Monday, September 28, 2009
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Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Brownies

Fall has definitely arrived! With all the delicious soups, chili, and baking with apples and pumpkin, it’s by far the most fun food season. These bars have popped up all over the Internet after showing up in Cara’s blog two years ago. Hubby has been asking for these bars for about two weeks now. With the shortage of canned pumpkin going on right now, I couldn’t make these until now because I just couldn’t find canned pumpkin!

I made these when we had some overnight guests and everyone loved them. We got impatient and cut them after they had cooled for about a hour. They hadn’t been chilled so they were still a bit gooey and warm. They’re delicious at this point and also after they’ve been chilled (the pumpkin flavor really shines once they’ve chilled).

I made a few adjustments to Cara’s recipe. One of the bloggers who made these said she wished there was more of the pumpkin mixture, so I upped that part of the recipe. Cara’s original recipe called for 6 oz of cream cheese and since a block of cream cheese is 8 oz, I just adjusted the other ingredients of the cheesecake portion so that it would use a full block of cream cheese. My adjustments are shown below.

I also don’t tend to think of pumpkin and chocolate together. It seems to me that white chocolate or cream cheese frosting are natural partners with pumpkin. The more I thought about it, the more I thought that dark chocolate would pair with pumpkin better than milk chocolate. So in the brownie portion of these bars, I used some dark cocoa.

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Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Brownies

Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients:

For the Brownie Batter
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon

For the Cheesecake Batter
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp + 2 tsp flour
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 tsp pure vanilla
2/3 tsp cinnamon
1/3 tsp ground ginger
1/3 tsp ground cloves

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8x8" square metal baking pan.

Beat together melted butter, sugar, and vanilla, then beat in eggs one at a time. Combine dry ingredients and then gradually stir into butter mixture with a wooden spoon. In separate bowl, beat together cheesecake batter ingredients.

Spread about 2/3 of chocolate batter into prepared pan, and spoon cheesecake batter over. Dollop remaining brownie batter over cheesecake batter. Swirl the batters together by running a butter knife back and forth through the pan.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until center is set. Cool completely on wire rack and chill before cutting and serving.

Original Beantown Baker Recipe, inspired by Cara's Cravings

Bars and Brownies, Dessert
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12 Responses to “Pumpkin and Chocolate Caramel Corn”

  1. #
    1
    Kris — October 30, 2009 at 1:38 pm

    I think I’m going to have to try this recipe this weekend. Thanks for posting it!

  2. #
    2
    stephchows — October 30, 2009 at 2:17 pm

    what a great idea using the kisses!

  3. #
    3
    Molly Jean — October 30, 2009 at 10:19 pm

    What a great twist on caramel corn!

  4. #
    4
    nutmegnanny — October 30, 2009 at 10:41 pm

    This is perfect for Halloween…delicious!

  5. #
    5
    We Are Not Martha — October 31, 2009 at 2:18 am

    Mmm I’ve seen this in a few places and have been craving it!! I didn’t realize it used the pumpkin kisses 🙂

    Sues

  6. #
    6
    bridget {bake at 350} — October 31, 2009 at 12:40 pm

    Now, this is a FUN idea!!! Pumpkin + popcorn, who knew? 😉

  7. #
    7
    Anne — October 31, 2009 at 2:09 pm

    Wow that looks amazing and the last photo is stunning!

  8. #
    8
    TidyMom — October 31, 2009 at 2:17 pm

    ok, this is the second post using those kisses – HOW have I not seen them in the store???……I think I try and stay away from the candy section! LOL

    This sounds AMAZING!! Thanks!!

    ~TidyMom

  9. #
    9
    Melissa — October 31, 2009 at 4:46 pm

    I love the pumpkin spice kisses. What a great way to use them. Thanks for sharing and I am definitely going to try this recipe!

  10. #
    10
    oneordinaryday — November 1, 2009 at 12:26 pm

    I keep seeing great ideas using those kisses and they’re always being melted first. Genius. I’m going to try this, but with air popped popcorn instead. Sounds awesome.

  11. #
    11
    Ingrid — November 2, 2009 at 6:55 pm

    You’re right about those Kisses, one is enough. I used some in brownies and they were even better than eating them straight out of the wrapper.

    Love your popcorn and I have some of those kisses left over.
    ~ingrid

  12. #
    12
    Liesl — November 3, 2009 at 9:31 pm

    This recipe looks amazing!! I love those Pumpkin Spice Kisses!

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