Pumpkin Blondies with White Chocolate Chips

Hi there! Well fall is in full glory in Connecticut. Our leaves are turning and the weather has been beautiful. We have been busy with visits to Vermont which I hope to share some recommendations and up to Boston. Last weekend I finally had a chance to catch my breath and do some decorating to celebrate the season. The wreath in the picture was a Christmas Tree Shop find which I added a bow with some Michael’s ribbon (on sale now!).

Fall wreath
Some fall cheer at the door

Other touches around the house include pumpkins, mums and some delightful Williams Sonoma fall soap for the powder room (I typically do not like pumpkin spiced scent so the cider option is wonderful). I also found myself in the kitchen making lentil soup and these amazing pumpkin blondies with white chocolate chips.

Pumpkin blondies with white chocolate chips are full of brown butter taste and the pumpkin flavor is not overpowering. You could easily make them with dark chocolate or milk chocolate chips too. I happened to have white chocolate chips on hand and loved how the white chocolate complements the pumpkin flavor. It took me a few tries to get the recipe just right. Needless to say this dessert was gobbled up! I may even try a teaspoon of ground ginger next time to add some depth (but they are delicious as in the recipe below).

Pumpkin Blondies with White Chocolate Chips

The taste of fall in an easy-to-make blondie full of brown-buttery, pumpkin spice flavors with creamy white chocolate chips. Delicious for game day or as dessert or snack anytime.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Bars
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Cost $4

Ingredients

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 ⅓ cup all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup good quality white chocolate chips

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper.
  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue to cook, stirring the pan until the butter becomes a golden brown color. Watch it carefully to make sure the bits on the bottom of the pan do not burn. Remove from heat and cool slightly. It will look like the image when it is ready.
    Browned butter
  • In a large bowl combine brown butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, and pumpkin. Stir until combined.
  • In a separate bowl, combine flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips. Batter will be on the wet side.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 25 to even 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out without raw batter on it. Oven temperatures can vary so watch carefully after 20 minutes.
  • Cool slightly before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

The Best Pumpkin Bread

Welcome to my very first blog post on Sunday’s Bread which also includes a recipe for pumpkin bread.

This blog will be my mini Martha Stewart (very mini) where I share odds and ends about my life in an effort to help others and connect too. So, I will be sharing recipes, budget tricks, organization tools, how to be budget-wise  in an excessive world, decorating and other tips.

Why Sunday’s Bread?

Why Sunday’s Bread? Well for the last month or so in an effort to be more budget-minded, I have been cooking more and more from scratch. I also meal plan every Saturday because, as a working mom, I must or I end up not having meals ready for my two teen age girls and us (my husband and me).

Baking on Sunday

I love to bake and as I took stock of our pantry and what is around (black bananas I am looking at you).  I started to become creative and have been baking a loaf of quick bread or muffins every Sunday for the upcoming week’s breakfast. This has also turned into a nice routine. The house smells delicious and I can’t help but think it must be nice as my girls do homework on Sunday afternoon and my husband is watching football or some other sport – it creates just the right atmosphere. I also find baking and creating very relaxing so it is a wonderful way to end the week.

Can you guess what I made the last two weeks given that it is fall? Not surprisingly I made some delicious, moist pumpkin bread.

Here is the recipe which I adapted from Once Upon A Chef. I try to limit gluten (although we are not allergic) and prefer coconut oil to butter. I also had pumpkin pie spice on hand so it was easier to use versus having to create my own. Enjoy (it is particularly delicious with a bit of nut butter on it which also adds some nice protein in the morning).

Pumpkin Bread Recipe:

Servings: Makes 2 loaves Prep Time: 20 Minutes.  Cook Time: 65 Minutes Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
  • 1 cup of gluten-free flour (I use Trader Joes brand)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 Tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice
  • 3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 15-oz can 100% pure pumpkin (I use either Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods organic but Libby’s would work too)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Generously grease two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans with butter and dust with flour.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until well combined; set aside.
  3. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the coconut oil and sugar on medium speed until just blended. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until very light and fluffy, a few minutes. Beat in the pumpkin. The mixture might look lumpy and even a bit curdled but it is supposed to look that way.
  4. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
  5. Turn the batter into the prepared pans, dividing evenly, and bake for 60 – 75 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. I usually check loaves at 55 minutes.
  6. Let the loaves cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.