Vegan Pumpkin Blondies

These Vegan Pumpkin Blondies are comfort food at their very finest. Pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans all combine to make the perfect blend of flavors that leave you wanting bite after bite. And my theory is, if you’re going to indulge in comfort food there’s nothing better than vegan comfort food!

Two slices of vegan pumpkin blondies sit in front of a jar of cinnamon spice.

Don’t you just hate it when you walk in the store in August and they’re already hawkin’ the Halloween candy? The heat is still melting the make-up off my face, how can I manage to think about bite-size pieces of chocolate to hand to the neighbor kids dressed like Jack Sparrow?

Well, it appears I might be wreaking some Halloween havoc of my own with today’s post. So let me begin with an apology. I didn’t mean to do it. The thing is, I set out to make some blondies using an unusual ingredient. I’m trying to add to my list of 100 Things to do with Chickpeas and I thought chickpeas in Blondies might just work.

The problem? No chickpeas in the pantry. But by this point, I already had might sites set on the Blondies. Panic mode set in.

I scoured the pantries for a replacement. Black beans? I’ve seen those in brownies, but I don’t think they would do so well in Blondies. They’re supposed to be sort of…blonde. (Thus, the name). That’s when I eyed the can of pumpkin. “No!” I thought to myself. “That’s like wearing white shoes in March…it’s TOO SOON!”

But then I realized my lack of fashion sense could come in handy. I decided to throw my immature sense of fashion, my limited knowledge of food faux pas, and my remaining bit of caution to the wind,  and give it a go. Pumpkin Blondies in August. Why not?

A slice of vegan pumpkin blondies with chopped walnuts beside it.

The Best Pumpkin Blondies

I not only used that can of pumpkin, but I also added a bit of frosting to the recipe. That’s because as vegans we don’t really have the option for something like white chocolate. It’s typically (or always) made with dairy.

Even though white chocolate would go so nicely with this recipe, I decided to the next best thing: I topped it with a Coconut Frosting…sans the white chocolate. It’s perfect!

We love just about everything pumpkin here. It’s just another reason we love the fall weather. Crunchy leaves, colorful landscapes, and everything pumpkin.

You can adapt this recipe by trying the following:

  • Add some golden raisins to the batter
  • Mix up the nuts in the frosting and use pecans or walnuts or both!
  • Try adding spices like ginger or nutmeg go the mix before baking

However you bake them, these Vegan Pumpkin Blondies aim to please.

Slices of vegan pumpkin blondies with chopped walnuts and a jar of cinnamon spice.
Two slices of vegan pumpkin blondies sit in front of a jar of cinnamon spice.

Vegan Pumpkin Blondies

Vegan Pumpkin Blondies are moist and delicious with the flavors of fall in every bite. These pumpkin blondies are topped with coconut frosting and they're perfect for vegan and non-vegan friends and family.
5 from 1 vote
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 24
Calories: 207kcal

Ingredients

Pumpkin Blondies

  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup margarine
  • ½ cup peanut butter
  • 1 15 oz -can pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • ½ cup plant-based milk vanilla flavored or plain
  • 2 ½ cups purpose flour*
  • teaspoons baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Coconut Cream Frosting

  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • cups powdered sugar
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons plant-based milk vanilla flavored
  • 1 cup chopped nuts — walnut or pecans

Instructions

  • Heat your oven to 350°F degrees and grease a 9×13 baking pan.
  • In a bowl, combine sugars, margarine, peanut butter, pumpkin, vanilla, and plant-based milk. Stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth and well-combined. Set aside.
  • In a separate bowl, combine all the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.
  • Next, pour the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Stir until well combined.
  • Spread batter in prepared baking pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a piece of dry spaghetti inserted near the center comes out clean (Sorry, I just have this thing against toothpicks. It’s a personal problem…but lucky for me dry spaghetti works just fine!).
  • Make the frosting by combining the coconut oil and powdered sugar. It will be crumbly. Add the plant-based milk until you reach the desired consistency. I like to able to move the spoon through the icing with only a minimal amount of effort – that tells me I’ve reached the desired consistency. Finally, add the chopped nuts.
  • Once you remove the Blondies from the oven, set them aside for a moment to cool. Spread the frosting while the blondies are still warm. If the frosting causes the top of the Blondies to break apart, add a little more soy creamer to the icing so it spreads more smoothly.
  • Slice and serve while warm.

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Notes

* For a gluten-free version use 2½ cups gluten-free baking flour.
Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 115mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 3120IU | Vitamin C: 0.8mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 0.6mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

If you’re into Pumpkin desserts, check these out:

Whatever pumpkin bar you’re biting into, enjoy!

PS. This post was originally published a while ago. It was updated with new photos on 10.24.16. Here’s a sample of one of the old photos:

a pumpkin blondie with frosting on a dark countertop.

12 Responses to Vegan Pumpkin Blondies

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyRose Reply

    I made this for Thanksgiving. I did not use the peanut butter because I didn’t want that flavor / ingredient. I did not use coconut, nor nuts. It turned out great with lots of compliments. 🙂

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      So glad you liked the recipe, Rose. I always encourage playing with recipes so they turn out based on your preferences and tastes. Love it!

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