Easy Pumpkin Blondies Recipe

This recipe is my slightly sticky, perfectly tender Easy Pumpkin Blondies — a pumpkin-spiced, buttery bar that eats like dessert for breakfast and like breakfast for dessert. It’s not trying to be fancy: just brown-butter vibes (optional), pumpkin puree, a little brown sugar chew, and those melty chocolate chips that make everything forgiven. You should try it because it somehow manages to be moist without being soggy, and it feeds a crowd without drama.

My small tribe — husband, kid, and our resident snackhound (a very judgmental dog) — fights politely over the corner pieces. My husband calls them “pumpkin candy bars” and brings one to bed like it’s a peace offering. The kid eats them with milk for snack time and once smuggled three into a backpack for school (I found one intact in the laundry basket two days later). These blondies became our ritual on chilly weekends: I put the oven on, we argue about whether to add chocolate chips or walnuts, and then we eat them way too hot and blame the oven mitts for any singed tongues.

Kitchen Talk

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I once forgot to grease the pan and we dug one edge out with a butter knife like it was archaeological work. Not my finest hour, but the bars were still delicious. Also: brown butter? Yes, if you want to feel fancy. No, if you are juggling a toddler and two conference calls. I’ve swapped half the sugar for maple syrup when I was out of brown sugar — it worked, it was sticky, but still loved. The one time I overmixed? Flat, cakey bars. So I now stir like I’m petting a cat: gentle, respectful, no sudden movements.

Shopping Tips

– Baking Basics (Flour/Sugar/Leaveners): Use all-purpose flour and light brown sugar for that caramel-y chew; fresh baking powder makes a subtle difference here.
– Fats & Oils: Butter is king — room temperature for easy creaming; swap half for oil only if you need a vegan shortcut.
– Eggs: Use large eggs at room temp for best texture; cold eggs can tighten the batter and make the bars dense.
– Canned Goods: Grab pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) — check the label for just pumpkin and maybe salt.
– Spices: Keep your cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger fresh; old spices = flat pumpkin flavor.

Prep Ahead Ideas

– Mix the dry ingredients and store them in an airtight container the day before — saves 5 minutes and avoids flour clouds at 7 a.m.
– Measure sugars and spice mix into a jar ahead of time; shake and stash for faster assembly.
– Batter keeps in the fridge for up to 24 hours in a sealed bowl; let it sit at room temp 20 minutes before baking.
– Bake, cool completely, and freeze baked blondies layered with parchment in a freezer-safe bag for quick snacks.

✔Time-Saving Tricks

– Use a stand mixer or a hand mixer to cream butter and sugar quickly, or just whisk aggressively by hand for one-bowl ease.
– Microwave your butter briefly to soften if you forgot to set it out — 8–10 seconds at a time.
– Chocolate chips: toss them in a little flour so they don’t all sink to the bottom in one messy pile.
– Don’t overbake: take them out when the center is just set — they finish as they cool.

✔Common Mistakes

– Overmixing: Once the flour goes in, stop. I did it once and got blondie pancakes — still ate them, cried later.
– Using pumpkin pie filling: extra sugar and spices will throw off texture and sweetness.
– Not cooling enough: cut early and you’ll get a crumble massacre. Let them cool so they set.
– Baking too hot: edges burn before centers cook—trust the oven temp and check a few minutes early.

What to Serve It With

– A big mug of coffee or a cinnamon latte — classic.
– Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for dessert situations.
– A sharp cheddar on the side if you want a weirdly wonderful savory contrast.
– Toasty pecans or a quick arugula salad for an adult-ish brunch.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Use an 8×8 pan for thicker bars, 9×9 for thinner; adjust bake time accordingly.
– Salt every layer — a pinch in the batter wakes the pumpkin up.
– If the center looks jiggly but edges are done, cool it and it’ll finish perfectly.
– Want edges crispier? Bake a few minutes longer and watch that color.

✔Storage Tips

Keep blondies in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days. Refrigerate for up to a week, though they’re fine cold and make a stellar breakfast straight from the fridge — no judgment. For longer storage, freeze in layers with parchment for up to 3 months; thaw on the counter for an hour or microwave a corner for 10 seconds for gooey goodness.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Chocolate chips → white chocolate or butterscotch for a sweeter bar.
– Walnuts or pecans swapped in for texture; toasted is better.
– Swap half the butter for coconut oil for a dairy-free-ish option, but expect a slight coconut note.
– Maple syrup can replace some sugar — reduce other liquid slightly. I’ve tried tahini once in a pinch (wild) — it worked, but it’s not for everyone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Pumpkin Blondies Recipe

Chewy, cinnamon-spiced pumpkin blondies studded with creamy white chocolate chips. Perfectly cozy, simple to mix, and irresistibly soft.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 28 minutes minutes

Total Time: 43 minutes minutes

Servings: 16

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 7 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• ▢ 0.8 cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 0.3 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 0.8 cup pumpkin puree use pure pumpkin, not pie filling
• ▢ 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1.7 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• ▢ 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ▢ 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon for extra warmth
• ▢ 1 tsp baking powder
• ▢ 0.25 tsp baking soda
• ▢ 0.5 tsp fine salt
• ▢ 1 cup white chocolate chips
• ▢ 0.5 cup chopped pecans optional, for crunch

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment and lightly grease.
• Stir melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until glossy and smooth.
• Whisk in pumpkin puree and vanilla until fully combined.
• In a separate bowl, whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
• Stir in white chocolate chips and pecans, if using.
• Spread batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake 26–30 minutes, until the center is set and a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs.
• Cool completely in the pan, then lift out and slice into 16 squares.

Notes

For a maple twist, drizzle warm blondies with 2–3 tbsp maple glaze (powdered sugar mixed with maple syrup). To store, cover and keep at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze sliced squares for up to 2 months.

This recipe is an original creation inspired by classic Easy Pumpkin Blondies Recipe flavors. All ingredient ratios and instructions are independently developed.