With these pumpkin cheesecake brownies, we marry fudgy chocolate brownies with a silky pumpkin-spiced cheesecake layer- the best fall mashup!
These have a fudgy chocolate base, a pumpkin cheesecake layer, and more chocolate on top in fun fall shapes. These take about 15 minutes to mix and a little less than 30 minutes to bake!
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These fudgy chocolate pumpkin bars are similar to my Cheesecake Brownie Bars and have a luscious cream cheese layer, naturally bright orange from the pumpkin. We love halloween treats like these or soft pumpkin sugar cookies.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Taste: A fudgy, chocolate brownie bottom and a creamy, pumpkin spiced cream cheese layer.
- Ease: Intermediate level. Batter, filling, and topping is made before baking.
- Time: It takes 10-15 minutes to make, then 40 minutes to bake.
🛒 Key Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree - Make sure you get 100% pumpkin, not the canned pumpkin pie mix! It's easy to make that mistake.
- Cocoa powder - you can use regular or special dark cocoa powder, the darker it is the more the orange pumpkin contrasts with the dark brownie color and it's so fun!
- Cream Cheese- full fat or fat free work just fine.
- Spices - I use cinnamon, ginger, and allspice (cloves are fine but are strong for me). You can also use an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice mix.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- Optional add ins- walnuts, pecans, or my favorite, mini chocolate chips!
- Make mint cheesecake brownies with candy eyeballs or Halloween sprinkles for another fun halloween variation!
🧑🍳 Instructions
- Step 1 (above) In a large bowl, combine softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Mix with an electric or stand mixer for about 3 minutes on medium/high speed until light and fluffy.
- Step 2. Add in the vanilla and eggs one at a time and mix well in between, until the sugar starts to dissolve and the mixture is fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Step 3. (above) In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
- Step 4. Add the dry flour mixture to the wet butter mixture in batches, mixing well in between. The texture will be similar to sticky chocolate cookie dough.
- Step 5. (above) Save one cup of dough and set it aside.
- Step 6. Press the remaining brownie dough evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan.
TIP: I always line the baking pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Step 7. (above) Make the cheesecake filling by combining the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar, and mixing well on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
- Step 8. Add in the egg and vanilla and continue mixing 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Step 9. (above) Add in the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice to the cream cheese mixture and mix well until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Step 10. Pour the pumpkin cheesecake filling on top of the raw brownie dough.
- Step 11. (above) Roll out the reserved cup of raw chocolate dough and use fun cookie cutters to make shapes to put on top of the cheesecake mixture, or you can just flatten small pieces of dough to put over the top.
- Step 12. Place the cut out shapes on top of the raw cheesecake. Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until the filling is set. It can be a little jiggly in the middle, don't worry! It will set more as it cools. Cool completely before slicing and serving. The cleanest slices will be after chilling for at least 2 hours and wiping your knife after each slice.
NOTE: Glass or thick ceramic pans may take longer to bake (30-35 min) than dark metal pans (25-30 min).
📌 Troubleshooting
- Cracked cheesecake top: likely overbaked or too much air. To fix: reduce bake time and make sure you mix gently.
- Soggy/undercooked center: tent with foil and extend bake; check oven temp with oven thermometer.
- Cheesecake layer sinks or ripples: batter too thin (too much pumpkin) or over-stirred.
- Brownie layer too cakey: too much flour or overmixed, next batch reduce flour or add melted chocolate.
TIP: If top cracks, dust with powdered sugar or drizzle ganache. It does wonders to cover those sins!
❄️ Make Ahead, Store, and Freezing Tips
Best cooling method: cool 1 hour on rack, then chill 4 hours (or overnight) for clean slices.
Refrigeration: 4-5 days; freeze uncut for up to 3 months (wrap tight). Thaw in fridge overnight.
Reheating: brief 15-20s microwave per slice for warm serving, or 300°F oven 8-10 min.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Keep pumpkin to ≤ ~25-30% of the cheesecake mixture by volume (e.g., 1 cup pumpkin to ~2-3 cups cream cheese mixture).
Freeze unbaked for streamlined holiday baking and adjust bake time (+10-20%). Thaw in refrigerator overnight before baking.
Extreme temperature differences, overbaked cheesecake, or too-liquid batter.
🍽️ Serving Ideas
Here are a few ideas of how to serve pumpkin cheesecake brownies.
- Dust with cinnamon sugar or cocoa, drizzle salted caramel or ganache, top with toasted walnuts or whipped cream.
- Serve with roasted herbal tea or spiced chai latte pairing suggestions.
🍁 More Cozy Fall Baking Recipes
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📝 Printable Recipe
Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
Ingredients
For the brownie:
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup special dark cocoa powder
For the pumpkin cheesecake filling:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- pinch of allspice or nutmeg
Instructions
For the brownie base:
- Preheat the oven to 350℉, and prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper or baking spray. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup salted butter, 1 cup brown sugar, and 1 cup white granulated sugar. Mix with an electric or stand mixer for about 3 minutes on medium/high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 2 eggs one at a time and mix well in between, until the sugar starts to dissolve and the mixture is fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour, ¾ cup special dark cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking soda.
- Add the dry flour mixture to the wet butter mixture in batches, mixing well in between. The texture will be similar to sticky chocolate cookie dough.
- Save one cup of dough and set it aside.Press the remaining brownie dough evenly into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Make the pumpkin cheesecake filling:
- Make the cheesecake filling by combining 8 oz cream cheese and 1½ cups powdered sugar, and mixing well on medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 egg and mix until smooth.
- Add 1 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, and a pinch of allspice or nutmeg. Pour pumpkin filling over raw brownie base.
Put on the topping:
- Roll out the reserved chocolate dough and cut into fun shapes or simply press into flat pieces and place on the pumpkin cheesecake filling.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes on a middle shelf, until filling is set but jiggles a little. Cool completely before slicing, refrigerate for at least 4 hours for firmer slices. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sara!
Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.
Sara says
These are my favorite for potlucks or get togethers. They disappear so fast!