These pumpkin brownies are THE fall dessert I look forward to making the most! They’re rich, fudgy, and full of chocolatey flavor. In fact, they’re so delicious that my family doesn’t even notice that I’ve snuck in some better-for-you ingredients.
These brownies also get some extra warmth from ground cinnamon and nutmeg (in the pumpkin pie spice) and a bit of texture thanks to the chocolate chips. Not to mention they make a stunning addition to any treat table, especially for Halloween parties and fall gatherings.
Recipe Highlights
As if you needed another excuse to make homemade brownies, here are just a few reasons why I enjoy this recipe:
- Because they start with a brownie mix, you just need 20 minutes of prep time and 40 minutes of cook time, which means you can have these brownies ready to eat in a total time of just about an hour.
- These brownies are such an easy recipe that I often make them together with my kids, who assist with measuring, dumping everything into the mixing bowl, stirring the dry ingredients together, and spreading it in the prepared pan.
- A twist on traditional brownies, this pumpkin brownies recipe is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and potassium thanks to the canned pumpkin. You also get a little fiber (1 gram per brownie) and every little bit helps when trying to get more fiber into my family’s diet
- You get double chocolate flavor – once from the brownie mix and once from the chocolate chips, as well as a hint of Mexican hot chocolate from the addition of pumpkin pie spice
- One batch makes 16 servings but that can easily cut them into smaller bars or even double the recipe for Halloween parties and serving more people (for a double batch, bake it in a 9×13 pan for the same amount of time)
- Recently, when I followed our healthy fall meal plan, I added these brownies as a healthy sweet treat for the week that would satisfy my sweet tooth while still sticking to my healthy eating goals
Don’t Love Pumpkin? No Problem!
If you’re not a fan of pumpkin flavor or pumpkin desserts in general, you can substitute the canned pumpkin puree with canned or homemade mashed sweet potato or another squash. This allows you to incorporate more nutrients than a standard brownie recipe and keeps the batter moist and tender without the need for a lot of added sugar, cholesterol, or saturated fat.
Make It Gluten Free
You can use any favorite store-bought brownie mix to make this recipe. To keep it gluten free, we recommend the King Arthur Gluten Free Ultimate Fudge Brownie Mix (a team favorite).
Make It Nut Free
When cooking for others who might have a nut allergy, I simply omit any added nuts to make these pumpkin brownies nut-free. That way, everyone can enjoy a taste of fall!
Make It Dairy Free
To keep these fudgy brownies dairy-free, I replace the cream cheese with a plant-based variety. Then, if including mix-ins, I make sure to use dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate chips, such as Enjoy Life or Hu chocolate brands.
How To Store
Store the brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This recipe is also freezer friendly, so I like to make an extra batch to freeze for later. Once cool, I wrap each brownie individually, transfer them to a sealable freezer bag, and freeze them for up to 3 months. Then, all I have to do is thaw a brownie or two in the fridge overnight or at room temperature, and they taste as good as the day I first baked them.
Make Your Own Pumpkin Pie Spice
This recipe calls for 1 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have that spice mix in your cabinet, you can make it. Here’s how:
To make 1½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, mix together ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice, and a pinch of ground cloves.
How To Serve
These brownies are incredible on their own. But for the ultimate fall dessert experience, I love to top them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. I’ve even tried sprinkling the tops with granola for extra crunch. Trust me! It’s a delicious addition.If hosting a fall party, I’d pair these brownies with our apple cider sangria to stick with the in-season fall produce theme.
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Pumpkin Brownies Recipe
A simple-to-make festive twist on standard brownies, this recipe incorporates canned pumpkin and other mix-ins to a store-bought brownie mix. Swirl the batters together to create a beautiful and delicious fall treat.
Ingredients
- 1 store-bought brownie mix (plus the ingredients listed on the box to make the batter)*
- 1/3 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar
- 4 ounces neufchatel or full fat cream cheese (½ block), softened
- ¾ cup pumpkin puree (about a half of a 15-ounce can)
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Flakey sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, prepare the brownie batter according to the package instructions. Stir in the chocolate chips; set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, gently beat the the cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth. Add the pumpkin, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla; mix until well combined with the hand mixer.
- To the prepared baking pan, add about 3/4 of the brownie batter and spread it out with a spatula.
- Then add the pumpkin-cream cheese batter over the brownie batter and spread it out with a spatula.
- Add the remaining brownie batter over the pumpkin layer in about 9 small spoonfuls. Swirl the batters together using a knife.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Top with flakey salt.
- Let cool on a wire rack before cutting into 16 brownies.
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Notes
Store the brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
*You can use any favorite brownie mix. To make these brownies gluten free, I like the King Arthur Gluten-free Ultimate Fudge Brownie Mix.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/16 of the recipe
- Calories: 216
- Fat: 9 g
- (Sat Fat: 5 g)
- Sodium: 199 mg
- Carbohydrate: 30 g
- (Fiber: 1 g
- Sugar: 23 g)
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
Dietary
Frequently Asked Questions
Feel free to get creative with toppings, mix-ins, and flavor variations to make this recipe your own. For instance, I love to add a layer of caramel, peanut butter, or even pumpkin pie filling or mix-ins like chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Sometimes I also serve brownies topped with a dusting of cocoa powder, chocolate frosting, or cream cheese frosting.
I like to use pumpkin pie spice for a well-rounded flavor, but you can also experiment with the flavor of these brownies by adding spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or ground cloves.
If you aren’t a fan of the fudge-like consistency, try substituting the three large eggs with two whole eggs and one egg white to achieve a less dense brownie batter.
More Pumpkin Recipes To Try
The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
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Not having tried the slow cooker feature of my instant pot, I’m wondering if this can be made in the I P and is there any adjustments to the recipe as given?
Hi Deb,
We haven’t tested this recipe using the slow cooker function of the Instant Pot. I will say that from my experience the slow cooker setting on the Instant Pot runs much hotter than my actual slow cooker. Though this wouldn’t necessarily be a deal-breaker, it would likely change the baking time (that and the fact that the surface area of an Instant Pot is less than that of the 6-quart oval slow cooker used to test this recipe). If you try it, we’d LOVE to hear how it worked out for you as I’m sure others may have the same question.
Do you have oven instructions, as we only have an instant pot as well?
Hi Miriam,
You can follow the baking instructions for this recipe: https://therealfooddietitians.com/grain-free-sweet-potato-brownies/
Can I bake this in the oven? If so, what temperature and for how long?
Hi Chrystele,
We’ve updated the recipe to include directions for baking in the oven.
Hi! Looks delicious . I was wondering if I can use almond meal as replacement for coconut flour? Thanks, Allison
Hi Allison,
Due to the very unique ability of coconut flour to absorb a lot of moisture in a recipe, almond flour would not be a suitable replacement in this recipe (or really any baked good that calls for coconut flour).
This looks delicious! Have you tried any egg-free variations?
Hi Gail,
We have tried it and they did not turn out well. We’d suggest trying these Paleo Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars which turn out great using flax in place of the eggs.
I know sometimes removing/changing even one ingredient can greatly alter the taste of a dish, however, I have recently developed a cinnamon allergy (*cries*). Is there anything I can swap that would be comparable or is it something that can be omitted entirely without sacrificing flavor?
Hi Ashley,
I’m so sorry to hear about your cinnamon allergy! You can leave the cinnamon out entirely since it’s only 1/4 teaspoon.