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Soft and chewy with the perfect combination of maple syrup and nutty pecans, these maple pecan blondies taste like fall in every bite. They’re also incredibly easy to make (one bowl!) and a constant favorite with friends and family. Perfect for Thanksgiving!
I don’t think I’ve “tested” any of the other recipes on my blog nearly as much as I have this one. It wasn’t so much about getting the right texture or flavor…it was because of how much we enjoyed the flavor.
Somehow, I’d start melting butter and measuring out ingredients, and next thing we knew, we were nibbling into the coziest little bars.
We made them for ourselves, for friends and family, and to take to work. They seemed to be an ever-present constant and to be honest, I *just* baked them again yesterday for fun.
They’re one of those recipes that instantly turns into a classic for you, and just may become your new go-to. Like, you’ll be invited to parties and they’ll request that you bring those maple blondies again.
And you’ll be glad for it, because you know just how easy they are and it makes your heart happy to hear all the “oh my god” reactions when people taste them. Is there anything better?
Want more maple pecan flavor in your life? These Glazed Maple Pecan Scones are not-too-sweet and loaded with your favorite flavors. Or, make a batch of chewy brown butter Maple Pecan Cookies for an extra special holiday treat!
Ingredients
- Butter – I use unsalted butter that I buy in bulk from Azure Standard. If you use salted butter, just skip the added salt.
- White sugar
- Pure maple syrup – After making these bars for a while, I started playing with different syrups. We normally used the organic maple syrup from Costco, which works great, but then I splurged on a gallon of wood-fired maple syrup from a maker in Pennsylvania. Holy smokes! The flavor was incredible and I’m hooked.
- Egg
- Maple extract – This really amps up the maple flavor, and is worth the buy.
- Kosher salt
- Baking powder
- Flour
- Toasted pecans – I’ve played around with cutting the pecans into small pieces and leaving them halved. I’ve also added them directly to the batter, and I’ve sprinkled them on top before baking. I prefer a mixture of the two. Chop some and mix them into the blondies for little bits in every bite, and ALSO sprinkle some extra on top for even more crunch. Best of both options!
- Maple sugar (optional) – This is a pricey, specialty item, so I totally understand wanting to skip it. It adds a little extra crunch and more maple flavor on top, which I love. You can skip it, replace it with another sugar (like demerara), or go big and use real maple sugar.
How to Make Maple Pecan Blondies
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a 9×9 metal baking pan with parchment paper.
- Begin melting the butter in a small saucepan over medium low heat. While it’s melting, whisk together the sugar and maple syrup in a medium bowl.
- Add the melted butter and whisk well. Then, add the extract and egg. Combine.
- Add the dry ingredients (baking powder, salt, flour, and pecans) to the butter mixture and stir just until combined.
- Scrape the blondie batter into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle the top with maple sugar (if using) and reserved pecans.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the blondies are golden brown on the edges and set in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 10-15 minutes before lifting out of the pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, slice the bars into 9 pieces and enjoy!
Storing Suggestions
Once cooled, store leftover blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. They won’t last past day two; I promise.
Tips & Variations
Toast the pecans first. I like to toast my pecans in a large skillet or in the oven to bring out the fullness of their flavor. It’s worth spending a couple of extra minutes.
Garnish with maple sugar. After making this recipe many times, I eventually started sprinkling them with maple sugar over the top. This adds a little crunch and extra maple flavor, and makes them even better.
Sprinkle some candied maple pecans on top to really take them over the top!
Use browned butter. I compared using browned butter and regular melted butter and found that although browned butter adds more depth of flavor, the bars are delicious without this extra step.
If you do use browned butter, make sure you let it cool down a bit before adding it to the sugar and maple mixture.
Add a glaze. If you want to amp up the maple flavor, drizzle with the glaze from my Maple Pecan Scones.
For picture perfect bars, cool first. Listen, I know firsthand just how tempting it is to slice into the bars right away! They’ll still taste great, but they will look crumbly and a little messy.
If you’re looking for nice, crisp cut lines, let them cool to room temperature first.
More Blondie Recipes
I love whipping together a quick batch of blondies, and they’re great for entertaining! Explore all of my blondie recipes here.
- Brown Sugar Apple Blondies
- Lemon Blondies
- Cardamom Blondies
- Snickerdoodle Blondie Recipe
- Raspberry White Chocolate Blondies
If you made this recipe, please leave a comment or ask a question below! I’d love to hear what you think or troubleshoot any issues.
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One Bowl Maple Pecan Blondies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, (one stick), melted
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp maple extract
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped; reserve some to sprinkle on top
Optional garnishes
- 2 tsp maple sugar, optional
- 1/4 cup pecan halves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a 9×9 metal baking pan with parchment paper.
- Begin melting the butter. While it's melting, whisk together the sugar and maple syrup in a medium bowl.3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/3 cup maple syrup
- Add the melted butter and whisk well. Then, add the extract and egg. Combine.2 tsp maple extract, 1 egg
- Add the dry ingredients (baking powder, salt, flour, and pecans) and stir just until combined.1 cup flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 cup pecans
- Scrape into the baking pan and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle the top with maple sugar (if using) and extra pecans.2 tsp maple sugar, 1/4 cup pecan halves
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the blondies are golden brown on the edges and set in the middle.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 10-15 minutes before lifting out of the pan. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, slice the bars into 9 pieces and enjoy!
Nutrition
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🍂🍪 Want more cozy fall recipes?
My brand new recipe ebook, The Cozy Season Bakebook, has 20 seasonal bakes that taste like a love letter to fall!
You can expect all the most iconic fall flavors, like cinnamon apple, pumpkin spice, maple, pecans, and more.
It’s also intentionally low-tech and beginner-friendly, so anyone can bake along!
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These maple pecans Blondie’s look good. Can you use any other extract in the recipe? Thank you
Thank you so much! You can substitute vanilla extract or even almond extract to play up the nuttiness. 🙂