These pumpkin cheesecake brownies are incredible. A rich and fudgy base is marbled with spiced pumpkin and cream cheese. This fall brownie is perfect for anyone that loves the taste of chocolate and pumpkin together.
Cheesecake brownies are a great way to combine flavors in a brownie, and they can make pretty, swirled patterns on top. Whether making a peppermint swirl brownie, or my Irish coffee brownies that this recipe was based off, brownies and cream cheese are a heavenly combination. Using that cheesecake brownie recipe as a base and switching out Bailey’s for pumpkin puree led to the best pumpkin cheesecake brownies I’ve ever eaten.
Pumpkin brownies can be made several ways, but I love the pockets of flavor you get from cheesecake swirl brownies. The different colors from the marbled pattern on top also make the dessert stand out to people. The rich, moist, fudgy base of this brownie combines well with the spiced pumpkin and rich but lighter tasting cream cheese.
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🥘 Ingredients for Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
Because there are two distinct layers for these pumpkin brownies, I’ll split the ingredients into two sections.
PinPumpkin Cheesecake
Cream Cheese – Use full-fat, block style cream cheese here. Low fat or spreadable types just don’t work as well for a cheesecake application.
Pumpkin – Canned pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree works here. Do not use canned pumpkin pie mix, as it contains added sugar, spices, and additives you don’t want.
Eggs – Use one room temperature egg for the cheesecake layer, and more in the brownie layer.
Sugar – The brownies have a lot more sugar in them, so for this layer you only need a bit of white sugar.
Spices – Use some ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to amp up the pumpkin flavor here. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, it’s easy to make homemade pumpkin pie spice, or simply swap it out with a bit of ground nutmeg and maybe a pinch of ground ginger and ground cloves.
Mini Chocolate Chips – Optional, but sometimes I like to add some mini chocolate chips to the cheesecake layer for just a bit more chocolate flavor and texture.
Brownie Base
Flour – A little less than 2 cups of all-purpose flour is enough for the base and structure of the brownies.
Chocolate – A combination of cocoa powder and unsweetened chocolate makes these super chocolaty and gives a fudgy consistency when bloomed in the butter.
Fat – Use both butter and oil here. The combination gives these brownies just the right texture.
Sugar – I like a combination of white and dark brown sugar for these. The addition of brown sugar helps to keep the brownies chewy. If you don’t have dark brown, light brown sugar is fine as well.
Vanilla – A decent amount of vanilla extract here helps to balance the flavors.
Eggs – Use a combination of room temperature whole eggs and egg yolks. Adding extra yolks without the whites helps to keep the brownies chewier rather than cakey.
🔪 How to Make Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Brownies
Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C. Prepare a 13x9 baking pan by spraying with nonstick spray or butter it and add a foil or parchment sling and set it aside.
PinIn a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. As it melts, coarsely chop and add the unsweetened chocolate and cocoa powder. Keep stirring the mixture as the chocolate melts until everything has melted and a smooth mixture is left. Remove from the heat and pour it into a heatproof bowl or liquid measuring cup and set aside to cool.
PinWhile the chocolate mixture cools some, start on the cheesecake layer. In a mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, pumpkin puree, sugar, spices, and egg. Using a rubber spatula or a hand mixer (ideally), mix everything together until fully combined and smooth. If using, fold in the mini chocolate chips at this point.
PinIf the chocolate gets a bit thick as it cools, add the oil and it should loosen everything up. In a large mixing bowl, add the chocolate mixture, oil, both sugars, salt, and vanilla extract. Using a whisk or hand mixer, blend everything together. Now add the eggs and egg yolks in, one at a time, mixing until just combined each time. Finally, add the flour a bit at a time and mix until just combined and there’s no obvious streaks of flour. Remove about ¾ of a cup of the brownie batter and reserve it for later.
PinAdd the brownie batter into the prepared 13x9 baking pan and spread it out. The batter will be quite thick, but make sure to spread it from corner to corner and even it out on top.
Now add the pumpkin cheesecake batter on top of the brownie layer, smoothing it out as well. Add the remaining brownie batter in dollops over top of the cheesecake layer. If the batter is too thick, try microwaving it for a bit just to loosen it up. Using a knife or toothpick or chopstick, create swirls back and forth through the brownie and cheesecake layers to create a marbled pattern. Try not to go all the way through to the brownie layer on the bottom.
PinPlace the brownies into the center rack of the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. Use a toothpick or cake tester to check for doneness. Check the cheesecake parts as they tend to take longer than the base, once it’s mostly clean with a few crumbs, remove from the oven.
