Halloween, or Samhain for the witches among you, is just around the corner. Since I am head over heels in love with this time of the year, I can’t help putting a seasonal twist to my cooking and baking. This fun recipe is a variation of my traditional fudgy brownies, topped with toasted marshmallows and a swirl of spiced pumpkin puree for an extra dose of autumn magic.
Prep Time: 20 min | Bake Time: 25 min | Makes: 12 | Difficulty: ♦♦ Beginner
the batter
- 2 cups Flour – all purpose
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 cup hot water, plus 2 tbsp
- ½ cup Butter – plant-based
- ¼ cup Cocoa Powder – dark
- ¼ cup Chocolate Chunks – dark
- 1 tsp Rum Flavoring
toppings
- 1/2 cup Mini Marshmallow – vegan
- 6 tbsp Pumpkin Puree
- 1 tsp Allspice
For the Batter
Melt the butter in a heat proof bowl. Set aside.
Put the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and chocolate chunks in a large mixing bowl. Combine with a wooden spoon until the powders are thoroughly mixed.
Add the melted butter and flavoring to the dry ingredients. Pour 1 cup hot water, in small additions, while mixing. Combine well until a smooth and shiny batter is obtained.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Grease an oven dish and transfer the batter in the dish, leveling the top.
the toppings
In a small bowl, stir the pumpkin puree with 2 tbsp water and allspice. Drop spoonfuls over the brownie batter and, with the help of a rounded knife, swirl the top. Scatter the mini marshmallows over the batter and bake for 20 minutes.
Increase the oven temperature to 375 and bake for 5 more minutes, until the marshmallows are nicely toasted.
Let cool for a few minutes. Cut into 12 bars and serve.
Extras and Tips
The increased oven temperature will help to melt and toast the marshmallows to give your brownies a nice fire-roasted aroma.
If you see that the marshmallow don’t seem to melt as expected (this can happen when using vegan substitutes, as they lack gelatin and other animal by-products), move the dish one rack closer to the top.
You can also grill the top using the broil function of your oven. On low, 3 or 4 minutes will suffice to melt and toast the marshmallows.
WARNING: Be extremely cautious if broiling, as just a few extra seconds will transform your food to charcoal (and that’s a different holiday :)).
For the vegan marshmallows, here’s a link to what we use and recommend: https://dandies.com/dandies-marshmallows
Happy Samhain! Enjoy these vegan toasted marshmallow brownies with a cup of your favorite witch’s brew.
