Pumpkin Patch Brownies
These chewy chocolate brownies are topped with toasted coconut "hay" and candy pumpkins for a fun and festive fall treat.
Makes9 brownies
Prep20 minutes
Cook30 minutes to 35 minutes
In my opinion, the perfect fall day starts with a steaming pumpkin spice latte, eases into apple picking, and finishes with a sweet seasonal treat. Freshly baked brownies are irresistible as-is, but trust me — when you serve this adorable batch topped with toasted coconut “hay” and sweet candy pumpkins, no one will be able to resist.
These chewy chocolate brownies make for a festive fall dessert that’s fun to make and even sweeter to eat. Here’s how to make them (it’s easy, I promise!).
Pumpkin Patch Brownies, Step-by-Step
These brownies begin with our all-time favorite one-bowl brownie batter. Although the batter comes together super fast (we don’t call them Desperation Brownies for nothing!) if you’re really crunched for time, start with a boxed brownie mix. (Don’t have a favorite? Check out our taste test!)
While the brownies bake and cool, you’ll toast unsweetened shredded coconut and mix up a simple powdered sugar icing for decorating. Spread a thin layer of icing onto the warm brownies to act as the grass, then transfer the rest to a small zip-top bag, which you’ll use for piping the vines.
Next, nestle Mellowcreme pumpkin candies onto the brownies, pressing lightly to make sure the pumpkins don’t wobble. You can create a more natural look by making smaller groupings of pumpkins, or make cutting and serving easy for potlucks and bake sales by evenly spacing the pumpkins so there are one or two pumpkins per square.
Scatter the toasted coconut around the pumpkins, which serves as the hay in the pumpkin patch. Cut a very small hole in the corner of the bag of icing, then pipe thin vines to join the candy pumpkin stems across the patch.
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Pumpkin Patch Brownies
These chewy chocolate brownies are topped with toasted coconut "hay" and candy pumpkins for a fun and festive fall treat.
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes to 35 minutes
Makes 9 brownies
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
For the brownies:
Cooking spray
- 2
large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups
granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup
canola oil
- 2 tablespoons
water
- 3/4 cup
all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup
unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
For the topping:
- 1 cup
unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup
powdered sugar
- 4 to 5 teaspoons
milk
- 3 to 5 drops
green liquid food coloring
- 10
pumpkin mellowcreme candies
Instructions
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, letting the excess hang over two sides to form a sling. Coat the pan and parchment with cooking spray.
Whisk 2 eggs, 1 1/4 cups sugar, 1/2 cup canola oil, and 2 tablespoons water together in a large bowl until smooth. Add 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and stir with a rubber spatula until combined. Pour into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer.
Bake until a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, about 30 minutes (keep the oven on). Meanwhile, spread 1 cup coconut flakes into a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Place the brownies on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Bake the coconut until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool. Stir 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 4 teaspoons of the milk, and 3 drops food coloring together in a small bowl until smooth to make the icing. Add more milk to thin the icing out or more food coloring for a deeper tint if needed.
Spread a thin layer of the icing over the warm brownies (do not use it all). Nestle 10 pumpkin candies into the frosting, pressing them slightly into the brownies. Sprinkle the toasted coconut evenly around the candies.
Transfer the remaining icing to a quart-size zip-top bag. Press the icing down to one corner of the bag and seal. Cut a very small opening in the tip of the bag. Pipe icing from the stem end of each pumpkin, making vines and leaf decorations. Set aside until the icing is set, about 10 minutes.
Use the parchment sling to lift the brownies out of the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into squares and serve.
Recipe Notes
Make ahead: The cooled, toasted coconut can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.