These pumpkin swirl brownies are the perfect recipe to bring to any fall and holiday gathering. They are moist, easy to make, and delicious!
Adding this creamy pumpkin swirl to the brownie base will take this dessert to another level.
The Best Pumpkin Brownies
You simply can’t beat brownies. Within five minutes of entering the oven, my entire house smells of warm chocolatey bliss…and with the addition of pumpkin swirl in this recipe, it’s fall meets chocolate. You simply can’t go wrong!
I love to make pumpkin everything. Pumpkin Pancakes, soups, chili, cookies, pumpkin scones…you could say I love the flavor, taste, and smell.
Of course, my kids will devour anything brownie. At the slightest hint of the aroma making its way through the house my kids come running and I simply can’t get them into their hands fast enough! Add a tall glass of milk and these pumpkin brownies will turn any ordinary night into something special!
Pumpkin Spice Brownie Ingredients
Get ready to make this ultimate fall dessert recipe with these easy ingredients!
- Butter: the key to a super soft brownie.
- Bittersweet chocolate: a bar of baking chocolate is perfect!
- Flour: regular all-purpose or a 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Baking powder: helps the batter rise.
- Salt: brings out the chocolate and pumpkin flavors!
- Sugar: half goes into the chocolate, and the rest into the pumpkin spice mixture.
- Eggs: give the brownies structure.
- Vanilla extract: makes baked goods taste better!
- Pumpkin puree: be sure it’s puree and not canned pumpkin pie.
- Vegetable oil: moistens the pumpkin mixture.
- Cinnamon: belongs in any pumpkin treat.
- Nutmeg: is what makes pumpkin spice rich and fragrant.
*Check the recipe card at the end of this post for the ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
How to Make Pumpkin Brownies
Since this is a homemade brownie recipe, it does require melting the chocolate on the stove-top. Below I give you step-by-step directions so you don’t miss a step and these turn out with those beautiful swirls AND that delicious pumpkiny chocolate flavor.
- Prep
Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9 x 13-inch rectangular baking pan with parchment paper. - Melt the Chocolate
In a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, add the chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth. Turn off the heat and leave the chocolate there until you need it. - Combine the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. - Cream the sugar and eggs
In a separate large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the sugar, eggs, and vanilla until fluffy and combined, about 3 to 5 minutes. - Make the batter
Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar and egg mixture and mix to combine. - Separate
Divide the batter between 2 medium bowls. Add the chocolate mixture to one bowl and the pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the other bowl of batter, stirring thoroughly to combine. - Layer
Pour the chocolate batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Top with the pumpkin batter in a swirl-like way. - Give it a swirl
With a small spatula or a table knife, gently swirl the 2 batters to create a marbled effect. - Bake
Transfer the pan into the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center of the pan. - Time to eat!
Remove the brownies from the oven and allow to cool before slicing and serving.
Watch this recipe video to see these moist pumpkin swirl brownies come together in real time.
Can You Add Pumpkin to Boxed Brownies?
Yes, you can use a box mix to make this recipe. All you have to do is omit the brownie ingredients and follow the directions on the box to make the batter.
Once the brownie batter is mixed, you’ll combine the canned pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a bowl. You’ll mix that pumpkin mix with half of the brownie batter to create the pumpkin-flavored layer.
If you use boxed brownie mix, it’s important to note that you won’t get the “orange” swirl like the photos, since when making the batter from scratch we reserved half of the batter (with a white-yellow color) before we mixed it with the chocolate.
That said, using a box brownie mix is also a simple way to make the base and infuse your brownies with a delicious pumpkin taste.
This is one of those recipes that just can’t be made one time and then forgotten. Year after year I bring it out, it’s a perfect way to welcome the fall season! Bring this recipe to any fall or holiday party and you’ll be a rockstar.
And if you’re the one hosting Thanksgiving this year, and need more ideas to complete your feast check out the recipes in my Giving Thanks menu. It has 23 tested, crowd-pleasing recipes to give you options for years to come.
More Pumpkin Desserts
If you’re thinking about making these brownies then chances are you’re on a pumpkin kick, here are more incredible pumpkin desserts that are simple to make and yield tasty results.
Still craving more? Grab a copy of my Clean Treats Cookbook for healthier desserts that taste AMAZING.
PrintPumpkin Brownie Recipe
These tasty pumpkin brownies are perfectly swirled with chocolate and creamy pumpkin to make the perfect Fall dessert!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 brownies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
- 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
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 rectangular baking pan or dish with parchment paper or grease 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
I made this recipe in a larger 9×13 pan in the photos. The brownies in a 9×9 pan are thicker (taller) and gooier. They will require an additional 10 minutes (+/-) of cooking time. All oven temperatures vary -including the positioning of the oven rack. I recommend you check for doneness around minute 30.
Boxed brownies:
If you want to use a boxed brownie mix, you’ll only need canned pumpkin, the oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg for the pumpkin mixture.
