These Maple Pecan Blondies smell like Sunday morning in the autumn woods - brown butter, maple syrup, and toasted pecans. Brown butter gives that nutty, rich flavor, brown-sugar sweet, and loaded with toasted pecans that crackle like gossip over coffee - they're chewy, cozy, and dangerously easy to keep "testing." The maple syrup turns your kitchen into a fall wonderland, and the whole batch comes together faster than a small-town rumor. Go ahead, cut yourself a square… or four.
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🗝️ The trouble with these maple pecan blondies
They don't just smell good - they scent the whole kitchen. Brown butter whispers through the maple, pecans toast themselves into perfection, and before you know it, you're leaning over the pan like it's calling to you. Each bite is soft at first, then gives way to a caramelized chew that clings just long enough to make you want more.
You'll swear you're saving the rest for later, but we both know you're not.
🧾 What you'll need to make this decadent fall dessert
Nothing fancy here just the good stuff. Butter browned till it smells like heaven, real maple syrup, a heap of brown sugar, and enough pecans to make it crunchy where it counts. A sprinkle of smoked salt on top turns every bite into a little Southern vacation.
- All-purpose flour - the sturdy backbone that keeps all that gooey goodness together.
- Baking powder - gives the blondies just enough lift to stay soft instead of dense.
- Salt - because sweet things need a little sass.
- Butter - browned till nutty and aromatic; the smell alone could fix a bad day.
- Brown sugar - for that deep, caramel flavor that makes blondies, well… blondies.
- Maple syrup - the real stuff, darling; this is where the magic happens.
- Eggs - to bind it all together and add that luscious chew.
- Maple flavoring - optional, but one drop turns "pretty good" into oh my word.
- Vanilla extract - because it makes everything taste like home.
- Smoked flaked salt - adds a sultry little crunch and contrast on top.
- Pecans - toasted, buttery, and unapologetically Southern.
Free Kitchen Cheat Sheet!!! Got questions? Of course you do. Grab the free printable with all my best blondie secrets - baking tips, storage tricks, swaps, and the answers to everything you didn't know you needed to ask. It's like having me in your kitchen, minus the sass (well… most of it).
📖 Recipe
Maple Pecan Blondies with Smoked Salt
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- ¾ cup butter
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- 3 tablespoons real maple syrup
- ½ cup pecans, toasted and chopped
For Topping
- ½ cup pecans, toasted
- Pinch smoked flaky salt
Instructions
- Brown your butter until it smells like nutty caramel gold. Pour into a bowl and cool until liquid but not solid. (Think melted ice cream, not frozen brick.)
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8 pan. Don't skimp-you don't want blondie fossils stuck to your pan.
- Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder together. Park it off to the side like the boring kid in gym class.
- Beat the egg for about a minute, then add brown sugar and whip until fluffy-"Southern pageant hair in the 80s" fluffy.
- Stir in cooled brown butter, vanilla, maple extract, and maple syrup. Beat until creamy and smooth.
- Fold in the flour mix until just combined. Toss in ½ cup pecans like you're sneaking extra crunch into the batter.
- Spread into your pan, then sprinkle the rest of the pecans over the top.
- Bake 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- Now, here's the magic-finish with a pinch of flaked smoked salt. Not table salt. Not "I bought this at Dollar Tree" salt. Actual smoky flakes of awesome.
- Cool if you can. Or cut early, deal with gooey collapse, and brag about it anyway.
Notes
- Brown that butter. Don't rush it - those golden bits at the bottom are where all the flavor lives.
- Use real maple syrup. The fake stuff tastes like regret and broken promises.
- Toast your pecans. A few minutes in a dry skillet wakes up their flavor and adds that perfect crunch.
- Don't overbake. Blondies should be chewy, not crumbly - pull them out when the center still looks a little soft.
- Cool before cutting. I know, patience isn't fun, but warm blondies fall apart faster than a church committee.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
🔪 How to make this maple pecan blondies recipe
- Brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking until it smells nutty and golden bits form on the bottom. Need more instruction? Watch the video in the recipe card!
- Whisk in the wet ingredients - brown sugar, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and maple flavoring - until smooth and glossy.
- Stir in the dry ingredients and pecans just until combined; don't overmix or you'll lose that soft, chewy texture.
- Spread the batter into a prepared pan, sprinkle the top with more pecans and and bake until golden and set in the center. Sprinkle with smoked flaked salt and let cool.
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions
You know the drill - if you're wondering it, someone else probably is too. Here's everything you need to know to keep your blondies chewy, your butter brown (not burnt), and your kitchen smelling like you own the season. More questions? Be sure to download the free Kitchen Cheat Sheet above.
You can, but I'll know. Real maple syrup gives these blondies that deep, woodsy sweetness you just can't fake. Save the pancake syrup for the kids' frozen waffles.
It's all about the brown sugar and timing. Pull them out of the oven when the center still looks slightly underbaked - they'll finish setting as they cool.
Still not sure? Drop a comment below - I read them all, usually while pretending not to eat another blondie.
📚 More easy bar cookie recipes you'll want to "taste test"
If these maple pecan blondies have you feeling a little too powerful, just wait. My Apple Snickerdoodle Bars taste like cinnamon and nostalgia had a bake sale. The Caramel Graham Fudge Brownies are rich enough to make your therapist raise your fees. And the Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars? Well, they're Starbucks on Southern time - creamy frosting, tart cranberries, and pure holiday chaos in bar form.
If cozy autumn comfort had a flavor, this would be it - buttery, maple-rich, and a little salty that balances the sweet in the best way. These blondies don't ask for much, just a good cup of coffee and someone willing to admit they're not sharing. Bake a pan, keep the middle piece for yourself, and let the rest of the world sort itself out.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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