Cheesecake Topped Brownies with Pumpkin Butter Swirl

Recipe & photo from Recipe Girl

BROWNIES:

• 1 1/2 cups salted butter (3 sticks)
• 3/4 pound (12 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 6 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

TOPPING:

• 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup apricot jam
• 1 cup pumpkin butter

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 12x17x1-inch baking pan (also known as a jelly roll pan/half sheet pan) with buttered parchment paper or foil.
2. Prepare the brownie layer: Melt butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler (or carefully in short bursts in the microwave). Set aside to cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together 6 eggs, brown sugar, and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar. Stir in 3 teaspoons vanilla, salt, melted butter/chocolate, flour, and cocoa. Pour into the prepared pan and spread to the sides.
4. Prepare the cheesecake layer: Beat cream cheese using a mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add remaining eggs, sugar, vanilla, and cornstarch; beat until smooth. Dollop the cream cheese mixture all over the chocolate layer and gently use a spoon to spread it out evenly.
5. Whisk together apricot jam and pumpkin butter in a small bowl. Drop spoonfuls onto the cream cheese layer and use a knife to create swirls, making sure to stay inside the cream cheese layer only and not pull up the chocolate layer.
6. Bake until the center tests clean, about 40 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.

Tips:

• It's best to cool these to room temperature, then wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before cutting. You'll get the cleanest cuts that way.
• If you prefer, you can use Halloween-themed cookie cutters to cut out shaped brownies, but you'll have lots of tidbits leftover to munch on.