Brown Butter Pumpkin Blondies with Salted Caramel and Pepita Top
The fall blondie that ruins all others
Brown butter, pumpkin, and a caramel layer so smooth it could start its own fan club.
Time: 30 minutes active, 1 hour chill
Yield: One 9×13 pan (about 24 bars or 16 large ones)
Flavor vibe: Buttery pumpkin spice meets salted caramel
Texture: Chewy base, firm caramel, crunchy pepitas
Signature move: Par-baked blondie bonded with a firm, fudge-style caramel
These brown butter pumpkin blondies with salted caramel and pepita top are what happen when a chewy cookie bar meets a caramel candy and decides to dress up for fall. The base starts with deeply toasted butter, that golden, nutty flavor that makes everything taste richer. Pumpkin purée gives the crumb a plush texture and subtle spice warmth, and the whole thing gets sealed under a thick layer of firm, glossy caramel that sets cleanly when sliced. Toasted pepitas bring crunch and balance the sweetness with a whisper of salt.
This isn’t the kind of blondie that hides behind chocolate chips or frosting. It’s structural, rich, and flavor-forward, the kind of bar that actually slices like fudge but still eats like a dessert. Every layer plays a role: the browned butter amplifies aroma, the pumpkin keeps it soft days later, and the caramel binds everything together into one cohesive, dangerous-to-be-left-alone situation.
I built this brown butter pumpkin blondie recipe to solve a problem, most caramel bars either ooze or separate. The solution? A warm-on-warm pour so the layers bond while cooling, plus a condensed milk caramel that sets firm without white chocolate. It’s clean to cut, holds at room temp, and melts perfectly on your tongue.
If you’ve been burned by sticky caramel layers or greasy pumpkin bars, this one will restore your faith in blondies. It’s a chewy, salty, brown-buttered square of fall, and the only one you’ll need from now until peppermint season.
Value promise: A buttery, perfectly spiced bar that slices cleanly, stays chewy for days, and delivers both texture and depth in every bite.
“This is what happens when fall flavor grows up and gets serious about caramel.”
Ingredient Notes
Brown Butter
Start with unsalted butter and cook it until the milk solids turn deep golden. You’ll lose about 20% to evaporation, so weigh after browning to confirm 160g. That precision keeps texture consistent. If you’re a few grams short, top up with refined avocado oil, it maintains fat balance without dulling the flavor.
Pumpkin Purée
Use pure pumpkin, not pie filling. The drier the better, excess water leads to dense bars. If your purée seems loose, blot with paper towels for a minute before adding.
Sugars
Light brown sugar brings moisture and butterscotch undertones. Granulated sugar keeps the crumb chewy instead of cakey. That golden color and depth come from the Maillard reaction — the same science behind perfectly browned butter and caramelized milk solids.
Caramel
The caramel is cooked to 244–248°F. That higher temperature, plus sweetened condensed milk, gives you a fudge-like finish that’s firm but creamy. Skip white chocolate, it softens the structure and muddles flavor.
Pepitas
Raw, unsalted pepitas toast fast, 6–8 minutes is all you need. If you want, toss with additional salt while warm so it sticks evenly.
How To Make It
Brown the Butter
Toast it until it smells nutty and turns amber. Cooling it before mixing keeps the blondie batter glossy, not greasy.
Mix and Bake the Blondie
Whisk the browned butter with sugars, eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla, then fold in the spiced flour blend. Par-bake until just set — slightly underdone is key so it bonds with the caramel layer later.
Cook the Salted Caramel
Start with sugar, corn syrup, and water. Don’t stir once it’s bubbling; swirl instead. Once amber, whisk in warm cream and condensed milk. Cook to 118°C, then stir in butter, salt, and vanilla for gloss. Let it cool to a thick pour before layering.
Layer and Chill
Pour the caramel over the warm blondie, top with toasted pepitas, and press gently so they stick. Chill until firm, then slice with a hot knife for clean edges.
Why You'll Love This
Deep nutty brown butter flavor that makes pumpkin taste richer.
A chewy blondie texture that stays soft.
Firm, sliceable salted caramel that actually holds its shape.
Toasted pepitas for crunch and balance.
Perfect for make-ahead desserts or gifting, it slices clean and travels well.
Pro Tips and Fixes
- Caramel too soft? You likely stopped below 244°F. Cook a few degrees higher next time for a firm set.
- Caramel too hard? Slightly overcooked sugar or too little butter — add 10 g more butter next batch.
- Bars separating? Pour caramel while both layers are warm so they fuse.
- Storage: Keep refrigerated up to 5 days; let sit 15 minutes before serving for the ideal chew.
