Have Canned Pumpkin But Tired of Pumpkin Pie?

Hello friends!

Fall is definitely one of my favorite seasons for food, but we’re not only talking about savory delights, okay? If you’re like me then you tend to get a little wild when the canned pumpkin is restocked in stores. However, I would prefer to get a bit more creative than sticking to only pumpkin pie.

Which brings me to today’s review for Pumpkin Swirl Brownies!

This recipe is not gluten-free by default, but making that change is quite simple by swapping out all-purpose flour with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour as well as making sure that the chocolate chips you’re using are Gluten-free. Trader Joe’s has awesome gluten-free chocolate chips, if you’re looking for a recommendation!

This week’s recipe is by Marsha’s Cooking Addition and you can find the link to the recipe right -> here!

Brownies You Can Make In Under 20 Minutes!

…Plus baking time, of course!

This is a recipe that I made twice in one day because the first batch did not come out as intended. The first time I try a recipe it often takes longer than the recipe card indicates mainly because I’m taking pictures, recording videos–all that fun stuff. Well, when I finally got to making it the second time, I got everything together in 20 minutes. So the 30 minutes indicated on the recipe card is definitely correct.

This recipe is very simple to put together and doesn’t even require a mixer. The only appliances you’ll need are the microwave and the oven.

So if you’re in need of brownies for a potluck or another occasion, this is a great Fall-inspired recipe.

Brownie Baking Time

This I feel is the most important part of this recipe. The flavor is there, the ingredients are simple, and everything comes together quickly, but the baking time? The recipe asks for these brownies to be baked at 350 F for 30-35 minutes, or until the middle no longer jiggles.

This is INCREDIBLY important. As always, baking is a matter of patience and understanding of your oven. I haven’t baked much in our oven just yet since we moved in, so it has been a lot of trial and error.

My first attempt I baked for 38 minutes. I checked at 35 minutes and the middle was definitely still jiggly. Now, brownies can be a little undercooked in order to have that nice fudge-y center, which sets once the tin is completely cooled.

Not in this case.

The picture above is of my first attempt at this recipe. These brownies baked for 38 minutes until the middle didn’t appear to jiggle more than needed. It was still soft in the middle, which normally works for brownies until they set completely once out of the oven.

Boy was I wrong.

Baking these brownies at 350 F for 30-35 minutes is not enough. However, I would like to try baking these using the convection oven setting, to see if that would be closer to the suggested time.

Because the middle did not set, the first batch of brownies was extremely gooey in the middle and didn’t hold its shape when taken out of the tin. Now it wasn’t the kind of gooey center that you’d like to have for a brownie. These were just plain undercooked brownies that you wouldn’t want to serve anyone. Plus, they didn’t look appetizing.

So, if you’re making these and following along exactly as the recipe states, then I recommend baking the brownies for longer. Make sure that the middle doesn’t jiggle at all.

When I made these brownies the second time, I baked them for 45 minutes. The middle didn’t jiggle and when the tin was completely cooled the inside of the brownies kept their shape when cut into squares. They absolutely weren’t dry, but they were set properly.

Delightful Seasonal Flavor?

The main reason why I decided to give these brownies a review was because I loved that I would have an opportunity to use some pumpkin puree! I wanted something seasonal to make at home and to hopefully share.

Unfortunately, I had my wisdom teeth extracted about a week ago, so I still cannot enjoy a good amount of food, unless it’s the consistency of mush, haha! For this week, my husband was my taste tester to help with this review.

He described these brownies as being very chocolatey. While the top of each brownies has that pumpkin swirl, the flavor of chocolate overpowers it. While that is not exactly a bad thing because they taste delicious, I was hoping for more of that pumpkin and spice flavor to come through. Perhaps if the mixture is folded into the brownie mix it would be more prominent? I certainly think it’s worth a try.

So if you’re looking for a brownie that has a kick of pumpkin flavor, then this recipe may just fall a bit flat for you. If you’re in for a delicious brownies that is bursting with chocolate flavor and great texture, then give this a try. I honestly don’t think you can go wrong with a brownie.

Grey’s Grade – 4/5

Well, well, well…this recipe took me on quite the journey. I am glad that I did make a second batch of these brownies, because I was able to get the baking time down right! This just means that I can share my process with you. As a VERY amateur baker, I think it’s important to go over the things that don’t work instead of only the successes.

This recipe gets a relatively higher rating because the flavor is great and the recipe is very easy to follow. Now did it exceed my expectations? Not really. It’s a great brownie with a more decorative pumpkin swirl than an accompanying flavor. The other downside for me was the baking time. When reading the recipe, I read that 30-35 minutes is a good range for this to finish baking properly. I would have probably worded it a bit differently.

Now, the recipe does mention that you can bake 30-35, OR until the middle no longer jiggles. In my situation, I would change the wording to bake for 35 minutes and check every 5 minutes until middle no longer jiggles. I ended up baking for an extra 10 minutes before getting the right doneness for these brownies.

Would I recommend this recipe? Yes.

Knowing what I know now after testing this recipe, I would absolutely make it again. It’s quick, easy, and delicious (according to my husband 😉 ). This would make for a great potluck treat!

Do you have a favorite Fall dessert? Share in the comments below and I may just have to make it!

Check Out My Reviews!

• Quick, Easy, and Delicious Blackberry Cream Pie
• Copycat Crumbl Peanut Butter Cup Cookies Made Gluten-Free
• Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Ganache Tart

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