Caramel Pecan Blondies feature an ultra chewy brown sugar blondie with a hidden layer of rich, gooey, and crunchy caramel pecan filling. Out of this world!
Yield:
9 large blondies
Prep Time:20minutes
Cook:45minutes
Tessa's Recipe Rundown...
Taste: Super rich and sweet! Almond like a cross between caramel fudge and blondies.
Texture: My favorite part. Chewy yet gooey, crunchy yet soft, everything you could want in a single bite!
Ease: Quite simple and easy. The hardest part is how long these thick bars take to bake and cool...
Pros: Fun twist on a blondie, and perfect for fall.
Cons: None!
Would I make this again? Absolutely.
Many of my most popular Instagram images feature the most ooey, gooey, and sinful treats I’ve managed to create.
You know the photos. Where you can basically see what taking a bite would feel like. That’s not easy to accomplish, but I think we’ve managed to do it here with these Caramel Pecan Blondies.
Can’t you just imagine yourself taking a bite out of one of these? The chewy blondies, the gooey caramel, and the crunchy pecans?
It’s a trifecta of textures that can’t be matched. Plus I just love that there’s a small fall twist on these blondies that makes them perfect now that the weather is cooling off.
Although I cut these into big squares in these photos, these blondies are ultra rich and definitely on the sweet side. If you’re serving a crowd cutting smaller pieces will absolutely suffice.
This recipe is actually super simple, too. The caramel in the middle is “short cut” caramel using melted down caramel squares from the store. I used the Kraft brand. I would also recommend using a metal pan to bake these, at they’ll cook much quicker. Glass or ceramic will cook much slower.
If you decide to give this recipe a try, be sure to snap a photo to share, tagging me and #handletheheat on Instagram!
Caramel Pecan Blondies feature an ultra chewy brown sugar blondie with a hidden layer of rich, gooey, and crunchy caramel pecan filling. Out of this world!
Ingredients
For the blondies:
2sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter, melted
2cups(400 grams) dark brown sugar
2large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1tablespoonmolasses, optional
1teaspoonvanilla
1/4teaspoonfine salt
2cups(254 grams) all-purpose flour
For the caramel pecan filling:
25soft caramel candies, unwrapped (200 grams)
3tablespoonsheavy cream
1cuppecans, chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8 by 8-inch pan with foil or parchment. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Don't skip this, the caramel filling gets sticky!
Make the blondies:
In a large bowl combine the butter and sugar with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, egg yolk, molasses, and vanilla and stir until combined. Stir in the salt and flour.
Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the top begins to set. Keep oven at 350°F.
Make the filling:
Meanwhile, combine the unwrapped candies with the cream in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between bursts, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Stir in the pecans.
Pour the caramel over the middle of the bottom baked blondie layer. Pour the remaining batter over the caramel layer is completely covered.
Return to the 350°F oven and bake for another 30 minutes, or until golden brown and set. Let cool completely before chopping into bars with a big sharp knife. Wipe the blade with hot water for cleaner slices.
Serve or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)
About Tessa...
I share trusted baking recipes your friends will LOVE alongside insights into the science of sweets. I'm a professionally trained chef, cookbook author, and cookie queen. I love to write about all things sweet, carb-y, and homemade. I live in Phoenix, Arizona (hence the blog name!)
I am not usually a Blondies person, but after this recipe I am now!!! I made these using Werther’s soft caramels (easier to open than kraft) and they were perfect. I brought them to work and EVERYONE was raving about them
Kiersten @ Handle the Heat
— August 30, 2022 at 1:03 pm
Hi Shannon! Yay, I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed these blondies so much! Tessa has a bunch more delicious blondie recipes on our site, so I hope you will continue to experiment 🙂 Happy baking!
As a baker, I should know better than to deviate from the recipe especially when other comments said not to do what I did. I made the mistake of using Tessa’s delicious homemade caramel sauce instead of using the caramel candy required in the recipe. The blondies just mushed into themselves. The baked part on the edges were delish. Will make again following recipe.
