Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

Name: Pumpkin Swirl Brownies
Prep time: 12 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients: 7 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 3/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1/4 tsp fine sea salt; 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder; 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips; 4/5 cup pumpkin puree; 1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice; 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon; flaky sea salt for garnish

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 14 February 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Dense chocolate brownies with swirled pumpkin puree and warm spices. A balance between fudgy cocoa and cinnamon-kissed pumpkin. Quick prep, rich aroma, moist texture. Great for fall but works year-round. Uses mini chips plus pumpkin twist.

Prep: 12 min

Cook: 25 min

Total: 37 min

Servings: 16 servings

#brownies #pumpkin #fall baking #dessert #chocolate

Before You Start

Brownies that aren’t just brownies—swirling pumpkin puree with chocolate. Makes for a marbled effect that’s visually wild. Cocoa deep but not overtakes the spices. Tried this with canned pumpkin and fresh stirring it gave a rustic texture, better than smooth puree. Spice ratio matters, more cinnamon drags into cloying territory; less leaves it flat. Play with swirl thickness; too thin loses pumpkin bite. Mini chips melt into little pockets of sweetness. Butter in the batter feels like cheating but it’s the secret for bite and shine. Wait until warm before cutting — just warmed brownies are juiciest, but don’t burn tongues. Sea salt just finishes it, don’t skip that step. Each bite rich but a surprising lift from the earth tones of pumpkin. Great with black coffee or spice chai.

Ingredients

7 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
4/5 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
flaky sea salt for garnish

About the ingredients

Used light brown sugar in place of all white; richer taste and moister finish. If no oil, swap with melted coconut for a subtle tropical hint. Flour can be half whole wheat for nuttiness but watch rigidity; add teaspoon extra oil then. Pumpkin puree straight from can works best but homemade is fine, just drain excess water well or brownies get soggy. Cocoa powder unsweetened, but Dutch process gives deeper, smoother chocolate. Pumpkin pie spice blend must be fresh; store in airtight container away from light — stale spices kill the aromatic punch. Skip chips if mini size not available; regular chips still ok but spread out differently. For flaky sea salt, Maldon is gold standard, but kosher salt flakes or fleur de sel also do well. Baking spray or parchment liners both work but if using spray, pick one with flour for best crust hold.

Method

Preheat oven to 345°F. Grease an 8×8 metal pan with baking spray or line with parchment paper allowing edges up the sides for removal. A metal pan gives better crust than glass; hot spots not a problem here.
Combine melted butter with sugars in a medium bowl. Cool that butter or it’ll cook eggs. Whisk vigorously until glossy, about 30 seconds. Add eggs, one at a time, whisk after each until fully emulsified.
Pour in vegetable oil and vanilla. Whisk until fully mixed. Oil keeps the texture moist and fudgy rather than cakey. No shortcuts on this; skipping oil dries brownies out.
Add flour and salt. Stir gently with spatula just until flour disappears. Tough brownies come from overmixing flour — stop when combined but still marbled.
Scoop out 2/3 cup batter into separate bowl. Stir pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon in. You want bright, autumn spice notes, not muted - so fresh spices are key.
To original batter, sift in cocoa powder then fold in mini chocolate chips. This combo yields intense chocolate depth and surprise bites.
Spread almost all of the chocolate batter evenly over pan bottom. Layer pumpkin batter on top - a thick, voluptuous layer but not too thin or it bakes dry.
Reserve about 3 tbsp chocolate batter. Dollop on pumpkin batter randomly, then use a butter knife to swirl. Do not over-swirl or layers will blend; you want distinct pockets of chocolate and pumpkin.
Bake about 25 minutes. Look for edges pulling away slightly from pan, surface that is set but still soft when touched lightly. Insert toothpick near center; it should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Remove from oven. While warm sprinkle flaky sea salt to balance sweetness. Let cool at least 10 minutes before slicing using a sharp knife wiped between cuts to keep clean edges.

Cooking tips

Start heating oven first, so pan warms slightly — helps brownies bake evenly. Melt butter in microwave with short bursts to avoid boiling or separating fat. Whisk sugars while butter cools so it’s not wasted time. Whisk eggs one at a time to prevent breaking the batter. Combining flour last preserves aeration. Scooping batter for pumpkin swirl prevents blending; don’t skip separating step or swirl is grayish. Spreading batter in layers keeps distinct flavors in mouthfuls. Use butter knife for swirl, not spoon; too much mixing kills marbling. Oven temp and time are guides; watch for visual cues like crackling edges and soft center over timer alone. Pulling brownies too early leaves gunky, too late dries them. When cooling, pan catches residual heat, helps firm brownies before slicing. Between slices, clean knife in hot water and dry for tidy cuts. Flaky sea salt added when warm, not in batter, to keep texture and punch.

Chef's notes

💡 Butter melted in microwave short bursts; avoid boiling or separating fat. Mix sugars while butter cools. Whisk eggs one by one, prevents breaking batter. Folding mini chips last keeps bites intact, not melted all over. Pumpkin batter mix light to keep swirl distinct; don’t overmix or flavor mutes.
💡 Layering matters. Spread chocolate batter thin but almost full coverage on pan base. Pumpkin batter thicker, no thinner than a quarter inch or dries out. Dollop reserved chocolate batter randomly over pumpkin, swirl lightly with butter knife. Spoon kills swirl effect; knife creates pockets. Avoid over mixing swirl; colors merge and turn muddy grayish tone.
💡 Watch baking cues more than timer. Pull when edges tight, just pulling from pan sides. Surface looks set but center soft to gentle press with finger. Toothpick inserted near center shows moist crumbs, not raw batter. Crackling sounds fade, oven smells deep cocoa but pumpkin aroma hints at cinnamon spice presence.
💡 Use fresh pumpkin pie spice blend for punch. Store airtight, dark. Old spices flatten spice notes, can kill aromatic punch of pumpkin layer. Sub pumpkin puree canned or homemade, but drain excess moisture well, or brownies soggy. Mini chip size impacts texture. Regular chips melt more and distribute differently, spread in batter instead of pockets.
💡 Seal brownies warm with flaky sea salt sprinkle, not in batter. Salt flakes melt unevenly if baked. Maldon gold standard, kosher or fleur de sel fine alternatives. Cooling in pan helps residual heat firm edges for slicing, knife wiped between cuts keeps edges sharp, avoids gummy smears. Leftovers store loosely wrapped, fridge prolongs but bring to room temp before serving.

Common questions

Can I use regular chocolate chips?

Yes but texture changes. Regular chips melt more, spread flavor evenly not pockets. Mini chips give bite and surprise spots of sweetness. Could still work, expect less burst of chocolate with each bite.

What if batter overmixed?

Brownies turn tough, lose fudginess. Flour overworking gluten toughens crumb. Best stop stirring once flour gone but marbled with pumpkin batter. No fully blended swirl or brownie hardens.

How to store leftovers?

Wrap loosely in plastic wrap or foil, fridge extends freshness. Warm before serving for that soft, juicy feel. At room temp a day okay if covered airtight, else dry edges appear fast.

Can I swap oil in batter?

Yes coconut oil melts well and adds light tropical nuance instead of vegetable oil. Butter alone makes crust shine but oil keeps moist crumb. No oil at all will dry brownies; add teaspoon more melted butter if skipping oil for balance.