Recipe

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These pumpkin brownies are rich, fudgy, and marbled with the most irresistible pumpkin swirl. They’re easy to make and guaranteed to disappear fast!

Equal parts chocolatey goodness and pumpkin make these brownies a dessert recipe that’s always a hit.

overhead view of a piece of pumpkin brownie being sliced

The Best Pumpkin Brownies

These pumpkin brownies are rich with the perfect balance of pumpkin in every bite. The swirl makes these the best dessert around, as unique as they are delicious, and always a hit anywhere I bring them.

If you’re anything like me and you go all out in the fall and make pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin scones, or get fancy with your creme brulée, then these brownies are right up your alley.

Pumpkin Spice Brownie Ingredients

You’ll find the amounts in the recipe card, but first, here is why each belongs in this recipe:

Butter: melted with the chocolate for the base.
Bittersweet chocolate: a bar of baking chocolate is perfect! Not powder.
All-purpose flour: the base of this recipe.
Baking powder: helps the batter rise.
Salt: to enhance the flavor.
Sugar: to sweeten the batter.
Eggs: give the brownies structure.
Vanilla: makes baked goods taste better.
Canned pumpkin: you want puree, not pie filling.
Vegetable oil: moistens the batter.
Pumpkin spice or cinnamon: belongs in any pumpkin treat. If using cinnamon, you can add nutmeg.

How to Make Pumpkin Brownies

If this is your first time making these, watch the short video in the recipe card. Otherwise, here is a shorter version of what you’ll be doing:

Preheat the oven and grease a 9×13 pan.
Melt the chocolate and butter over a water bath.
Make the batter base by mixing the dry ingredients in one bowl and set it aside. Then, in a large bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and combine.
Divide this base into two bowls.
Make the pumpkin batter in one of the bowls by adding the pumpkin, oil, and pumpkin spice.
Make the brownie batter in the other bowl by mixing the base with the melted chocolate.
Pour the chocolate batter into the prepared baking pan. Carefully spoon or pour the pumpkin batter over the chocolate brownie base, then gently swirl it around.
Bake it until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the pan comes out clean. Let them cool before slicing.

Getting the Perfect Swirl

For a great swirl, divide the base batter in half. Mix the chocolate into one bowl and the pumpkin into the other. Spread the chocolate layer into the pan first, then spoon the pumpkin batter on top and gently drag a knife through both layers to create those pretty swirls without overmixing.

Can You Add Pumpkin to Boxed Brownies?

Yes! Make the boxed brownie batter as directed, divide it in half, and mix pumpkin and pumpkin spice into one bowl. Then, follow the layering directions and bake. The swirl will be darker than the from-scratch version, but the pumpkin flavor is the same.

More Pumpkin Desserts

If pumpkin is your jam, try my cream cheese frosted pumpkin cookies, this frozen pumpkin pie, or this pumpkin cookie dough dip as a snack.

Pumpkin Brownie Recipe

Servings: 16 brownies

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 1

These pumpkin brownies are rich, fudgy, and marbled with the most irresistible pumpkin swirl. They're easy to make and guaranteed to disappear fast!

4.86 from 47 votes

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Watch how it’s made:

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups canned pumpkin puree
¼ cup vegetable oil
¾ teaspoon pumpkin spice*, or cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 rectangular baking pan or dish with parchment paper or grease it with cooking spray.
Place the chocolate and the butter inside a heat-proof bowl. Fill a small saucepan halfway with water and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Set a heatproof bowl over the saucepan melt the chocolate and butter while stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Turn off the heat.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Using a hand mixer in a large bowl or stand mixer, mix the sugar, eggs, and vanilla, on medium speed until fluffy and combined, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix to combine, stopping periodically to scrape the sides of the bowl.
Divide the batter between 2 medium bowls (about 2 cups per bowl). Add the chocolate mixture to one bowl and stir to combine.
To the non-chocolate mixture, add the pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir to combine.
Pour the chocolate batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Next, pour the pumpkin batter over the chocolate in a semi-swirl way. With a small spatula gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until set and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the pan.
Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool on a wire rack before cutting into 16 squares.

Notes

Swap the ¾ teaspoon pumpkin spice for 1 teaspoon cinnamon + ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.

Using a boxed brownie mix: you’ll only need canned pumpkin and pumpkin spice. Follow the directions in the box to make the brownie batter. Then, divide it into two bowls. Add the pumpkin puree and spice to one bowl, then follow the swirl directions and bake. Since brownie mixes have the chocolate already in the entire mix, the swirl batter will be a dark brown, not a light orange, as when making it from scratch, but the flavor is there.