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Best Easy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Blondies with Brown Butter Icing

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These pumpkin snickerdoodle blondies are thick, chewy around the edges, and impossibly tender in the middle, with a signature snickerdoodle tang from cream of tartar and a brown butter icing that seeps into every crack. They taste like autumn in bar form and come together in about 35 minutes with no stand mixer needed.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 10 tablespoons (141g) unsalted butter (for blondies)
  • 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (120g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), patted dry
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for topping)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for topping)
  • 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter (for icing)
  • 1 cup (120g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons milk (whole milk preferred)
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for icing)
  • Pinch of salt (for icing)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on two opposite sides. Lightly spray parchment with nonstick spray.
  2. Brown the butter: Place 10 tablespoons unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until butter melts, foams, then crackles. When foam subsides and brown specks form at bottom, and butter smells nutty and turns golden amber, remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl. Let cool for 10-15 minutes.
  3. While butter cools, measure 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and spread on a plate lined with a paper towel. Place another paper towel on top and press gently to absorb excess moisture. Let sit.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together cooled brown butter, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until smooth. Add room temperature egg and whisk vigorously until thick and glossy, about 1 minute. Add pumpkin puree and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, whisk until smooth.
  5. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  6. Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. Batter will be thick and slightly sticky.
  7. In a small bowl, stir together 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon for topping.
  8. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over top. Do not press in.
  9. Bake for 22-26 minutes, until edges are golden brown and center looks set but still slightly soft. A toothpick inserted into center should come out with a few moist crumbs. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before icing.
  10. Make icing: In same saucepan, brown 3 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat, stirring constantly, until amber and nutty. Remove from heat, let cool 2 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt until smooth. Add remaining tablespoon milk if too thick. Drizzle over warm blondies, spreading with back of spoon if needed.
  11. Let blondies cool completely in pan before slicing. Use parchment handles to lift out and slice into 9 or 16 squares.

Notes

Brown butter is key – watch carefully as it goes from perfect to burnt in about 30 seconds. Patting pumpkin dry removes excess moisture and prevents gummy texture. Do not overmix batter. Let blondies cool completely before slicing for clean cuts. For cleaner slices, chill in fridge for 30 minutes before cutting. Flavors develop over time; day two is often better.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin snickerdoodle blondies, brown butter icing, fall dessert, pumpkin bars, snickerdoodle blondies, easy pumpkin dessert

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