Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Last fall, I was trying to come up with something special for our neighborhood block party, and I couldn't decide between making my chocolate brownies or a pumpkin dessert. Amy looked at me from across the kitchen counter and said, "Mom, why not both?" That's when I came up with these Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies.

They turned out to be the hit of the party! Everyone wanted the recipe, and honestly, I've been making them non-stop ever since.

These bars have everything you want in a fall dessert. There's a rich chocolate base that tastes like the fudgiest brownie, a creamy pumpkin cheesecake layer loaded with warm spices, and a buttery crumble topping that adds the perfect crunch. Plus, you can make them ahead of time, which is a lifesaver when you're hosting.

If you're looking for more make-ahead desserts, you'll love my Pecan Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars that are just as crowd-pleasing!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love These Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Ingredients For The Best Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
• How To Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
• Storage And Reheating Tips For Your Pumpkin Chocolate Bars
• My Best Tips For Perfect Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies FAQs
• Recipes You May Like
• My Final Thoughts On These Fall Dessert Bars
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Why You'll Love These Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

• Super easy to make - Uses boxed cake mix for the chocolate layer, so there's no complicated brownie recipe to follow
• Three amazing layers - Rich chocolate base, creamy pumpkin cheesecake middle, and sweet crumble topping
• Perfect for fall gatherings - Makes 16 generous bars that feed a crowd
• Make-ahead friendly - Actually tastes better the next day after the flavors blend together
• Warm autumn spices - Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves make your whole kitchen smell incredible
• Kid-approved - Bradley and Amy both love them, which is saying something since Bradley usually picks chocolate over everything

Ingredients For The Best Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

For the Chocolate Layer:

• 15.25 ounces chocolate cake mix (I use whatever's on sale, they all work great)
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup salted butter, melted

For the Pumpkin Layer:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature (don't skip this step!)
• 15 ounces pumpkin puree (one standard can)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 cups powdered sugar

For the Crumble Topping:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 8 tablespoons salted butter, very soft

For Assembly:

• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks

How To Make Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Prep Your Pan

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. I learned the hard way to do this first because these bars come together quickly once you start mixing.

2. Grease a 9×13 baking dish really well with nonstick cooking spray or butter. You can also line it with parchment paper if you want super clean edges. I usually just grease mine because I'm lazy on weeknights.

Make The Chocolate Base Layer

3. In a medium bowl or your stand mixer, combine the chocolate cake mix, egg, and melted butter. Mix everything until it's smooth and looks like thick brownie batter.

4. Press this mixture into the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Use your hands or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly. It'll seem thin, but that's exactly right.

Prepare The Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer

5. Add the softened cream cheese and pumpkin puree to a clean bowl or your mixer. Beat them together until there are no lumps left. This takes about two minutes with a hand mixer.

6. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix until everything is well combined. The batter will smell amazing at this point.

7. Add the powdered sugar gradually, about one cup at a time. Mix after each addition until the batter is completely smooth. Don't rush this step because lumpy batter means lumpy bars.

Make The Crumble Topping

8. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon with a fork.

9. Add the softened butter and mix it in with your fork until you see clumps forming. It should look like streusel topping. If your butter is too cold, the clumps won't form right.

Assemble And Bake The Bars

10. Pour the pumpkin batter over your chocolate cake layer. Use a spatula to spread it gently and evenly so it covers the entire chocolate base.

11. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the pumpkin layer. Amy likes to help with this part because it's basically impossible to mess up.

12. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over everything. Try to get it as even as possible, but don't stress if some spots have more than others.

13. Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes. You'll know they're done when the center doesn't jiggle when you gently shake the pan and the top looks golden brown.

14. Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely before cutting. I know it's hard to wait, but if you cut them warm, they'll fall apart.

Storage And Reheating Tips For Your Pumpkin Chocolate Bars

These chocolate pumpkin cheesecake bars actually get better after sitting overnight. The flavors blend together and the texture becomes even creamier.

Refrigerator Storage: Place your bars in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days. The cream cheese layer stays fresh longer when it's chilled. I like eating them cold straight from the fridge, but John prefers them at room temperature.

Freezer Storage: These bars freeze beautifully! Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until they're solid. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between the layers so they don't stick together.

They'll keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you want to eat them, just thaw them in the fridge overnight. They taste just as good as fresh.

Serving Temperature: You can serve these bars cold, at room temperature, or even slightly warmed. I've tried all three ways, and honestly, they're delicious no matter what. Bradley likes them cold, Amy likes them room temperature, and I'll eat them any way they come.

My Best Tips For Perfect Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Use room temperature ingredients: This is really important for the cream cheese and eggs. Cold cream cheese will leave you with lumps no matter how long you mix. I usually take mine out about an hour before I start baking.

Don't overmix the chocolate layer: Once it comes together, stop mixing. Overmixing can make it tough instead of fudgy.

Make sure your butter is the right temperature: For the crumble topping, your butter needs to be soft but not melted. Think room temperature soft. If it's too cold, you won't get those nice crumbly pieces.

Let them cool completely: I can't stress this enough. Warm bars will fall apart when you try to cut them. I usually make mine in the evening and let them sit in the fridge overnight before cutting.

Use canned pumpkin puree, not pie filling: There's a big difference! Pie filling has added sugars and spices that will throw off the recipe. You want pure pumpkin puree.

Try different chocolate chips: I use semi-sweet most of the time, but dark chocolate chips make these taste more grown-up. Amy prefers milk chocolate chips because she thinks they're sweeter.

Line your pan for easy removal: If you want picture-perfect bars, line your pan with parchment paper with some overhang on the sides. Once they're cool, you can lift the whole thing out and cut clean slices.

What variations have you tried with fall dessert bars?

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies FAQs

Recipes You May Like

• Vegan Chocolate Sheet Cake - Another chocolate dessert that's perfect for feeding a crowd
• Carrot Cake Muffins - If you love cream cheese frosting and warm spices, you'll love these
• Pumpkin Cookies With Orange Icing - More pumpkin goodness in cute cookie form

My Final Thoughts On These Fall Dessert Bars

These pumpkin cheesecake brownies have become one of my most-requested recipes. Last week, my neighbor texted me asking for the recipe again because she lost the one I wrote down for her at the block party.

The combination of rich chocolate, creamy pumpkin, and that crunchy crumble topping is just perfect. Plus, they're so much easier to make than you'd think. If you can mix a few bowls and spread some batter, you can make these bars.

They're perfect for Thanksgiving, Halloween parties, fall potlucks, or just because you want something cozy on a Tuesday night. Make a batch this weekend and watch them disappear.

Don't forget to save this recipe to Pinterest so you can find it when you need it. Trust me, you'll want to make these again and again!

Print