The Perfect Fall Dessert
Though, I have to say, if you’re like me, you’re not the biggest fan of Halloween. This past summer, I went into total fangirl mode at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida, and proceeded to buy a Quidditch sweater, justifying it with the knowledge that this $75 sweater could be my Halloween costume forever! No more endless Googling for Halloween costume ideas! No more spending money on crafts that would only be relevant for one year! But I’d be a hypocrite if I said I didn’t enjoy all the kitschy signs of fall. The Jack-o-Lanterns, the hay bales and corn stalks, the red and orange leaves, the apple picking, the free-flow of spiced cider, and of course, the explosion of pumpkin-spice-tastic desserts! So even though I’m more of a fall girl than a Halloween girl, and my holiday spirit isn’t as ardent as that of others, this year, we’ve made these delightful Swirled Pumpkin Brownies–with a rich, decadent brownie base and molten pumpkin spice layers!
A word on our brownie base: the recipe comes from the famed David Lebovitz recipe for Robert’s Absolute Best Brownies from Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes.
These brownies are incredibly easy to make and result in a rich and fudgy brownie with pecans (or your nut of choice) and a perfectly crisped top and edges. Many a friend and family member has inhaled these brownies without a trace. They’re our favorite brownies, and pretty much the only recipe we make!
So enjoy these Pumpkin Brownies, and if you’re like me and even on October 30 you’re not yet in the holiday spirit, here’s a selection of Halloween words to get you in the right state of mind:
Spoooky!
Boo!
Witchy!
Bats!
Cauldron!
Haunted!
Hooowl!
Ghoullish!
Jack-o-Lantern!!!!!!!!
Enjoy Halloween and these Pumpkin Swirl Brownies, everyone! ;)
Pumpkin Swirl Brownies: Recipe Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the inside of a 10×10-inch or 13×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Start by making the pumpkin mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin puree, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well-combined.
Gently fold in the flour mixture until just combined.
Then make the chocolate brownie mixture. In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, melt 9 tablespoons of butter. Add the chocolate and stir over low heat until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Turn the heat off, and immediately stir in the sugar and vanilla until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour and stir energetically for 1 full minute, until the batter loses its graininess, becomes smooth and glossy, and pulls away a bit from the sides of the saucepan.
Stir in the chopped nuts.
Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Top with 2/3 of pumpkin batter.
Add the other half of the chocolate layer, and spread to the edges. Using a spoon, spread out the remaining pumpkin batter in 4 stripes across the pan.
Use a butter knife to swipe across the stripes of pumpkin batter (the knife should be perpendicular to the stripes).
Bake until set, 50-55 minutes.
Cool in the pan before lifting out of the pan and cutting into squares.
The brownies taste better when completely cooled and set for a few hours, so make them in the morning and eat them in the evening while you’re welcoming trick-or-treaters!
Recipe
Swirled Pumpkin Brownies
These pumpkin brownies combine a rich, chocolatey brownie base with a pumpkin batter swirl. Pumpkin swirl brownies make a deliciously sweet fun fall treat.
Serves: 16
Ingredients
For the pumpkin mixture:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the chocolate mixture:
- 9 tablespoons butter (128g, cut into pieces)
- 12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (340g, chopped)
- 1 cup sugar (plus 2 tablespoons)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups pecans (toasted and coarsely chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the inside of a 10×10-inch or 13×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Start by making the pumpkin mixture. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin puree, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well-combined. Gently fold in the flour mixture until just combined.
- Then make the chocolate brownie mixture. In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, melt 9 tablespoons of butter. Add the chocolate and stir over low heat until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Turn the heat off, and immediately stir in the sugar and vanilla until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour and stir energetically for 1 full minute, until the batter loses its graininess, becomes smooth and glossy, and pulls away a bit from the sides of the saucepan. Stir in the chopped nuts.
- Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Top with 2/3 of pumpkin batter. Add the other half of the chocolate layer, and spread to the edges. Using a spoon, spread out the remaining pumpkin batter in 4 stripes across the pan. Use a butter knife to swipe across the stripes of pumpkin batter (the knife should be perpendicular to the stripes).
- Bake until set, 50-55 minutes. Cool in the pan before lifting out of the pan and cutting into squares. The brownies taste better when completely cooled and set for a few hours, so make them in the morning and eat them in the evening while you’re welcoming trick-or-treaters!
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 402kcal (20%) Carbohydrates: 38g (13%) Protein: 7g (14%) Fat: 29g (45%) Saturated Fat: 15g (75%) Cholesterol: 68mg (23%) Sodium: 155mg (6%) Potassium: 289mg (8%) Fiber: 5g (20%) Sugar: 22g (24%) Vitamin A: 2660IU (53%) Vitamin C: 0.7mg (1%) Calcium: 49mg (5%) Iron: 4.9mg (27%)
