October rolled around last year, and I was desperately trying to come up with something new for our neighborhood potluck. Emily kept asking for "something with pumpkin but not another pie," and honestly? I was stumped. That's when I remembered this amazing caramel pumpkin blondies recipe I'd bookmarked months earlier but never tried.
Best decision ever! These blondies turned out so incredibly soft and chewy, with that perfect pumpkin pie spice flavor we all go crazy for in the fall. Plus, the caramel chips throughout and that gorgeous drizzle on top? Pure heaven.
What I love most about this recipe is how it brings all those cozy autumn flavors together without being overly complicated. You get that rich pumpkin taste, warm spices, and sweet caramel all in one perfect bite. And trust me when I say these disappeared faster than I could cut them at that potluck! If you're looking for an easy pumpkin blondies recipe, this is absolutely it.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love These Pumpkin Blondies With Caramel
- Caramel Pumpkin Blondies Ingredients You'll Need
- How To Make The Best Pumpkin Blondies Recipe
- Storage & Reheating Your Pumpkin Spice Blondies
- Tips For Perfect Homemade Pumpkin Blondies
- Variations For Your Fall Pumpkin Treats
- Frequently Asked Questions About Caramel Pumpkin Blondies
- Recipes You May Like
- The Perfect Fall Dessert
- Caramel Pumpkin Blondies Recipe
Why You Will Love These Pumpkin Blondies With Caramel
- Super easy to make - No complicated steps or fancy equipment needed, just mix and bake
- Ready in under an hour - Perfect when you need a quick fall dessert
- Incredibly moist texture - Thanks to that full can of pumpkin puree
- Amazing flavor combination - Pumpkin pie spice meets sweet caramel in every bite
- Great for crowds - Makes 12 generous servings from one 9x13 pan
- Stores beautifully - Keeps fresh for days and even freezes well
- Kid-approved - Emily and her friends absolutely devour these
Caramel Pumpkin Blondies Ingredients You'll Need
For the blondies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar
- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- 9 oz caramel chips
For the topping:
- ¼ to ½ cup caramel sauce, dulce de leche, or caramel topping for drizzling
I always keep canned pumpkin puree in my pantry during fall season because it's so convenient and consistent. The caramel chips are what really make these special - they stay soft and gooey even after baking!
How To Make The Best Pumpkin Blondies Recipe
Getting Started
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking pan thoroughly. I like using butter and a light dusting of flour to prevent sticking.
- Start melting the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. When it's about halfway melted, add the brown sugar and mix well.
- Let the butter finish melting while stirring occasionally, then stir in the pumpkin puree. This step is crucial - give it a couple more minutes to cook while stirring often until the sugar melts completely and the mixture becomes smooth.
Making The Batter
- Transfer the pumpkin mixture into a large mixing bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes. This cooling step is really important because you don't want to scramble the egg when you add it!
- Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract once the mixture has cooled down. The batter should be smooth and well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients - whisk in flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt until everything is evenly combined. Don't overmix at this point.
Final Assembly
- Fold in the caramel chips using a spatula, making sure they're distributed throughout the batter.
- Spread the batter in your prepared baking dish, making sure it's spread evenly. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
Baking Your Caramel Pumpkin Bars
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Let cool for 10-15 minutes in the baking pan, then turn it over onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Remove from pan carefully by running a butter knife along the inside edges first. Tap the sides gently on the counter to loosen, then flip onto a wire rack.
- Add the caramel drizzle once completely cooled, then cut into squares and serve.
The smell while these are baking is absolutely incredible - it fills the whole house with those warm fall spices!
Storage & Reheating Your Pumpkin Spice Blondies
Counter storage: Keep these caramel pumpkin blondies in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature. Just don't add the caramel drizzle until you're ready to serve if storing this way.
Refrigerator storage: For longer storage or humid climates, keep them in the refrigerator for 5-7 days in an airtight container. Pop individual squares in the microwave for a few seconds to warm them up.
Freezer storage: Cool completely first, then cut into squares. Wrap each piece in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, label, and freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, just unwrap and let sit on the counter for about 30 minutes.
I actually think these taste even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to meld together!
Tips For Perfect Homemade Pumpkin Blondies
Don't skip the cooling step - This might seem obvious, but I learned this the hard way when I got impatient once and added the egg too early. The result? Lumpy, scrambled bits throughout my batter. Not cute!
Use room temperature ingredients when possible - This helps everything combine more smoothly and creates a better texture.
