By Halloween week. Earl Thomas trick-or-treated as a cowboy — hat, boots, a bandana, a toy horse on a stick. He ran from door to door yelling yee-haw, which is not a word I taught him but which he has mastered with an enthusiasm that suggests future career options I hadn't considered. Nadia, nineteen months, was a ladybug — spotted red costume, antennae headband. She walked this year instead of being carried, her hand in Amber's hand, tottering from door to door, and the neighbors gave candy to both of them and the evening was cold and the costumes were warm and the neighborhood was full of children, and a neighborhood full of children on Halloween is a neighborhood that is alive, that is working, that is doing what neighborhoods are supposed to do.
Made pumpkin soup from the sugar pumpkin. Fourth year. Roasted seeds too. The tradition is ironclad now, embedded in the calendar like Christmas and Thanksgiving and the first tomato. Pumpkin soup in late October is as certain as the leaves falling, and certainty, in a life that has had its share of uncertainty, is worth protecting.
After the soup bowls were cleared and Earl had sorted his candy into piles only he understood, I wanted something for the table that matched the evening — something that leaned into Halloween the way the kids had leaned into their costumes. These spider web s’more cheesecake brownies had been in the back of my mind since I spotted the idea earlier in the week, and a night that good deserved a dessert that showed some effort. Earl approved loudly. Nadia ate the marshmallow off the top and called it a night.
Spider Web S'more Cheesecake Brownies
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 16
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 6 full graham crackers, crushed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for graham layer)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for cheesecake layer)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for cheesecake layer)
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
- Make the graham layer. Combine crushed graham crackers with 2 tablespoons melted butter and press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove and set aside.
- Make the brownie batter. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Mix in cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder until just combined.
- Make the cheesecake layer. Beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, egg yolk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla together until smooth and creamy.
- Layer the pan. Pour brownie batter over the graham crust and spread evenly. Drop spoonfuls of cheesecake mixture over the brownie batter. Use a knife or skewer to swirl the two layers together gently.
- Bake. Bake for 28–30 minutes, until the center is just set. Remove from oven and immediately scatter mini marshmallows evenly over the top. Return to oven for 3–4 minutes until marshmallows are puffed and lightly golden.
- Make the spider web. While brownies cool, melt chocolate chips with heavy cream in a small saucepan or microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or zip-lock bag with a small corner snipped. Pipe concentric circles over the marshmallow top, then drag a toothpick from the center outward at intervals to create the spider web pattern.
- Cool and slice. Allow brownies to cool completely in the pan before cutting into 16 squares. For clean cuts, refrigerate for 20 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 285 | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 34g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 135mg