Pumpkin Layer Brownies
If you are looking for a really easy dessert to offer up at the conclusion of your Thanksgiving feast–or better yet, about an hour after stepping away from the table to take a break and make some room–I have the recipe for you!
This little cheater (you’ll understand in a minute) comes from none other than my girl Landyn, of Living with Landyn fame. For those of you who are not yet familiar with Landyn, I reluctantly share my obsession because you will soon discover from where my new wardrobe items hail, my tablescape inspiration comes, my daughter’s room redecoration was modeled, and the list goes on. Landyn is a lifestyle blogger based in Nashville who is on quite a roll. She’s probably not everyone’s cup of tea but she has a strong legion of followers whom she magically makes feel as though they are her dearest friends. Landyn shares the “secrets” that you and I share with our best friends when we actually have time to sit around and talk.
Food is just a small part of Living with Landyn (with, I would say, style being the most emphasized) but she does inspire some good meals. Landyn is more of an off-the-cuff cook, freestyling family dinners using lots of interesting spice blends, with a slow cooker, Instant Pot or grill being her most common tools of choice. But with as unreal as Landyn’s life seems (married to an ex-NFL superstar, living in a sprawling, impossibly white, insanely gorgeous home, taking weekend trips in her tricked-out Airstream camper with their two beautiful children and adorable dog) she somehow seems real, too. Most of her Instastories are posted from the school carpool line. Her dinners are thrown together between getting home from work and heading out to cheer on some school sideline. And, she shares recipes such as these Pumpkin Layer Brownies that are based on her favorite box mix, which happened to be Ghirardelli. She’s human.
This recipe piqued my interest for two reasons: a/the brownies sounded weird; b/the recipe looked easy; so I gave it a try. I made a batch, in literally no time at all, and once they were cooled and cut, my family (and our neighbors “gobbled” them up–pun intended). I’m glad that I bought two boxes of the brownie mix because the recipe only uses 1/2 can of pumpkin and my daughter will now use the rest for batch number two. Friendsgiving people: if you’re reading this, these Pumpkin Layer Brownies are coming for you!
So if you need just one more dessert for your Thanksgiving table, one that won’t add to your stress and will please the crowd, give this recipe a try. I think that you will be very pleasantly surprised. And now, for real, Happy Thanksgiving!
Pumpkin Layer Brownies
- boxed brownie mix that you love (I used Ghirardelli’s mix with chocolate chips}
- 1/2 can pumpkin (not pie filling)
- 6 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 c milk chocolate chips (I bought a mix with chips, therefore eliminating this ingredient)
- Preheat oven according to box directions.
- Mix brownies according to package directions.
- Add chocolate chips (if using) to mix and stir well and set brownie batter aside.
- With a mixer, combine softened cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice until smooth.
- Grease and lightly flour your baking dish (I used and 8"x"8 square pan). Pour a evenly spread half of the brownie mix in the pan.
- Smooth the entire pumpkin mix over top brownie batter, as best you can.
- Cover pumpkin layer with remainder of brownie batter.
- Bake according to package directions. I added 10 minutes to mine. But be sure to check on them during the cooking process. As long as toothpick comes out clean you’re good.
- Let cool.
- Cut and place on platter and dust with powdered sugar.