Pumpkin Blondies
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
My pumpkin blondies yields soft, chewy bars with pumpkin spice flavor and half-melted chocolate chips studded throughout. The best part? They’re completely grain-free!
Need more blondie recipes? Try my banana blondies, peanut butter blondies, and gingerbread blondies next.
We start celebrating the holidays early at my house, so baking season is currently kicked into high gear. Lately, my newfound obsession is pumpkin spice blondies.
They’re soft, cakey, and filled with the warming flavors of healthy pumpkin pie and the decadence of pumpkin brownies.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Made in one bowl. So prep time and clean up are done in minutes.
- Perfect year-round. Whoever said pumpkin desserts are only appropriate during fall is sorely mistaken.
- Diet-friendly. Without even trying, these blondies are free of flour and dairy, and they’re easily made vegan with one swap!
- Perfect for sharing. When it comes to convenience, baking dessert bars is the way to go. They’re better for sharing, and you don’t have to fret about making them a few days in advance.
Ingredients needed
- Almond butter. Gives these bars a soft and chewy texture and rich flavor. I use my homemade almond butter, but store-bought brands are fine. Alternatively, use peanut butter or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version.
- Pumpkin puree. For pumpkin flavor, of course! I like to use homemade pumpkin puree, but the canned stuff works just as well. Just make sure to get pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling, which is overloaded with sugar and spices.
- Maple syrup. For sweetness.
- Large egg. Use room-temperature eggs if possible. For an egg-free recipe, use a flax egg by combining three tablespoons of water with one tablespoon of flax seeds.
- Baking soda. To help the bars rise.
- Pumpkin spice. A must for pumpkin desserts. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, make your own by combining cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ground cloves, and ginger powder.
- Vanilla extract. For flavor.
- Sea salt. Just a pinch to bring out the sweetness of the bars.
- Chocolate chips. Because everything’s better with chocolate! I also like to use chocolate chunks for those melty pools of chocolate.
How to make pumpkin blondies
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Mix. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the wet and dry ingredients except the chocolate chunks, then fold in the chocolate.
Step 2- Bake. Pour the batter mixture into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes at 180C/350F or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Save time and use a stand mixer.
- Only mix the batter until smooth. More mixing means more air gets lost, making for dense, cakey bars.
- Don’t overbake the bars. Since they’ll continue to bake as they cool, pull them from the oven as soon as a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Keep an eye on the tops of the blondies. Everyone’s ovens are different, and if you notice the blondies are browning too quickly on top, cover them with tin foil for the final 15 minutes of baking.
Variations
- Swap the chocolate chips. Try white chocolate chips or butterscotch chips, or swap the chocolate for chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Top the bars with brown sugar. So they get a sweet, slightly crisp top.
- Or top them with a cream cheese frosting. Cream together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a splash of milk until smooth and frost-worthy.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
To freeze: Wrap the blondies in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe container. Freeze them for up to six months.
Frequently asked questions
Cakey blondies are a result of overmixing your batter. To avoid this happening, ensure you only mix the blondies until they are ‘just’ combined.
Blondies are designed to be gooey and soft in the middle. If you want thicker and more dense blondies, add a little oat flour, almond flour, or coconut flour.
More pumpkin desserts
Pumpkin Blondies
Video
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Pumpkin puree
- 1 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips or a chopped chocolate bar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the almond butter, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, egg, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt. Fold through the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the batter to the lined pan and spread it out in an even layer. Top with extra chocolate chips and bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
- Let the blondies cool for 10 minutes in the pan before slicing and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published October 2021, updated and republished August 2024
Delicious and easy to make. Used non-hydrogenated peanut butter, added a scoop of vanilla protein powder for extra protein. Had no pumpkin spice, subbed just for cinnamon. Still turned out great!
Love to hear that, Trevor! Adding protein powder to these is such a good idea.