Maple Pecan Blondies
Maple Pecan Blondies combine rich, nutty flavors with a hint of maple. They start with a brown butter cookie base full of toasty pecans that’s finished with a drizzle of maple glaze.
If you’re looking for a Thanksgiving dessert that isn’t quite as traditional as pie but still captures the essence of the season, then you’ve got to try these Maple Pecan Blondies. The soft and chewy blondie base starts with browned butter, adding an extra layer of rich nuttiness. Pecans scattered throughout add a delightful crunch and a drizzle of sweet maple glaze finishes these off. The combination of nutty, toasty, and sweet flavors meld together perfectly to capture the warmth and coziness of the season, all in a blondie!
Why You’ll Love These
- Quick and easy – done in under an hour
- The perfect blondie texture of soft and chewy
- Brown butter, maple flavoring, and toasty pecans add layers of flavor
- All the tastes of fall wrapped up in a blondie!
How to Make Brown Butter
- First, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Cut your butter into cubes to help it melt quicker, especially if it’s cold from the fridge.
- Once the butter is melted, grab a spatula and be prepared to keep an eye on it until it’s done. Stir frequently to keep any bits from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The butter will get foamy on top and start turning a golden color.
- The foam should start to subside – keep the heat on low so it doesn’t get too foamy as this will make it difficult to see if the butter is done. You’ll know that the butter is ready when it turns a deep golden color and dark brown bits (the milk solids) collect on the bottom of the pan. The butter will also give off a rich, nutty aroma.
- Once the butter is browned, immediately pour it into a heatproof dish (or your mixing bowl) to stop the cooking process and prevent the butter from browning any further.
Tips for Browning Butter
- Use a saucepan with a light-colored interior. The milk solids in the butter get toasted and settle to the bottom of the pan and these brown bits are what you’re looking for to let you know that the butter is “browned”. This can be very difficult to see when using a black or dark-colored pan. I’ve found that using a stainless saucepan or a ceramic saucepan like this with a light interior helps quite a bit to see the true color of the butter and the bits of toasted milk solids.
- Don’t walk away from the brown butter. Anytime you are browning butter, you want to keep a very close eye on it. Butter can go from browned to burnt quickly so don’t walk away from it. Once you see the toasted brown bits on the bottom of the pan and the butter has a nice nutty aroma, you’ll know the butter is ready.
- Remove from heat immediately. Once you’ve got the butter perfectly browned, remove it from the heat right away to stop it from cooking and browning any further. I also like to immediately pour the butter into a heat-safe bowl or container just to be sure the residual heat from the pan it was cooked in isn’t browning it any further.
Maple Pecan Blondies FAQs
What kind of maple flavoring should I use?
I like to use a natural maple flavoring for a pure maple taste. This gives a stronger flavor than maple syrup without adding extra sweetness but more of a real flavor than imitation extracts. My favorite maple flavoring is this one. If you find yourself using a lot of it this season (like me), I recommend this Maple Compound. It’s pricey and there is a lot of it but it’s worth it, in my opinion.
How should I store the blondies?
These are best stored at in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can I freeze these?
Yes! Blondies freeze amazingly well and these are no exception. Store in an airtight container or zip-top freezer bag, with parchment paper between the bars if you have more than one layer. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. To defrost the blondies, pull them out of the freezer the night before serving to allow them to come to room temperature.
More Blondie Recipes You’ll Love
- White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
- Oatmeal Butterscotch Blondies
- Oreo Funfetti Blondies
- S’mores Blondies
If you make this recipe and love it, be sure to leave a comment below. Happy baking!
Maple Pecan Blondies
Ingredients
For the Blondies
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple flavoring
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (100g) pecans, toasted and chopped
For the Maple Glaze
- ½ cup (56g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1 teaspoon maple flavoring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9” x 9” square pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper to create a sling, with an overhang on all four sides.
- Blondies: In a large pot, add the butter and melt over medium-low heat. Stirring constantly, brown the butter until it becomes foamy then turns a deep golden brown color. You’ll know it’s done when you see darker brown bits on the bottom and the butter has a nutty aroma.
- As soon as the butter is browned, remove from heat and pour into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the sugars and allow to cool slightly. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, and maple and whisk well, for about 30 seconds. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix with a spatula until only a few streaks of flour remain. Fold in the chopped pecans, reserving about 2 Tablespoons for the top.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly with an offset spatula.Bake for 23 – 25 minutes, or until the blondies are set and the top is golden brown.
- Maple Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and maple flavoring until combined. Add a splash more milk for a thinner consistency, if needed.
- Once the blondies are cool, cut them into squares, drizzle the glaze on top, sprinkle on the reserved pecan pieces and enjoy!
Notes
- Storing: Store blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Maple Flavoring: See FAQs in the above post for my preferred flavoring.