I understand the need to pour that homemade caramel sauce on literally everything haha, it’s amazing!! But you are correct, it’s too thin of a sauce to use with this blondie recipe. Excited for you to try them again 🙂
Hi, I am having trouble finding the soft caramels in the uk, can I use a thick caramel sauce? Or even soft toffee, really want to make these as they look delicious
I used weathers soft caramel and followed your recipe, it came out great, lovely and gooey and sweet and delicious
Looking forward to trying out more of your recipes
I made 2 batches of this. The 1st batch was made with Tessa’s caramel sauce and the caramel dissolved into the blondie. The 2nd batch was made with Kraft caramels and it didn’t dissolve into the blondie. Some reviewers said to let the 1st layer cool first but if you make it with Kraft caramels you don’t need to let it cool first. It’s best to make this recipe with Kraft caramels. In the 2nd batch, I also reduced the butter and dark brown sugar by 2 tbsp each and it was still delicious, gooey & yummy.
I made these and they were delicious! I made the 1st batch using Tessa’s homemade caramel sauce and it dissolved into the blondie. So I made a 2nd batch with the Kraft caramels and they didn’t dissolve. I noticed some reviewers say to let the 1st layer cool first but you don’t need to do that if you use Kraft caramels. With the 2nd batch I also reduced the butter and dark brown sugar by 2 tbsp each and they were still chewy, gooey & yummy.
Happy you loved these! Unfortunately, my homemade caramel sauce isn’t meant to be used in a recipe like this, as delicious as it is 🙂 It could definitely be used as a swirl in brownies though!
Very tasty. Definitely let the bottom layer cool completely before you add the next two layers. Also, use less of the caramels, maybe 20 instead of 25. The amount of caramel gets very loose even refrigerating the brownies and overtakes they taste of the brownie.
This is the first recipe of yours I’ve mad (I’ve been following for years but this one I knew was a MUST make!
I used a metal pan and it came out perfectly, I’m not sure why so many people are having issues with cooking as long as they read your notes! I ended up waiting a little bit when I incorporated the eggs because I had to run to the neighbors to get one and that made the butter sugar egg mixture much thicker which worked really well. If you rush to add the ingredients it may be too wet.
I subbed light brown sugar because it is what I had on hand and it was still just as good.
These were so good and I definitely could see myself making these in the future! I think tossing some flaky sea salt on top would also be SO good !
Thanks for the awesome recipe ! I cannot wait to make more!
I made these previously and the caramel layer melted into the bottom layer. I want to give them another shot. Should the first layer cool a little bit before I add the caramel layer? Thanks
the ingredients are yummy
but it did not get cooked in 45 minutes
it looked ready so i took it out to cool
a few hours later when i sliced it, only the bottom was done—top was like raw, warm batter with an outer crust
maybe it should be in a larger dish than 8 x 8…?
Made these once before with a glass pan since that’s all I had and they still came out delicious!! I ended up cooking the 2 layers separately. Then layering them that way. I’m making them again today in a metal pan. I’m excited to see how they will turn out. Thank you for the wonderful recipe
Not a big fan of how this turned out. The caramel just melted into the top layer. I was hoping the taste would make up for the looks of it but it doesn’t taste that great either. Kinda just tastes like butter and sugar with pecans.
Hi Tessa. I’m going to use store bought condensed milk style caramel for this.. do i still need to mix it with the cream or just use the caramel as it is?
thanks!
Oh my word!! I made these yesterday and they came out absolutely delicious! The short list of ingredients makes the recipe super easy to make and quick. Mine came out super chewy and soft. I used werthers soft caramels and they still came out very good! I highly recommend using the metal pan as it makes a huge difference and I lined it with parchment paper which made cutting them so easy. Love this recipe Tessa thank you!
Hey
I couldnt wait for your answer and made this blondies wirh homemade caramel and it was quite perfect .I just reduced the amount of sugar in the cake. I cut them into squares and I am wondering if i can freeze them too ?
I am totally delighted with these! Made a batch yesterday and was a bit sceptical because they just look so delicious in the photos, almost too good to be easily made 🙂 However they turned out perfect – gooey, rich, with crispy pecans.
Hi Tessa! Just wondering….should the first layer cool a bit before adding the caramel layer? I added the caramel immediately after taking the first layer out of the oven. Although mine taste great, everything kind of melted together. I used a metal pan and let them cool almost completely. They’re delicious, just not as pretty as yours.
