Pumpkin Pie Fudge Brownie Bars.
Last week I met a brownie.
And not the 7-year old, patched up vest-wearing kind.
This kind. The kind with PIE baked on top. And baked in a pan.
After that pumpkin binge last month, I practically swore off the stuff for good.
But I’m a weird creature of holiday habit… celebrating each holiday just up until that holiday – no more – then excitedly moving on to the next, and I love relishing in Thanksgiving because while all holidays are pretty much about food… this holiday is seriously serious about food. Comfort food.
Just my thang!
So I had to throw one more pumpkin recipe in your face before I start baking copious amounts of cookies and eating enough to make the treadmill cry. Well… that’s sort of a lie, because I have one more (that’s it, I swear. stop giving me the stink eye!) pumpkin recipe on tap that I made weeks ago but didn’t deem photo-worthy enough to share. We’re going to make that a Facebook exclusive recipe later this week! Ooooh the excitement.
On the outside, I’m totally holding it together for Thanksgiving and focusing on celebrating the feast full force with boatloads of pie, mashed potatoes, stuffing and pie.
Which is weird, because I could really care less about pie. Except on Thanksgiving… color me crazy.
But inside, I’m getting in the Christmas spirit like no other, playing the Barry Manilow holiday album on repeat more times than Brenda played Losing My Religion after Dylan dumped her.
Shhh. Don’t tell.
Nearly 365 days ago, I made some bourbon pecan pie brownies. Oh my… they were GOOD. That doesn’t even explain their deliciousness but I’ll spare you the typical dramatizations since it’s Monday.
Wait. Except for one: this chocolate layer is the fudgiest, richest little pillow of cocoa you will ever sink your teeth into.
K done. I can’t help myself.
See… I like pumpkin… but it is hard for me to classify something as dessert without some sort of hot chocolate mess going on. I’ll have a bite of pumpkin pie come Thanksgiving (you know… like, uh the final bite of food that makes it necessary to unbutton the top of your jeans?) but I really just want chocolate. And I really just like my whipped cream with a little bit of pumpkin pie. I mean, really… I JUST WANT CHOCOLATE.
I’m a supercalifragilistic chocoholic of the worst kind. And if it means anything, I think I’m making peanut butter pie on Thursday because it’s all I can think about, and once I get something in my head, I become the most annoying person ever.
Shocking, I know.
But I had to tell you, because I love you. Now if you know what’s good for you, you’ll make these brownies.
Pumpkin Pie Fudge Brownie Bars
Ingredients
brownie layer
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 10 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
pumpkin layer
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish thoroughly or spray with nonstick spray.
- In a small bowl, beat eggs and vanilla and set aside. In a double boiler, add butter, cocoa, sugar and salt. Mix until the mixture becomes a batter – this will take approximately 10 minutes and at first will just look like clumps of cocoa power. Be patient! Remove the bowl from heat and whisk in the egg mixture (very slowly while whisking, so you don’t have scrambled eggs!) until combined. Stir in flour until batter is smooth, then pour in baking dish. Use a 9×13 dish for thin bars, and an 8×8 for thicker bars. For 9×13 dish, bake for 12-13 minutes. For an 8×8 dish, bake for about 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely! Then make pumpkin layer.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a bowl, whisk together sugars and egg until smooth. Add in pumpkin and spice, again mixing until combine. Finish by adding in heavy cream, stirring until everything is mixed, then pour on top of the cooled brownie layer and spread evenly with a spatula. Bake for 10 minutes (9×13 dish) or 15 minutes (8×8 dish), then reduce heat to 325 degrees F and bake for 18-20 minutes (9×13 dish)/22-25 minutes (8x8dish) or until pumpkin layer is set. Let cool completely (ideally overnight, or about 3-4 hours) then slice and serve.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
Because these are good for you. I swear.
