Pumpkin Cookie Swirled Brownies are brownies swirled with pumpkin cinnamon chip cookie dough. Chewy cookie + pumpkin flavor + dense chocolate brownie = autumnal heaven in dessert form.
By now, you’ve probably had to read too many posts of people fangirling over pumpkin and pumpkin season and how much they love it and how they want to give birth to a pumpkin baby and make their bathroom pumpkin themed and eat only pumpkin for the entire month of October. Trust me, I get that. I’m on that boat with you. We are all paddling furiously in the river of pumpkin goodness that is October. But because you’ve read so much about that, I figured I’d change it up for this post. Even though we’re technically talking about Pumpkin Cookie Swirled Brownies.
Let’s talk about stacking brownies.
In the three years of this blog, I’ve stacked a lot of brownies. I’d like to think I’ve gotten to be somewhat of a professional by now. I can include after my name in every e-mail, “Professional brownie stacker.”
“Audrey, Ph.D. in Brownie Stacking.”
JK, I haven’t written a thesis paper on it yet. I’m working on it.
Actually, I’ll make this my thesis paper on brownie stacking.
Okay, my argument: Pumpkin Cookie Swirled Brownies are fundamentally more photogenic when stacked. Also, just all around better because a stack of brownies means at least three brownies, and three brownies is better than one. Do you need photographical evidence? These lone brownies look sad:
So thin. So alone. In need of a loving brownie buddy to make them complete.
Pictures of brownies in hands are weird because I, as a professional brownie eater, prefer my brownies with a fork:
Forks make dessert eating easier and more enjoyable.
Haphazard piles are just messy looking and make you worry about the integrity of the brownies:
Will they break? They look like they’re about to. That would be sad. I might shed a tear. Brownies are delicate. They are meant to be loved. Not to be piled. Unless they are piling up in your stomach and that is a different matter altogether.
Having one out of the stack makes you sympathetic to the lone brownie. “Why was he left alone? Is he okay? Did his brownie buddies leave him? Or is he just the front man for the pack? The leader? The one doing all the talking? Those people annoy me. Now I’m not gonna eat that brownie.” See? It’s all about psychology, really.
Speaking of psychology, doesn’t this stack make you want to lunge for that top brownie before it falls?
Works every time. When I open a bakery, I’ll precariously stack the brownies so people feel compelled to buy them and save them from falling. And if they do fall to the floor, I’ll just have to eat them. It’s a win-win.
Arial shots are pretty and all, but do you really get a sense for how dense and fudgy and chocolate-y these are?
(Answer: no.)
Pan shots are okay:
I should probably have a conclusion, as every great paper should, so here goes:
Stacking brownies is better. It is the only good way to photograph brownies. Also to eat them.
Maybe I should mention in this post actual information on these Pumpkin Cookie Swirled Brownies? They are amazing. Mind-blowing. You will want the entire stack. I figured that’s pretty self explanatory, right? It’s pumpkin cookie swirled into brownie. What could go wrong? Nothing. Nothing could go wrong. Unless you don’t stack them and only have one of these Pumpkin Cookie Swirled Brownies.
-Audrey, Ph.D In Brownie Stacking
Prep Time:
Yield:
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PinIngredients
You will need:
- One box brownie mix
- One batch pumpkin cinnamon chip cookie dough
Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Cookie Dough:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
- 1 cup brown brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 5 tablespoons pumpkin purée
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cinnamon or chocolate chips
Instructions
To make the cookie dough:
- Combine the butter and sugars until mixed well (mixture will be thick).
- Add the vanilla and pumpkin and mix until smooth.
- Combine all the dry ingredients and add to the rest mixing just until combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
To make the brownies:
- Prep brownie batter according to box instructions.
- Spread brownie batter evenly over the bottom of an 8×8 pan.
- Scoop globs (they don’t have to be at all precise, just plop them on there) of the cookie dough on top of the brownie batter until you reach your desired amount. You don’t have to use all of it. Leftover cookie dough can be baked into cookies or eaten with a spoon (there’s no eggs!).
- Bake according to box directions. Check at the suggested time, but know that they might need a few more minutes due to the added thickness.