I just made these blondies and they did not last long in my house!! My family raved how great they were and now they want another batch of blondies!! I followed your recipe and directions exactly and the blondies came out perfect. The caramel and pecan layer really take this blondie to another level of goodness!! This recipe went straight to my recipe book!!
I had similar issues as Allison, I used werthers soft caramels too and a glass baking pan.
I ended up just layering the caramel and pecans even though the bottom layer was not done cooking- it all melted together, I tried to put top layer over it but that melted together too. It did cook through in the 30 min and its cooling now, I cut a side piece and its all melted together but it’s not burned (because I didn’t cook bottom completely it was soft and mushy in center, set on edges) it is still good just not as pretty as pictured. I am going to try it again tho, I found Kraft caramel round baking pieces, maybe try those and a metal pan next time??
Made these today and they are so gooey that they were hard to cut and didn’t stay together. They were definitely cooked all the way so I am not sure what happened. I also made sure to wait till they were completely cooled.
Hi, Kristin! I’m sorry to hear that! I know a few other people have successfully made this recipe so I have a couple ideas of what could’ve gone wrong. Firstly, what kind of baking pan did you use?
Hi cant wait to make these can I use my canibus simple syrup in this recipe… it’s a lot thinner than molasses or even regular syrup but I want the cbd benefit…
Amazing trifecta! Thank you for sharing these! Nice combination of texture and flavor, good tip too about serving them in smaller sizes given how sweet they are!
Hello Tessa! These look delectable! Thanks for posting yet another yummy recipe 🙂 I’m in Australia and am finding it super hard to source “soft caramels” as the ones sold here are hard caramel candies! I’m wondering what is meant by a soft caramel? Is that a jersey caramel?
Thanks a mill! 🙂
They are little squares of caramel that come individually wrapped that you can bite into and have a soft yet chewy texture. They’re most commonly sold under the brand Kraft here in the U.S. I believe it’s similar to jersey caramel but I’m not certain how that would work in this recipe. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful!
My caramel layer completely dissolved into the blondie. You definitely need the first layer to be almost solid before the caramel goes on. Unfortunately, the bottom was also overcooked by the time the top was baked. Think an adjustment on temperature or the consistency of the caramel is in order. I used Werther’s caramels.
Oh no, Allison! I’ve never used Wether’s soft caramels before, I’ve only ever seen their hard ones! Curious about that. What kind of baking pan did you use?
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This recipe is amazing. So easy and comes together quickly…no mixer needed. The taste is smooth, buttery, and just sweet enough.
I am not usually a Blondies person, but after this recipe I am now!!! I made these using Werther’s soft caramels (easier to open than kraft) and they were perfect. I brought them to work and EVERYONE was raving about them
Hi Shannon! Yay, I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed these blondies so much! Tessa has a bunch more delicious blondie recipes on our site, so I hope you will continue to experiment 🙂 Happy baking!
Wow! So so delicious! I used bonne maman caramel and regular milk instead of cream because that’s what I had, and wow I’m obsessed! So so good!
So happy to hear that!
As a baker, I should know better than to deviate from the recipe especially when other comments said not to do what I did. I made the mistake of using Tessa’s delicious homemade caramel sauce instead of using the caramel candy required in the recipe. The blondies just mushed into themselves. The baked part on the edges were delish. Will make again following recipe.
I understand the need to pour that homemade caramel sauce on literally everything haha, it’s amazing!! But you are correct, it’s too thin of a sauce to use with this blondie recipe. Excited for you to try them again 🙂
Hi, I am having trouble finding the soft caramels in the uk, can I use a thick caramel sauce? Or even soft toffee, really want to make these as they look delicious
Sharon
I haven’t tried that, but you’re welcome to experiment with it! It definitely needs to be a thick caramel sauce. Good luck!
