Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Chocolate Brownies - Columbus Day - Baked Occasions

Our household enjoys pumpkin bars, cheesecake, and brownies and we may even enjoy combining two of those three desserts together. Never have we thought about combining all three of them, and pumpkin with chocolate has never been a thought that seemed pleasant to me. This recipe presented combining all of these well-loved flavors into one dessert. I was very cautious about this one and was sure that I would only make half a batch because I did not think we would consume them all. Then I was having some girlfriends over for a soup dinner and thought that they might like them. So I made the full recipe.

It's a little more finicky than a traditional brownie since there is a second pumpkin layer to worry about, and that layer needs some extra work with a real mixer for the cream cheese. I almost forgot to put the flour in when I was making the brownie layer because that gets folded in last and it already looked like the right consistency for brownies. To my eye, it appeared to be more cake-like when the flour was added in, and it tasted that way in the end product as well. It is a very appealing looking dessert with the attractive swirls.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed these brownies. They did seem a bit cakey to me instead of chewy, but the pumpkin layer was noticeable without contrasting too much. I am not sure how often I would make this recipe, but I did enjoy it and so did the ladies who came over for dinner. It's a nice way to get some chocolate mixed in with traditional fall flavors.

Timing: Recipe States: timing not listed, My Actual Timing: 25 mins. mixing, 40 mins. baking
Servings: Recipe States: 24 brownies, Servings For My Family: 24 brownies
Leftovers: These were good for a couple days.


Family Ratings:
Me: They were surprisingly good, a nice fall dessert.
Hubby:
Big Man:
Bear:
Mr. T: He was very skeptical and not wanting to try one. Give them all to your girls, he said.

Will I repeat: Probably.

What will I change: Nothing.