From the roundup: 24 Easy Fall Treats Recipes Your Family Will Actually Eat
These pumpkin cream cheese swirl brownies are the one fall baking project I actually finish on a weeknight. Fifteen minutes of mixing, thirty minutes in the oven, and you have a pan of fudgy chocolate bars layered with a spiced pumpkin cream cheese filling that looks way more complicated than it is.
The only real active work is making two separate batters and doing a few slow passes with a butter knife to get that marbled swirl. After that the oven does everything. The hard part is waiting the full hour for them to cool before you cut them, because they slice into clean bars only when they are completely set.
Canned pumpkin, a block of cream cheese, basic cocoa powder batter. Nothing unusual to track down, which is why this one shows up at my house every October without much planning.
How this one became a fall staple
I first made these for a school potluck when I had half a can of pumpkin left from making muffins the day before. I needed something that looked like I tried, but I had maybe twenty minutes before pickup. The swirl came out a little lopsided on that first batch because I went too fast with the knife and the layers muddied together in the middle.
The second time I slowed down, did three passes instead of ten, and it looked exactly like the photo. My daughter claimed them as her birthday dessert that year instead of cake, which I was not expecting. Now I make a double batch when I know the brownies need to travel, because the ones that get refrigerated overnight actually taste better the next day.
Why you will love this
- Two batters, one 8×8 pan, no mixer needed for the brownie half
- The cream cheese layer uses only four ingredients and comes together in about a minute
- They firm up overnight in the fridge and slice cleanly the next day, which makes them great for packing or bringing somewhere
- No frosting, no decorating, the swirl is the whole presentation
- Works with sweet potato puree if you are out of pumpkin, and you cannot tell the difference
Tips for success
- Swirl with restraint: two or three slow S-curves across the pan is enough. More than that and the chocolate and pumpkin layers blend into a muddy brown instead of a clean marble.
- The brownie batter is thick on purpose. Use the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula to push it into the corners of the pan before adding the cream cheese layer, or you will get bare spots.
- Do not skip the full cooling hour. I have cut into these at 30 minutes and they fall apart. The cream cheese layer needs time to firm up before the bars hold their shape.
- Check for doneness at 28 minutes by giving the pan a gentle shake. The center should not jiggle. A toothpick should pull out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. If you see wet batter, give it two more minutes and check again.
Common questions
- Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree? No. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, and it will throw off the balance of the cream cheese layer.
- My swirl disappeared during baking. Did I do something wrong? Most likely the layers were swirled too many times. The heat causes them to blend further as they bake, so over-swirling before the oven almost always means no visible marbling after.
- Can I double this recipe? Yes, use a 9×13 pan and add about 5 minutes to the bake time. Start checking at 33 minutes.
- Do these need to be refrigerated? Yes. The cream cheese layer means these should not sit out longer than two hours.
Substitutions
For a gluten-free version, swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. Neufchatel works in place of full-fat cream cheese if that is what you have. Out of canned pumpkin, sweet potato puree from a can substitutes evenly and the flavor is close enough that most people do not notice.
Coconut sugar can replace granulated sugar in both layers for a slightly deeper, less sweet result. If anyone in your house has a dairy sensitivity, this particular recipe does not adapt well without the cream cheese, since that layer is the whole point of the bar.
Make-ahead and storage
These brownies can be made a full day ahead. Leave them uncut in the pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. They slice more cleanly after a night in the fridge than they do fresh from the oven. Cut them just before you plan to serve or pack them.
Store cut bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To freeze, wrap individual bars in plastic wrap and place them in a zip bag. They keep well for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge overnight rather than at room temperature, since the cream cheese layer softens unevenly at room temp.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on two sides so you can lift the brownies out easily. Lightly grease any exposed pan edges.
- Make the brownie batter. In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar together until combined. Add both eggs and the vanilla extract and whisk again until the mixture looks slightly glossy, about 30 seconds. Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder and stir with a rubber spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overwork it. Set the bowl aside.
- Make the cream cheese layer. In a second bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar together with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, and nutmeg and beat again until everything is combined and the mixture is a uniform orange color with no white streaks.
- Spread about two thirds of the brownie batter into the prepared pan in an even layer. It will be thick, so use the back of a spoon or offset spatula to push it into the corners. Spoon the pumpkin cream cheese mixture over the top and spread it gently. Drop the remaining brownie batter in small spoonfuls across the surface of the cream cheese layer.
- Swirl the layers using a butter knife. Drag the knife through the batter in slow S-shaped curves across the pan. Two or three passes is enough. If you swirl too much, the layers blend together and you lose the marbled look.
- Bake for 28 to 32 minutes. The edges will pull away slightly from the pan sides and the center should not jiggle when you give the pan a gentle shake. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
- Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, at least 1 hour, before lifting them out and cutting into 16 bars. They firm up as they cool and will slice much more cleanly when fully cooled. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes
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