Chocolate Chip & Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

    Are you still in love with pumpkin?  I know I am.  My daughters begged me to make a chocolate dessert for them.  So how can I combine my craving for pumpkin and chocolate together?  Yep, a brownie.  I added two different types of chocolate in this dessert.  White chocolate on the bottom and chocolate chips to garnish the top.  I love this and my daughters loved it also even though they are not fans of pumpkin.

Chocolate Chip & Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Brownie
1 1/2 ounces white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup butter, cubed
1 tbsp instant coffee granules
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Cheesecake Batter
1 8-ounce cream cheese
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1 egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

 Directions
1.  Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.  In a microwave, melt butter and chocolate; stir until smooth.  Cool slightly. 
2.  In a large bowl dissolve coffee in water.  Stir in pumpkin, eggs and chocolate mixture.  Combine flour, sugar, baking soda and salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture.  Transfer to baking pan coated with baking spray and lined with parchment paper.
3.  For cheesecake batter, in a small bowl using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth.  Beat in the sugar, vanilla, and spices.  Add egg beating on low speed until combined.  Spoon over chocolate batter.  Sprinkle on the chocolate chips.
4.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs.  Cool on a wire rack.  Cut into bars.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Fall Baking