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The minute the air turns crisp and the sweaters come out, my kitchen starts smelling like pumpkin pie spice and warm vanilla. That is when I reach for pumpkin blondies, the cozier, autumn upgrade to brownies, all the comfort, none of the cocoa.
But let’s be honest, most pumpkin bars go spongy and cake-like fast. These stay dense, chewy, and fudgy, with a toasted-butter backbone and little pockets of white chocolate and butterscotch that melt into pure fall bliss.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
The Double-Brown Method: In my kitchen, browning the butter adds deep, nutty flavor, and blotting the Pumpkin puree fixes the number one pumpkin problem, too much moisture that turns bars cakey.
Dense and Chewy: This balance of fat, sugar, and properly dried pumpkin purée bakes up like a true dessert bar, with a center that sets into a fudgy bite once cooled.
Complex Flavor Profile: Brown butter meets Pumpkin pie spice, then white chocolate chips and butterscotch chips bring sweet little caramel notes that taste like a fall bakery case.
Foolproof Technique: The steps are simple, but the sensory cues are specific, so you know exactly what to look for, smell for, and stop baking before you overdo it.
Ingredients and Substitutions
These pumpkin blondies use pantry staples plus a few autumn MVPs. The flour and leavening set the structure, while brown butter, pumpkin, and mix-ins build that fudgy, chewy personality.
Ingredients
- Nonstick baking spray
- 260 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 227 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 262 grams granulated sugar or brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 244 grams pumpkin purée
- 193 grams white chocolate chips
- 185 grams butterscotch chips
- 56 grams chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Pumpkin purée: Use 100 percent pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. I usually grab Libby’s pumpkin or any similar can labeled pure Pumpkin puree, because pie filling comes sweetened and thickened and will throw off the texture.
Sugar choice: With 262 grams granulated sugar or brown sugar, you get control over chew. All brown sugar makes the bars a little stickier and more caramel-like, while granulated sugar bakes slightly cleaner and more crisp at the edges.
White chocolate chips: Chips are classic, but a chopped white chocolate bar gives those bigger molten “pools” that feel extra bakery-style. Keep the weight the same, and fold it in gently so it stays in distinct pockets.
Butterscotch chips: These are the fall shortcut to a toasty, brown-sugar flavor without extra steps. If you find them too sweet, a small pinch of flaky salt at serving time balances everything.
Nuts: 56 grams chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts add crunch and a roasted aroma that plays beautifully with Brown butter. If you are nut-free, skip them and finish with pepitas later for crunch.
How to make pumpkin blondies
Pan prep and the pumpkin blot
- Heat the oven to 350°F, and get your pan ready first so the batter does not sit. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang for lifting later, then coat it evenly with nonstick baking spray.
- For the fudgy secret, blot the pumpkin before it ever hits the bowl. Spread the pumpkin purée in a thin layer over paper towels, press firmly with more towels on top, and keep blotting until the towels stop getting noticeably wet, then measure out what you need and set it aside.
Brown the butter and build the batter
- Brown the butter before mixing, even though it starts “at room temperature” on the list. Melt it in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, then keep cooking until it smells nutty and you see brown specks on the bottom, then pour it into a bowl and let it cool slightly so it is warm, not piping hot.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 260 grams all-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and kosher salt. You want it evenly blended so the spice and leavening do not clump.
- In an electric mixer with the paddle, beat the browned butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until it looks paler and a bit fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until the mixture turns glossy and cohesive.
- Add the blotted pumpkin purée with the mixer on low and blend until combined. It may look curdled or slightly broken here, and that is normal, it bakes up smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until you stop seeing streaks of flour. Keep the mixer low, add the white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and the nuts, and mix only until the add-ins are distributed.
Bake, cool, and slice
- Scrape the thick batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer, pushing into the corners. The surface will look glossy and studded, like a candy-studded dough.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges begin to pull away and look set, but the center still has a slight wiggle. A toothpick in the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not totally clean.
- Let the pan cool completely on a wire rack so the fudgy structure sets. Lift the slab out using the foil, peel the foil away, then cut into 24 squares with a large sharp knife.
The Science Behind the Perfect Fudgy Texture
Moisture control: Pumpkin puree is mostly water, and water plus flour equals a cakier crumb. Blotting removes excess moisture so the batter stays thick, and the baked blondies set into a dense bar instead of a fluffy cake.
