Best Butternut Squash Blondies

These chewy butternut squash blondies are filled with white chocolate, dried fruits, and seeds. Super easy to make with roasted squash puree and brown butter.

Butternut squash blondies are delicious chewy bars made from pumpkin’s sweeter and softer cousin—butternut squash. And while these blondies are full of fall’s cozy spices, you can easily make this recipe whenever you want since butternut squash is available year-round.

A dessert that tastes as special as a seasonal treat but you can make year-round? Sign. Me. Up. 

These butternut squash bars will also set the bar on your homemade blondies. You see, we won’t just use any squash puree or butter on these blondies. 

You’ll be amazed how these two things take our butternut squash blondies to the next level. They don’t even take much effort to do!

What Are Butternut Squash Blondies?

Butternut squash blondies are moist, chewy bars made extra chunky with white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds. Of course, you can use any add-ins you like, but trust me that those trio go together with butternut squash like peanut butter and jelly. 

I think it’s also fair to think of these squares as “brownies for autumn.”

They’re filled with wonderful warming spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. 

Blondies are “butterscotch-y” compared to their arch-rival: chocolatey brownies.

But what if I told you we could take that signature caramel-like flavor up a notch in these butternut squash blondies using only one ingredient?

This ingredient is brown butter, and together with our squash puree made from butternut squash roasted with brown sugar and spices, you’ll get the most amazing depth of flavor in every blondie. 

Why You’ll Love This Butternut Squash Blondie Recipe

• Blondies With A Twist: The brown sugar and spice roasted butternut squash puree takes the rich, caramel taste of the classic blondie up a notch! Brown butter also packs each bar with butterscotch flavor for a boost of decadence. 
• Useful Techniques: Making these butternut squash blondies is actually easy! And as a bonus, you’ll also learn how to make fresh butternut squash puree and brown butter, which you can use in other recipes. 
• Year-Round Treat: These butternut squash bars taste as special as seasonal treats without the limited timeline! Enjoy them year-round, or swap butternut squash with two ingredients (scroll down to know what they are. 👇)

What Do Butternut Squash Bars Taste Like?

These butternut squash bars might be my favorite version of blondies. They remind me of a spice cake, but they’re also chewy and chunky. 

You’ll taste the familiar rich, buttery caramel flavor of a classic blondie with the sweetness of pureed butternut squash caramelized with brown sugar and warm spices.

The add-ins also make each soft, moist bar super enjoyable to chew. The taste of butterscotch and cozy fall spices is like the perfect “canvas” for white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds.

So if you’re the type who likes their dessert with something instead of having it plain, then you’re in for a treat with these butternut squash blondies. 😋

Ingredients For Butternut Squash Squares

Roasted butternut squash puree:

• Butternut squash – We should give butternut squash the attention it deserves in the dessert realm. After all, it’s pumpkin’s sweeter cousin, and it’s available year-round!
• Olive oil – This enhances the natural sweet-nutty flavor of butternut squash when it’s roasted.
• Light brown sugar – Adds a deep, caramel-like flavor to the roasted squash. 
• Ground cinnamon – We’ll use ground cinnamon on the blondie batter and squash puree for that distinct sweet-woody taste that defines the autumn season. 
• Ground ginger –  I’m personally not a fan of ginger, but its “spicy” flavor actually works well with the caramelized squash! I’m sorry I doubted you, ginger. You’re also very welcome in the blondie batter.
• Salt – Salt balances the sweetness of these butternut squash bars, making them taste richer. 
• Black pepper – I know these squash blondies are not savory, but just like other warm spices, pepper has a rightful place on desserts. Its mellow “spiciness” and peppery fragrance add depth to the butternut squash puree.

Blondies:

• Whole wheat pastry flour – These butternut squash blondies are made with whole wheat pastry flour, which makes them chewy and overall more enjoyable to bite. It’s also a great way to boost the fiber in these indulgent bars. 
• Baking powder – Adds lift to the squash blondies.
• Light brown sugar – I mean, blondies are essentially brown sugar brownies!
• Nutmeg – Other than cinnamon and ginger, we’ll spice up our butternut squash blondies with the sweet-earthy nutmeg. Plus, I’m always a fan of spices that make my kitchen smell like Christmas!
• Eggs – Helps combine everything together for the perfect blondie batter. Eggs are also important for the structure and moisture of blondies. 
• Brown butter – This one-ingredient wonder tastes toasted and nutty, almost toffee-like. It easily boosts the deliciousness of these squash blondies. 
• Vanilla extract – Gives the butternut squash blondies that irresistible marshmallow-like aroma. Sweet treats without vanilla extract just also taste incomplete.
• White chocolate chips – You can use regular milk or dark chocolate chips, but white chocolate’s milky taste goes perfectly with butternut squash blondie’s sweetness and richness. 
• Dried cranberries  – Dried fruits also make delicious add-ins to the blondie butter. They’re sweet, chewy, and make each bar more enjoyable to eat.
• Pumpkin seeds – If you have nut allergies, pumpkin seeds can give that irresistible crunch to your blondies. 

Tools Needed To Prepare Butternut Squash White Chocolate Chip Blondies

• Knife for slicing the butternut squash
• Baking sheet for roasting the butternut squash
• Spatula for flipping the butternut squash in the oven
• Food processor for making the butternut squash puree
• Baking pan for baking the blondies
• Sifter for sifting the dry ingredients
• Whisk for mixing the blondie batter
• Mixing bowls for the ingredients

Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Butternut Squash Blondies

Butternut squash substitute

Don’t have butternut squash? You can also use canned pumpkin puree for these blondies! Mashed sweet potato is tasty as well. 

