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Frosted Pumpkin Brownies

Frosted pumpkin brownies with fudgy chocolate pumpkin batter and a thick pumpkin cream cheese frosting. Baked until set with moist crumbs, then topped with caramel drizzle and pumpkin spice for a bakery-style finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 16 bars
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For pumpkin chocolate brownies
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 0.5 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 0.75 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 0.5 tsp salt
For pumpkin cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.25 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp vanilla
Toppings
  • 1 Caramel sauce for drizzling
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice dusting

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the pumpkin chocolate brownies
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment.
  2. Whisk the melted unsalted butter and granulated sugar until smooth, then whisk in the eggs, pumpkin puree, and vanilla.
  3. Fold in the cocoa powder, all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until just combined, stopping as soon as no dry streaks remain.
  4. Bake for 28-32 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
  5. Cool the brownies completely before frosting (this prevents the frosting from melting).
Make and frost with pumpkin cream cheese frosting
  1. Beat the cream cheese and softened unsalted butter until smooth and creamy.
  2. Beat in the pumpkin puree, powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla until the frosting is thick, smooth, and fluffy.
  3. Spread the pumpkin cream cheese frosting generously over the cooled brownies.
  4. Drizzle caramel sauce over the top, then dust with pumpkin pie spice for a visible speckled finish.

Notes

For the fudgiest texture, bake only until moist crumbs cling to the toothpick (overbaking will turn these cakier). Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze frosted brownies up to 2 months (wrap tightly, thaw overnight in the fridge). For a dairy-reduced option, use a plant-based cream cheese substitute and plant butter—look for ones that soften well for smooth frosting.