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Pumpkin-Cheesecake Brownies

I love pumpkin and I’m not done baking with it this season just yet. As I said in my Fall pumpkin cookie post, there truly are a million great recipes, both sweet and savory, that make use of pumpkin. This is a great one for pumpkin cheesecake brownies and they are worth every single calorie. This recipe was inspired by a delicious pumpkin bar I recently had.
For this recipe, I added a rich chocolate brownie base, because who does not love a brownie?  (This base is much denser than my vegan brownie recipe if you have made those.)  Pumpkin and chocolate also go well together naturally, and the pumpkin’s subtle earthy flavor is further elevated with a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg.  This is a decadent but easy treat that works well in the cooler winter months.
A brownie is considered one of America’s favorite baked treats and has been around since the early 20th century.  A brownie is a bar cookie (instead of a cake) because it’s finger food, not food typically eaten with a fork and knife.  Fannie Merritt Farmer is often credited for having created this sweet treat after she adapted her chocolate chip cookie recipe to a bar cookie baked in a pan.  The Farmer brownie is made in the style of cake.
pumpkin-cheesecake brownies
There are skeptics however, including many who believe that it was Sears who first developed a fudge-like brownie in the late 19th century.  Some believe that an unknown housewife in Bangor, Maine invented the brownie by mistake in her failure to add baking powder to her cake, which she cut up in squares and served anyway.  Like with many food-related inventions, it’s unclear, and quite possible, that it was not just one person who invented it, but rather many.  Despite the lack of clarity, the brownie is loved by kids and adults alike.

This year my younger son asked for brownies instead of cake at his birthday party.  This summarizes his dessert preference in a nutshell: he doesn’t like frosting and he wants to maximize the rich, fudgy chocolate treat instead.  We did not top his birthday brownies with pumpkin cheesecake; though he had contemplated adding a Rice Krispy Treat on top as a second layer.  But that is a whole different post. This is a great seasonal dessert recipe that is quick to whip up, easy enough for kids to make and works well for gatherings big and small.  This is a must-try recipe for all brownie lovers out there.

pumpkin-cheesecake brownies

About the Author

Andrea Potischman

I am a professionally trained NYC chef turned CA mom and food blogger. I post about real food, with doable ingredient lists that are family friendly.

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