Pumpkin Blondies with Pecan Crumble Topping
Soft, buttery, and filled with fall flavor, these pumpkin blondies with pecan crumble topping are perfectly balanced between moist pumpkin and a crunchy, nutty crumble.
What Are Pumpkin Blondies
Pumpkin blondies are fudgy, chewy dessert bars made with pumpkin purée and warm spices, rather than cocoa. They’re a lighter, more fragrant version of a brownie; buttery, spiced, and perfectly balanced between tender and dense. Like brownies, you can customize them with nuts, chocolate, or a drizzle of my salted caramel sauce on top. And while the pecan crumble topping might remind you of a pumpkin coffee cake, these bars are anything but cakey; their soft, fudgy center is pure blondie perfection.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and chewy, these blondies stay moist for days.
- The crunchy pecan crumble is a nice contrast to the dense and fudgy center of this pumpkin spice blondie.
- Easy to make, no mixer needed.
- Freezer-friendly and perfect for make-ahead dessert trays.
My son first fell in love with the taste of pumpkin when I brought home some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies from our school bake sale. Now, to satisfy his pumpkin craving, I make a new pumpkin dessert for him every fall. This one (his favorite) combines the dense, brownie-like texture of blondies with the cozy warmth of pumpkin and autumn spices. He loved testing the different versions before we landed on this final recipe (what he refers to as “pumpkin crumble bars”).
Table of Contents
- What Are Pumpkin Blondies
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- How to Make Pumpkin Blondies
- Can I Use Homemade Pumpkin Purée Instead of Canned
- Substitutions & Variations
- What Makes These Blondies Chewy Instead of Cakey?
- Can I Make My Own Pumpkin Spice?
- Storage Info and Serving Note:
- Not All Canned Pumpkin is Equal
- ★ Expert Tips
- Pumpkin Blondies FAQs
- Delicious Starts Here
Ingredients
- Canned Pure Pumpkin: Use canned 100% pure pumpkin, not homemade pumpkin purée; I prefer Libby’s for their texture and deep orange color.
- White Chocolate: A bar of white chocolate will melt better than white chocolate chips.
- Egg Yolks: Create a tender texture without the extra moisture that a whole egg contains.
- Pumpkin Spice: A warming mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves that defines these pumpkin spice blondies.
- Unsalted Butter: This allows you to control the amount of sodium.
- Melted Butter, Brown Sugar, and Pecans: combine to create the crunchy pecan streusel topping for the blondies.
Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.
How to Make Pumpkin Blondies
1. Blot excess liquid from the pumpkin for thicker, less cakey pumpkin blondie brownies.
2. Stir flour, chopped pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter for the pecan crumble topping.
3. Whisk flour, pumpkin spice, and salt together in a bowl until evenly combined.
4. Microwave butter and white chocolate in 30-second bursts, stirring until melted and smooth.
5. Whisk sugar, egg yolks, and pumpkin into the cooled butter mixture until smooth.
6. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined; avoid overmixing.
7. Fold chopped white chocolate into the batter.
8. Spread the pumpkin blondie batter evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
9. Sprinkle the pecan streusel evenly over the batter before baking.
Can I Use Homemade Pumpkin Purée Instead of Canned
While homemade pumpkin purée is terrific in many recipes, it’s not ideal for these blondies. It naturally contains much more liquid than canned pumpkin, and that excess moisture can make the bars turn soft or cakey instead of chewy. If you do want to use it, make sure the purée is thick, not watery, by blotting it thoroughly with paper towels until it achieves a consistency similar to canned. Otherwise, I recommend saving your homemade pumpkin for soups, chili, or pasta sauces, where the extra moisture is a bonus, not a problem.
Substitutions & Variations
- Not a fan of white chocolate chunks? Make chocolate chip pumpkin blondies by swapping semi-sweet chocolate chips for them. You’ll want to keep the melted white chocolate and butter base; (it won’t make the blondies taste like white chocolate), but it does lend a balanced sweetness and helps maintain that clean pumpkin hue.
- Although I personally prefer pumpkin bars with pecans, you could substitute the pecans for walnuts or almonds.
- To make gluten free pumpkin bars, replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free blend. Since gluten-free flour tends to absorb more liquid, add a couple teaspoons of milk or water, or skip fully blotting the pumpkin so a little of that natural moisture remains in the batter.
What Makes These Blondies Chewy Instead of Cakey?
Blotting the pumpkin before mixing removes excess moisture, leaving you with that perfect dense, chewy texture. If there is excess moisture in the batter, this leads to a cakey texture. this is also why the recipe contains egg yolks and not a whole egg, b/c of the water content in an egg white.
Can I Make My Own Pumpkin Spice?
