
It’s Fall 2020. We need chocolate! We need pumpkin spice! And we need it drenched with caramel! These satisfying brownies check all of the boxes with multiple layers of comfort. A rich chocolate brownie is the base. The next layer is heavenly pumpkin cheesecake. The topping is a buttery crumble that rivals the best crumb cake. Finally, as if that isn’t enough, it’s drizzled with caramel sauce!
If it sounds complicated, don’t worry, it’s not. Each layer is super easy to make. You can use your favorite store bought caramel sauce to top it with. Vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream are optional, but highly recommended toppings also. Just saying.
The layers go unexpectedly well together and make the perfect dessert for Halloween or Thanksgiving. I’m even going to add these beauties to my Christmas dessert table this year. Enjoy! You deserve it.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Crumble Brownies
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter
Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer
- ¾ cup (170) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (8 ounces) canned pumpkin
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons (75g) sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Brownie Layer
- ¾ cup (100g) all purpose flour, sifted
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 â…› cup (225g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (45g) unsweetened Dutch-Process cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ cup (150g) caramel sauce, purchased or homemade
Instructions
Crumb Topping
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt until well combined.
- Work in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture looks sandy. Press the mixture together to form chunks. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer
- Preheat oven to 350º (180ºC). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese, with an electric mixer until on low speed until smooth.
- Add the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and mix until well blended.
Brownie Layer
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended.
- Melt the butter in the microwave in a large microwaveable bowl. Whisk in the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Whisk in the cocoa powder until well blended. Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Do not over mix.
- Spread the brownie batter into prepared baking pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Spread the pumpkin cheesecake batter over the top of brownie batter, then smooth the top. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top of the pumpkin cheesecake layer.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into pumpkin cheesecake layer comes out clean, about 40-50 minutes.
- Let cool completely. Cut into squares and serve with warm caramel sauce.






