Healthy Pumpkin Brownies

0 Prepare to bake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal and set aside.
1 Whip the cottage cheese. Put the cottage cheese in the food processor and blend until smooth and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Leave in the food processor until you are ready for it.
2 Mix the batter. Transfer the smooth cottage cheese to a mixing bowl and add peanut butter and the remaining dry ingredients. Using a fork or silicone spatula, mix the batter until combined. Note that this batter will be very thick, much thicker than traditional brownie recipes.
3 Make the pumpkin cream cheese. In a small microwave safe bowl, add cream cheese and microwave for 30 seconds until soft. Add the pumpkin puree, then the remaining ingredients and mix with an electric mixer or fork until smooth.
4 Combine brownie base & pumpkin cream cheese. Because the batter is very thick, the pumpkin cream cheese doesn’t swirl in like a traditional brownie (that’s okay, trust the process!). Spoon it on top of the brownie base and using a spoon or spatula, gently fold sections of the pumpkin cream cheese into the brownie base until they’re slightly combined. Use the back of a spoon or spatula to smooth it out into an even layer.
5 Bake. Bake for 20-30 minutes for fudgy brownies or 35 minutes for cakey brownies.
6 Cool & Enjoy! Once the brownies are finished baking, leave them in the pan to cool for best results. If they’re feeling pretty gooey, I like to pop them in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to set. Once they have cooled, slice into squares and enjoy.