Chewy Pumpkin Blondies
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Over the past three weeks, Hannah (my youngest daughter) and I have been on a mission to make chewy pumpkin blondies – trying to nail the perfect thick and chewy texture. We had NO IDEA how tough it would be avoid the dreaded “cake” texture that most pumpkin recipes yield.
But after about 13 trials (really, 13 pans of blondies later) we are very proud to announce that these perfectly dense, moist, chewy squares of pumpkin are it. We finally did it – chewy pumpkin blondie perfection. Woo!
What is a Pumpkin Blondie?
Pumpkin blondies are an enticing fusion of the classic brownie texture and the quintessential pumpkin pie flavor. The result is a dessert that’s a perfect blend of dense, moist, and full of warm, comforting flavors. And they’re super simple to make.
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Here’s What You’ll Need to Make These Chewy Blondies
- 2 cups flour (unbleached)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 TBS pumpkin pie spice
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 white chocolate baking bar (chopped)
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
Tip
If you don’t have any pumpkin pie spice on-hand, try this recipe and adjust as needed for your tastes or for what you have in your spice cabinet. It’s yummy and easy!
The Simple Process
- Preheat and Prepare: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper, allowing an overhang on the sides for easy removal later.
- Mixing the Dry Ingredients: In a medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, sea salt, and baking powder and set it aside.
- Mixing the Wet Ingredients: In a large glass mixing bowl, melt the butter and while it’s still hot, whisk in the sugar, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice and mix until smooth.
- Pumpkin Magic: Gently fold in the canned pumpkin puree. This is where the pumpkin flavor really shines through.
- Egg and Vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla extract and stir until the egg is fully incorporated. This step adds richness and flavor to your blondies.
- Combining Wet and Dry: Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, taking care not to overmix. You want to mix only until there are no visible streaks of flour.
- Optional Add-Ins: If you desire some texture and nutty goodness, fold in the chopped pecans or walnuts. They’ll add a delightful crunch to your chewy blondies. Otherwise just toss in those white chocolate chips.
- Baking Perfection: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. Pop it into the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. It’s crucial not to overbake these blondies; you’re aiming for a slightly firm center with moist crumbs attached to a toothpick.
- Cool and Slice: Allow your pumpkin blondies to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes. Use the parchment paper overhang to gently lift them out of the pan, and let them cool completely on the rack, then slice and enjoy!
Mastering the Art of Chewiness
The secret to achieving a chewy texture in your pumpkin blondies lies in the ingredients and technique.
1. Pumpkin Puree Selection: Ensure you use canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling contains added sugar and spices that can affect the texture.
2. Butter Instead of Vegetable Oil: Using melted butter instead of vegetable oil adds a richness and moisture content that contributes to a chewier texture. Its presence in the batter helps create a denser, chewier blondie.
3. Gentle Mixing: When combining the dry and wet ingredients, be cautious not to overmix. Overmixing can lead to a cakey texture due to excess air being incorporated into the batter. Mix only until the flour disappears.
4. Proper Baking Time: The baking time is crucial. Pull your blondies out of the oven when they are slightly firm but still moist in the center. A toothpick inserted should have a few moist crumbs attached. Overbaking will result in dry, cakey blondies.
5. Cooling Technique: Allowing your pumpkin blondies to cool in the pan for a short time before transferring them to a wire rack ensures a gooey, chewy center while the edges set.
Questions About This Recipe
Chewy Pumpkin Blondies are the ultimate fall treat, capturing the essence of autumn with every bite. By selecting the right ingredients and following the techniques outlined above, you can create a batch of these blondies that are irresistibly moist, chewy, and full pumpkin goodness.
Chewy Pumpkin Blondies
ingredients
- 2 cups flour (unbleached)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup butter (melted)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 TBS pumpkin pie spice
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 white chocolate baking bar (chopped)
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sea salt, and baking powder and set aside.2 cups flour, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp baking powder
- In a large glass mixing bowl, melt butter until bubbly.1 cup butter
- Add sugar, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice to the warm melted butter and mix well to soften the sugar and bloom the spices.1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup sugar, 1 TBS pumpkin pie spice
- Add pumpkin puree and whisk until smooth.1 cup pumpkin puree
- Stir in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.1 egg, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the flour to the wet ingredients, half at a time, stirring until just combined.
