Pumpkin Blondies with Chocolate Chips

Do you love pumpkin pie but can't be bothered to make pie crust, or risk a cracked surface on the pie? Then these pumpkin spice blondies are right up your alley! These pumpkin blondies are fudgy, moist, and studded with chocolate chips and pecans.

Easy Pumpkin Blondies with Chocolate Chips and Pecans

These pumpkin spice blondies taste like pumpkin pie in bar form! They're perfect to share at any fall time gathering, or as a little pick-me-up along with a cup of coffee to keep you going in the afternoon. Can't be falling asleep during those Zoom meetings, right?

The base of these easy pumpkin blondies is my basic blondie recipe, used in both my matcha Oreo blondies and raspberry blondies. I have reduced the butter and sugar to balance the moisture and natural sweetness of the pumpkin purée. Because I've reduced the fat and sugar content, the texture is a little lighter and fudgier than regular chewy blondies, but super delicious!

Ingredients

• Pumpkin purée. You need pure pumpkin for this pumpkin blondies recipe. Make sure you get the canned pumpkin that says "Pure Pumpkin" and not "Pumpkin Pie Filling".
• Pumpkin pie spice. A must-have spice blend during the fall season! If you don't have a pre-made blend, you can use 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, and a dash of ground clove.
• Light brown sugar. Light brown sugar is that sweet spot between dark brown sugar which adds moisture and granulated sugar which adds lightness. If you don't have light brown sugar, use ½ cup (100g) dark brown sugar and ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar.
• Egg Yolk. You need both egg yolk and a whole egg. The extra egg yolk adds richness to the blondies!
• Chocolate chips. I originally created the recipe using mini chocolate chips, but regular chocolate chips or even chocolate chunks work well too! The blondies themselves aren't too sweet so I would stick to something less than 60% cacao, unless you really love dark chocolate.
• Pecans. You can swap it for walnuts or skip it entirely. But pecans pair so well with pumpkin and the pumpkin pie spice, so I highly recommend it!

Can I make these gluten-free?

Want to make these easy pumpkin blondies into a gluten-free treat? It's simple! Just make them using a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend! Just make sure the blend includes xanthan gum.

One tip if you choose to make these gluten-free, is to let your batter rest for 30 minutes before putting it in the oven to bake. Resting the batter is crucial to let your gluten-free flour hydrate! If you don't, you'll likely end up with gritty, sandy blondies.

Can I make them dairy-free?

Yes! Use vegan butter instead of dairy butter, and you've got dairy-free pumpkin blondies! Don't forget to use dairy-free chocolate chips too!

How to Make Pumpkin Blondies

These pumpkin blondies are super quick and easy to make! In a bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine melted butter, sugar, whole egg, egg yolk, pumpkin purée, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients, pecans, and chocolate chips, and stir until just combined.

If you are choosing to use gluten-free all-purpose flour blend instead of wheat flour, make sure to cover the bowl and let the batter sit for 30 minutes! We don't want gritty blondies! You can let your oven preheat while you let the batter rest.

Pour the batter into an 8-inch square pan that's been greased and lined with parchment paper, and bake it for 25-28 minutes in the oven. Stick a toothpick in the center to see if it comes out clean or with a couple of crumbs on it. Don't forget to let it cool before cutting into it!

More Pumpkin Recipes

• If you want another bar dessert, try my pumpkin cheesecake brownies or pumpkin bars! Both are moist, perfectly spiced, and easy to make.
• This gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe is tender and moist, and makes for a great snack paired with coffee or tea.
• Are you a fellow pumpkin pie lover? I have a recipe for dairy-free pumpkin pie and one for vegan pumpkin pie. Both will give you deliciously creamy but sliceable fillings paired with a crisp crust!
• If you want something savory, make this vegan pumpkin soup or these pumpkin sandwiches!