Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies – Recipe!

Happy Halloween!  I hope your plans today include something spooktacularly fun as well as delicious and includes these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies.

Halloween has always been a favorite holiday because it’s filled with costumes, sweet treats, and laughter.  We will hit the streets for a bit of trick or treat, before heading to a local event with lights, sounds, and mildly haunted fun with my granddaughter, son, daughter-in-law and mom.  Before we head out, us goblins will slurp on butternut squash soup, nibble on hardy winter greens, and some local stringy cheesy pizza (made by another ghoul), but most certainly we will indulge on these fudgy and pumpkiny brownies.

These easy to make squares of ghostly goodness make the perfect dessert for any Halloween or fall-like gathering and you can refrigerate them for up to 3 days.  Cut them small — they are so full of ghastly delicious richness.

Ingredients

Brownie

8 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup chocolate chips or chunks, divided

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark cocoa powder

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon espresso powder

Pumpkin Layer

8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup cooked pumpkin – canned or fresh

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

(Makes 16 Small Brownies)

To Prepare:

1. To make brownie – Spray or butter and line with parchment an 8 x 8 square pan.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, combine butter and 1/2 cup chocolate chips.  Microwave on high for 1 minute.  Remove and stir until smooth, set aside.
3. In another large bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, flour and salt, stir to remove lumps.  Add melted chocolate mixture and stir (it will be stiff).
4. Add eggs, vanilla and espresso powder, stir until combined.  *it’s a very thick brownie mixture
5. To make pumpkin layer – in a large bowl, add cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar and vanilla.  Using hand mixer, cream until smooth.
6. Pour pumpkin mixture over brownie and top with remaining chocolate chips.  Bake for 25 minutes, remove and cool to room temperature.
7. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before slicing.  Enjoy!