Description
These pumpkin cheesecake brownies combine a fudgy chocolate base, buttery roasted cashews, and a lightly spiced pumpkin swirl. Perfect for fall, they are easy to make ahead and a fun recipe for kids to help with the swirling process, resulting in a deliciously rich and festive dessert.
Ingredients
Brownie Layer
- 180 g butter
- 100 g dark chocolate (70 to 80%), chopped (1 standard bar)
- 100 g white sugar
- 100 g brown sugar
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 80 g plain flour
- 60 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 75 g roasted cashews, roughly chopped
- ¼ tsp salt
Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer
- 250 g cream cheese at room temperature
- 60 g sugar
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 250 g pumpkin purée
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or ¼ tsp ginger and nutmeg, and ½ tsp cinnamon powder)
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- ⅓ tsp turmeric powder (optional, for extra colour)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a 20 x 20 cm (8-inch) square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang to easily lift the brownies out later.
- Toast Cashews: Toast the cashews in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool, then roughly chop.
- Mix Dry Ingredients and Cashews: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the vanilla extract. Stir in the flour, salt, and chopped cashews just until combined.
- Melt Chocolate and Butter: Melt the butter and dark chocolate together in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring after each until smooth.
- Add Sugars and Cocoa: Whisk the melted chocolate mixture with both sugars and the cocoa powder until well combined.
- Combine Chocolate and Egg Mixtures: Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and stir just until smooth. Set aside about a quarter of this brownie batter for the swirling step.
- Spread Brownie Batter: Spread the remaining brownie batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Prepare Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer: Beat the room-temperature cream cheese, sugar, and egg together, then add pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, flour, and optional turmeric powder. Mix just until smooth.
- Assemble Layers and Swirl: Spread the pumpkin cheesecake mixture evenly over the brownie layer. Drop spoonfuls of the reserved brownie batter on top. Using a knife, gently swirl the batter into the pumpkin layer with just a few strokes to create a marbled effect.
- Bake: Bake for about 35 minutes until the edges are set, the center wobbles slightly, and a toothpick inserted into the cheesecake part comes out clean.
- Cool and Chill: Cool in the pan for 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before lifting out with the parchment paper and cutting into 16 squares.
Notes
- Room temperature is important: cold cream cheese or eggs can make the cheesecake layer lumpy.
- Roasted cashews add a buttery crunch; lightly salted cashews pair especially well with the chocolate. For a nut-free version, simply omit the cashews.
- Store leftovers in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Kids love helping with the swirling step; just remind them to use only a few gentle strokes to create the marbled effect.