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Thanksgiving Dessert

PUMPKIN BLONDIES

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Fall Flavors

Let’s just dive right in, shall we? Fall flavors are my favorite when it comes to desserts. Sure, I’ll gladly eat baked goods from any season, but Fall is where my heart is. And my latest obsession is this recipe for Pumpkin Blondies. With just ten ingredients, the hardest part of this recipe will be waiting for the butter to soften.

Mise en Place

Here we go.. Soften that butter!!! Set it out first thing in the morning so you know it will be ready when you get going on these pumpkin blondies. I know, we all have days where we forget to soften the butter in time. If that is the case, pull the butter out of the fridge first and then start setting up the rest of your ingredients. Preheat your oven. Pull your ingredients out of the fridge/pantry, grab your measuring cups and baking pan. Line your baking pan with parchment paper or sprtiz it with a light coating of non-stick spray. Measure everything out. Once you’ve got all this set, your butter may nearly be softened already.

Plate of pumpkin blondies and a small white pumpkin.

Ingredients & Equipment

Make sure you are using pumpkin puree for these pumpkin blondies. I know the canned pumpkin pie filling will be right there on the same shelf but that is not what you want. We are going to add the pumpkin spice ourselves so we don’t need the pre-spiced filling.

I prefer to use a stand mixer for this recipe because you can cream the butter and brown sugar without tiring your arm. Plus, as long as that butter is softened ahead of time, you can measure and mix your dry ingredients while the mixer works on that butter/brown sugar mixture. However, a hand mixer can absolutely do the job. Stand mixer or hand mixer… either way, make sure you cream those ingredients until it becomes a light, almost fluffy consistency.

Once you’ve got that butter/sugar mixture ready, you’ll mix in your eggs and vanilla. Then mix in the pumpkin puree – it will not fully combine at this point but get it equally distributed. Stir in your dry ingredients and then finally stir in the chocolate chips. Spread it out in your prepared baking pan and then sprinkle your flaked salt on (if you choose to use it). You are now 30 minutes away from you house smelling amazing and indulging in these delicious pumpkin blondies.

Pumpkin blondies with a white pumpkin in the background.

More Options

Before I give you this full pumpkin blondies recipe, I have to give a shout out to some of my other Fall desserts. Pumpkin Bars. Lemon Iced Ginger Cookies. Pumpkin Pecan Pie. Pumpkin Bread. Which one is my favorite? All of them. Now, without further ado… here is the full Pumpkin Blondies recipe.

Small white pumpkin next to a plate and cooling rack of pumpkin blondies.

Pumpkin Blondies

Sarah Baade
Pumpkin blondies with chocolate chips – the ultimate Fall treat.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 9 servings

Ingredients
  

  • ⅔ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon pumpkin spice
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅔ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • ⅓ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • ½ teaspoon flaked salt (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350℉ and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper or spritz pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Scrape sides of bowl as needed. When you think you have it fully combined, scrape the sides again and continue beating the mixture for a few more minutes.
  • Mix eggs and vanilla into butter/sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and add pumpkin puree. The puree will not fully combine but you want it evenly distributed.
  • Gradually stir in dry ingredients until just combined.
  • With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in chocolate chips.
  • Pour mixture into prepared pan. If using flaked salt, sprinkle over batter. Bake 30 minutes or until test toothpick come out almost clean.
Keyword Fall Desserts, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Bars, Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Spice

CRANBERRY ORANGE BREAD PUDDING WITH BOURBON SAUCE

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A hand holding several bright red cranberries.

Historically, cranberries have not been my thing at Thanksgiving. Am I alone in this? I doubt it. In my earlier childhood, I remember our family having the canned, gelatinous cranberry sauce on the table. The image still doesn’t settle well with me but also, the texture isn’t something I enjoy eating. As I got older, homemade cranberry sauce found its way to the Thanksgiving spread. Certainly more appetizing but still not my thing. I totally get the nostalgia of the canned stuff and I appreciate the effort in the homemade version. However, neither one gets served on my Thanksgiving table.

White casserole dish of bread pudding with cranberries next to a small black plate with a single slice of the bread pudding topped with bourbon sauce and a spoon resting next to it.

It might sound like I have something personal against cranberries but I don’t. I promise. In fact, I very much enjoy cranberries in other dishes. Sauce is the issue. Really, the texture of the sauce is the root of the problem. So, in a year when nostalgia is bringing more joy than ever, I’m making a cranberry dish but with my own twist. Bread pudding. Yes, friends, cranberry orange bread pudding with bourbon sauce to be exact. That cranberry flavor is there, its just in a different form. This bread pudding is absolute comfort food. It is rich and sweet but also a little bit tart from those cranberries. A beautiful balance of flavors. Serve it warm with a spoonful of the bourbon sauce and you’ll be in heaven.

A single serving of cranberry orange bread pudding with bourbon sauce served on a small black dish with a spoon resting next to it.
A single serving of cranberry orange bread pudding with bourbon sauce served on a small black dish with a spoon resting next to it.

Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding With Bourbon Sauce

This cranberry orange bread pudding is the perfect dish for a cozy holiday dessert.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Servings 9

Ingredients
  

Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding

  • 4-5 croissants cut into 1"pieces (this will end up being approximately 7 cups) Croissants that are 1-2days old are ideal for this recipe
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup frozen cranberries

Orange Burboun Sauce

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

For the bread pudding:

  • In a medium mixing bowl, soak croissant pieces in cream and milk for 10 minutes. Gently stir as needed to ensure all pieces become saturated.
  • Leaving any residual cream in the bowl, transfer croissants into an 8×8 baking dish. gently stir cranberries in with croissant pieces.
  • Beat sugar, orange zest, nutmeg, vanilla and salt in with cream. Pour mixture over croissants and cranberries.
  • Refrigerate for 30 minutes. While pudding chills, preheat oven to 350F.
  • Remove from refrigerator and bake for 50 minutes.

For the bourbon sauce:

  • In a medium saucepan, melt butter and sugar over medium heat.
  • Whisk in cream, bourbon, orange juice and salt. Continue to stir until mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
  • Serve sauce over bread pudding.
Keyword Bourbon Sauce, Bread Pudding, Cranberry Orange

Looking for more Thanksgiving dessert ideas?

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Orange Spiced Monkey Bread

Lemon Iced Ginger Cookies