Maple Bourbon Pecan Blondies

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Maple Bourbon Pecan Blondies

These blondies are my favorite thanksgiving dessert. These decadent pecan pie like blondies are so easy to whip up and they taste incredible with such little effort! The brown butter blondies are hinted with bourbon, vanilla and ground pecans to create a delicious chewy delicious base. The blondies are then covered in a toasty, butterscotchy, pecan maple bourbon caramel situation, reminiscent of pecan pie filling! These are perfect to make ahead of time for your Thanksgiving gathering!

These are even better than pecan pie in my opinion and they are even easier to make than the original pecan pie.

Maple Pecan Butterscotch Blondies

Serving: Makes 9 square pieces or 18 triangle wedges in an 8x8 pan.

Ingredients:

For Pecan Blondie Base

  • 1/2 cup of unsalted butter (113 grams- 1 stick of butter)

  • 1/4 cup pecans halves (40 grams)

  • 1 cup of dark brown sugar (200 grams)

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon bourbon whiskey

  • 1 egg

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt

  • 1/2 cup of bread flour (60 grams)

  • 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour (60 grams)

For Maple Bourbon Pecan Topping

  • 1/4 cup of unsalted butter (57 grams- 1/2 stick)

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1 teaspoon bourbon whiskey

  • 2 tablespoons of maple syrup (40 grams)

  • 2 tablespoons of golden syrup* (40 grams)

  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (100 grams)

  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt

  • 1/4 cup of heavy cream (60 grams)

  • 1 1/2 cup of pecan halves (165 grams)

  • Flaky sea salt

Method:

Make the Pecan Blondie Base

  1. First make the brown butter: Place the butter in a light colored pot over medium heat and let it melt down until liquid. Once liquid, constantly stir the mixture and scrape the bottom and sides. Keep a watch on the butter for the next 5 to 8 minutes as it starts to sputter, bubble and become warm golden brown. There will be a lot of foam so in order to check on the color of the butter, pull the pan off the stovetop for a moment to let the foam subside. Once the whey of the butter has turned into a nice golden brown and releases a nutty aroma, turn the heat off and set the butter aside to cool.

    • 1/2 cup of unsalted butter (113 grams or 1 stick)

  2. Toast the pecan halves in a pan over medium low heat until nutty and fragrant. Let them cool and then grind them in a food processor until fine. Don’t overgrind or it will turn into nut butter. Set aside the ground pecans to the side.

    • 1/4 cup pecans halves (40 grams)

  3. Once the brown butter is cooled, add 1 cup of dark brown sugar and mix with butter until well incorporated.

    • 1 cup of dark brown sugar (200 grams)

  4. Add egg yolk, egg, vanilla extract and bourbon and stir till combined.

    • 1 egg

    • 1 egg yolk

    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    • 1 teaspoon bourbon whiskey

  5. Add all your dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix until no dry patches of flour are visible.

    • 1/4 teaspoon of salt

    • 1/2 cup of bread flour (60 grams)

    • 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour (60 grams)

    • 1/4 cup pecan halves ground (40 grams)

  6. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment overhang and press the blondie dough on the bottom of the pan. Make sure to spread the dough all the way to the edges so the maple pecan topping doesn’t leak through to the bottom.

  7. Set the blondie pan aside and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  8. While the oven preheats, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add all the Maple Bourbon Pecan Topping ingredients except the pecans.

    • 1/4 cup of unsalted butter (57 grams- 1/2 stick)

    • 1 teaspoon vanilla

    • 1 teaspoon bourbon whiskey

    • 2 tablespoons of maple syrup (40 grams)

    • 2 tablespoons of golden syrup* (40 grams)

    • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar (100 grams)

    • 1/2 teaspoon of salt

    • 1/4 cup of heavy cream (60 grams)

  9. Bring the bourbon maple pecan topping mixture to a boil and keep stirring for about two minutes or until everything is combined and slightly thick.

  10. Remove the pan off the heat and add the chopped pecans to the mixture until fully combined.

    • 1 1/2 cup of pecan halves (165 grams)

  11. Pour the maple pecan mixture evenly over the raw blondie base.

  12. Bake the blondies for about 25 minutes until the topping is thick and bubbling and is no longer runny.

  13. Once out of the oven, sprinkle a little flaky sea salt on top.

  14. Let the blondies cool to room temperature. Once cooled you can cut them or you can pop them in the freezer for super easy cutting.

  15. Serve them up and enjoy! Leftover blondies can last up to 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature.