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.
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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!
More Blondie Recipes:
Caramel Pecan Blondies
Ingredients
For the blondies:
- 2 sticks (227 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups (400 grams) dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon molasses, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 cups (254 grams) all-purpose flour
For the caramel pecan filling:
- 25 soft caramel candies, unwrapped (200 grams)
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- 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.
Photos by Lauren J. Photography.
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 !!!