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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies Recipe

I make a batch of these pumpkin chocolate chip blondies every single October, and honestly, I don't think fall dessert season is official until they come out of my oven. I fell in love with the combo of nutty brown butter, warm pumpkin spice, and pools of melty chocolate the very first time I tried it, and I've been tweaking my own version ever since.
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Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted brown butter room temperature – the star of the show, this gives a toasty, nutty flavor you can't get from plain butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar – adds moisture and that deep caramel note blondies are known for
  • ½ cup granulated sugar – balances the sweetness and helps crisp up the edges
  • 1 large egg room temperature – room temp eggs blend in smoother and give a better rise
  • ¼ cup pumpkin puree – use plain pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling, or the batter turns too wet and sweet
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract – rounds out the spice and chocolate flavors
  • 2 cups all purpose flour – spoon and level it instead of scooping so you don't pack in extra flour
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice – this is what makes it taste like true fall in every bite
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder – gives just enough lift without making these cakey
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt – balances the sweetness and makes the chocolate pop
  • 1 ½ cups chocolate chips – dark chocolate chips pair especially well with the pumpkin and brown butter
  • Flaky sea salt for topping – completely optional, but it makes the finished blondies taste bakery-level

Method
 

  1. Before anything else, melt your butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Watch for little brown flecks to form and a nutty smell to fill your kitchen, then pull it off the heat immediately. Pour it into a bowl and let it cool in the fridge for about 20 minutes until it's soft again.
  2. Using your mixer, beat the cooled brown butter with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture looks smooth and creamy. This step builds air into the batter, which helps give the blondies their slightly crisp top once baked. Don't rush this part.
  3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract for a full 3-5 minutes until the mixture turns noticeably paler and fluffier. Then mix in the pumpkin puree until fully combined. This is where the batter starts smelling like actual pumpkin dessert.
  4. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt directly into the bowl. Mix just until everything disappears into the batter, since overmixing here can make the blondies tough instead of tender. The dough should look thick, wet, and a little sticky.
  5. Switch to a spatula and gently fold in the chocolate chips by hand. This keeps you from overworking the batter while still evenly distributing every chip. Save a small handful to press on top for looks later.
  6. Line your 9x9 pan with a parchment sling, spray it lightly, and press the batter into an even layer using damp fingertips. Press a few extra chocolate chips on top if you want that picture-perfect finish. It doesn't need to be flawless, just even.
  7. Place the whole pan in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before baking. This little chill firms up the fat in the batter and helps the blondies bake up thicker instead of spreading thin. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350°F.
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top turns golden and a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. Let the pan cool completely before lifting the blondies out with the parchment. Slice into squares and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Notes

  • I always use room temperature eggs and butter so the batter comes together smoother and bakes more evenly.
  • I never skip the chilling step, since it's the difference between thick, chewy squares and flat, greasy ones.
  • I like to underbake mine by a minute or two because they keep cooking in the hot pan after I pull them out.
  • I weigh my flour on a kitchen scale whenever I can, since it's the most accurate way to avoid dry blondies.
  • I press extra chocolate chips into the top right before baking so every slice looks bakery-worthy.