Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
Decadent chocolate brownies topped with a layer of cream cheese swirled with pumpkin.
It's officially fall! And that means it's time to surrender to the onslaught of holiday recipes. Don't fight it. It's one of those things that some just love to hate. Or hate to love. We're all eager to wrap ourselves up in blankets and sweaters, and with blankets and sweaters comes pumpkin-filled desserts and Christmas cookies. Just a fact of life, my friends.
Of course, if you're a baker like me, you love to love the holiday season. Until you hate it. There's a fine line. For now, I'm looking forward to cooler weather, comfy clothes, and carbs.
I haven't been much a pumpkin enthusiast before. I just tried my very first Pumpkin Spice Latte last month. It's not to say I dislike pumpkin, but I haven't been a huge fan. Only sometimes, and in incremental doses. I do like it with chocolate however, and these brownies don't have an overpowering punch of pumpkin, which makes them just right in my opinion.
The perfect balance of chocolate, creamy cheesecake, and pumpkin. Rich, sweet, and dressed for the occasion. Just how I like my men.
The brownies are prepared normally and poured in a pan. The cream cheese mixture is mixed and separated. One half gets pumpkin mixed in. The two mixtures are drizzled over the brownies and swirled together with a knife.
You could adjust the pumpkin measurement if you prefer more pumpkin.
After being baked to perfection, it's important to let the brownies cool completely before cutting into them. You don't want a gooey mess on your hands. I cooled mine for about 30 minutes and then placed them in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes before slicing into them.
Because of the cheesecake layer, they should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Swirl Brownies:
1 box brownie mix (I use Ghirardelli)
*ingredients required on the box
(Mine used 1 egg, 1/3 c. oil, 1/4 c. water)
For the Pumpkin Cheesecake swirl:
2/3 c. pumpkin puree
6 oz. cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 c. sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325. Grease a 9x9 inch pan.
Make the brownie batter according the the instructions on the box.
Combine the cream cheese, egg, and sugar in a food processor or a mixer until smooth. Separate the cream cheese mixture by removing 1/2 cup and mixing it with 2/3 c. pumpkin puree. Keep the remaining cream cheese mixture separate.
Pour the brownie batter into the pan and smooth.
Drizzle the cream cheese mixture in a vertical zig-zag pattern across the brownie batter.
Then drizzle the pumpkin mixture in a horizontal zig-zag pattern across the brownie and cheesecake mixture.
Using a sharp knife or toothpick, drag through the mixture in vertical zig-zag pattenrs all the way across. Then, without lifting the knife out, turn and drag through again in horizontal zig-zag patterns to create the swirls. Remove the knife when you're satisfied with the swirls.
Bake in the oven at 325 for 65-70 minutes. Let cool COMPLETELY before removing and enjoying. The cheese cake mixture needs time to cool and set before it is cut into.