- Make-ahead: Both caramel and blondie base can be prepped a day early.
FAQs
Can I make brown butter pumpkin blondies without corn syrup?
Yes, you can substitute glucose or even honey in a pinch, but texture will be slightly softer. Corn syrup helps prevent crystallization and keeps the caramel glossy.
How do I know when my caramel has reached the right stage?
Use a thermometer, 244–248°F is your window. The bubbles will slow, and a drop in cold water should form a firm, bendable ball.
How should I store these blondies?
Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. For the best texture, let slices rest at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving.
More Recipes Like This
Pumpkin Cold Brew Ice Cream: Everything you love about your favorite seasonal coffee order, but churned into a rich, smooth ice cream. It’s bold with espresso and warm spice, mellowed by creamy vanilla, and laced with crisp chocolate shards that melt the second they hit your tongue.
S’mores Cake: This is campfire nostalgia done right! A toasted marshmallow frosting stacked over dark chocolate ganache and graham crumb sponge. It’s gooey, structured, and just the right level of ridiculous.
Equipment
- 13x9 baking pan
- Scale
Ingredients
Blondie base
- 200 g unsalted butter 160g completed browned butter
- 200 g light brown sugar
- 80 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- 250 g pumpkin puree
- 3/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 280 g all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
Salted caramel layer
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp light corn syrup
- 3 tbsp water
- 180 g heavy cream warmed
- 120 g sweetened condensed milk
- 90 g unsalted butter
- 3/4 tsp fine seas salt
- 3/4 tsp vanilla bean paste
Pepita top
- 120 g raw pepitas
- flakey salt for finishing
Instructions
Prep pan and seeds
- Heat oven to 350°F. Line a nine by thirteen inch metal pan with parchment with overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the parchment.
- Toast pepitas on a sheet pan for 6 to 8 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to color. Toss with a pinch of fine salt while warm. Cool completely.
Brown the butter
- Cook 200 g butter over medium heat, stirring, until the milk solids turn deep golden and it smells nutty. Immediately scrape into a bowl. Cool to warm and weigh to confirm 160 g. If short by a few grams, top up with refined avocado oil to reach 160 g.
Mix the blondie
- Whisk the browned butter with light brown sugar and granulated sugar until glossy and cohesive.
- Whisk in eggs and the extra yolk until thick and shiny.
- Whisk in pumpkin puree and vanilla paste until smooth.
- In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, cinnamon, and ginger.
- Fold the dry mixture into the wet with a spatula just until no dry pockets remain. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.
Par bake the base
- Bake 16 to 20 minutes until the edges are just set and the center is still soft. The base should be slightly underbaked so it bonds to the caramel. Cool on a rack 20 to 30 minutes until just warm to the touch.
Cook the firm salted caramel
- In a medium heavy saucepan combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir only to moisten, then cook over medium heat without stirring until the syrup turns a deep amber.
- Off heat carefully whisk in warm heavy cream then whisk in sweetened condensed milk. Return to medium low and cook, stirring often, to 118°C to 120°C 244°F to 248°F.
- Off heat whisk in butter, fine sea salt, and vanilla paste if using until glossy. Let the caramel cool to about 50°C 122°F or to a thick but pourable state so it does not soak into the blondie.
Layer and set
- Pour the warm caramel over the blondie base and spread level to the corners.
- Immediately scatter the toasted pepitas evenly over the surface and press lightly so they adhere.
- Cool at room temperature 30 minutes, then chill 60 to 90 minutes until the caramel is fully set and sliceable.
Finish and slice
- If you like, dust the top lightly with flaky salt. Lift out using the parchment and cut into clean bars with a hot knife, wiping between cuts.
Video
Notes
- Browned butter target: You want 160g browned butter in the batter. Browning 200g typically yields about 160 g. Always weigh after browning. If a little short, top up with refined avocado oil to reach 160g.
- Pumpkin moisture: If your puree seems loose, blot briefly with paper towels. Too much water can make the bars dense.
- Caramel set: The condensed milk plus the higher final temperature delivers a firm fudge style caramel that slices cleanly without white chocolate.
- Bond the layers: Par bake the blondie and pour the caramel while both are warm so they fuse and do not separate.
- Storage: Bars keep covered in the fridge for four to five days. For best texture, let slices stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
- Make ahead: The caramel can be cooked a day ahead. Rewarm gently to a thick pour before layering.
- Tiny health swap ideas: Replace ten to fifteen percent of the browned butter with refined avocado oil after you weigh the browned butter. Swap up to twenty percent of the flour for white whole wheat to add minerals without drying. If desired, reduce blondie granulated sugar by ten percent. Do not change the caramel sugar ratio or cook temp.
Nutrition
