Pumpkin Patch Brownies

Name: Pumpkin Patch Brownies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar; 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour; 1 1/4 cups cocoa powder; 1 cup confectioners sugar; 2/3 cup milk chocolate chips; 1 teaspoon salt; 4 large eggs; 1 cup vegetable oil; 1/4 cup water; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature; 1/2 cup pumpkin puree; 1 large egg; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice; 1 tablespoon special dark cocoa powder; 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder; 2 tablespoons canola oil; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup confectioners sugar; 2 tablespoons water, hot; 2 cups sweetened coconut, toasted; green frosting; candied pumpkins

September 26, 2021

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If you are looking for an adorable dessert to serve at any party occurring from September thru Thanksgiving, then allow me to introduce you to this pumpkin patch brownie. This festive tray of pumpkin swirled fudge brownies is decorated with crispy toasted coconut “straw” covering chocolate ganache “mud” with candied pumpkins and green frosting “vines” growing throughout this charming little field.

It is definitely cute, but this dessert is not just for looks. The brownies are really, really good! Chocolatey and fudgey with a subtle pumpkin cream swirl… they will gone as soon as everyone gets over how cute they are.

Let’s get this little pumpkin patch started…

Start by gathering 2 1/4 cups of granulated sugar, 1 2/3 cups of all purpose flour, 1 1/4 cups of cocoa powder, 1 cup of confectioners sugar, 2/3 cup of milk chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon of salt, 4 large eggs, 1 cup of vegetable oil, 1/4 cup of water and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract for the brownies.

For the pumpkin cream swirl, you will need 4 ounces of room temperature cream cheese, 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice.

In a large bowl, whisk together 4 eggs, 1 cup of vegetable oil, 1/4 cup of water and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until fully combined. Add 2 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and mix to combine.

Place a mesh sifter over the bowl and add 1 2/3 cups of all purpose flour, 1 1/4 cups of cocoa powder, 1 cup of confectioners sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt into it. Carefully sift the ingredients into the bowl.

*Note: If a traditional “back and forth” sifting motion creates a sugar dust cloud, you can stir the dry ingredients with a spatula to help work them through the sifter with less motion.

Sifting dry ingredients is the best way to combine them and make sure that everything is smooth and no lumps make it into the batter. If you are left with any lumps after sifting, gently press them through the mesh with a flexible spatula or your fingers.

Mix the wet and dry ingredients until they are combined and then fold in 2/3 cup of chocolate chips.

Spread the brownie batter evenly throughout a greased 11″x15″x1″ baking pan and set it aside for now.

In a small bowl, combine 4 ounces of room temperature cream cheese, 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice until fully combined. This mixture doesn’t have to be completely smooth, but it does need to be fully combined. Be sure that the egg is full incorporated and that the sugar is evenly distributed throughout the pumpkin cream.

Drop a large spoons worth of pumpkin cream evenly over the brownie batter and then use a butter knife to swirl it in. You can swirl as little or as much as you want. The more you swirl, the more it will incorporate with the brownie batter and the less you will taste a difference between the two. If you just swirl it a bit, you will taste more of a difference between the brownie batter and the pumpkin cream. Its totally up to what you want!

Bake the brownies in a 325 degree oven for 35-40 minutes. The brownies are done when they begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and the center feels mostly set. The center will still be soft, but should not feel loose and wet.

Once they are done, transfer the pan onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely before decorating.

Leave the oven set at 325 degrees and toast 2 cups of sweetened coconut shreds on a large sheet pan for 5-8 minutes. Be sure to mix them as the shreds near the outside edges will brown much quicker than the shreds in the center of the pan.

I like to start by slicing the entire sheet before decorating. These brownies will be so cute once they are decorated and slicing afterwards, can make a bit of a mess of the patch and who wants that??

Once you are done slicing, make a chocolate frosting by combining 1 tablespoon of special dark cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons of canola oil, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 cup of confectioners sugar and 2 tablespoons of hot water in a small bowl. Whisk until everything is smooth and glossy.

Spread the chocolate frosting thinly over the entire pan and then sprinkle a sparse layer of toasted coconut shreds over the top (photo above). You will have some coconut shreds left over to add in bare areas after you place the pumpkins and pipe out the vines.

You can use whole candied pumpkins (the kind you can buy alongside candy corn), but I like to cut them in half and lay them flat side down. This is totally optional, of course. Lay the pumpkins down in little groups and connect them with thin, curly green “vines”. If you are using pre-made frosting, be sure to cut the tip very small and if you are making your own green frosting, use the smallest piping tip you can find.

It is so cute! I can barely stand it! I am always glad that I sliced them first once I see them all decorated. It would be so hard to cut this adorable fairytale field of pumpkins after the fact… but once you taste those brownies, you will have no problem snatching one more square off the pan…

Happy pumpkin picking everyone!

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