'Tis the Season: Pumpkin Blondies

No, not that season. Not yet at least.

It's pumpkin season, of course!
Aren't they photogenic?
And so delicious.
But they're not all right for cooking and baking.
What's the best kind to use?

That's right. The kind in a can.
If you want to spend upwards of an hour baking a sugar pumpkin, don't let me stop you. The best thing about doing it yourself is the seeds. The pumpkin flesh is no better than the kind in a can. And you can't beat the convenience.
One Pie is an old New England brand, and it's getting harder to find. I love it for nostalgia's sake (not that my mother ever made a pumpkin pie or anything else with it), but Libby's is great too.
So save yourself the effort and go with the can.
Especially when you want a batch of something fast, like these delicious Pumpkin Blondies.

I made these to take to a meeting earlier this week and was very pleasantly surprised. I was afraid they might come out too cakey for my taste, but not at all. They are moist, spicy and dense.
I love pumpkin bread as much as the next girl (the recipe in Baked is my favorite), but these are a sweet change-up.
The recipe comes from Jamie at My Baking Addiction, a blog so full of irresistible desserts and treats, that I'm having trouble keeping up. Thanks Jamie!

As usual, I subbed in whole wheat pastry flour for some of the white flour. You can use all white flour if you prefer, or if that's all you have.

Pumpkin Blondies
from My Baking Addiction

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. sea salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

2 tsps. vanilla extract

1 15 oz. can pure pumpkin puree

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup pecans (or walnuts), roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line bottom and sides of 9 x 13" baking pan with nonstick foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Or spray pan well with non-stick baking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together on medium-high speed until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla, then pumpkin puree, until well combined. Don't worry of the mixture looks curdled.
Reduce speed to low and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts.
Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, 35-40 minutes.
Cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.