As the leaves begin to change color and the air crisps with the promise of cooler days, my thoughts naturally turn to cozy nights in, warm blankets, and, of course, delicious fall treats. And what could be more autumny than a decadent dessert that combines the rich flavors of pumpkin and chocolate?
This is where these small-batch pumpkin brownie blondies come in. They’re the perfect solution for those times when you want a sweet treat but don’t want to be tempted by a whole pan of brownies or cookies. Plus, they’re incredibly easy to make, so you can whip them up in no time.
A Whole Foods Inspiration:
My love affair with these blondies began, as many delicious food discoveries do, at Whole Foods. Austen and I were on our usual grocery shopping adventure, and as always, we found ourselves drawn to the bakery section. It’s like a treasure trove of sweet surprises, and this time, the prize was a display of these beautiful pumpkin brownie blondies.
They were everything you could want in a fall dessert: rustic and casual, yet undeniably tempting. The blondie base was soft and chewy, and the brownie crumble on top added a layer of rich, fudgy goodness. And of course, the pumpkin flavor was perfectly balanced with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
Needless to say, we couldn’t resist trying them. In fact, we may have indulged in a few extra servings…one for Daddy, who, despite his recent health kick, couldn’t resist a bite (and who am I to deny him a little treat?).
Recreating the Magic at Home:
They were so incredibly delicious that I knew I had to try recreating them at home. And let me tell you, it wasn’t easy! I experimented with different ratios of blondie batter to brownie crumble, adjusted the spice blend, and even tried adding different types of chocolate chips.
Finally, after a few attempts, I nailed it! My homemade blondies were just as good as the ones from Whole Foods, maybe even better. Austen gave them her seal of approval, although she did notice that mine were a bit more pumpkin-y. Apparently, I forgot to add the pumpkin pie spice in my first batch! So, a word to the wise: don’t skip the pumpkin pie spice unless you really want that pumpkin flavor to shine through.
The Perfect Fall Treat:
These small-batch pumpkin brownie blondies are the perfect way to celebrate fall. They’re easy to make, delicious to eat, and sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Plus, they’re small enough to share (or not!), so you can enjoy them with your family and friends.
So what are you waiting for? Give these blondies a try and experience a taste of fall baking bliss!
Mini-batch Pumpkin Brownie Blondies
Equipment
- (Mini) muffin pan or small baking pan
Ingredients
Pumpkin blondie layer
- 2 tbsp (plant) butter, melted (28 g) sub nut/seed butter or coconut oil
- 3 tbsp sugar (36 g) brown/coconut works best
- 4 tsp pumpkin puree (20 g) sub mashed banana or applesauce
- drop of vanilla, pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice and a dash of cinnamon as well if you like
- 1/4 cup flour (30 g) gf all purpose if desired
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
Brownie layer
- 1-2 tsp cocoa powder adjust this depending on batter thickness
- 1 tbsp chocolate chips (14 g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a mini muffin pan with liners (or small baking pan with parchment – I'll link to the pans I use in the recipe notes).
- In a bowl add your butter and microwave 30 sec to melt, let it cool a minute.
- Add sugar, drop of vanilla, pinch of salt and whisk (or fork) until blended smooth. Stir in pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.
- Add flour and baking powder and stir to combine. If your batter ends up being too thick (it should be spreadable) add a tsp more pumpkin puree or water/milk.
- Pour half the batter into the pan (or muffin cavities), set aside.
- Stir in cocoa powder to the rest (1 tsp at a time, stopping if your batter gets too thick) and stir until no clumps remain. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Spread and swirl this batter on top of the pumpkin blondie layer. It's ok if it's in chunks, they will spread.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes for mini muffins and a few more minutes for a small baking pan.
- Let this cool completely. For the most chewy blondies refrigerate a few hours, ideally overnight. Enjoy!
Notes
- I made half the recipe in the instruction images for testing, full disclosure 🙂
- If using a bar pan, here are the 3.75 x 5 inch pans I like to use for my mini-batch bar recipes. You can use any small pan and slice differently, or use muffin tins and make single-serving cups.