These pumpkin cheesecake brownies are rich, dense, and fudgy with pumpkin spice cheesecake swirls that are shaped like pumpkins on top. There's a thick layer of pumpkin cheesecake in the center so you can get fudgy brownie and creamy pumpkin cheesecake in every single bite. These brownies are perfect to make for fall, Thanksgiving, and the cooler months. The pumpkin shaped swirls on top are quite easy to make and bake up beautifully! I even added some green vines with extra cheesecake batter to really help the pattern pop.

Jump to:
- 🍫 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- 📝 Key ingredients
- 👩🍳 How to make pumpkin brownies
- Pumpkin cheesecake batter step by step
- Brownie batter step by step
- ✔️ Expert brownie cheesecake tips
- 🥄 Make ahead and storage
- ❔ Why I use both chocolate and cocoa powder in brownies
- 📖 Recipe FAQs
- 🍪 More related recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
🍫 Why you'll LOVE this recipe
- Pumpkin cheesecake swirls: The top of these brownies are swirled with pumpkin cheesecake, in the shape of pumpkins! It's an easy way to make an eye catching, unique dessert.
- Decadent & fudgy: The brownies are rich, decadent, and fudgy, with an intense chocolate flavor. They have both semisweet chocolate and cocoa powder for the best texture and flavor. My favorite kind of brownie!
- Pumpkin spice: Pumpkin spice and chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations. The warm spices work so well with rich dark chocolate!

📝 Key ingredients
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients in recipe card below.

All purpose flour: Weigh the flour to get the most accurate results. If you don’t have a scale, measure properly by stirring the bag and spooning gently into a measuring cup. Scrape the excess off the top with the flat edge off a knife without packing it into the cup.
Cocoa powder: Dutch processed cocoa powder gives these brownies an intense chocolate flavor. You can check the ingredients list to see if the cocoa powder is Dutch processed. Dutch processed cocoa powder will have an alkaline ingredient such as sodium carbonate, whereas natural cocoa powder shouldn't have any other ingredient than cocoa powder. I don't recommend using natural cocoa powder as the flavor won't be as intense since there isn't any baking soda to react with it in this recipe.
Semisweet chocolate chips: I use chocolate chips for this recipe, you can also use dark chocolate. I find that semisweet chocolate chips work just as great and I usually have them stocked in my pantry. Good quality dark chocolate will give you a softer, even more decadent brownie.
Cream cheese: Brick style, full fat cream cheese will give these brownies the best flavor and dense, creamy, cheesecake texture. You'll need one 8oz brick.
Brown sugar: I find that dark brown sugar adds a beautiful richness in flavor and moist texture in the brownie batter and the pumpkin cheesecake swirls. I recommend using dark brown sugar over granulated sugar in this recipe.
Pumpkin pie spice: This is a blend of spices most commonly used in pumpkin pie. You can purchase it premixed, or mix it yourself using spices you probably already have in your pantry. I make it myself using my pumpkin pie spice mix recipe.
Instant espresso powder: Espresso powder or even instant coffee adds a rich depth of flavor in chocolate baked goods. You only add a touch so you can't taste any coffee flavor, but it does deepen the flavor.
👩🍳 How to make pumpkin brownies
Pumpkin cheesecake batter step by step

Step 1: In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine softened cream cheese and sugar. Use an electric mixer to mix until creamy and smooth, scraping down the bowl.

Step 2: Add pumpkin puree, the egg, cornstarch, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, and salt into the cheesecake batter. Mix just until smooth, scraping down the bowl to prevent lumps. Set this aside while you make the brownie batter.
Optional: Set aside about 3 tablespoons of cheesecake mixture in a separate bowl. Add green food coloring to color it green, mix, and transfer it into a piping bag or plastic bag with a corner cut off to make a thin hole.
Brownie batter step by step
Prep: Line the bottom and sides of an 8" or 9" square baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).

Step 1: Combine the butter and semisweet chocolate chips in a small saucepan. Heat on low heat, stirring constantly, until it melts smoothly. Set it aside while you mix the rest of the batter - you still want it to be warm.

Step 2: In a separate large bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Whisk with a wire whisk, by hand, for about 30 seconds, until the eggs are foamy on top.
Add salt, vanilla extract, espresso powder, and whisk.

Step 3: Pour the warm chocolate and butter mixture into the egg mixture and whisk to combine.

Step 4: Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the chocolate brownie mixture. Use the wire whisk to carefully fold the batter together.

Step 5: Transfer half of the brownie batter into the parchment lined baking pan. Level the top.

Step 6: Transfer most of the pumpkin cheesecake batter on top of the brownie batter and spread it out evenly to the edges. Leave a few tablespoons for making the pumpkins on top.

Step 7: Use a spatula to transfer the rest of the brownie batter on top of the cheesecake batter. Use the spatula to carefully transfer the batter in a thin layer on top of the cheesecake batter.

Step 8: Spoon the remaining pumpkin cheesecake batter into round pumpkin shapes on top of the brownie batter. Use a toothpick to spread out the edges into a pumpkin shape.

Step 9: Drag a toothpick through the bottom middle of the pumpkin to the top of the pumpkin - do this twice to create three pumpkin "lobes" on each pumpkin. If it becomes difficult to swirl the brownie batter, then place the pan into the preheated oven for one minute to heat the brownie batter a touch without cooking it.
Pipe green vines and stems on the pumpkins with the green colored pumpkin cheesecake batter.

