These chocolate Pumpkin Brownies are irresistibly fudgy and rich. Made without any flour, they are vegan, gluten free and refined sugar free yet they taste so decadent. They are made in one bowl and incredibly easy to make. A perfect fall-baking recipe.
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This recipe was inspired by my Healthy Sweet Potato Brownies – I saw the recipe going viral on TikTok and knew I had to try something similar but with pumpkin for the perfect fall recipe. These would be great to bring as a plate to Thanksgiving or just to enjoy with a cup of coffee and a re-run of Gimore Girls to get into the autumn vibe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Everything comes together in one bowl with simple, mostly pantry ingredients.
- Pumpkin keeps the brownies moist and soft without the need for eggs or dairy.
- Sweetened with maple syrup, they’re refined sugar-free but still taste rich and chocolatey.
- The added moisture from the pumpkin means they store really well in the fridge and hold their fudgy texture for a few days.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll find the full ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this page, but here’s a shopping list of everything you’ll need:
- Pumpkin purée
- Smooth almond butter
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla extract
- Cocoa powder
- Almond flour
- Salt
- Dark chocolate chips or chunks
Instructions
Here’s a step-by-step guide with photos to help you make this Pumpkin Brownies recipe. For specific timings, temperatures, and measurements, be sure to check the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step One: In a large bowl, mix pumpkin purée, almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla.
Step Two: Toss in the cocoa powder, almond flour, and salt.
Step Three: Mix everything together until smooth and well-combined.
Step Four: Fold in the chocolate chips then mix.
Step Five: Spread the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Then bake until properly cooked.
Substitutions & Variations
- Nut Butter: I like almond best as it has the richest, creamiest consistency but cashew butter will also work very nicely. Now, I have not tested it myself but in theory you can also use peanut butter, however it will likely impart some flavor (which could be fine if you like peanut butter!). If you do try this let me know how it turns out in the comments below.
- Pumpkin: If you don’t have pumpkin, you can also make a decadent brownie using sweet potato with my other recipe: Sweet Potato Brownies.
- Gluten-Free: This recipe is naturally gluten-free, just make sure your chocolate chips are certified if needed.
- Add-Ins: Try adding in some extra chopped walnuts, pecans, or even more chocolate chips.
Storage
Once they’ve cooled completely, store the brownies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I actually like them even more the next day, chilling them makes the texture super fudgy and rich. If you’re more of a warm brownie person, just pop one in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to soften it up. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months. I like wrapping a few individually so there’s always one ready when a chocolate craving hits.
Expert Tips
Chill the brownies before slicing so they stay in one piece and wipe down the knife in between slices for smooth edges.
FAQ
Yes, a little, but chocolate is the more dominant flavor. The pumpkin adds moisture and richness, but the cocoa and chocolate chips are the stars here.
I have not tested this recipe with a nut free alternative yet, but I think sunflower seed butter and possibly sunflower meal/flour could work. If you try this, let me know how it turns out in the comments below – it’s valuable intel for us all!
Yes, canned pumpkin works perfectly here. Libby’s seems to be widely regarded as the best brand. Just make sure whatever you buy, that it’s 100% pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugar and spices. I typically make my own pumpkin puree from scratch as the canned puree is not readily available here in Australia.
You could try agave or brown rice syrup, but I haven’t tested them myself. I really like maple as it gives it a distinctive rich flavor.
More Pumpkin Baking Recipes
I have been experimenting with a lot of pumpkin baked goods lately, and some of my most popular recipes include my Pumpkin Bundt Cake (the perfect centerpiece for Thanksgiving or Christmas), my chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles and my Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins for a sweet breakfast treat.
Hope you love these pumpkin brownies as much as I do! If you give them a try, I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @glowdiaries___ so I can see your creation.
Pumpkin Brownies
Equipment
- Pan 8×8 or 9×9 inch
Ingredients
- 2 cups pumpkin purée
- ⅓ cup smooth almond butter
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder sifted
- ⅔ cup almond flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips or chunks plus extra for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F and line a baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir the pumpkin purée until smooth.
- Add in the almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla, whisking until well combined.
- Mix in the cocoa powder, almond flour, and salt until you have a smooth batter.
- Gently fold through the chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle extra chocolate on top if desired.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out with moist crumbs.
- Let cool completely in the pan, then chill before slicing. Use a wet knife for neat cuts. Best served chilled for a soft, fudgy texture.
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