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pumpkin caramel blondies
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Pumpkin Caramel Blondies

These blondies have a thick ribbon of caramel, flavored with dark chocolate and browned butter
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: caramel blondies, pumpkin blondies, pumpkin caramel blondies
Servings: 15 blondies
Calories: 360kcal
Cost: $40

Equipment

  • 1 9 inch square metal pan for baking
  • 1 stand mixer with beater attachment, or hand mixer
  • 1 small saucepan to make caramel and browned butter
  • parchment paper to line your pan

Ingredients

For the caramel

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 pinch of sea salt

For the pumpkin blondies

  • 1 cup browned butter room temperature
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp clove
  • ½ tsp allspice
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ cup pumpkin purée
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
  • sea salt for sprinkling

Instructions

Make the caramel

  • In a saucepan, add the sugar and heat over medium high heat. Stir occasionally and let it melt completely, about 4-5 minutes. It will look clumpy at first before it completely melts into liquid.
    1 cup granulated sugar
  • Remove the pan from the stove and immediately add the butter. It will bubble, but just stir until it is completely melted. Then stir in the heavy cream and the pinch of salt.
    5 tbsp unsalted butter, ¼ cup heavy cream, 1 pinch of sea salt
  • Once combined, move the caramel to a heat-safe container. Cover it and let it cool to room temperature. It will thicken a lot as it cools.

Make the pumpkin blondies

  • Make the browned butter. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the unsalted butter. Stir frequently and wait for the butter to bubble, foam and turn golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. It will smell nutty and sweet. Remove from the stovetop and pour the butter into a heat-proof bowl, making sure to scrape any brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Place in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to cool down to room temperature.
    1 cup browned butter
  • Once the butter is cooled, add it to a stand mixer along with the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat on medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Then add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat the mixture for about 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is thick, fluffy and paler in color.
    1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup browned butter
  • Add the spice and the pumpkin purée. Mix on medium until combined.
    1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp allspice, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ cup pumpkin purée, ½ tsp clove
  • Add in the flour, baking powder and salt. On low speed, mix the batter until just combined. Do not overwork it. Then add the chocolate chips and mix once more.
    2 cups all-purpose flour, ½ tsp baking powder, ½ tsp salt, ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
  • In a parchment-lined square pan, spoon half of the batter into the pan and use a spatula or your fingers to smooth it into one, even layer. Then add most of the caramel on top (reserve some if you want to drizzle the top of the bars). Smooth it out carefully to reach the edges. Then add the second half of the blondie batter and spread it out evenly.
  • Preheat the oven to 350℉. Place the pan in the fridge to chill for 15 minutes.
  • Bake the blondies in the center rack for about 30-35 minutes, until the edges are set and the center wiggles just a tiny bit. Sprinkle the blondies with sea salt and let the blondies cool completely. Drizzle the blondies with the remaining caramel and wait for that to set before slicing.
    sea salt