These pumpkin brownies are a sweet fall treat. Brownie batter is swirled with pumpkin cream cheese to create a marbled brownie that is spiced with fall spices.

photo of a plate of Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

Another pumpkin recipe in my pumpkin baking madness and this time I made pumpkin swirl brownies. I’ve made cream cheese swirl brownies before but I really like incorporating a different flavor which gives the brownies more color like I did with my matcha green tea swirl brownies. So, I guess it was just a matter of time until I made pumpkin brownies. I love the golden pumpkin color in contrast with the dark brownies.

overhead photo of a plate of brownies on a plate with two small pumpkins in the background

Pumpkin Brownies

Pumpkin puree actually has a mild flavor and when people think of pumpkin desserts it’s usually the spices that evoke that feeling of fall. The pumpkin swirl in these brownies is made with pumpkin puree and cream cheese that’s spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves which give the brownies their “fall” flavor. The cream cheese adds creaminess and subtle tangy flavor, too.

I made these pumpkin swirl brownies from scratch instead of using a mix like I’ve done with other cream cheese swirled brownies. The brownies have a fudgy texture. Because of the pumpkin swirl, they’re not as chewy as other brownies I’ve made but I love the flavor of the warm pumpkin spices with the rich chocolate brownie.

Tips for Making Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

  • In order to create the swirled effect, you will need to make two separate batters: a brownie batter and the pumpkin cream cheese batter. Both are easy to make.
  • You can make the brownie batter in a bowl and stir it together with a spoon. For the pumpkin cream cheese batter, I find it’s easiest to use an electric mixer. It will make it a lot easier to incorporate the eggs into the cream cheese mixture.
  • Be sure to buy canned pumpkin puree and not canned pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling has other ingredients in it, while pumpkin puree is just pumpkin. You can usually find it in the baking aisle.
  • Once the batters are made, it’s easy to create the swirled effect. I spread 1/3 of the brownie batter in the bottom of the baking pan. I dropped dollops of the pumpkin cream cheese batter on top spacing the dollops evenly across the whole pan. Next, I dropped dollops of the remaining brownie batter on the pumpkin dollops and swirled the two by running a dinner knife through them in a figure-eight pattern.

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

Pumpkin cheesecake meets brownies in this sweet treat.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
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Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Pumpkin Cheesecake Batter

  • 6 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8" baking pan.
  • For the Brownie batter: Beat together melted butter, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer. Then beat in eggs one at a time. Whisk flour and cocoa powder in small bowl, and then gradually stir into butter mixture by hand.
  • For the Pumpkin cheesecake mixture: Soften cream cheese in microwave. In another bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in remainder of ingredients until smooth.
  • Spread about 2/3 of brownie batter into prepared pan. Drop dollops of the pumpkin batter over top, distributing evenly. Drop the remaining brownie batter over cheesecake batter. To make the swirls, run a butter knife back and forth through the pan, making figure eights.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Perry's Plate
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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