The Maillard reaction: When butter browns, milk solids toast and form flavorful compounds that taste nutty and caramel-like. That brown butter depth makes the pumpkin taste more “pumpkin,” not just sweet spice.
Sugar selection: Brown sugar carries molasses and a bit more moisture, which translates to a chewier bite once cooled. Granulated sugar tends to bake a slightly firmer edge, so your choice nudges texture without changing the method.
High altitude adjustments: At elevation, baked goods can over-rise and dry out fast, so a small reduction in baking soda can help. The Colorado State guidance on high-altitude adjustments explains why leavening tweaks matter.
If you are used to an airy slice, a traditional pumpkin bread recipe is built to be lighter and more cake-like. These dessert bars are designed to be the opposite, tight-crumbed, chewy, and almost brownie-dense.
Pro Tips and Troubleshooting
Pro Tips for Success
- Chill before slicing if you want bakery-clean edges, because cold bars cut without smearing melted chips.
- Foil or parchment with overhang is non-negotiable, it prevents sticking and lets you lift the whole slab out safely.
- DIY pumpkin pie spice works beautifully, I use mostly cinnamon, then ginger, nutmeg, and a tiny pinch of cloves for warmth.
- Leftover pumpkin from opening a can disappears fast in breakfasts like this pumpkin pancake recipe. It is a cozy way to use up a few extra spoonfuls.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overmixing after adding flour, because it makes the bars tough instead of chewy.
- Using pumpkin pie filling by accident, it is sweetened and thickened and changes the bake completely.
- Overbaking until the toothpick is perfectly clean, you want moist crumbs for fudginess.
- Skipping the blotting step, since wet pumpkin is the fastest path to cakey pumpkin blondies.
That “tough” texture is usually just overdeveloped flour proteins, not bad ingredients. The IFST explanation of how mixing develops gluten makes the why click into place.
Serving and Storage
Creative Serving Ideas
A pinch of flaky sea salt on top cuts the sweetness and makes the spices pop. When I want the full fall-dessert moment, I serve them slightly warm with vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel.
For crunch and a pretty finish, a handful of roasted pumpkin seeds does the trick. Their salty snap balances the white chocolate chips and butterscotch chips in every bite.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
At room temperature, pumpkin blondies stay fudgy up to 4 days in an airtight container. If your kitchen runs warm, the fridge keeps them neat, just let a square sit 10 minutes so the texture softens.
For freezing, wrap individual squares tightly, then store in a freezer bag up to 3 months. Michigan State’s advice on storing and freezing is especially helpful for moist holiday baking like this.
Pumpkin Blondies
Equipment
- 9-by-13-inch baking pan
- Aluminum Foil
- Paper towels
- Light-colored saucepan
- Electric mixer with paddle attachment
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- Nonstick baking spray
- 260 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 227 grams unsalted butter at room temperature
- 262 grams granulated sugar or brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 244 grams pumpkin purée
- 193 grams white chocolate chips
- 185 grams butterscotch chips
- 56 grams chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts
Instructions
Pan prep and the pumpkin blot
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy lifting, then coat the foil evenly with nonstick baking spray.
- Blot the pumpkin purée to ensure a fudgy texture. Spread the purée in a thin layer over paper towels, press firmly with additional towels on top, and continue blotting until the towels no longer absorb significant moisture. Measure out the blotted pumpkin and set it aside.
Brown the butter and build the batter
- Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the butter smells nutty and you see toasted brown specks at the bottom. Pour into a bowl and let it cool until warm but not hot.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and kosher salt until perfectly blended.
- Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the warm browned butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, beating until the mixture is glossy.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and blend in the blotted pumpkin purée. If the mixture looks slightly curdled, continue as this is normal.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low just until the flour streaks disappear. Fold in the white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and toasted nuts until evenly distributed.
Bake, cool, and slice
- Scrape the thick batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The edges should be set and beginning to pull away, but the center should still have a slight wiggle.
- Allow the pan to cool completely on a wire rack to let the fudgy structure set. Lift the blondies out using the foil overhang, peel back the foil, and cut into 24 squares with a sharp knife.
Notes
Nutrition
Conclusion
Once you taste what browned butter and blotted pumpkin can do together, it is hard to go back. These bars are the kind of fall treat that feels both nostalgic and a little fancy, with that fudgy center that finally behaves.
If you play around, start small, swap nuts, change the sugar, or finish with salt and pepitas. The best batches are the ones you make your own, then share while they are still a little warm.