Don't overbake these beauties - They should still be slightly soft in the center when you take them out. They'll continue cooking from residual heat.
Try different mix-ins - While caramel chips are amazing, you could also use chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or even chopped pecans.
Make the caramel drizzle optional - Some people prefer them without the extra sweetness on top, and honestly? They're delicious either way.
Have you ever tried making blondies before? They're so much easier than brownies but just as satisfying!
Variations For Your Fall Pumpkin Treats
Want to switch things up? Here are some fun ways to customize your pumpkin blondies recipe:
Chocolate lovers: Add ½ cup mini chocolate chips along with the caramel chips Nutty version: Fold in ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Extra spicy: Double the pumpkin pie spice for a more intense flavor Cream cheese swirl: Drop spoonfuls of sweetened cream cheese on top before baking and swirl with a knife Maple version: Replace half the brown sugar with maple syrup and add maple extract
Frequently Asked Questions About Caramel Pumpkin Blondies
Yes, but make sure to cook and puree fresh pumpkin until smooth and drain excess moisture to match the consistency of canned puree.
Cooling prevents the hot mixture from scrambling the egg, which would create lumps and affect the texture of your blondies.
Absolutely! You can substitute with chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or omit them entirely for plain pumpkin blondies.
They're ready when the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached, usually after 30-35 minutes.
Recipes You May Like
- Pumpkin Spice Brownies - Another amazing fall chocolate treat with warm spices
- Pumpkin Custard Pie - Perfect if you want that classic pumpkin dessert flavor
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies - For when you need something sweet but not too much
The Perfect Fall Dessert
These caramel pumpkin blondies have become one of my go-to recipes for fall gatherings. They're foolproof, crowd-pleasing, and capture everything we love about autumn in one perfect square.
The combination of that soft, cake-like texture with bursts of caramel throughout is just magical. Plus, they look absolutely gorgeous with that caramel drizzle on top - perfect for your Instagram feed!
Whether you're bringing them to a potluck, making them for a cozy night in, or just wanting to fill your house with those amazing fall scents, this recipe won't let you down. Give them a try and let me know what you think in the comments below!
Don't forget to save this recipe to your Pinterest boards for easy access later - you'll definitely want to make these again and again.
Caramel Pumpkin Blondies Recipe
Equipment
- 9x13 baking pan
- Sauce pot
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1.5 cups brown sugar
- 15 oz pumpkin puree canned
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2.5 cups all purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon coarse salt
- 9 oz caramel chips
Topping
- 0.25-0.5 cup caramel sauce dulce de leche, or caramel topping to drizzle
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 baking pan.
- Start melting butter in the sauce pot over medium-low heat and when it's about half way melted, add brown sugar. Mix and let the butter finish melting. Once melted, stir in pumpkin puree. Give a couple more minutes to cook, stirring often, until sugar is melted and mixture is smooth.
- Transfer the pumpkin mixture into a mixing bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes so it doesn't scald the egg. Whisk in the egg and vanilla extract once cooled.
- Whisk in flour, baking soda, and spices until evenly combined.
- Fold in the caramel chips with a spatula and spread the batter in the prepared baking dish. Make sure the batter is spread evenly and tap the pan on the counter a few times to make sure.
- Bake blondies for about 30-35 minutes and take the pan out of the oven. Let the baked blondies cool for 10-15 minutes in the baking pan then, turn it over into a wire rack to cool completely.
- To take the blondies out of the baking pan, run a butter knife along the inside edges of the pan. Tap the sides of the baking pan gently on the counter to loosen the blondie in it. Cover the pan with a wire rack, hold them together, and flip. To turn the whole baked blondie back over on its bottom, cover it with another wire rack, hold them together and flip again. Then, take off the wire rack from the top and let the blondie cool.
- When cooled, drizzle with your preferred caramel topping and cut into squares.
Notes
Counter: You can store the blondies on the counter in an air-tight container for up to 2 days. If you plan to store them at room temperature, don't add caramel topping until you are ready to grab one. Simply add the caramel to each individual square as needed.
Refrigerator: To extend the shelf life (or if you live in a humid climate), store them in the refrigerator. Store the blondies in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator, for 5-7 days. You can easily warm up each individual square in a microwave for just a few seconds.
Freezing: Make sure to cool the blondies first to room temperature. Cut the cooled blondies into squares and then wrap each square in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Be gentle when you wrap but try to get them as air-tight as you can. Label and freeze for up to 2 months.
To thaw: simply take them out of the freezer, unwrap, and let it thaw on the counter for about 30 minutes.
