Every Thanksgiving I make Fudge Brownies and a Pumpkin Pie
Every Thanksgiving I top my pumpkin pie with a fudgy brownie and eat them together. This year I decided to combine the two into individual Fudge Brownie Pumpkin Pie Cups — the perfect mashup of two holiday classics.
Fudge Brownie Pumpkin Pie Cups — A Festive Twist
These are individual fudge brownie cups filled with a creamy, no-bake pumpkin pie filling. They’re portable, addictive, and always the first dessert to disappear at any gathering.
Garnish with Vegan Whipped Cream
Top each cup with a dollop of vegan whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice. They’re easy to grab and eat — one bite and you’ll be hooked.
Still love the classic pumpkin pie?
If you prefer a traditional approach, I also have a Classic Pumpkin Pie recipe with a flaky, melt-in-your-mouth crust that I used to sell in my bakery.
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Notes for Success & Substitutions
These desserts are made in a muffin tin, which keeps each portion self-contained. For the individual cups you can omit agar if you prefer; however, if you turn this into a larger pie or cake that needs slicing, include the agar to ensure the filling sets properly.
I use vegan white chocolate in the filling as both a sweetener and a setting agent for the no-bake pumpkin mixture. If you can’t find vegan white chocolate or want to skip it, increase the vegan sour cream or yogurt and be sure to use the agar as the thickener.
The recipe works well with either vegan cream cheese or yogurt; both give very similar results. If you want to avoid buying extra dairy-free items, you can replace that amount with additional plant milk. Higher-fat plant milks produce a richer filling — canned coconut milk is an excellent choice.
Line cupcake molds with parchment rounds or use paper liners to make removing the brownie cups easy after baking.
Yield Notes
The brownie recipe included here and in the video yields about 9 brownie cups. If you use the box-brownie cake method, you can stretch that to 12 cups. The pumpkin filling recipe makes roughly 12 portions, so if you only fill nine cups you might have a little extra filling left over — perfectly fine to taste-test with a spoon.
Storage: Keep the Fudge Brownie Pumpkin Pie Cups refrigerated. They can sit at room temperature for about two hours and can be frozen for up to two months if wrapped well.
Brownie Pumpkin Pie Cups
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
For the Brownie:
- 1 cup All Purpose Flour (125g)
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar (200g)
- 2 Tbs Coconut Oil (30ml)
- 2 Tbs Unsweetened Applesauce (30ml)
- ½ cup Brewed Coffee (118ml)
- 1½ ounces Bittersweet or Semi-Sweet Vegan Chocolate (42g)
- ⅓ cup Unsweetened Cocoa
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (10ml)
For the No-Bake Pumpkin Filling:
- 1 cup Raw Cashews (170g), soaked and drained
- 2 Tbs Vegan Sour Cream or Yogurt (30g) (see notes)
- ½ cup Confectioners’ Sugar (60g)
- ½ cup Plant Milk (118ml) — higher fat works best
- ⅔ cup Solid Pumpkin (160g)
- 2 Tbs Vegan White Chocolate (35g) — optional, helps set filling
- ½ teaspoon Agar Powder (if needed for setting)
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon Ground Ginger
- Pinch Nutmeg
- Pinch Cloves
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (5ml)
- Vegan Whipped Cream for topping (see recipe)
Instructions
- For the brownie: Chop the chocolate finely and melt gently in the microwave or over a double boiler.
- Add the cocoa powder and hot brewed coffee to the melted chocolate and whisk to combine.
- Whisk in the sugar, melted coconut oil, and applesauce until smooth.
- Add the vanilla. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into the mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly among greased and lined cupcake molds. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven to 300°F and bake for another 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. Be careful not to overbake.
- Cool the brownies for 5 minutes. Use a glass or similar tool slightly smaller than the brownie diameter to press a shallow indent in each center to form a cup.
- For the pumpkin filling: Combine the plant milk, pumpkin, confectioners’ sugar, spices, and vegan white chocolate in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle the agar over the mixture and whisk thoroughly until it comes to a boil.
- Remove from heat and carefully transfer the hot mixture to a high-speed blender or food processor. Add the soaked, drained cashews, vegan sour cream or yogurt, and vanilla extract.
- Puree until completely smooth with no nut bits remaining.
- Divide the pumpkin filling evenly among the prepared brownie cups. Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours or overnight.
- Serve chilled with vegan whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.
Video
Notes
Since these are individual portions baked in a muffin tin, you can omit agar for the cups. For a larger pie or cake that needs slicing, include agar to ensure the filling sets.
Vegan white chocolate helps both with sweetness and setting. If unavailable, increase the vegan sour cream or yogurt and use agar as the thickener.
You can substitute plant milk for yogurt or cream cheese if you prefer. Higher-fat milks like canned coconut milk yield a richer filling.
Line molds with parchment or use paper liners to make removing the brownie cups easy.
Storage: Keep refrigerated; they can sit at room temperature for about 2 hours. Freeze well-wrapped for up to 2 months.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!