Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies

1. Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies
   Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
   
   
   Pumpkin Swirl:
   
   
   4 ounces cream cheese, softened and room temperature
2. 1 tablespoon butter, softened
3. 1/2 cup sugar
4. 1 egg
5. 11/2 cups canned pumpkin
6. 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
7. 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8. 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

   1/4 teaspoon allspice

   
   

   Brownies:
9. 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
10. 11/4 cups all-purpose flour

    3/4 teaspoon baking powder
11. 1/2 teaspoon salt
12. 8 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
13. 3/4 cup butter, cut up
14. 21/4 cups sugar
15. 4 eggs
16.                    1/4 cup milk
17. 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

    1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

    
    

    OR

    Use one Box Ghirardelli Brownie Mix for 13 x 9 Pan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 13x9  baking pan with foil, extend foil over the edges of the pan. Grease the foil or spray with cooking spray then set pan aside.

In a medium mixing bowl beat room temperature cream cheese and the 1 tablespoon butter with an electric mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Add  sugar. Beat until well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in 1 egg, the pumpkin, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, and all of the spices, until combined. Stir in the 1 tablespoon flour. Set aside.

Prepared Box Mix:

If using  Ghirardelli brownie mix or your favorite brand then prepare according to directions on the back of the box and pour mixture into greased and foiled pan. Add cream cheese pumpkin mixture in spoon fulls to the top of the brownie batter, swirl with a knife.  Bake 1 hour.

Directions for Brownies from Scratch:

In a small bowl stir together the 1-1/4 cups flour, the baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a saucepan combine the chocolate and 3/4 cup butter. Cook and stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add sugar, beating with an electric mixer on low speed just until combined. Add the 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk and the vanilla bean paste. Gradually beat in flour mixture just until combined DO NOT OVER MIX! Spread chocolate mixture evenly in the prepared pan.

***Spoon cream cheese mixture in several dollops on top of the chocolate batter. Using a knife, gently swirl the cream cheese mixture into the chocolate batter. 

Bake about 60 minutes or until center is just set when pan is gently shaken. Cool in pan on a wire rack, then life brownies out of pan with foil, cut into squares and serve. 

See the little chunks of cream cheese?

I made these brownies recently and I have to tell you they are my favorite  brownie ever! They are that good! Now, if you do not like pumpkin or cheesecake, than you will not like these brownies. 

That said, the recipe is easy and if you want you can even use a prepared mix and just add the pumpkin swirl on top. I have made them both ways and they are good whichever way you make them. But,  I prefer them made with the Ghirardelli box mix, maybe it was the addition of the chocolate chunks or the fact that I was hungry, I do not know.

Do make sure that your cream cheese and butter are at room temperature, as you can see in the photos I did not, that is why there are little white chunks of cream cheese, they do not detract from the taste but they look a little funny.

I hope you enjoy these brownies! Have a great day!

Linking to:
O so she Says..