I used weathers soft caramel and followed your recipe, it came out great, lovely and gooey and sweet and delicious
Looking forward to trying out more of your recipes
I made 2 batches of this. The 1st batch was made with Tessa’s caramel sauce and the caramel dissolved into the blondie. The 2nd batch was made with Kraft caramels and it didn’t dissolve into the blondie. Some reviewers said to let the 1st layer cool first but if you make it with Kraft caramels you don’t need to let it cool first. It’s best to make this recipe with Kraft caramels. In the 2nd batch, I also reduced the butter and dark brown sugar by 2 tbsp each and it was still delicious, gooey & yummy.
Oops! I didn’t mean to review this 2x. I didn’t see my review yesterday so I thought it didn’t go through.
I made these and they were delicious! I made the 1st batch using Tessa’s homemade caramel sauce and it dissolved into the blondie. So I made a 2nd batch with the Kraft caramels and they didn’t dissolve. I noticed some reviewers say to let the 1st layer cool first but you don’t need to do that if you use Kraft caramels. With the 2nd batch I also reduced the butter and dark brown sugar by 2 tbsp each and they were still chewy, gooey & yummy.
Happy you loved these! Unfortunately, my homemade caramel sauce isn’t meant to be used in a recipe like this, as delicious as it is 🙂 It could definitely be used as a swirl in brownies though!
Very tasty. Definitely let the bottom layer cool completely before you add the next two layers. Also, use less of the caramels, maybe 20 instead of 25. The amount of caramel gets very loose even refrigerating the brownies and overtakes they taste of the brownie.
Such a great recipe, my whole family loved it and it’s so easy and quick to make!
Thank you, Tessa, your recipes never disappoint
This is the first recipe of yours I’ve mad (I’ve been following for years but this one I knew was a MUST make!
I used a metal pan and it came out perfectly, I’m not sure why so many people are having issues with cooking as long as they read your notes! I ended up waiting a little bit when I incorporated the eggs because I had to run to the neighbors to get one and that made the butter sugar egg mixture much thicker which worked really well. If you rush to add the ingredients it may be too wet.
I subbed light brown sugar because it is what I had on hand and it was still just as good.
These were so good and I definitely could see myself making these in the future! I think tossing some flaky sea salt on top would also be SO good !
Thanks for the awesome recipe ! I cannot wait to make more!
I made these previously and the caramel layer melted into the bottom layer. I want to give them another shot. Should the first layer cool a little bit before I add the caramel layer? Thanks
the ingredients are yummy
but it did not get cooked in 45 minutes
it looked ready so i took it out to cool
a few hours later when i sliced it, only the bottom was done—top was like raw, warm batter with an outer crust
maybe it should be in a larger dish than 8 x 8…?
Made these once before with a glass pan since that’s all I had and they still came out delicious!! I ended up cooking the 2 layers separately. Then layering them that way. I’m making them again today in a metal pan. I’m excited to see how they will turn out. Thank you for the wonderful recipe
I have never tried these but surely would like to have some.
Wow! This looks awesome. This filling is a great combination of tastes but what kind of soft caramel candies to use? Thank you in advance.
Not a big fan of how this turned out. The caramel just melted into the top layer. I was hoping the taste would make up for the looks of it but it doesn’t taste that great either. Kinda just tastes like butter and sugar with pecans.
Hi Tessa. I’m going to use store bought condensed milk style caramel for this.. do i still need to mix it with the cream or just use the caramel as it is?
thanks!
Hi Fran – I’ve only tested this recipe as written so I’m not sure that’ll work well.
What if I don’t have molasses? Can I substitute or just skip it? I have cane sugar (sort of powder)
Test comment from Sarah. This recipe was perfect!
Sarah’s question is how many brownies will be made? How could a quadruple the batch?
This is a test question from Sarah?? Do I receive an email?
Oh my word!! I made these yesterday and they came out absolutely delicious! The short list of ingredients makes the recipe super easy to make and quick. Mine came out super chewy and soft. I used werthers soft caramels and they still came out very good! I highly recommend using the metal pan as it makes a huge difference and I lined it with parchment paper which made cutting them so easy. Love this recipe Tessa thank you!
Hey
I couldnt wait for your answer and made this blondies wirh homemade caramel and it was quite perfect .I just reduced the amount of sugar in the cake. I cut them into squares and I am wondering if i can freeze them too ?