- Fold in the chopped white chocolate and white chocolate chips.1/4 cup white chocolate chips, 1 white chocolate baking bar
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth out with a rubber spatula. Leave a lip around the edges of the pan to keep blondes level during and after baking.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges are firm and slightly brown, but the center is still soft.
- Let blondies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting out and slicing into bars or slicing in the pan.
Nutrition
Tagged:
- Bars & Brownies
- /
- Fall
- /
- Oven
- /
- Pumpkin
- /
- Thanksgiving
- /
- Winter
Never made blondies before, but today seemed like a great day to try. These came out just like the pictures, and they taste amazing!
Hahaha Elisa, I love it! I’m really glad you enjoyed them and the recipe. This one was a real labor of love for me, trying to get it just right. I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment!
These pumpkin blondies were really delicious. It’s not too sweet so we were able to devour a few slices.
Thank you so much, Janie! Haha, me too – I had a few in one sitting. Glad you enjoyed them too!
Whipped up a batch of these for a treat and they didn’t disappoint! They’re very easy to make too.
Oh good, that makes me so happy Sara! Glad to hear they were a success!
Oh my gosh, these blondies are THE BEST! Everything I make with pumpkin usually comes out spongy and cake-like. These are really the perfect texture. So glad I stumbled across this recipe.
Pumpkin can be tricky to bake with Andrea, you aren’t alone. I’m thrilled these worked out for you – they’ve quickly become one of my favorites too!
Omg these pumpkin brownies might be my new favorite fall dessert! They’re soft and chewy, perfectly sweet, packed with pumpkin flavor – yum!!
Girl, you and me both. I can’t stop eating them, actually! So glad to hear you are loving them just as much. Makes me smile. 🙂
I did as you suggested, I omitted the chocolate and made a plain blondie. Zero regrets, they are soft and chewy, but not gooey and underdone. Really, really good!
Oh my gosh, thank you for coming back to comment and let me know! I’m so glad they were a success in their purest form, haha! Love it so much, Michelle! Thank you.
What a fabulous pumpkin flavored blondie. I love the addition of the white chocolate and sea salt. Really elevates these to the next level.
Thank you so much, Andrea! I’m thrilled you enjoyed them too!
Love these blondies! The combination of pumpkin and spice with white chocolate delicious and the texture is out of this world!
I’m so glad to hear it, Liza! I appreciate the kind review so much!
You definitely nailed this blondie recipe! The right amount of flavor, texture, and chewiness!
Thank you so much, Holley! I’m so glad you enjoyed them. Happy fall!
I am so glad that pumpkin season is finally here! 🙂 These were amazing and I loved the chewy texture of these blondies.
Wooo! Thanks so much, Carrie! I’m also so happy it’s pumpkin season, and chili season, and soup season! Thrilled you enjoyed the blondies, and thanks for the review – I really appreciate it!
I am absolutely thrilled with these blondies. The dedication and effort put into perfecting the chewy texture definitely paid off. These blondies are everything I hoped for – thick, moist, and incredibly chewy. The pumpkin flavor shines through beautifully without turning cakey.
Thank you so much, Kim. I’m so happy you enjoyed the blondies too!
Omg! I loved this recipe and I’ll make these again soon! Thanks for sharing!
Wooo! I’m so glad, Karen. Thank YOU for stopping by to comment, I really appreciate it!
Hi…what size of white chocolate bar ? The ones I’ve seen in my local grocery are pretty large and it seems like quite a bit. Can you narrow it down a little for me ? Thank you.
Hi Nancy! You bet – it’s a 4.2 ounce baking bar. I used the whole thing, roughly chopped, but you could add as much or as little as you’d like. The baking bars melt down much more during baking (versus a chip), so the smaller pieces just become part of the blondie. 🙂