Occasionally, two ingredients or two desserts you absolutely love come together to create an irresistible combination.

For some, it’s just about anything that’s paired with chocolate while others love caramel and nuts.

I happen to love cheesecake. And this time of the year, like so many people, I also love pumpkin.

So when these two ingredients and flavors come together, you can imagine that I’m ALL OVER IT. This is why I am absolutely addicted to Pumpkin Cheesecake!

But there is another sweet fall treat I love that uses both cream cheese and pumpkin. It’s Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies.

Unlike fudge brownies, these brownies bake up tender and cake-like.  And, in addition to the pumpkin batter and cream cheese filling, you can add extras like chopped pecans or chocolate chips (dark, white or even butterscotch).

Bottom line, they’re irresistible! Here’s how you make them:

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Makes about 9 – 2 ½” x 2 ½” brownies

1/3 Cup            Butter, Melted
1 Cup               Light Brown Sugar, Packed
1 tsp                Pure Vanilla
2                      Extra-Large Eggs
1 Cup               Cooked Pumpkin Puree
1 Cup               All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp                Baking Powder
1/2 tsp             Baking Soda
1/4 tsp             Salt
2 ½ tsp            Pumpkin Pie Spice
4 oz                 Cream Cheese, Softened
1                      Extra-Large Egg
1/3 Cup            Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp             Pure Vanilla
2 TBSP            All-Purpose Flour

1. Butter and then flour a cake or casserole pan of about 8” x 8”, and then preheat your oven to 350° F.
2. Beat together the butter with the brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 eggs until light and fluffy, and then stir in the pumpkin puree.
3. In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup of flour with baking powder, soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
4. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture until well blended, and then spread in a prepared baking pan.
5. Next, prepare the cream cheese filling by beating together the softened cream cheese, 1 egg, confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 tablespoons flour until smooth and creamy.
6. Spoon the cream cheese batter onto the pumpkin batter, and then, using a small utensil, swirl the cream cheese batter into the pumpkin batter without scraping the bottom of the pan.
7. Bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Now, if you’d like to add some additional garnishes to your Pumpkin Brownies, such as pecans or chocolate chips, I typically measure about 1/3 cup pecans (or you can use walnuts) or about ½ cup chocolate chips. If you use both, I’d suggest about ¼ cup each.

As I mentioned, I love pumpkin, and I have more of my favorite pumpkin recipes for you on Nino’s website at: www.ninosalvaggio.com

Here are some direct links:

Peter’s Pumpkin Eaters Recipes for 2012
It All Starts with a Pumpkin
Pumpkin Pie Tips
Pumpkin Baked Alaska Recipe