Pumpkin Brownies

Perfect for the holidays, bite into the taste of fall with these dense and deliciously chewy pumpkin brownies that are laced with semi-sweet chocolate chips.

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About Pumpkin Brownies

Totally decadent and perfect for fall, these pumpkin brownies are everything that makes comfort food comforting: subtly sweet, slightly chewy, and laced with chocolate chips.

Do you have to use chocolate chips?

This recipe uses pairs classic pumpkin flavor with semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can skip the chips if you’d like. You can also use other add-ins if you’d prefer, such as:

• M&M’s
• Reese’s Pieces
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
• Nuts, like walnuts or cashews
• Other types of chips, like white chocolate or caramel

How to cut perfect brownies

If you’re anything like me and get a little nervous when cutting food, fear not – there’s an easy trick you can use to get your brownies to have perfectly cut lines and dimensions.

The trick: Before adding your batter to the baking dish, line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil. This will make it so you can simply lift the baked and uncut brownies from the pan, set it on the counter, and cut the bars without the sides of the pan interfering with your accuracy. You can even whip out a ruler if you’d like to make sure every brownie is the exact size you’d like them to be.

Pumpkin Puree vs. Pumpkin Pie Filling

When it comes to holiday treats, you’re going to be faced with two types of canned pumpkin in the baking aisle:

Pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling.

And while these types might seem interchangeable, there is a slight (yet significant) difference.

With pumpkin puree, the only contents are cooked and mashed pumpkin (or a variety of winter gourds), with no added flavors or spices. Pumpkin pie filling is made with cooked and mashed pumpkin, too, but it also has flavor added, typically with pumpkin pie spice.

The key difference here is convenience. If you don’t have (or don’t want to buy) pumpkin pie spice, using pumpkin pie filling can save you some time and effort; you simply add it to the recipe and skip measuring the spices. However, it does limit your ability to control the taste, and if you’re using the pumpkin pie filling with other flavors, there’s no way to guarantee how they’ll interact.

This is why you’ll see many homemade recipes use pumpkin puree (which, again, is just the gourds, no added flavor) and season and spice the recipe by hand as needed. It is a tad more work but it also gives you more control over the flavor of your fall treats.

Can You Still Use Pumpkin Pie Filling?

If pumpkin pie filling is what you have to work with, then yes, you can use it in this recipe. Just be sure to omit the pumpkin-themed spices (ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg) when mixing the ingredients.

How long are pumpkin brownies good for?

Once prepared, pumpkin brownies can be stored in a sealed container on the counter for up to three or four days.

Can you freeze pumpkin brownies?

Certainly!

Once prepared and decorated, these pumpkin-infused brownies can be stored in a sealed container or freezer bag for up to three months.

Notes & tips for pumpkin brownies

• If you’d like to have full control over the flavor of these brownies, feel free to use two teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice (store-bought or homemade) in place of the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

Other delicious pumpkin recipes

More tasty bar recipes

How to make pumpkin brownies

This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.

Step 1 – In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set the bowl aside for now.

Step 2 – Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl), whip together the butter, brown sugar, egg, and pumpkin puree.

Step 3 – Add the dry ingredients to the wet, then mix well.

Step 4 – Turn off the mixer and toss in the chocolate chips. Use a spatula to gently fold them into the batter.

Step 5 – Pour the batter into a 9×13 baking dish covered with parchment paper or aluminum foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Use a spatula to smooth out the top of the batter into an even layer.

Step 6 – Bake!

Step 7 – Let cool completely before cutting into square or rectangular brownie shapes.

Recipe Details

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4.80 from 5 votes

Pumpkin Brownies

20 minutes mins prep + 30 minutes mins cook

154 kcal

Yields: 24 brownies

Perfect for the holidays, bite into the taste of fall with these dense and deliciously chewy pumpkin brownies that are laced with semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Ingredients 

US Customary – Metric

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray, then set aside. NOTE: For easier removal, you can line the baking dish with parchment paper or aluminum foil before spraying with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Set bowl aside.
  2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Using a stand mixer (or hand mixer + large bowl), whip together the butter and light brown sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
  1 cup salted butter, 1 cup light brown sugar
• Drop mixer speed to low and mix in the eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes.
  2 eggs, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Keeping mixer speed on low, slowly blend in dry ingredients, about 1/2 cup at a time. Mix until dry ingredients incorporate and there are minimal clumps, about 2-3 minutes.
• Remove bowl from mixer. Add semi-sweet chocolate chips, then use a spatula to gently fold them into the batter.
  1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Use a spatula to spread the batter into a smooth, even layer.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until a tester toothpick comes out clean with no crumbs.
• Allow brownies to cool completely before removing from the baking dish (grip the edges of parchment paper and lift up). Cut the brownies into desired shapes (typically 2-by-2 inch bars).
• Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1brownie | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1631IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg

I do my best to provide nutrition information, but please keep in mind that I’m not a certified nutritionist. Any nutritional information discussed or disclosed in this post should only be seen as my best amateur estimates of the correct values.

Author: Chrisy