165 Comments on “Pumpkin Pie Fudge Brownie Bars.”
Um, yum! That brownie looks amazingly dense and wonderful and that’s just about the right ratio of vegetable to chocolate in my book!
These are going on the list of things to make this week!
“Ohhhh Fuuuuudge!” See what I did there? Those are some seriously rich looking brownies up there, friend. :)
These brownies look so perfectly fudgy/dense. And the pumpkin layer….. YUM!
I must try these before pumpkin goes out of style!
I’m getting in the mood for Christmas too— except I’m doing it out in the open. “I’M EXCITED FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!” :)
Good thing these would pass at both holidays!
You can keep posting as many pumpkin recipes as your little heart desires, I LOVE them!
I swear it. These will be made in my kitchen. I believe that chocolate and peanut butter should be married. But I won’t judge if chocolate has a little fun on the side with pumpkin. Foodie adultery.
Yuum!!! These brownies look fantastic!
I actually LOL’d at Brenda ‘losing her religion’. Oh dear, we’re showing our age!
Yum! These may not be good for the waistline but they are definitely good for the soul. ;)
Um, duh these are good for you – chocolate = antioxidants. pumpkin = vegetable. Win, Win.
Dense, fudgy, addictive and my treadmill will lay broken in the corner sobbing uncontrollably. Thanks Jessica.
I want one. Like, now. They look so good!! I’m such an obsessed pumpkin freak. I think it’s okay to admit that, right?
Right. Especially now.
Oh my. These look fantastic! So creative. Only you would think about baking pie on top of brownies and be able to pull it off ;)
These might need to be made stat.
Oh yuuuuum. You and your desserts. I imagine your kitchen must be a mess at all times. Actually, I’ve seen the pics. I know it is. It makes me feel better after my baking extravaganza this past weekend!
How great and perfect for Thanksgiving! You’re a wonderful cook!
They look so dense, so rich and decadent, and dark. The pumpkin layer is nice but that brownie layer…THAT is my layer right there. And the whipped cream layer, that one, too :)
These are so fun! I heart pumpkin…year round. I am totally excited to bake Christmas cookies though- I want to do an exchange
Ooooooooh. Those look awesome. I like how thin they are.
(cause then you can have mooooooooore)
I love your mind.
Ditto.
I just love you! Awesome dialogue (cause, you know I’m talking back when I read your posts) and the recipe looks SO yummy, even for this “I can always pass up a brownie, but NEVER pass up cake with boatloads of frosting” kind of girl!!
I’ll be givin’ ’em a try!!
NOW, can I make a request???? I’d LOVE to see you do something sinful with the Hershey Cinnamon Chips (are they made by hershey?)!! Those things are SO rich, but I know you could do something crazy good with them…please, please, pleaseeeeeeeeeeee???????
Thanks Megan! I have made these with the cinnamon chips: http://www.howsweeteats.com/2010/01/cinnamon-chip-scones/. But I will keep them in mind for something else!
OY!!! You didn’t like the cinnamon chips alone???? Well, then again, you don’t like coffee, so I must remember your palate DOES have some variance from mine…thankfully, that’s rare :) I do agree on the scone thing…usually too dry for me and if I’m going to have that many calories, it’s going to include a large amount of frosting… SO, thanks for the link to the scones, and if you get inspired to use the chips again, make sure to mention me. By name. That’s M-e-g-a-n from M-i-c-h-i-g-a-n :)
P.S. I made your Creme De Menthe brownies…OMG doesn’t even do them justice…took to an MSU tailgate (you know, the green and all)…everyone loved ’em…
Oh my gosh. These look amazing. I’m not the world’s biggest pumpkin fan, but I’m pretty sure that pumpkin over a thick layer of chocolate is something I can sink my teeth into. ;)
I agree, dessert isn’t complete unless there is some chocolate in there. These look pretty amazing!
these are evil. for real. and i’m with you on the Christmas stuff…i listened to Christmas music all day saturday and am planning setting up the decor before thanksgiving (i told myself i was going to wait til thursday…yeah. not happening).