Create your brownie batter by following the directions and ingredients marked in the box. Divide the batter in half, and mix one half with the pumpkin mixture. Then follow the swirl directions, beginning on step 8 and bake.
If using a boxed brownie mix, the pumpkin batter will have a dark orange/brown color, unlike the photos here. That is because by making the brownie batter from scratch, we saved half of the liquid batter without the chocolate.
That said, the brownies will still have a pumpkin-like flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 brownie
- Calories: 188
- Sugar: 15.6g
- Sodium: 26.9mg
- Fat: 8.6g
- Saturated Fat: 4.6g
- Carbohydrates: 25.6g
- Fiber: 1.3g
- Protein: 2.7g
- Cholesterol: 42.7mg
Keywords: pumpkin brownies, pumpkin brownie recipe, pumpkin spice brownies
Jamie
I made this pumpkin brownie recipe twice. Once with the box mix and once with your ingredients. With the homemade version they definitely looked better because the pumpkin swirl was visible. The boxed mix was a shortcut to achieve the taste/flavor but the orange swirl is a light brown swirl. Both worked great as the end result.
★★★★★
Ellen Marshall
I had the same “middle goo” problem. Also, I would recommend using about a cup of batter with the pumpkin — both for more orange and for better marbling. Wondering if it would make more sense in a larger pan since the brownies overall ended up being so tall in the pan. It was more cakelike brownies than gooey brownies. Appreciate the concept – didn’t work for me.
★★★
Michael Fus
I don’t think this recipe adapts easily to using a boxed brownie mix and simply picking up at step 4. The boxed brownie mix is all chocolate versus the non-chocolate half of batter used for the pumpkin swirl in step 4. If using a boxed brownie mix, one would have to omit the first 2 ingredients, use half of the next 6 ingredients to make the non-chocolate batter which is then mixed with the last 4 ingredients for the pumpkin swirl.
★★★
Sammy
Hi Laura, I only have a baking tray that measures 11.5 x 8.5 inches. This will make me 12 brownies. What measurements should I go by? If I half those ingredients it doesn’t sound like it will be enough?
Thanks
Laura Fuentes
That pan size will work, your brownies will not be as tall.
Angelica
Hi Laura,
Could I blend a pumpkin myself as an alternative for canned puree?
Laura Fuentes
You can, but the result will be thinner in consistency than canned pumpkin. Canned pumpkin is thicker and more concentrated. I haven’t tried it so I cannot advise on the texture.
Christina
I puréed and used my own roasted pumpkin and it came out great! My husband and picky daughter were surprised how good it was with the pumpkin in it! My boys devoured it! Great recipe! Will make again. Thank you!
★★★★★
Laura Fuentes
Thank you for using my recipe, Christina! Thrilled everyone enjoyed it.
Bessie N
Per Martha Stewart’s recipe, she also had 1/4 tsp of cayenne and the sugar was increased by 1/4 cup. Wouldn’t that make a difference in taste?
★★★★
Laura Fuentes
Hi Bessie, as mentioned, I adapted it from her recipe. I did not add cayenne and I reduced the sugar. Mine came out great.
Emily
Can I do this using a box of brownies and a whole can of pumpkin? What should I do differently? My prep time is limited depending on how long my baby naps but these look so yummy!
Laura Fuentes
I imagine you can use boxed brownie mix and just follow the directions starting at step 4.
Marc
Thank You for Martha Stewart’s recipe, it was great.
Matt
All year long, wow those look good!!
Laura Fuentes
Thanks Matt! my pictures look almost as mouthwatering as yours. almost.
Ashley
How much butter do you melt with the chocolate and how much butter is creamed with the sugar and eggs? There’s a bit of a mismatch in the instructions in the first part and in the recipe itself, so it’s unclear. Thanks!
Laura Fuentes
Thank you for catching that discrepancy. The word butter should have been eggs in the post. The recipe card at the bottom is correct. the sugar is creamed with the eggs only. the butter is melted with the chocolate.
Sabrina
Hi Laura!
I made these tonight (on my “to-do” list forever), and baked in a 9×9 for 45 minutes. My husband checked them for me at 45 min at 350°, and pulled them out since I told him they would be gooey by your recipe. I’m super bummed that they are way undercooked in the center. Any idea what I did wrong besides not cooking them long enough? Also, what speed do you beat the sugar, eggs, and vanilla? I guessed and used a medium speed.
Thanks!
Sabrina
★★★★
Laura Fuentes
Oh no! I’m not sure what happened but these should form up definitely by 45min. I beat my butter, sugar, eggs.. Etc on high but that should t matter. Do you have an oven thermometer ? Sounds like the oven could be running cold (just a 25deg diff will slow down cooking). So sorry!
Sabrina
I just realized that I used aluminum free baking powder. Do you think that may have made a difference?
Laura Fuentes
It should not.