I am fairly certain that every self-respecting food blogger (hm, still not my favorite word) must have at least one pumpkin pie spiced recipe in his/her arsenal in order to be taken seriously these days. But, to be honest, I’m not ride-or-die for pumpkin spice like (what feels like) the rest of North America. During the fall, I’m an equal opportunity appreciator of both pumpkin pie and apple pie influenced sweet treats. And to totally honest, by mid-October I usually feel a chronic case of pumpkin spice fatigue set in, where seemingly everything becomes pumpkin pie spiced just for the sake of it.

But all that changed when I finally put the finishing touches on this PS inspired recipe. These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies are thick, soft and chewy, perfectly spiced with those warming spices in pumpkin pie blends, and studded with chocolate. What’s not to love about that. And while I can’t say that I’m now a diehard fan of PS, I am, without any shred of doubt, an epic fan of these Pumpkin Blondies. Don’t be surprised if you see these gracing my oven come June. These will be wonderful any time of year.

These blondies are super easy to make and in just one bowl (take that dishes!) and have only good for you ingredients. I used chocolate chips and enjoy the ones made without common allergens and sweetened with cane sugar. But if you want to make this purely paleo feel free to use your favorite paleo-friendly chocolate bar chopped into chunks. I used all the same spices typically found in premixed pumpkin spice blends, but feel free to sub the spices for your favorite store-bought blend (see recipe notes for amount). Either way you go, these are sure to be epic crowd pleasers that will have you coming back for more. One final warning before you delve into pumpkin spice heaven, I suggest letting these rest for at least an hour before being sliced. This really helps the blondie set so it maintains its form. But if you can’t resist breaking into it before, I completely understand. No judgement here.

paleo (gluten/grain/dairy free), naturally sweetened

If you make this, I’d LOVE to see your creation! Please tag me on Instagram @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondies

This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Blondie is everything you want in a pumpkin blondie recipe. It’s thick and perfectly chewy, packed with 1 full cup of pumpkin, and studded with chocolate chips. This recipe is easy as can be, made in just one bowl (!) and out of the oven in under 25 minutes.

paleo (gluten/grain/dairy free), refined sugar free

freshlydafna.com

Ingredients

Wet Ingredients

1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
½ cup tahini
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

1 ½ cup almond flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp sea salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cardamom
¾ cup chocolate chips or chunks

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper or lightly grease with an oil or oil spray
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a medium bowl if mixing by hand), mix together the wet ingredients until everything is light and fluffy.
Add in the remaining dry ingredients (except the chocolate chips) and stir again until everything is just well incorporated.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and using a rubber spatula spread out into a smooth even layer. Top with additional chocolate chips/chunk if desired.
Bake for 24-25 minutes or until edges start to brown.
Remove from oven and let cool for at least an hour (I know, this will be hard) to let the blondie set completely. After it has cooled, remove from baking dish and slice.
Blondies will keep well in an airtight container for a few days.

Recipe Notes

If you prefer to use your pre-made pumpkin spice mix instead of adding the spices individually, use ½ tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice.

To make this completely paleo, chop up your favorite coconut or maple syrup sweetened chocolate bar and use those chunks instead of chips.

These will keep a few days at room temperature in a sealed container, after that, move to freezer.