It’s not hard to understand the appeal: syrupy-sweet, warmly spiced, and redolent of everyone’s favorite morning cup of Joe, pumpkin spice lattes have taken off for plenty of good reasons. Add in their limited seasonal availability, and you’ve got a legitimate craze on your hands. What I have trouble wrapping my mind around, on the other hand, is why this same flavor palate has spread like an annual autumnal infection across the food landscape, afflicting everything from breath mints to hummus to moonshine, and that’s not even the tip of the iceberg. Don’t forget about the body care products, offering pumpkin spice lip balm to keep you in the pumpkin spice spirit even when you’re not actively consuming anything.
Pumpkin spice is a wonderful thing, but I think that I’m reaching flavor fatigue more rapidly than ever. At least, that was until I heard about the latest creation from Dandies…
Well, I’ll eat my hat. Or another round of pumpkin spice treats, to be more accurate. A large part of this once humble seasoning’s success is truly its pervasiveness. No longer can it be ignored or avoided; one must either get on board, or get run over. Luckily, it’s no sacrifice to join the bandwagon with these mini marshmallows. Cinnamon leads in this well-balanced melange of spices, followed by more subtle notes of clove and ginger, but the blend is so successful that it’s truly a challenge to pick the individual notes apart. Soft, springy little pillows of fluff, they possess the very same delightful chew as the originals, but sport a dusty orange hue to complete the theme.
The temptation to plop a few of those miniature mallows straight into my steaming mug of coffee was strong, I must admit, but I managed to resist. Of course, I didn’t manage to resist shoveling two full bags into my mouth completely unadorned and in short order, but I’d like to think that there’s still more dignity in that approach, some how.
With my last remaining bag, I went into the kitchen and fired up the oven to do these morsels proper justice. As temperatures outside began to drop, the kitchen began to warm and fill with the heady aroma of brown sugar, toasted marshmallows, and yes, pumpkin spice.
Folded into a dense yet soft blondie batter enriched with a healthy dose of genuine pumpkin puree, most of the marshmallows seemed to melt while baking, but that’s not to say they disappeared. Leaving gooey pockets of sweetness, almost like a highly spiced caramel sauce, each void contained an incredible wealth of flavor.
The year, I implore you to leave the latte, but take the blondie. There’s no sense in fighting the incoming wave of pumpkin-treats this year, so we might as well make them count.
Pumpkin Spice Blondies
Folded into a dense yet soft blondie batter enriched with a healthy dose of genuine pumpkin puree, most of the marshmallows seemed to melt while baking, but that’s not to say they disappeared. Leaving gooey pockets of sweetness, almost like a highly spiced caramel sauce, each void contained an incredible wealth of flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
- 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 3/4 Cup 100% Pumpkin Puree
- 3/4 Cup Dark Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
- 1/3 Cup Olive Oil
- 3 Tablespoons Aquafaba (Liquid from a Can of Chickpeas)
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 Cup Dandies Pumpkin Spice Mini Marshmallows, Divided
- 1/2 Cup Pepitas (Hulled Pumpkin Seeds), Divided
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line an 8 x 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil. Lightly grease and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking powder, and salt. Add in 1/2 cup of the marshmallows and 1/3 cup of the pepitas. Toss to coat the mix-ins with the dry goods. This will help prevent them from all sinking to the bottom as the blondies bake.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, oil, aquafaba, and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Once homogeneous, pour these liquid ingredients into the bowl of dry goods, stirring with a wide spatula just to combine. Be careful not to over-mix.
- Spread the batter into your prepared pan, smoothing it out into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining marshmallows and pumpkin seeds over the top, gently pressing them into the surface. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, until the marshmallows are lightly browned, the batter no longer appears wet, and a toothpick inserted into the center pulls out cleanly. The bars puff up quite a bit while baking, along with the toasted marshmallows on top, but never fear! They’ll fall back down to a
normal size once cooled. - Let cool completely before slicing into square or bars. For the cleanest cuts, chill the whole slab for at least 15 minutes and use a very sharp knife to make easy work of that sticky marshmallow topping.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 147Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 56mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 9gProtein: 3g
All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.