Allow the brownies to cool in the pan until they’ve had time to set and then you can use the sling to remove them while only a little warm. Let the brownies finish cooling to room temperature before slicing.
Pin📖 Variations
Brownie Bottom Pumpkin Cheesecake – Instead of swirling the layers, simply use all the brownie batter on the bottom and cover with the cheesecake mixture.
Other Mix-Ins – Other than mini chocolate chips, you can try some other options to fold into the cheesecake batter or scatter on top of the brownies. Cinnamon chips work well with the pumpkin or try some roughly chopped candied pecans as well.
Smaller Batch – This pumpkin brownie recipe is made for a crowd, but if you want a smaller batch, you can do that. Cut the recipe in half and use an 8x8 or 9x9 pan instead. Adjust the cooking time and start checking for doneness around 35 minutes.
Gluten Free Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies – You should be fine to swap in your favorite GF flour here 1:1. If your flour mix doesn’t contain xanthan gum, you may want to add about a ½ teaspoon. Another option is to use King Arthur’s Gluten Free Fudgy Brownie mix for the base and add the pumpkin cheesecake to that instead. I believe the box mix is made for a 9x9 pan, so if you’re making this in a 13x9 you’ll need two boxes.
Pin💭 Frequently Asked Questions
Because of the cream cheese, it’s best to store these brownies in the refrigerator. They should last 5 days or so in the fridge.
The main difference between fudgy and cakey brownies is the fat to flour ratios. Fudgy brownies will have more fat in them like butter or oil and real chocolate, while cakey brownies will have more flour. Additionally, cakey brownies might call for baking powder, or creaming the butter and sugar together.
Pin❄️ Storage
Because this is a cream cheese brownie recipe, it’s recommended to refrigerate the brownies in an airtight container once cooled. Baked goods with a good amount of dairy, like the cheesecake swirl here, are best to keep refrigerated.
You can also freeze these pumpkin cheesecake brownies in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving. The cheesecake part may release some moisture as it thaws though, so the texture will be slightly different from fresh baked ones.
📋 Recipe
Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer:
- 8 ounces full fat, brick style cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Brownie Base:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C. Prepare a 13x9 baking pan by spraying with nonstick spray or butter it and add a foil or parchment sling and set it aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt a ¼ cup of unsalted butter. As it melts, coarsely chop and add 2oz of unsweetened chocolate and ⅓ cup cocoa powder. Keep stirring the mixture as the chocolate melts until everything has melted and a smooth mixture is left. Remove from the heat and pour it into a heatproof bowl or liquid measuring cup and set aside to cool.
- While the chocolate mixture cools some, start on the cheesecake layer. In a mixing bowl, add 8oz softened cream cheese, 1 cup pumpkin puree, ¼ cup white sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and 1 egg. Using a rubber spatula or a hand mixer (ideally), mix everything together until fully combined and smooth. If using, fold in the mini chocolate chips at this point.
- If the chocolate gets a bit thick as it cools, add the ½ cup of oil and it should loosen everything up. In a large mixing bowl, add the chocolate mixture, oil, 2 cups of white sugar, ½ cup of dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Using a whisk or hand mixer, blend everything together. Now add the eggs and egg yolks in, one at a time, mixing until just combined each time. Finally, add the 1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour a bit at a time and mix until just combined and there’s no obvious streaks of flour. Remove about ¾ of a cup of the brownie batter and reserve it for later.
- Add the brownie batter into the prepared 13x9 baking pan and spread it out. The batter will be quite thick, but make sure to spread it from corner to corner and even it out on top.
- Now add the pumpkin cheesecake batter on top of the brownie layer, smoothing it out as well. Add the remaining brownie batter in dollops over top of the cheesecake layer. If the batter is too thick, try microwaving it for a bit just to loosen it up. Using a knife or toothpick or chopstick, create swirls back and forth through the brownie and cheesecake layers to create a marbled pattern. Try not to go all the way through to the brownie layer on the bottom.
- Place the brownies into the center rack of the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. Use a toothpick or cake tester to check for doneness. Check the cheesecake parts as they tend to take longer than the base, once it’s mostly clean with a few crumbs, remove from the oven.
- Allow the brownies to cool in the pan until they’ve had time to set and then you can use the sling to remove them while only a little warm. Let the brownies finish cooling to room temperature before slicing.
Notes
- Smaller Batch – This recipe uses a 13x9 pan and makes 24 brownies. If you want to make a smaller amount, cut the ingredients in half, and use an 8x8 or 9x9 pan instead. Check for doneness around 35 minutes and keep checking every few minutes after.
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