This recipe proves that pumpkin spice isn't just perfect for the holidays; these spiced carrot cake blondies can be enjoyed year-round! Roasted white chocolate, brown butter, toasted pecans, orange zest, and chopped dates are folded together with shredded carrots and lots of spice in this bar cookie. The texture has all the rich fudginess of a blondie with the sweet earthiness of carrot cake. These blondies are endlessly adaptable—feel free to substitute any nut or dried fruit you like (apricots and walnuts would be amazing, or even shredded coconut!). They have an amazing shelf life—the texture and flavor are even better the next day, so feel free to make them ahead!

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Ingredients

2 sticks / 8 oz butter
2 ¼ teaspoons Pumpkin Spice
1 ¼ cup light or dark brown sugar or 50/50 brown sugar/jaggery
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange zest (optional)
2 cups all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup carrot, shredded
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
4 oz / ¾ cup white chocolate bar, chopped and roasted (roasting optional)

Methods

Prepare a 9 x 13 baking pan (often called a brownie pan) by spraying it with pan spray and lining it with parchment paper—allow yourself a long enough piece of paper that it extends up and over the sides of the pan. You can fold down the excess parchment and use it later to help lift your blondies out. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
First, brown the butter. Melt the butter over medium heat in a small non-reactive pot, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula, until it turns the color of dark straw and begins to sputter. Lower the heat and continue to stir. In about 6 minutes, the butter solids will begin to look like golden brown specks, and you'll smell the brown butter's nutty sweetness. Add the Pumpkin Spice and stir vigorously to bloom the spices in the fat—this will smell incredible. Turn off the heat and pour the butter and spices into a separate bowl to cool, taking care to scrape all the brown butter bits out of the pot (they provide so much flavor!). Allow to cool to room temperature.
While the butter is cooling, you can roast your white chocolate, toast your pecans, shred your carrots, and chop your dates.
To roast the white chocolate, chop the bar into largish chunks. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and spread the chunks in an even layer. Bake for 8-12 minutes, checking frequently to stir the chocolate a little as it browns. It can move quite quickly, so once it begins to take on a pale golden color, watch it closely. Once it is a light brown, pull it from the oven and let cool completely before using.
Combine the all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside (you may need to sift your baking powder if it looks clumpy).
Combine the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, orange zest, vanilla, and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer (or feel free to use a handheld mixer). With the whisk attachment, mix on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and lightened. Fold in the dry ingredients by hand, followed by the carrots, pecan, dates, and roasted white chocolate. Stir until just combined. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer—it will be quite thick.
Bake for 28-30 minutes or until the edges of the blondies are a deep golden brown and have begun to separate from the sides of the pan, and the center springs back lightly when poked. Allow to cool completely before using your parchment sling to lift the blondies from the pan. Cut and enjoy! The blondies can be kept, well-wrapped, at room temperature for up to three days, or frozen for several months. The texture of the blondies will be more cake-like the first day, and begin to develop a more fudgy quality as they sit (which is just how I like them).

Bronwen's Spiced Carrot Cake Blondies

Recipe By: Bronwen Wyatt

Makes one 9x13 tray

Ingredients

2 sticks / 8 oz butter
2 ¼ teaspoons Pumpkin Spice
1 ¼ cup light or dark brown sugar or 50/50 brown sugar/jaggery
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange zest (optional)
2 cups all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup carrot, shredded
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
4 oz / ¾ cup white chocolate bar, chopped and roasted (roasting optional)

Methods

Prepare a 9 x 13 baking pan (often called a brownie pan) by spraying it with pan spray and lining it with parchment paper—allow yourself a long enough piece of paper that it extends up and over the sides of the pan. You can fold down the excess parchment and use it later to help lift your blondies out. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
First, brown the butter. Melt the butter over medium heat in a small non-reactive pot, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or a heatproof spatula, until it turns the color of dark straw and begins to sputter. Lower the heat and continue to stir. In about 6 minutes, the butter solids will begin to look like golden brown specks, and you'll smell the brown butter's nutty sweetness. Add the Pumpkin Spice and stir vigorously to bloom the spices in the fat—this will smell incredible. Turn off the heat and pour the butter and spices into a separate bowl to cool, taking care to scrape all the brown butter bits out of the pot (they provide so much flavor!). Allow to cool to room temperature.
While the butter is cooling, you can roast your white chocolate, toast your pecans, shred your carrots, and chop your dates.
To roast the white chocolate, chop the bar into largish chunks. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, and spread the chunks in an even layer. Bake for 8-12 minutes, checking frequently to stir the chocolate a little as it browns. It can move quite quickly, so once it begins to take on a pale golden color, watch it closely. Once it is a light brown, pull it from the oven and let cool completely before using.
Combine the all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl and set aside (you may need to sift your baking powder if it looks clumpy).
Combine the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, orange zest, vanilla, and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer (or feel free to use a handheld mixer). With the whisk attachment, mix on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and lightened. Fold in the dry ingredients by hand, followed by the carrots, pecan, dates, and roasted white chocolate. Stir until just combined. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer—it will be quite thick.
Bake for 28-30 minutes or until the edges of the blondies are a deep golden brown and have begun to separate from the sides of the pan, and the center springs back lightly when poked. Allow to cool completely before using your parchment sling to lift the blondies from the pan. Cut and enjoy! The blondies can be kept, well-wrapped, at room temperature for up to three days, or frozen for several months. The texture of the blondies will be more cake-like the first day, and begin to develop a more fudgy quality as they sit (which is just how I like them).