pumpkin walnut brownies with cream cheese swirl

I love pumpkin. love. love. love. And these brownies just might be my new favorite way to eat pumpkin!

 

Today we baked Pumpkin Walnut Brownies with Cream Cheese Swirl. Unlike a traditional brownie, the base flavor of these bars is pumpkin instead of chocolate. They are dense like a brownie, with a wonderful blend of spice and a faint touch of sweetness from the cream cheese swirl. So so yummy, you must go make them.

 
6 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/3 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (omit if you prefer no nuts)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 egg
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons flour

 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coat an 8x8 pan with cooking spray and then lightly dust with flour. For shorter brownies, consider an 11x7 pan instead.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 eggs. 
3. Beat in canned pumpkin. 
4. In a separate bowl, stir together 1 cup flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
5. Slowly stir dry mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined and moistened.
6. Stir in walnuts and gently mix.
7. Spread batter into pan.
8. In a separate bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 egg, powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 tablespoons flour. Beat until smooth and creamy.
9. Pour cream cheese mixture into pan, on top of pumpkin batter.
10. Using a butter knife, swirl the cream cheese batter into the pumpkin batter.
11. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35 minutes.
12. Once done, remove from oven and let cool before cutting.
13. Enjoy!

Adapted from recipe at About.com