These ultra rich, decadent brownies are given just the right fall touch with a swirl of pumpkin cream cheese on top. Go ahead, just try and eat 2 of these. 

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies from The Food Charlatan

This weekend Eric and I assembled a midsize trampoline for the kids to play on. And by “Eric and I,” I mean that Eric did everything while I shuffled around and said things like, “What can I do!” Mostly I did nothing, except for the time when I used the broom to sweep away some cobwebs and hit him in the FACE with it.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies from The Food Charlatan

I am really good at being girly and useless sometimes. I even handed over the broom when the Giant Black Widow of Death appeared. I swear it was the biggest I’ve ever seen. What is it with poisonous spiders always hanging out on the kids toys? It’s like THEY KNOW.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies from The Food Charlatan

I am girly when it comes to spiders but not when it comes to useful things like crafts. On Saturday I got together with all the ladies from church and we made some fun holiday crafts. And by “we made” I mean that I would try desperately to stuff stuffing into my shirtsleeve no-sew pumpkin, but no matter what I did it looked square. I had to keep asking for help. Like, how do you even mess up stuffing a shirtsleeve? It looked like one of those Pinterest failures. I should have photoshopped a “NAILED IT” underneath.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies from The Food Charlatan

So have you guys made anything pumpkin yet this fall? Here’s your chance! These brownies are craaaaazy. They are my favorite ever, never-to-be-replaced Browned Butter Brownies, with a pumpkin cream cheese mixture swirled on top. You can taste the pumpkin, but it is definitely not over the top. It is just the right amount. These would be perfect for a Halloween party!

Do you guys give up? Or are you thirsty for more?
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Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

5 from 2 votes
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 16 Servings
These ultra rich, decadent brownies are given just the right fall touch with a swirl of pumpkin cream cheese on top. Go ahead, just try and eat 2 of these. 
 

Ingredients

For the brownies:

  • 1 & 1/4 cups butter, 2 and 1/2 sticks salted butter
  • 2 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 & 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, high quality *

For the cream cheese swirl:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin, canned
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • orange food coloring

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Prepare a 9×13 baking dish by lining with parchment paper or foil and then spraying with non-stick cooking spray. Or just spray the pan.
  • Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally. The butter will foam up, then back down and start forming brown-colored milk solids or “bits”. When it is a nice light brown and it starts to smell like you could drink it straight, that’s when you know it’s done.*
  • While your butter is browning, combine sugar, cocoa, and salt in a bowl or stand mixer.
  • Once the butter is nice and brown, immediately pour the butter into the bowl with the sugar and cocoa (so that it stops cooking. You don’t want it to burn). Beat the mixture until it is smooth, almost creamy.
  • Add the water and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each addition.
  • Add the flour and chocolate ships and mix until just incorporated. Batter will be about the consistency of cement. Have a taste. It’s awesome.
  • Use a sturdy rubber spatula to spread batter into the prepared pan.

To make the cream cheese swirl:

  • In a separate (or rinsed) bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth. Add the pumpkin, vanilla, and sugar, and beat until smooth.
  • Add orange food coloring to get whatever level of orange you want. (I prefer gel food coloring so that it doesn't mess with the liquid level in the recipe.)
  • Pour the pumpkin mixture over the brownies and spread to the edges.
  • Now for the fun part: use a spatula or butter knife to make swirls. This is actually kind of tricky because the brownie batter is so thick, but just do your best.
  • Bake at 350 for 45-48 minutes. The brownies are done when a toothpick comes out clean and the center doesn't wiggle when you shake it.
  • Let the brownies cool before cutting. I like them warm, but they are good room temperature or chilled as well.

Notes

*Note that you don't HAVE to brown the butter if you don't want to. You could just melt it...but you will be missing out. :)

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 440kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 264mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 1161IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 3mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 440
Keyword: Brownies, Cream Cheese, pumpkin
Did you make this? I'd love to see it!Mention @thefoodcharlatan or tag #thefoodcharlatan!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies from The Food Charlatan

Here’s the kind of food coloring I used.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies from The Food Charlatan

Here’s my photo set up for the day. Still trying to figure out where to shoot at my new house. (And yes, the milk is gone. You need a full glass per square inch of these brownies.)

Here are the original Browned Butter Brownies!

brown butter brownies

More Halloween treats you will like!

Reese’s Stuffed Brown Butter Brownies:

Reese's Stuffed Brown Butter Brownies from The Food Charlatan

 

Butterscotch Pumpkin Cake:

Butterscotch Pumpkin Cake | TheFoodCharlatan.com

 

Easy Pumpkin Pie Cake Recipe:

Easy Pumpkin Pie Cake from The Food Charlatan

 

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Puffs:

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Puffs from The Food Charlatan

 

More pumpkin love from friends!

Pumpkin Nutella Cookie Bars from Crazy for Crust
Fudgy Pumpkin Brownies from Around My Family Table
2-Ingredient Pumpkin Brownies from Cookies and Cups

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Comments

  1. Wow, I got super hungry just by reading this. Pumpkin with brownies sounds weird but look at that brownie! It looks delicious and chewy, two things I love in my brownies. Your other recipes looks good to, I wish I could bake like that. Anyhow thanks for the recipe, I MAY have to try this one out as it looks really appetizing and heavenly! :)

    1. Thanks Jon! I hope you do try it! You can definitely taste the pumpkin but the brownie flavor is dominant. Enjoy!

  2. Gah that pumpkin swirl on top!! I am dying for dinner right now but would totally skip and go straight to dessert for one of these!

  3. LOVING these brownies, now if we could just get our weather to feel more fall like – that would be perfect!

  4. I love doing holiday crafts, but they almost always turn out looking like a Pinterest fail. These brownies are totally not a fail! They look so gooey and rich, and I love the pumpkin!

  5. These look incredibly rich and totally delicious! Love that bright orange color you achieved :) Pinning!!

  6. I need to try this cream cheese swirl on a gluten free box mix for my boys. They would love it. By the way, my kids are begging for a trampoline so let me know how it goes.

    1. That’s a great idea Karen! I meant to say in the post that it doesn’t matter at all what brownie recipe you use. so far the kids are loving the trampoline! We will see how long it lasts…

  7. Love these brownies to pieces and that you need a full glass of milk per square inch of them. Yikes about the spider. I would have been girly too!

  8. Assembling children’s toys is its own special level of punishment. Just sayin’. My husband is generally very patient, but he is EXTREMELY profane when he’s putting things together!
    These look divine. I wouldn’t be able to stop at two!

  9. OMGAWWW – I’m terrified of black widows. Probably because they hung out on all my toys growing up. Now I have the willies – can you bring me a tray of brownies to make up for it?

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