Pumpkin cheesecake swirl brownies are the perfect dessert for when you can’t decide between chocolate and pumpkin for dessert! Super fudgey brownies with creamy pumpkin cheesecake make for a decadent and comforting spiced delight!
It’s like having pumpkin pie, cheesecake, and chocolate brownies all together in one dessert.
How to make pumpkin cheesecake brownies
Making brownies from scratch can feel intimidating if you grew up with brownies that came from a box mix. To make brownies and also adding a layer of not just cheesecake, but pumpkin cheesecake, might seem daunting. But I promise it’s not as hard as it seems!
How to make the super fudgy brownie layer
To make the brownies, we first need to melt the unsalted butter and chocolate. You could do this in a microwave, but I suggest a double boiler. You know, so you don’t over-nuke your chocolate.
Once the chocolate and butter are melted, take it off the heat and stir in the instant espresso powder and set it aside to cool. You won’t taste the espresso in the brownies, but adding it intensifies the chocolate flavor!
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sugars together until it’s pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla and chocolate and stir. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, salt, mix and pour into the prepared pan and set aside.
How to make the creamy pumpkin cheesecake layer
The pumpkin cheesecake layer is a lot easier than the brownie layer! In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese and sugar. Make sure you don’t have any lumps of cream cheese left! Mix in the rest of the ingredients using a spatula, making sure you’re not whisking a bunch of air into the mixture.
Place dollops of the cheesecake batter on the brownie layer, and use a skewer or chopstick and swirl the two batters. Bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes at 325°F/160°C. Let it cool in the pan completely before lifting it out to cut and serve!
Tip to achieving beautiful swirls
The biggest tip I can give to getting a beautifully swirled pumpkin cheesecake swirl brownie is to not over-swirl! It’s fun to watch the two batters come together, but it’s so easy to just keep going and end up with a muddled surface.
PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE BROWNIES
INGREDIENTS
BROWNIE LAYER
3 oz. dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted butter, diced
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder
2 large eggs
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE LAYER
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
BROWNIE LAYER
Preheat oven to 325°F and line an 8 x 8 inch square pan with parchment paper and set aside.
In a heat-proof bowl, add the butter and chocolate. Heat over a double boiler until melted. Take the bowl off the heat and stir the in the instant espresso powder. Set aside until cooled.
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, light brown sugar and granulated sugar until it becomes fluffy and lighter in color. Add the vanilla extract.
Pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture while stirring. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Mix until smooth and pour into the pan. Set aside.
PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE
In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese and sugar. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix using a spatula, being careful not to incorporate air into the mixture.
Using a spoon, place dollops of the cheesecake batter on the brownie layer. Using a skewer or chopstick, swirl the two batters.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes. Let it cool in the can completely before lifting it out to cut and serve.
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