Don’t we all love that pumpkin pie.  Yes, we do. But this is a little break from your average thanksgiving dessert. 

It’s like a pumpkin pie mixed with a brownie.  Super fudgey, super pumpkiney, and it’s thanksgiving so all bets are off…top it with some whipped cream already.

Oh yeah, and it’s delicious.

Pumpkin Pie Fudge Brownie Bars

(adapted from howsweetitis.com)

Brownie Layer:

• ½ cup flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs

- Preheat oven to 325 F.

- In a small bowl, beat eggs and vanilla and set aside.

- In a microwave safe bowl, melt butter and cocoa powder until just melted (in 30 second intervals, stirring in between).

-  Add sugar and salt and microwave 30 more seconds.  Stir until it becomes a batter. be patient!   You can do this in a double-boiler on the stove-top but I find that the microwave is easiest.

- Whisk in the egg mixture (very slowly while whisking, so you don’t have scrambled eggs!) until combined. Stir in flour until batter is smooth, then pour in baking dish.

- For 9×13 dish, bake for 12-13 minutes. For an 8×8 dish, bake for about 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. 

- If you are impatient like myself, for a quick cool, place in the freezer.

 -Then make pumpkin layer…

Pumpkin Layer:

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice  (if you don’t have this spice, see below for a recipe)
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• ½ cup heavy cream

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

- In a bowl, whisk together sugars and egg until smooth. Add in pumpkin and spice, again mixing until combine. Stir in heavy cream, stirring until everything is mixed.

- Pour on top of the cooled brownie layer and spread evenly with a spatula.

- Bake for 10 minutes (9×13 dish) or 15 minutes (8×8 dish).

- Reduce heat to 325 degrees F and bake for 18-20 minutes (9×13 dish)/22-25 minutes (8x8dish) or until pumpkin layer is set.

- Let cool completely and slice and serve. Top with whipped cream.

MY BAKING TIPS: 

To make sure pumpkin layer is set:  If you stick a knife in it and it comes out clean = it is done!

Pumpkin Pie Spice:  In a small bowl add 1 teaspoon cinnanmon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground clove.  Stir together.  Then measure out the amount you need for the recipe (1 tsp.)

Cutting into bars:  It’s a little messy!  So use a very sharp knife.  (I ruined a few, but just eat them and get over it…because life’s not always perfect, right? :)

It might be easiest to cut into a few and then remove the whole block from the pan and cut them on a cutting board (for easy removal, line the baking pan with parchment paper).