You’re killing me! These look amazing–so moist and delicious!
I swore off sugar this week, but this pumpkin brownie, oh my! Maybe I could sneak a piece or two into my dies? They look absolutely fabulous!!
I mean, when you put it like that, I really have no other choice in life but to believe you. And to eat a slice (tray) of these.
p.s. I’m still not over Brenda and Dylan’s breakup. I wish I was kidding.
Neither am I. I wish I was kidding too.
Ok. This looks freakin’ delicious. I think you are my chocolate soul mate.
Argh! I can’t decide whether to make these or the Bourbon Pecan Pie ones first…decisions decisions! Two gorgeous recipes, just one year apart. Keep up the good work and looking forward to reading whatever you post in November 2012!
Honestly… I think I’d go with the pecan ones! I usually hate nuts in my desserts, but I really love those ones.
Ah see I’m a nut fan so I know I’ll love them! Think I’ll probably end up making both anyway… :-)
OK well now that you’ve got THESE in my head, I’m going to be the most annoying person ever until I make them for myself!! Then, I’ll get into my stretchy pants, curl up on the couch, and nod off in a pumpkiny chocolatey slumber for the rest of winter. ;)
That sort of sounds perfect to me.
omg love these!
I love how sticky and dense these look to be! I don’t know how you managed to get a bite out of them so neatly and then get it back on a plate without any mess to spare. I envy your magic ;)
I seriously spent a good 20 minutes trying to fix them because they were so messy… ha!
One word- amazing. That’s all I have to say about that. Well, that and how gorgeous that last photo is!
Holy wow! These do look healthy too…
Um, I think I like pumpkin pie now.
And I made the most deliciously amazing peanut butter pie a few months ago for my brother’s birthday and have been dreaming of it ever since. It might need to make an appearance this week… but only once I’m done making these. Stretch pants, please.
If you don’t like pumpkin pie… I can almost promise you will like it on these!
I’ve learned that dresses win over jeans on Thanksgiving…you don’t have to unbutton that top guy and you look fancy, but really you’re cozy. These look like fudgy amazinginess!I love chocolate with my pumpkin!
Totally agree!
Looks amazing…as usual!
these need to be on my Thanksgiving dessert table! I’m with you, dessert isn’t dessert unless there’s chocolate. This is the perfect way to get both pumpkin and chocolate!
Everytime I think I’ve firmed up my thanksgiving menu, you go ahead and post something full of chocolate and/or sweet potatoes that looks delicious and screams holiday, and then I’m just back to square one.. So thanks. ;)
I keep doing it to myself too… ugh!
The brownies look heavenly. The photographs are stunning!
Thank you!
Love the 90210 reference (of course). I found my 90210 soundtrack cd the other day– nothing like a little Jeremy Jordan to get your day off to a good start.
These look awesome, of course.
Jeremy Jordan…. I think I feel asleep to that soundtrack many nights.
Your secret is safe with me! My Pandora has been set on Christmas music for a week already! My favorite! Those little bars look naughty and good! Mmmm
I am completely and totally, 100% convinced these are good for me. Add a glass of milk or a scoop of ice cream and you’ve pretty much got yourself a balanced breakfast if you ask me :)
Oh yes. Dairy. Even better!
Are these a real thing? Seriously. Amazing.
OMG these look delicious! I would love to have a whole pan of these at work right now!
I am in love with how dense that brownie layer is. Wow. LOVE these!
oh my heavens… everything about these look amazing!
Ok ok okay…WHAT about putting the pumpkin pie filling IN my chocolate cakes???? Oh yes. These look incredibly fudgy and I love the visual look of the thin layer of pumpkin. YUM
Um… YES PLEASE.
these look absolutely incredible!!! fudge & pumpkin = great combo!!
Wow is that ever insanely good looking!
Just looking at these made me gain 5 pounds!