Pumpkin Brownies

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups brown sugar firmly packed
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten with a fork (room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1 cup chopped pecans*

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray or liberally grease the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
3. In a medium size sauce pan, combine brown sugar, butter and pumpkin. Cook over medium heat, stirring just until all ingredients have melted and combined. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
4. Test with finger to be sure this mixture is no longer hot or else it will cook the eggs you’ll add later. Stir occasionally to help it cool faster.
5. While mixture is cooling, in a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Stir or whisk well to combine.
6. Once liquid mixture has cooled, whisk in the beaten eggs and vanilla extract and mix well to combine.
7. Add liquid mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a large spatula until well combined, but do not overmix. Stir in pecans.
8. Transfer batter to prepared baking pan using a firm spatula. Spread mixture until it covers the bottom of the pan, spread to the edges and corners evenly.
9. Bake for approximately 32 to 34 minutes or until top appears fully cooked and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool prior to cutting, about an hour. Cut into 2 inch squares as they are very rich. Garnish each piece with a pecan half if desired.
10. Serve at room temperature. Store tightly sealed.

Notes

* You can swap out the pecans for one cup of walnuts, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, toffee chips, butterscotch chips or a 1 cup combination of all!