Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Blondies: 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter; 1 cup (200 g) packed dark brown sugar; 6 tbsp (75 g) granulated sugar; 3/4 cup (180 g) well-blotted pumpkin purée; 1 large egg yolk; 2 tsp vanilla; 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp (12 g) cornstarch; 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp baking soda; 3/4 tsp fine sea salt; 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ginger; 1/4 tsp nutmeg; 1/8 tsp cloves.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened; 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar; 1 tsp vanilla; pinch salt; 1–2 tbsp heavy cream or milk.
- Optional: 2 tbsp toasted pepitas; pinch ground cinnamon for dusting.
Do This
- 1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch metal square pan with parchment, leaving overhang.
- 2. Brown butter: cook 3/4 cup (170 g) butter over medium heat, stirring, 5–7 minutes until amber and nutty; cool 10 minutes.
- 3. Blot 1 cup pumpkin purée between paper towels to 3/4 cup (180 g). Whisk dry ingredients together.
- 4. Stir brown sugar, granulated sugar, and warm brown butter until glossy. Mix in yolk and vanilla, then pumpkin. Fold in dry mix just to combine.
- 5. Spread batter in pan. Bake 24–28 minutes until set at edges and a tester has moist crumbs. Cool completely.
- 6. Beat frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Swirl over cooled blondies, garnish, chill 15 minutes, then slice.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Chewy, dense blondies balanced with cozy pumpkin spice and nutty brown butter.
- A silky cream cheese frosting swirled on top for tangy contrast and beautiful presentation.
- Uses canned pumpkin and a single bowl after browning the butter—weeknight easy.
- Stays moist for days and slices cleanly for parties, bake sales, or gifts.
Grocery List
- Produce: None (pumpkin purée is canned)
- Dairy: Unsalted butter; cream cheese (brick style); 1 large egg; heavy cream or milk.
- Pantry: Pumpkin purée (unsweetened); dark brown sugar; granulated sugar; all-purpose flour; cornstarch; baking powder; baking soda; fine sea salt; vanilla extract; ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves; optional pepitas.
Full Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Blondies
- 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 g) packed dark brown sugar
- 6 tbsp (75 g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup (180 g) pumpkin purée, well-blotted (unsweetened; see instructions)
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp (12 g) cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
For the Cream Cheese Frosting & Finish
- 4 oz (113 g) cream cheese, softened (brick-style, not whipped)
- 2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch fine sea salt
- 1–2 tbsp heavy cream or milk, to loosen
- Optional garnish: 2 tbsp toasted pepitas; pinch ground cinnamon for dusting
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep the pan and oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch metal square pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides to lift the blondies out after baking. Lightly grease the exposed sides of the pan.
Step 2: Brown the butter
Place 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom frequently, 5–7 minutes. The butter will foam, the milk solids will turn golden to amber, and it will smell nutty. Immediately scrape into a large mixing bowl, including the browned bits. Let cool until warm but not hot, about 10 minutes.
Step 3: Blot the pumpkin and mix dry ingredients
For the chewiest texture, remove excess moisture from the pumpkin. Spread 1 cup pumpkin purée onto a double layer of paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Top with more paper towels and press to wick away liquid until you have 3/4 cup (180 g) very thick purée.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
Step 4: Make the blondie batter
To the warm brown butter, add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Stir until glossy and the mixture looks like wet sand, 30–60 seconds. Whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla until smooth. Add the blotted pumpkin and whisk until fully combined. Add the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. The batter will be thick.
Step 5: Bake
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 24–28 minutes, until the edges are set, the center no longer looks wet, and a toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter). If using a glass pan, add 2–4 minutes.
Step 6: Cool completely
Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use the parchment sling to lift the slab from the pan and set on the rack to cool completely, 45–60 minutes. Frosting will melt if the blondies are warm, so don’t rush this step.
Step 7: Swirl the cream cheese frosting and slice
Beat the softened cream cheese and butter until creamy and lump-free, 1–2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt; beat until smooth. Add just enough cream (1–2 tbsp) to make a thick, spreadable frosting. Dollop frosting over the cooled blondies and use an offset spatula to swirl into soft ribbons. Sprinkle with toasted pepitas and a whisper of cinnamon if you like. Chill 15 minutes for cleaner cuts, then slice into 16 bars.
Pro Tips
- Blot the pumpkin thoroughly—excess water makes cakey bars. Measure 3/4 cup (180 g) after blotting.
- Weigh ingredients for accuracy. Small flour or sugar shifts can change texture.
- Don’t overbake. Pull when the center is just set with moist crumbs on a tester for maximum chew.
- Use a metal pan for even heat and better edges; glass tends to overcook the sides.
- Let the brown butter cool to warm so it doesn’t scramble the yolk or melt your sugars into a greasy mixture.
Variations
- Chocolate Chip–Pecan: Fold 3/4 cup total mix-ins (e.g., 1/2 cup semisweet chips + 1/4 cup chopped pecans) into the batter before baking.
- Maple Cream Cheese Swirl: Replace 1 tbsp of the cream in the frosting with pure maple syrup and add 1/4 tsp maple extract for deeper fall vibes.
- Baked-In Cream Cheese Ripple: Instead of frosting, beat 4 oz cream cheese with 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp beaten egg. Dollop over batter, swirl, then bake as directed. Skip frosting.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Frosted blondies keep, covered, in the refrigerator up to 5 days. For best texture, serve slightly chilled or at cool room temperature. Unfrosted blondies can be stored airtight at room temperature up to 3 days. To freeze, wrap individual bars (frosted or unfrosted) in parchment, then in a freezer bag for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate per bar (1 of 16): 270 calories; 14 g fat; 36 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 24 g sugars; 1 g fiber; 145 mg sodium.
