed through.
Nutritional Info
Delivering 304 calories per serving with 36g carbohydrates, 14g fat, 5g protein, 146mg sodium, and 3g fiber, this pumpkin brownie recipe is a moderate-calorie treat that is a healthier alternative to traditional brownies, thanks to its protein and fiber content.
Though not to be considered a healthy snack, the whole wheat flour provides plant-protein and fiber, and the pumpkin puree delivers fiber and micronutrients like vitamin A, antioxidants, and more (source).
To improve the nutritional profile, moving these brownies more into the healthy snack category, reduce the sugar by a few tablespoons, swap all or part of the sugar with a 1-to-1 monkfruit sugar replacement, or swap melted coconut oil or vegan butter for unsalted butter. However, as written, this recipe is still a more nutrient-dense option than classic brownies and delivers a warm, seasonal flavor with a modest nutritional upgrade.
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 304 calories
- Carbohydrates: 36 grams
- Protein: 5 grams
- Total Fat: 14 grams
- Sodium: 146 mg
- Fiber: 3 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Pricing Info
This is what I personally paid to make this recipe:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter: $1.62
- ⅔ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips: $0.81
- 4 large eggs: $1.80
- 1 cup brown sugar: $1.04
- ½ cup granulated sugar: $0.08
- 1 tsp vanilla extract: $0.04
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder: $0.56
- ½ tsp salt: $0.01
- 1 ⅓ cups whole wheat pastry flour: $0.38
- 8 oz cream cheese: $1.96
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar: $0.05
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice: $0.14
- ⅔ cup canned pumpkin purée: $0.65
The total comes out to be around $9.14 or roughly $0.57 per brownie!
FAQs
Certainly! Simply double the ingredients and bake in a 9×13-inch pan, adding 8–12 minutes to the baking time. Keep an eye on the center for doneness.
These brownies bake up best when made fresh. Because the butter and chocolate solidify when refrigerated, the batter doesn’t bake well when prepped in advance.
The high fat-to-water ratio (from the unsalted butter and chocolate chips) without baking powder makes the brownies rich and dense, rather than light and cakey.
Sure— you can leave it out if you’re after a classic brownie. Bake the brownies in an 8×8-inch pan and reduce the baking time by 5-8 minutes.
Other Pumpkin Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments below! I would really appreciate your feedback!
Recipe
Fudgy Pumpkin Brownies (with Cheesecake Swirl)
Equipment
- 1 9×9 baking pan
- 1 stand mixer (or electric hand mixer)
Ingredients
Brownie Layer:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup brown sugar (not packed)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ⅓ cups whole wheat pastry flour
Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer:
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 large egg white
- ⅔ cup canned pumpkin puree
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line or grease a 9×9 baking pan.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Set aside to cool and start on the pumpkin cheesecake layer.
- Make the pumpkin cheesecake layer by beating the cream cheese in a stand mixer until smooth. Add the ⅓ cup sugar and pumpkin pie spice, and beat until well combined.
- Add the egg white, reserving the egg yolk for the brownie layer. Beat the egg in until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree and beat again. Set the pumpkin mixture aside and start the brownie layer.
- Make the brownie layer by beating together the 3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk, brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and frothy (about 2-3 minutes).
- While the mixer is running on low, slowly pour in the cooled chocolate butter mixture and stir until well combined. Add the cocoa powder and salt and stir until well combined. Add the whole wheat pastry flour and stir until well combined.
- Reserve about ¾ cup of the brownie batter, and pour the rest into the prepared baking pan. Spread with a spoon all the way to the edges, it will be thick! Top with the pumpkin cheesecake layer, spreading it all the way to the edges. Add dollops of the reserved brownie batter to the top of the pumpkin layer, then swirl gently with a butter knife.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Allow to cool, then remove from the pan, slice into 16 brownies, and serve! Store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Storing: Leftover pumpkin cheesecake brownies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: For longer storage, you can also freeze the brownies. Once cooled completely to room temperature, transfer them to a freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months. Defrost the brownies at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until thawed through.
Nutrition
If you end up making this and loving it, take a photo and tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your versions of my recipes! And feel free to rate it down below in the comment section. I would really appreciate it!
xoxo Megan
Erin says
10/10 girl! These are the coziest fall treat. So thankful for your beautiful brain!
Megan Byrd, RD says
Yay! Thanks girly 🙂