Pumpkin Spice Kiss Brownies

Pumpkin Spice Kiss Brownies

1 stick unsalted butter

6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (about 1 cup)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¾ cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 ¼ cups solid-pack pumpkin

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¾ cup chopped pecans

35-42 pumpkin spice kisses, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×13” pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a double boiler or in the microwave. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Put sugar, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat until well combined. Beat in flour mixture. Divide batter between two medium bowls (about 2 cups per bowl). Stir chocolate mixture into one bowl. In other bowl, stir in pumpkin, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Transfer half of chocolate batter to prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Top with half of pumpkin batter. Repeat to make one more chocolate layer and one more pumpkin layer. Work quickly so batters don’t set. With a small spatula or a table knife, gently swirl the two batters to create a marbled effect. My pan was a little bit smaller than a 9×13”, so I gently pressed 7 kisses along the length and 5 kisses along the width. (I imagine you’ll need more with an actual 9×13” pan.) Sprinkle with nuts. Bake until set, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool completely in pan before cutting.

Recipe slightly adapted from Martha Stewart’s Pumpkin Swirl Brownies