Dark Chocolate and Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Brownies

These fudgey dark chocolate and pumpkin spice cheesecake brownies are the perfect blend of two classic desserts with a hint of delicious Fall flavor.

When it comes to good go-to desserts, it doesn’t get more classic than brownies or cheesecake. Both desserts are standalone winners that have stood the test of time and are always a fan favorite. Paired together, though, the light and creamy cheesecake and fudgey chocolate brownies make a truly unbeatable pairing. Even still, this recipe takes it up another whole notch by adding in some pumpkin and spice to make this delicious duo a perfect Fall treat (or if you’re a pumpkin fan like me-a perfect year-round treat!).

Key Ingredients-Fudgey Dark Chocolate and Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Brownies

• Dark Cocoa: I prefer to use a darker cocoa (I typically use Hershey’s Dark Cocoa) because it gives a brownie that’s more rich and fudgey. Dark cocoa isn’t as acidic as regular cocoa, so the chocolate flavor will be more subtle, but also less tangy than a classic chocolate flavor. If you don’t have dark cocoa on hand, or prefer a more classic chocolate flavor, then feel free to use regular cocoa instead.

• Brown Sugar: The recipe calls for both brown sugar and regular. The brown sugar adds both moisture and flavor and will help add to the fudgey texture that we’re going for.

• Coffee: The coffee helps to enhance the chocolate flavor in baked goods. That’s why I always add fresh brewed coffee to my chocolate cake instead of just hot water. No, it doesn’t make your desserts taste like coffee. It just gives a lovely richness to the chocolate that I feel like really takes the dessert up a level. The recipe calls for about a tablespoon of strong, fresh brewed coffee. If you’re like me, you just can’t have dessert without a cup of coffee! So, if I’m baking I’ve always got a pot of coffee brewing. If you don’t have coffee on hand or don’t feel like brewing a fresh pot, you could sub in a tsp of instant espresso powder instead. If you have neither on hand, feel free to leave this ingredient out. The brownies will still be delicious!

• Eggs: The brownie portion of the recipe calls for two whole eggs plus an extra egg white. The extra egg will add more moisture to the brownies and help us to achieve that fudgey texture we’re going for. You’re going to save that extra egg yolk for the cheesecake. Waste not, want not, and all that!

• Pumpkin: Make sure you’re using plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. The pumpkin is going to be subbed for the fat in our cheesecake (traditionally sour cream or heavy cream). It’s going to add a subtle pumpkin flavor, plus it’ll tint our cheesecake a nice orange that’s perfect for Fall.

• Spice: You just can’t have pumpkin without the spice! I went the easy route and just added in some classic pumpkin pie spice. But feel free to mix it up and sub your own favorite blend of Fall spices!

• All-Purpose Flour: Obviously we’re using flour in the brownies, but this recipe also calls for flour in the cheesecake. If you’ve never put flour in your cheesecake before, trust me, just try it! It helps add a bit of stability to your cheesecake base. I always had trouble with cracking cheesecake, or cheesecake that was too dense and more like a custard. I had such terrible luck with cheesecake that I honestly didn’t even like making it, much less eating it! But once I tried adding a little flour, I never went back! Perfect texture, light and fluffy and creamy, and NO cracking.

How to Make Dark Chocolate and Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Brownies

Make the Brownies

1. In a large bowl, add your flour, cocoa, and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
2. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together your sugar, brown sugar, and butter until combined. If you don’t have a mixer this can absolutely be done by hand. Just use a little elbow grease and whisk until combined and smooth.
3. Next add in your 2 eggs and one egg white (save the extra yolk in a separate bowl for later!), plus the vanilla, coffee, and oil.
4. Mix just until combined then set aside for later.

Make the Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

1. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar until combined. You don’t want to over mix your cream cheese, so just mix until smooth and no large clumps remain.
2. Next add in the remaining ingredients: pumpkin, flour, pumpkin pie spice, and eggs (1 whole egg plus the yolk you saved from earlier), and vanilla.
3. Again, mix on low just until all the ingredients are incorporated and your mixture in nice and smooth.

Baking the Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Brownies

1. Take a square baking dish (I prefer to use an 8in aluminum pan) and grease the pan thoroughly. Cut a long rectangle of parchment paper and lay it inside the pan. The idea is to have an overly long strip so that it hangs over the sides. This will make removing the brownies so much easier once baked!
2. Pour in about 1/2-3/4 of the brownie batter and smooth it level with a spatula.
3. Next, pour all of the cheesecake on top of the brownie layer.
4. Lastly, drop the rest of the brownie batter in large spoonfuls over the cheesecake layer.
5. Take a butter knife and gently drag it through the mixture in a back and forth, then side to side motion to create a marbled effect.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 30-35 minutes. (Note: baking times may vary from oven to oven and also may vary depending on the type of dish used. My 8in aluminum pan bakes up perfectly at 30-35 minutes. However, I’ve also used a glass baking dish for this recipe and it took an additional 10+ minutes to bake.) The brownies are “done” when the center is no longer very jiggly.
7. Allow the brownies to cool completely before attempting to cut them. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Storage and Baking Ahead

Once baked and cooled, slice your brownies as desired. You can serve immediately if desired or chill first. I personally prefer to eat them right out of the fridge once they’ve been chilling for a while. If you don’t plan to eat these right away, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

I personally haven’t tried freezing these. They usually don’t last long enough! But I do know that both brownies and cheesecake freeze very well. If freezing, store in an airtight container. I prefer to use the double barrier method, like storing in a freezer bag and then wrapping the bag with plastic wrap or aluminium foil. Simply remove the container from the freezer and place in the refrigerator the night before and allow the brownies to thaw before serving.