Making your own pumpkin spice is easy and requires only a few staples you probably already have in your pantry. To make 1/4 cup pumpkin spice you will need:
– 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon
– 2 teaspoons ground ginger
– 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
– 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves
– 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice (optional)
If you prefer a milder spice profile for desserts like blondies or cookies, use a little less ginger and cloves. For a stronger fall flavor (think pumpkin pie or muffins), keep the blend as-is or bump up the cinnamon slightly.
Storage Info and Serving Note:
Room Temperature: Store cut bars in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Wrap bars individually, place in a zippered freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Serving Note: To revive the crunchy topping of the pumpkin and pecan bars after they have been frozen, thaw them and then warm them in a preheated oven at 300°F, rather than microwaving. For an extra decadent treat, drizzle with my caramel sauce.
Not All Canned Pumpkin is Equal
Different types of canned pumpkin behave very differently in baking. Many organic or store-brand versions are looser and lighter in color, with a milder, more vegetal taste. Homemade pumpkin purée tends to be even wetter, which can make blondies or bars turn cakey if the extra moisture isn’t blotted out first.
When selecting canned pumpkin, it’s worth opting for a high-quality brand. I prefer Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin for its thick, dense texture. The company states that their proprietary pumpkin (a strain developed from the Dickinson variety) is what gives their purée its deep color, smooth consistency, and distinctive flavor. These subtle differences in texture and moisture can completely change your final bake, so it’s worth knowing which type of pumpkin you’re working with before you begin.
★ Expert Tips
Pumpkin contains a fair amount of liquid, which, if not properly blotted, can lead to cakey blondies. After blotting, the pumpkin should be thick enough to hold its shape on a spoon; it shouldn’t run or slump, and the texture should resemble frosting. In short, blotting the pumpkin and using egg yolks are the keys to perfectly chewy, not cakey, blondies..
Let the melted butter cool slightly before adding it to the egg and sugar mixture; otherwise, you’ll end up with bits of cooked egg in your batter.
Use a bar of white chocolate instead of chips; it will melt more evenly into the batter.
Pumpkin Blondies FAQs
If the crumble loses its crispness after refrigeration or freezing, warm the thawed blondies in a 300°F oven for several minutes until the topping regains its crunch.
Yes, these pumpkin blondies are a great make-ahead dessert. Once baked and fully cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the bars (well wrapped) for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw and warm them before serving to restore their chewy texture and crisp crumble.
Yes, this recipe fits perfectly in an 8×8-inch pan, but keep in mind that the blondies will be thicker and require a little extra baking time. You can also double the recipe for a 9×13-inch pan (extend the bake by about 5 to 10 minutes). Start checking for doneness once the edges turn golden and a toothpick comes out mostly clean, with only a few crumbs remaining.
Delicious Starts Here
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Pumpkin Blondies with Pecan Crumble Topping
Ingredients
Streusel topping:
- ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (57g) finely chopped pecans
- ¼ cup (53g) brown sugar
- ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, melted
Blondie Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅓ cups (325g) canned 100% pure pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling
- 6.35 ounce (180g) bar of white chocolate divided
- ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter
- 1 ¾ cups (347g) granulated sugar
- 2 egg yolks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring it is long enough to extend over the sides of the pan to act as pull handles.
Make the streusel:
- In a small bowl, combine ½ cup flour, chopped pecans, brown sugar, and melted butter. Stir until it starts to form clumps. Set aside.
Make the blondies:
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together 2 ½ cups flour, pumpkin spice, and salt. Set aside.
- Blot the pumpkin dry by spreading it on several layers of paper towel. Cover the pumpkin with additional paper towels and press out the excess liquid. You should end up with 2/3 cup of pumpkin; it will have a paste-like texture. Place the pumpkin into a small bowl and set it aside. This step is important as it keeps your blondies dense, not cakey.
- In a large heatproof bowl, melt 90g white chocolate and ¾ cup of butter in 30-second increments in the microwave, stirring after each increment, until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the granulated sugar, egg yolks, and pumpkin until the mixture is smooth.
- Stir in the flour mixture, being careful not to overmix the batter!
- Cut the remaining white chocolate into chunks and fold those into the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan, (the batter will be thick). Smooth the top before sprinkling with pecan streusel.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges are golden and the middle is set. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out wet, continue to bake for 5 minutes or more. Recheck with the toothpick until it comes out clean, leaving only a few crumbs.
- Leave the brownies in the pan and allow them to cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. (This quick chill helps them slice cleanly). Gently lift the blondies from the baking pan using the parchment paper 'handles' and cut into 16 squares.
Notes
Nutrition
If you loved these pumpkin blondies, you’ll love what’s coming next. 🍂
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The pumpkin makes these blondies so moist and dense – I love this once a year treat!