Pecan Pie Blondies

If you love pecan pie but enjoy the ease of a blondie, you’re going to love this new recipe from Out of the Box Baking!

The idea hit me while browsing new recipes on the web. Why not take my existing Ooey-Gooey Chocolate Chip Blondie recipe and add a pecan pie topping (similar to my Pecan Pie Bars).

Honestly? I wan’t sure it would work. Sometimes I merge recipes and things go south in a hurry.

Still, what did I have to lose? I happened to have the ingredients on hand and decided to give it a try. If this came together, I would have created something over-the-top!

Why do people love pecan pie?

If you live in the south you know that we love our pecan pie down here. It’s a gooey caramelly pie filled with brown sugar, maple syrup, and a zillion pecans. More, if possible.

Pecan pie is what we call comfort food. It hits the spot and brings back warm memories of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners spent with family and friends. It’s perfect for nearly any occasion.

I recently made some Pecan Pie Bars with a shortbread crust. They were luscious, but I wanted something more like a blondie this time.

What’s a Blondie?

A blondie is similar to a brownie but with a rich brown sugar base instead of cocoa powder. (Are you noticing a theme here? Brown sugar in the pecan pie. . .brown sugar in the blondies.)

We love our blondies in the south. (Ask my daughter, who fell in love with my Ooey-Gooey Chocolate Chip Blondie recipe a few months ago.) It’s a family favorite.

So, the idea of merging two southern favorites into one tempting dish? Yummy, right?

If this sounds appealing to you, you’re going to love this easy recipe!

Ingredients

Wondering what you’ll need for these luscious Pecan Pie Blondies? Just a few simple ingredients you’ll probably find in your pantry and refrigerator!

FOR THE BLONDIE:

This is basically the same list as my Ooey-Gooey Chocolate Chip Blondies, with a few tweaks.

• room temperature butter
• light brown sugar (or a combination of light and dark)
• large eggs
• pure vanilla extract
• all purpose flour
• baking powder (not pictured)
• quick oats
• chopped pecans
• chocolate chips

Note: If you use unsalted butter add a pinch of salt to the recipe.

FOR THE FILLING:

• light brown sugar, packed
• pure maple syrup
• heavy whipping cream
• room temperature butter
• pure vanilla extract
• pecans, chopped

Let’s Make These Pecan Pie Blondies!

These came together so quickly and easily!

To make the filling:

Start with your filling. In a medium saucepan merge the half cup butter, sugar, cream, and maple syrup. Simmer over low heat until the butter melts and everything comes together.

Now it’s time to stir in your pecans. Add vanilla and stir until will mixed.

Remove from heat and set aside to cool while you are making your blondie base.

To make the blondies:

Place your butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs into a large bowl and beat at medium speed until creamy. You can use a stand mixer with paddle attachment but I opted to use an electric mixer.

Add flour, oats, and baking powder. Mix until incorporated.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Now it’s time to put everything together!

Prepare your 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. You can place parchment paper in the bottom if you like but I opted not to.

Spread the blondie mix into the bottom of the dish making sure it’s an even layer.

Pour the (mostly cooled) filling on top and spread it evenly. (It will be wet, but don’t let that trouble you.)

Place in preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 30 – 35 minutes. I baked mine the full 35 minutes. Don’t take it any longer than that or the crunchy pecans will turn into burnt pecans!

Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before attempting to cut. Look at those crunch pecans on top, y’all!

Cut into bars (square or rectangle, your choice). You can make these as large or as small as you like. Because they are rich and gooey I decided not to make mine too big.

Store in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap. They should stay fresh for 3-4 days at room temperature.

What to Expect from these Pecan Pie Blondie Bars

I have to confess, I was nervous to open the oven. I checked on these at the 20-minute mark and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that they were coming together. In fact, they were already looking pretty good!

Then, after I pulled the baking dish from the oven after 35 minutes, I knew I had a winner. The pecan topping looked absolutely delicious and I could tell the blondies underneath were well cooked.

Like my Pecan Pie Bars, these pecan blondies are crisp on top. (I love the way pecans always seem to rise to the top.) They are gooey and sticky, crunchy and crisp. . .all at the same time, with a dense texture that somehow melts in your mouth. Truly, a winner!

This is one of those great recipes you’re going to turn to again and again! Even better than a traditional pecan pie, if I do say so, myself!

Speaking of the blondie portion, remember those chocolate chips we added? They give this dish the perfect blend of sweet and salty. Truly delicious!

This would be a great holiday recipe but it would also be perfect for any day of the week. It’s a terrific afternoon snack, too! (Ask me how I know!)

I loved the batch I made so much that I decided I’d better give them away so I drove them to my friend’s house, where she and her family enjoyed them with ice cream.

See this recipe at

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Variations on These Pecan Pie Blondies:

These are pretty luscious, just like they are. But I’ve been thinking of other ways to dress them out before taking them to the ball. Here are a few ideas that came to mind immediately:

• Caramel drizzle: I think these would be great with caramel drizzled on top of each square.
• Chocolate drizzle: This would be a different option, adding more creamy sweetness.
• White chocolate chips: If you prefer, you can use white chips instead of traditional.
• Coconut: Sounds crazy, maybe, but the addition of coconut in the pecan pie topping would make this taste more like German Chocolate Cake Bars. (Doesn’t that sound delicious?)
• Brown Butter Blondies: Turn these into brown butter blondies by browning your butter before adding the sugar, milk, etc.
• Muffins: Bakes these in a mini muffin pan!
• Cookie dough crust: Instead of the blondie bottom, use my Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe as a base. Yum!
• White sugar instead of brown: If you want a less sticky/caramelly outcome, use white sugar or mix half and half with the brown.

Speaking of chocolate, you could always use my Perfect Easy Brownies as a chocolate base with the Pecan Pie layer on top! (Yum!)

Other Bars and Sweet Treats from Out of the Box Baking:

If you love bars you’ll enjoy my Easy Cherry Almond Bars. They’re unique in flavor profile and texture, thanks to the addition of almonds.

Simple Pecan Pie Bars: Similar to this recipe but with a shortbread crust instead of the blondies.

Check out these Brown Butter Blondies from Back to my Southern Roots. Don’t they look yummy?

Thanks for stopping by, y’all! Let me leave you with a favorite verse before you go:

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.

Numbers 6:24-26

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.