Yes, I am now 9 months pregnant. I am due in 17 days. Seventeen! I know I haven't posted in over 2 months, but recipes have just taken a back seat to a busy summer and a tiring pregnancy. Dan has been making many of our dinners (so appreciated!) and we've been making recipes that are already featured in this here blog. Nothing exciting to report...
Anyways, the girls in Dan's family attempt to have a girl's night once a month. I think there's been three since we're all on different schedules and I've been to maybe one. I figured last night was one of my last chances, sans Baby, to attend a girls night. It's weird to think that from now on most of my events will require arranging childcare. Yikes. Again, anyways, this recipe is so easy that I figured I would throw it together for girl's night. Mid-September is a little too early for pumpkin for me usually (other than DD iced coffee!), and it was in the high 80's yesterday, but this pie is served chilled so I figured why not? Plus, it just sounded sooo good, and when you're pregnant, you don't argue with your appetite.
It wins every time.
Now, you can make this is homemade as you want by making your own pie crust and your own brownie mix and your own whipped topping, or you can keep it simple like the recipe and use some pre-made items. My only note for this that the pumpkin layer was a little thinner than I expected, perhaps try increasing that part of the recipe if you're a real pumpkin fiend. Also, I wish I had made some homemade whipped topping. This pie is so rich and fudgy with the brownie layer that homemade whipped topping would have been a better balance than the Cool Whip. Cool Whip is great, but definitely sweet. A fluffy homemade version would have made this all the more perfect.
This was seriously amazing though. The brownie layer ends up as a thick, but still gooey fudgy layer that sticks to the fork and every bite needs a glass of milk to go with it. Then you have the pumpkin cheesecake layer, adding in the bit of tart to balance out that chocolate sweetness, and to settle your pumpkin spice craving. The whipped topping rounds it all off with a flaky crust to make one small piece more than filling. Great for sharing! Yes, even the preggo says to share!
Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownie Pie
from Inside Bru Crew Life
1 refrigerated pie crust
1 box brownie mix
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, divided
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, slightly softened
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tbsp. flour
1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping
1. Preheat oven to 350. Roll out pie crust and place into a 9-inch glass pie plate.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the brownie mix, water, oil, and 1 egg and beat until combined. Spread into the pie crust and bake for 30 minutes.
3. As the brownie layer bakes, in the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add the pumpkin and egg and beat again. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and flour and give a final mixing. Spread this layer on the brownie layer when it comes out of the oven. Cover the edges of the pie crust with foil if they stick out a lot to prevent from burning. My edges weren't really exposed so I didn't have to. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
4. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for an hour, then place in the refrigerator to completely cool.
5. Top with whipped topping and serve!
You can also sprinkle more cinnamon on top, chocolate sauce, chocolate shavings, etc. Have fun with it!
Before I post my photos, I'd like to remind everyone of my horrible pie crust skills. I don't do decorative pie crusts where you flute the edges and all the jazz. I also don't practice or attempt to make myself better at it either...so there's that...
