Pumpkin Blondies
Droppin’ something exciting & new on you if you’re struggling with a new (different) dessert to serve for Thanksgiving! Every year since Chris & I have hosted Thanksgiving, I want to try to incorporate something “new” onto our Thanksgiving table. Nothing crazy. Not going buck-wild….just something ELSE. One year we did Bourbon Whipped Sweet Potatoes. One year I did a Stuffed Rolled Turkey Breast with a Sage, Cranberry & Sausage Stuffing. This year we are doing a Spicy Brown Sugar Roasted Delicata Squash just for a different side!
doesn’t have to be traditional
I’m all about traditions for Thanksgiving, truly I am. But where’s the fun in KNOWING you’re gonna buy the same ingredients, plan the same menu & make the same shit year after year?? No fun & gets old after awhile, that’s what. Throwing 1 new item on your menu each year (that doesn’t have to be a repeat!) has zero harm in it. Shooooot, it might be a guest star that someone is dying to get the recipe for to feature on their table in the future! You never know! So don’t turn your nose up at my Pumpkin Blondies *wink*
OK so let’s have a little education…..Blondies are like Brownies…but Blonde. No chocolate. Got it? Good. Idk about y’all but I’m not exactly a chocolate lover. Chocolate makes me thirsty as shit. And I don’t like milk. I feel like George Costanza from Seinfeld “these pretzels…are makin’ me THIRSTY!” except its chocolate.
So anyway. Blondies. They are where its at. Ooey, Gooey, Chewy, Butterscotch chips & thick ribbons of CONDENSED MILK. Hell to the yea. If that doesn’t say Thanksgiving, I don’t know what will!
make it fall.
Adding canned pumpkin & pumpkin spice to these babies and you find yourself in the “fall desserts” territory – which nobody should be mad about. Pumpkin also tends to lose its luster after Halloween, which is a shame, because in my opinion, November is when pumpkin truly starts to shine!
My delectable Pumpkin Blondies would be welcome to grace ANY table at Thanksgiving – I pre-shared my recipe with a dear friend recently & she even went to lengths to add chocolate chips to one half of her batter to give it an extra boost of decadence if people are missing that chocolatey bite! But I swear to God, you better add that pumpkin.
Ingredients
· 1 stick salted butter, room temp
· 2 cups AP flour
· 2 eggs, room temp
· 1 TSP Baking Powder
· 2 cups Light Brown Sugar, packed
· ½ TSP salt
· 1 TBS Bourbon Vanilla Extract (regular is also fine)
· ¼ cup canned Pumpkin Puree
· 1 TBS Pumpkin Pie Spice
· 1 Cup Butterscotch Chips
· ½ cup Sweetened Condensed milk, fat-free
Instructions, 1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
It is easiest to use a mixer – hand or stand, I care not.
Cream together the butter & brown sugar on a medium speed.
Add in the eggs one at a time, on a low speed so your eggs don’t whip out on ya.
Pour in both the Pumpkin Puree & the Bourbon Vanilla Extract – beat together until everything is well incorporated & still looks wet.
No need to sift your flour – this shit is eeeeeasy!
But it would probably be helpful if you measured all the dry ingredients out in a separate bowl.
Next, turn your mixer on LOW and slowly add in heapfuls of your dry ingredients listed above – the flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice & baking powder.
Once the entirety of your dry ingredients has been emptied in, give the side of the bowl a good scrape & turn the speed up to medium to mix well – DO NOT OVERBEAT.
Now you are done with the hand or stand mixer – the last 2 ingredient steps will be mixed SEPARATELY & BY HAND.
Mix in the Butterscotch chips by hand with a strong spatula – this is so your mixer won’t break them up / you won’t have lumpy batter. ((plus this batter is about to get STICKY))
FINALLY – this is the crème de la crème.
Instructions, 2
Don’t freak – but EYEBALL IT – pour in half a can of Sweetened Condensed Milk.
I usually do 2 mini-pours so I can see when the can settles how much is left AND so I don’t overmix my batter – ribbons of this stuff swirled throughout your blondie is TO DIE FOR.
Give your batter one last scrape with your spatula & empty carefully into a greased 8x8 or 9x13 pan – the choice is seriously yours & you cant go wrong with what you choose.
If you like thicc-ass blondies then go for the 8x8.
If you are making this for a crowd (i.e. Thanksgiving) then I’d go with the 9x13.
***Just be aware that you baking time may need to be adjusted for the 8x8 pan since the batter won’t be as spread out***
Bake at 375 uncovered for 40-50 minutes. Every oven is different.
Ya know what’s NOT different? The toothpick check *wink*
These blondies will be decadent & gooey on their own because of the condensed milk – but you certainly don’t want them raw.
They will brown slightly on the top so don’t be scared if you see a little color set in.
Remove from the oven when the time is up or when your toothpick is clean.
Allow to cool IN THEIR SAME CONTAINER for at least an hour – this will help them set & no need to make an unnecessary mess trying to cut hot blondies. It just doesn’t work.
Cut into squares & enjoy!
These are absolutely delicious warm, cold, 2nd day (if they last that long) and with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream – PERFECTO.
Blondies from a Blondie
When I first started working my sales job (I sell industrial chemicals, didn’t ya know?) I would make cute little snacks to leave my customers. My blondies quickly became a favorite, but I wanted them to stay special! Brownies are for everyday – Blondies are for occasions. What occasion? Whatever you want it to be! Blondies are a dessert often forgotten about, but they are SO delightful with the bursts of butterscotch chips & that dreamy bite of condensed milk built right in – pure decadence. Plus add the pumpkin to make them seasonal?! Get outta here! This dessert is “easy” enough but will be sure to impress any guests at your Thanksgiving table if you’re looking for something a little outside the box other than pie to serve this year. Plus these Pumpkin Blondies will travel OH SO easily & set up OH SO prettily on a platter! Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
Thanks for stopping by!
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If you hated it, then same.
Have a great day & look for my next entry!
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