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Pumpkin Blondies are the perfect balance of chewy and cakey. Loaded with chocolate chips, these blondie bars are a fun fall treat to make for your family!
You guys, things are getting serious over here.
I’m getting pumpkin hate mail.
Yes, you read that correctly. Not like real hate mail (well, I get some of that too,) but emails specifically targeting the “excessive amount of pumpkin recipes” that I’ve posted in the past few weeks.
Sure, I’ve already posted pumpkin creme brulee, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip bread and now these pumpkin blondies, but guys, it’s fall and pumpkin is what I do.
And I’m not one bit sorry about it.
However, if you’re a pumpkin hater as well, I’m just here to tell you that I have plenty of non-pumpkin recipes coming your way in the coming months, so hang tight!
WHY I LOVE BLONDIE BARS
Have you ever had a blondie bar?
Blondies are exactly what they sound like: the blonde version of a brownie.
Just like brownies, they can range anywhere from cakey to chewy in texture. Many blondie recipes, like my salted caramel chocolate chip blondies or like maple walnut blondies, tend more toward chewy because of the ratio of brown sugar in them.
But honestly, there are blondie recipes for just about everyone.
Just because the blondie base doesn’t use chocolate doesn’t mean that you can’t include chocolate chips or chunks as mix-ins, though.
In fact, one of the reasons I love blondies is that you can get a bit more creative with mix-ins and flavors than you can with brownies.
Like, I’m not real likely to add caramel apple flavor to a chocolate brownie. But in my caramel apple blondies? It’s perfection.
I also find it hard to add pumpkin to rich chocolate desserts. You have to use some special tricks to keep the pumpkin from getting lost in a chocolate brownie.
But the pumpkin easily shines through in these Pumpkin Blondies.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN BLONDIES
On the scale from chewy to cakey, Pumpkin Blondies sit squarely in the middle. They’re just enough of each to satisfy both sides of the cakey/chewy debate.
To get started, cream the butter and sugars in a mixer until smooth, then add in the egg, vanilla and pumpkin puree.
At this point, you might notice that the mixture looks a little…curdled. Don’t panic! This is normal and it’ll all come together, I promise.
Once you add the dry ingredients, you can fold in your mix-ins. I like to use chocolate chips and pecans, but you could use anything you like!
Butterscotch chips, dried cherries, dried cranberries, cinnamon chips, white chocolate chips, walnuts…the options are endless.
After about 40 minutes in the oven, these beauties will be ready to cool, cut and serve.
They’ll keep for around 3 days in an airtight container, and I happen to think they’re even better the next day.
You could even wrap the bars in plastic wrap and freeze them in a zip-top bag for enjoying later.
Take some time this weekend to make this recipe with your kids. No matter what mix-ins you choose, I know you’ll love baking them together as much as you love eating them.
Pumpkin Blondies
Ingredients
- 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 15 can pure pumpkin puree 15 ounces
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
- ¾ cup pecans roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides. Grease with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in pumpkin puree. If the mixture looks curdled, do not fret.
- Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans.
- Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Oh my! So delicious! Made these as a special treat for my hardworking husband. The combo of spices is spot on. Definitely more cakey than dense – but perfect for my hubs. He loves them! Especially with a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top! Thanks for the great recipe!
So happy to hear you enjoyed them, Dawn!
Like other reviewers, I agree that this is most definitely more of a cake than blondie. AND, it is moist, delicious, and excellent with ☕️. I’d recommend Ghirardelli mini bittersweet chocolate chips as opposed to larger chips as the bittersweet offsets the sweetness of the cake. I’d still like to find something that has more of a blondie chewy cookie bar texture. That said, a friend of mine tried one and asked if she could buy 1/2 tray from me. : )
Made these over the weekend and they are already gone! Very delectable! Thanks for the recipe!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the blondies, Robin! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
Beautiful cake and one of my favorite fall flavors!! The pumpkins are amazing! Please Share more Recipes like that.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
-Jamie
I love this recipe it made great cupcakes and a 8×8 pan of blondes. Definitely going in the go to file.
Thanks ,
Wendy
I’m so glad, Wendy! Let me know how they turn out!
Made this recipe and while the blondies tasted good, they were way too cakey for me to actually serve. The batter also had risen too high.
I made these and they are delicious! I let them cool overnight (I made them late) and sliced them the next morning. By lunch that day, the four that didn’t fit into the tupperware were gone! They rose more than I was expected but weren’t cakey at all and were really moist even though I overbaked them a little.
Thank you for sharing these with us!
Doubled the recipe, using a full pound of butter (no subs w/ apple sauce) and fully doubling the spices/baking soda and spread it all in a 21″x14″ baking sheet to bake. It yielded 70 bars. They were very, very good, though a bit cakier than I would’ve liked. Everyone at Bible study loved them.
Carissa-
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for stopping by and providing your feedback – have a great day!
-Jamie
I have made these a couple times now for work and friends. They are simply amazing! I love everything pumpkin and these are simply divine!! My roommate devoured what I left for her- licking the container I stored them in! My coworkers beg for me to bake these and request them over everything else I bake. My boyfriend ate about 5 the very night I made them! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!!
Krista-
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback – have a great day!
-Jamie
They’re totally delicious!
Audrey-
I am so glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so stopping by and leaving your feedback – have a great day!
-Jamie