Thanksgiving Maple Pecan Blondies

Today I'm thrilled to share with you one of my favorite Thanksgiving desserts: Maple Pecan Blondies!

I'm not happy just because I'm going to reveal any recipe… I'm thrilled because I'm going to reveal my family recipe, which my mother has been making for over 20 years for Thanksgiving and sometimes for Christmas. I've been making this recipe for many years, and now, finally, I can share it with you, so you can enjoy it with your family just as I did, and nothing makes me happier!

During the step-by-step guide, you'll understand why this is the best Thanksgiving dessert you'll find, but I can give you a few clues right now… We don’t rely only on sugar, we use maple syrup, which gives it a deep fall flavor that feels festive and naturally ties into Thanksgiving. But that's not all…

Check out all the ingredients below and get ready to make the best maple pecan blondies of your life!

Ingredients for Maple Pecan Blondies

My mother always said, and rightly so, "I don't make a recipe based on a photo of the final result, but based on the ingredients." My mother is wise, because she doesn't just want to eat something beautiful, but something delicious! And that's what this recipe is based on, my mother's years of experience making delicious food, which makes this recipe very special.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g) - I also tried using cake flour, but the batter was too light and fluffy, and using whole wheat flour, but the batter had a very strange texture. All-purpose flour is definitely the best choice.
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (5 g) - It's essential to maintain the soft yet chewy texture. Just be careful not to use expired baking powder, it's happened to me before, and it ruined the recipe.
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, 1 ½ sticks (160 g) - Unsalted butter adds buttery richness, moisture, and flavor. I like using unsalted butter because it allows me to better control the flavor balance without risking making the pecan blondies salty.
• 1 cup packed brown sugar (180 g) - I use brown sugar because it's much better than "regular" white sugar. It adds a richer flavor, more suitable for the holidays, with a caramel-like flavor that everyone in my house loves!
• ½ cup pure maple syrup (160 g) - That's one of the great secrets of this recipe! It leaves an intense, seasonal flavor completely different from sugar! Plus, it keeps this Thanksgiving dessert moist and enhances the fall vibe.
• 2 large eggs - I prefer to use free-range eggs. My neighbor has a small farm with a few chickens and sells me free-range eggs when I need them. They're bigger than the ones from the supermarket, more colorful, and tastier!
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10 ml) - It's excellent for adding that warm flavor everyone loves to Thanksgiving desserts. If you like, you can also use vanilla paste for an even more intense flavor.
• 1 ½ cups toasted pecans, chopped (180 g, reserve some for topping) - We can't leave out the pecans! They add that crunchy texture to the dessert and, on top of that, add that classic flavor that reminds us it's Thanksgiving or Christmas time. If you love pecans, you'll love this gluten-free pecan pie recipe that we make especially for Jorge's cousin.

How to Make These Thanksgiving Maple Pecan Blondies

First things first, start by preheating your oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

Since it'll only take 10 minutes to make these easy Maple Pecan Blondies, that's how long it takes the oven to preheat. Furthermore (I sometimes forget to mention this!), preheating the oven will also ensure that the blondies bake evenly, so it's not just a matter of saving time.

Line an 20x20 cm baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal.

Shall we get the bowls? In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. It's essential to mix the dry ingredients first, because this will prevent clumps in the blondies and also help the baking powder to be evenly distributed throughout the batter. You're always learning from me, aren't you? Actually, my mom taught me this. It's a golden tip!

In a small saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the butter melts and the mixture becomes smooth (about 5-6 minutes), remove from heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes.

Whisk the eggs and vanilla into the slightly cooled syrup mixture until smooth and well combined, as in the image below on the right side.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until just combined and fold in most of the chopped pecans, saving a handful for topping.

It's important not to be lazy here! You need to use a spatula, because if you use an electric mixer, the dough won't be airy, and you'll break all the pecans during the process.

Now comes the best part! Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining pecans on top. If you really like pecans, you can go a little overboard and add a lot to the top of the dough.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden.

Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then lift the bars out using the parchment paper and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into squares and serve!

It's so simple, it almost seems unreal! The end result is beautiful, delicious, chewy, and Thanksgiving-tasting Maple Pecan Blondies.

Mistakes I Make You Should Avoid

Jorge started including this section in her recipes, and readers have loved it, so I decided to add it too. Basically, it's a very useful section because I'll reveal some mistakes I made that you should avoid to ensure the recipe turns out well. I had my mother teach me how to make the recipe, so I'll use her tips to help you too.

• I didn't use parchment paper - It's simple, I know, but at first I didn't use it out of laziness… But when I went to take them out of the pan, they all fell apart, broke, and looked terrible. So, it costs nothing and makes a difference!
• I used raw pecans - I thought that since they were more natural, they would have more flavor, but I was wrong. Raw pecans have less flavor and the texture is very soft, and they simply didn't suit the recipe.
• I used expired baking powder - One bottle of baking powder lasts me dozens or even hundreds of recipes, so it's very easy to let it spoil. I made the mistake of using baking powder that had been open for a few weeks in my avocado banana pancakes, and the result was disastrous.

These were some of the mistakes I made. Since I learned the recipe from my mom, I avoided many of the common mistakes, so I was lucky to have her as my teacher!

How to Store and Make-Ahead? It's Easy!

It's pretty common at our house to have lots of leftover desserts at Thanksgiving. We want to make dozens of different desserts and then simply can't eat them all. And that's okay. We can always save the leftovers!

• I've stored these Maple Pecan Bondies simply on the kitchen counter, at room temperature, and they stayed delicious and with good texture for 4 days.
• If you store them in the refrigerator, they last a bit longer; the longest I tried was 7 days. They were actually still very good and not dry.
• If you want to freeze it, you can too. Freeze this delicious dessert in a suitable, sealed container; it will stay fresh for up to 2 months (you can even reuse it for Christmas!). When you want to eat it, you just need to let it thaw at room temperature for 1 hour.
• You'll love this easy make-ahead tip! If you don't want to make this dessert on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day, you can make it the day before. Make the dough, bake it, and let it sit at room temperature until the next day. Want to know the best part? It'll taste even better!

There's no reason to waste this delicious and simple Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert! You can always save it for later.

I truly hope you loved my recipe! I made and published it with so much love, care, and dedication so you can make it and share it with your family on these special occasions.

If you're still looking for more ideas to fill your Christmas or Thanksgiving table, you can also check out this Peanut Butter Balls recipe (only 4 ingredients) and this Bonbon Cookies with Ferrero Rocher recipe.

If you have any questions or suggestions, leave a comment and rate my recipe!