Pumpkin Spice Brownies
A deliciously spiced brownie frosted with a pumpkin spiced buttercream.
My mom’s been making frosted brownies ever since I remember. I didn’t even know that brownie could be unfrosted until I was in high school. Nowadays I love an unfrosted brownie, but there’s always a time and place for a frosted brownie and fall is the time to make it happen. I’ve always been someone to test my taste buds on new flavors, especially on desserts, so I decided to make and test four recipes out to see which can handle the pumpkin spice. I thought to myself, how could I pumpkin spice a brownie? Chocolate will overpower the spice. Tune in below to see what we found out!
We made this as a part of a test of four pumpkin spice desserts.
To see how they stack up, read on here:
Which Dessert Do You Think Pumpkin Spices The Best?
You can see the other three pumpkin spice recipes here:
Pumpkin Spiced Kettle Corn
Pumpkin Spiced Biscotti
Pumpkin Pie Rice Krispie Treats
Homemade buttercream is where it’s at for all yall novice frosting makers. My mom is a store-bought frosting gal, but there’s nothing quite like making your own frosting. I knew I had to in this recipe to achieve the proper flavor and texture. As I whipped my buttercream to this light airy consistency, I added in my spices and vanilla. It tasted phenomenal! I wanted to amp up the pumpkin flavor and color using some canned pumpkin. It’s a delicate balance incorporating anything with water to fat, so add your pumpkin teaspoon by teaspoon.
I baked my brownies with love and used a recipe I’ve been loving for a while now. It’s a variation from Snoop Dogg’s brownies. It’s a perfect brownie to me. No messy cocoa powder, just melted chocolate and butter incorporated into a batter with eggs and flour. A straight-forward recipe. The brownies have the best end pieces you could ask for with crisp edges and a light, but chewy interior. If you don’t like fudgy, this is your brownie.
The end result of this brownie turned out amazing. I loved the way the pumpkin complimented the frosting, and as you taste the chocolate from the brownie the pumpkin spice also sneaks it’s flavor onto your taste buds. I would recommend to cut these smaller than normal brownies with how much sugar is involved and I would DEFINITELY recommend you make these for your friends. It’s such a unique and familiar bite that sure as heck got me excited about them.
I always make a little extra buttercream for Dom. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top for a little extra flare of color. Don’t forget about you when making these for a party or gathering. Always plan a little something extra for the chef.
Pumpkin Spice Brownies
For brownies:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
- 2/3 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For frosting:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- A pinch of kosher salt
Preparation
- Preheat the oven 325 F and prepare a 8x8 baking dish.
- In a sauce pot, combine the milk, butter, and sugar until simmering. Turn off the heat and stir in chocolate chips until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- Combine and whisk together the dry ingredients for the brownies. Set aside
- Whisk the eggs and vanilla into the chocolate mixture, then gradually add the dry ingredients to the batter.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients into the batter, then use a spatula to add batter to prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool. Make frosting by combining the softened butter and pumpkin puree in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Add in pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt. Use a spatula to clean the sides, then slowly incorporate the powdered sugar until a smooth buttercream forms.
- Once brownies are cool, spread frosting over brownies, then cut.