Step 10: Bake the pumpkin cheesecake brownies in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. The center will be puffed. Remove the baking pan from the oven and let the brownie cool inside the pan completely.
I recommend refrigerating the brownie for a few hours to set the cheesecake before cutting it into 9 squares and enjoying!
✔️ Expert brownie cheesecake tips
- Don't overbake the brownies: Overbaking will create a less fudgy brownie and a curdled cheesecake filling. But also don't under bake it because then the cheesecake won't set! Once the middle is slightly puffed you want to pull them out of the oven.
- Swirl the pumpkins while the brownie batter is still warm: Once the brownie batter cools down it becomes very difficult to swirl it because it becomes hard. If it's hard and stiff, you can pop it into the preheated oven for one minute to warm up and become more fluid again.
🥄 Make ahead and storage
These pumpkin cheesecake brownies are great to make ahead because I find that they're best served chilled because of the cheesecake filling. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or for up to 2 months in the freezer.

❔ Why I use both chocolate and cocoa powder in brownies
I find that adding melted chocolate into brownies gives it a richer, fudgier texture while cocoa powder gives it that intense chocolate flavor while cutting the sweetness. I prefer to use both chocolate and cocoa powder in my brownie recipes because it's really the best of both worlds! It gives these pumpkin cheesecake brownies a rich, fudgy, and strong chocolate flavor.
If you have a microwave, you can microwave the butter and chocolate until it melts, stirring every so often. I do this on my stove in a saucepan but a microwave will also work really well.

📖 Recipe FAQs
Natural cocoa powder is lighter in color and flavor, and isn't alkaline processed. If you check the ingredients list, natural cocoa powder should only have one ingredient - cocoa powder. On the other hand, Dutch processed cocoa powder has been alkaline processed which brings out the intense chocolate flavor and makes it darker in color.
I use natural cocoa powder in recipes like chocolate cake where the acidic cocoa powder will react with alkaline baking soda, creating a fluffy cake texture as it bakes. This process brings out that intense chocolate flavor.
I use Dutch processed cocoa powder in recipes that don't have baking soda and where you don't want a fluffy cake-like texture - like brownies, dusted on top of tiramisu, and usually cookies.
You'll know that your brownies are baked when the top looks shiny and the middle is puffed up. The toothpick test usually doesn't work too well with brownies because unlike a cake, a brownie texture is dense and fudgy.
🍪 More related recipes
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📖 Recipe

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cheesecake Batter
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- green food coloring optional
Brownie Batter
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder optional
- ¾ cup flour 90g
- ¼ cup cocoa powder dutch processed
Instructions
Pumpkin Cheesecake Batter
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine softened cream cheese and brown sugar. Use an electric mixer to mix until creamy and smooth, scraping down the bowl.8 oz cream cheese, ⅓ cup brown sugar
- Add pumpkin puree, the egg, cornstarch, vanilla extract, pumpkin spice, and salt into the cheesecake batter. Mix just until smooth, scraping down the bowl to prevent lumps. Set this aside while you make the brownie batter.1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- Optional: Set aside about 3 tablespoons of cheesecake mixture in a separate bowl. Add green food coloring to color it green, mix, and transfer it into a piping bag or plastic bag with a corner cut off to make a thin hole.green food coloring
Brownie Batter
- Line the bottom and sides of an 8" or 9" square baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
- Combine the butter and semisweet chocolate chips in a small saucepan. Heat on low heat, stirring constantly, until it melts smoothly. Set it aside while you mix the rest of the batter - you still want it to be warm.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- In a separate bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Whisk with a wire whisk, by hand, for about 30 seconds, until the eggs are foamy on top.2 large eggs, ¾ cup brown sugar
- Add salt, vanilla extract, espresso powder, and whisk.¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
- Pour the warm chocolate and butter mixture into the egg mixture and whisk to combine.
- Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the chocolate brownie mixture. Use the wire whisk to carefully fold the batter together.¾ cup flour, ¼ cup cocoa powder
- Transfer half of the brownie batter into the parchment lined baking pan. Level the top.
- Transfer most of the pumpkin cheesecake batter on top of the brownie batter and spread it out evenly to the edges. Leave a few tablespoons for making the pumpkins on top.
- Use a spatula to transfer the rest of the brownie batter on top of the cheesecake batter. Use the spatula to carefully transfer the batter in a thin layer on top of the cheesecake batter.
- Spoon the remaining pumpkin cheesecake batter into round pumpkin shapes on top of the brownie batter. Use a toothpick to spread out the edges into a pumpkin shape. Then, drag a toothpick through the bottom middle of the pumpkin to the top of the pumpkin - do this twice to create three pumpkin "lobes" on each pumpkin. If it becomes difficult to swirl the brownie batter, then place the pan into the preheated oven for one minute to heat the brownie batter a touch without cooking it.
- Pipe green vines and stems on the pumpkins with the green colored pumpkin cheesecake batter.
- Bake the brownie in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. The center will be puffed. Remove the baking pan from the oven and let the brownie cool inside the pan completely. I recommend refrigerating the brownie for a few hours to set the cheesecake before cutting it into 9 squares and enjoying!
Notes
- Don't overbake the brownies to ensure a fudgy brownie with creamy cheesecake swirls.
- Swirl the pumpkins while the brownie batter is warm to make it easier.
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