Hi Tessa
Can i use homemade caramel sauce or ready to use caramel sauce instead of candies ??
I am totally delighted with these! Made a batch yesterday and was a bit sceptical because they just look so delicious in the photos, almost too good to be easily made 🙂 However they turned out perfect – gooey, rich, with crispy pecans.
Can you add chocolate chips to the blondie portion? How would the rest of the recipe need to be modified to accommodate?
Hi Tessa! Just wondering….should the first layer cool a bit before adding the caramel layer? I added the caramel immediately after taking the first layer out of the oven. Although mine taste great, everything kind of melted together. I used a metal pan and let them cool almost completely. They’re delicious, just not as pretty as yours.
Quick silly question – you state to place unwrapped caramel with cream in Microwave- you don’t take off the wrappers?
Hi Tessa! I’m a new fan from the Philippines. Can i use cake flour in this blondies instead of all purpose? Thanks in advance!
I just made these blondies and they did not last long in my house!! My family raved how great they were and now they want another batch of blondies!! I followed your recipe and directions exactly and the blondies came out perfect. The caramel and pecan layer really take this blondie to another level of goodness!! This recipe went straight to my recipe book!!
The blondie batter came out really thick and hard to work with. is that normal?
Update I used a metal pan and the craft Caramel baking bits and success !!!
I had similar issues as Allison, I used werthers soft caramels too and a glass baking pan.
I ended up just layering the caramel and pecans even though the bottom layer was not done cooking- it all melted together, I tried to put top layer over it but that melted together too. It did cook through in the 30 min and its cooling now, I cut a side piece and its all melted together but it’s not burned (because I didn’t cook bottom completely it was soft and mushy in center, set on edges) it is still good just not as pretty as pictured. I am going to try it again tho, I found Kraft caramel round baking pieces, maybe try those and a metal pan next time??
Can I use caramel sauce?
This looks incredible! Yum!
Hello, I’ve two questions
can I skill the molasses !!
Can I use light brown sugar instead of dark?
Thank you
Made these today and they are so gooey that they were hard to cut and didn’t stay together. They were definitely cooked all the way so I am not sure what happened. I also made sure to wait till they were completely cooled.
Hi, Kristin! I’m sorry to hear that! I know a few other people have successfully made this recipe so I have a couple ideas of what could’ve gone wrong. Firstly, what kind of baking pan did you use?
Hi cant wait to make these can I use my canibus simple syrup in this recipe… it’s a lot thinner than molasses or even regular syrup but I want the cbd benefit…
Thanks for the great recipe.
In my country we do not have caramels.. Can I use home made caramel sauce instead? or homemade caramel candies?
Amazing trifecta! Thank you for sharing these! Nice combination of texture and flavor, good tip too about serving them in smaller sizes given how sweet they are!
These look delicious!
wondering if I can use homemade caramel sauce?
Thanks
The caramel layer needs to be quite thick, when it goes onto the first layer. Microwaving the syrup until it thickens up would help.
Cheers for the super helpful pointers! Will hunt down those caramel goodies Happy baking!
The picture of the caramel pecan blondies looks like there is chocolate in them and I don’t see cocoa listed in the ingredients and am confused.
No chocolate or cocoa!
Hello Tessa! These look delectable! Thanks for posting yet another yummy recipe 🙂 I’m in Australia and am finding it super hard to source “soft caramels” as the ones sold here are hard caramel candies! I’m wondering what is meant by a soft caramel? Is that a jersey caramel?
Thanks a mill! 🙂
They are little squares of caramel that come individually wrapped that you can bite into and have a soft yet chewy texture. They’re most commonly sold under the brand Kraft here in the U.S. I believe it’s similar to jersey caramel but I’m not certain how that would work in this recipe. Sorry I couldn’t be more helpful!
My caramel layer completely dissolved into the blondie. You definitely need the first layer to be almost solid before the caramel goes on. Unfortunately, the bottom was also overcooked by the time the top was baked. Think an adjustment on temperature or the consistency of the caramel is in order. I used Werther’s caramels.
Oh no, Allison! I’ve never used Wether’s soft caramels before, I’ve only ever seen their hard ones! Curious about that. What kind of baking pan did you use?