Nuts

Amp up the enjoyment of eating your chewy butternut squash bars with the crunch of almonds or pecans. 🤤

Cream cheese frosting

These butternut squash blondies are already rich and delicious. But if you want your bars super decadent, you can quickly whip up a frosting made from cream cheese and powdered sugar.

Stir in some brown butter, cinnamon, and vanilla into this quick and easy frosting, and you might turn a brownie fan into a blondie lover. 

How to Make Butternut Squash Blondies

Ingredients:

For the roasted butternut squash puree:

• 1 1/2 cups butternut squash, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

For the blondies:

• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg, grated
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 4 tbsp brown butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

Tools you need:

• Knife
• Baking sheet
• Spatula
• Food processor
• Baking pan
• Sifter
• Whisk
• Mixing bowls

Instructions:

Gather and measure the ingredients for your butternut squash blondies.

For the roasted butternut squash puree:

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the rack in the center of the oven.

STEP 2: Place the butternut squash cubes on a large baking sheet.

STEP 3: Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle them with sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and pepper. Toss the squash cubes to coat evenly.

STEP 4: Roast the squash cubes for 15 minutes, flip them, then roast them for another 15 minutes.

STEP 5: Continue tossing and roasting the squash cubes for a total of 45 minutes or until they’re brown and soft.

STEP 6: Transfer the roasted squash cubes to a food processor and puree them until smooth. You can also mash them manually.

STEP 7: Allow the puree to cool to room temperature.

For the brown butter:

STEP 1: While waiting for the squash puree to cool down, make the brown butter.

STEP 2: Melt your butter over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes or until it turns light brown, bubbling and foaming up.

STEP 3: Once the butter smells nutty, remove it from heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.

For the blondies:

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the rack in the center of the oven.

STEP 2: Butter and flour the baking pan. Set aside.

STEP 3: Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl.

STEP 4: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and brown sugar for about 2 minutes or until thickened and pale.

STEP 5: Add the brown butter, butternut squash puree, salt, and vanilla. Mix with a spatula until smooth and combined.

STEP 6: Add the dry ingredients and mix just until no flour is visible. This usually takes about 30 seconds.

STEP 7: Fold in the chocolate chips, cranberries, and pumpkin seeds until incorporated.

STEP 8: Pour your blondie batter into the pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.

STEP 9: Bake the butternut squash blondies for 30 minutes. You can also do the toothpick test to know if they’re done.

STEP 10: Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

STEP 11: Slice once the blondies are at room temperature.

What To Serve With Butternut Squash Bars

Serve your brown sugar butternut squash blondies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce!

You can also just enjoy the bars on their own with a cup of maple latte or apple cider black tea to get you in the fall mood. 

Speaking of getting into the fall mood, our apple crisp frappuccino will be amazing with these browned butter butternut squash bars!

Or if you have some fresh apples around, you can just slice them and serve them alongside these blondies with our salted caramel dip. 

Tips About Making Butternut Squash Blondies With White Chocolate And Cranberries

• Use the BASE of your knife to cut the top and bottom off the squash. Then, cut the squash in the middle so you have the round and skinny parts separately. From here, just peel their skins off. 
• To dice them up, cut the skinny part in half and dice away. For the larger part, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and “guts,” then dice the flesh. But wait; don’t discard the seeds! Turn them into an addictive snack with our air fryer pumpkin seeds recipe.
• You can skip the food processor and put those muscles to work instead to make the butternut squash puree. Just use a potato masher. For make-ahead puree, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week.

How To Store Butternut Squash Blondies

• Fridge: You can keep your leftover squash blondies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. (But will they really last that long? 🤣)
• Freezer: These butternut squash blondies are freezer-friendly! Store them in a freezer-safe container for 3 months. To serve, thaw them in the fridge overnight and enjoy them at room temperature. 

Why Does My Butternut Squash Have No Flavor?

According to Oregon State University Extension, butternut squash is like fine wine. 

You don’t want to use your butternut squash immediately after picking. In fact, it will develop the best flavor after harvest, usually taking a couple of months. 

So if your butternut squash has no flavor, it might be because its starches didn’t have enough time to change into sugars. So, the main takeaway? Patience is a virtue when it comes to enjoying your butternut squash.

But before you throw out what you made with butternut squash because it tastes bland, check out my pumpkin spice syrup.

You can drizzle it on cakes, cupcakes, and dessert bars to boost them from tasteless to tasty. 😋

What Goes Well with Butternut Squash

Butternut squash can give pumpkin a run for its money when it comes to desserts. Butternut squash goes well with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, and ginger. 

The deep flavor of brown sugar from molasses also makes it a no-brainer partner for butternut squash. Honey and maple syrup are other delicious sweeteners you can pair with the sweet-nutty butternut squash. 

For my savory lovers, you can prepare your butternut squash with bacon, ham, onions, potatoes, spinach, rosemary, or thyme, to name a few options. 

This Cracker Barrel squash casserole recipe should also give you an idea of how you can make something savory with squash. 

Does Butternut Squash Taste Like Butter?

Butternut squash does not taste exactly like butter, but it’s still worthy of its name because its flesh is buttery smooth.

Combine that soft and creamy texture with its sweet and nutty flavor, and you have a super versatile squash for various recipes. 

FAQ About Cooking With Butternut Squash

Conclusion

Get in the fall baking mood with these butternut squash blondies!

Filled with cozy spices, white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds, every chewy butternut squash bar is a delight from top to bottom.

While the aroma of these beauties is as comforting as autumn’s crisp weather, you can make this recipe any time of the year since it’s made from butternut squash. 

Roasting it with brown sugar and spices will give you a delicious puree with complex flavor effortlessly. And, of course, transforming the humble unsalted butter into brown butter is another secret to why these blondies are no ordinary blondies.

They’re full of the familiar rich butterscotch flavor we love in blondies, made extra special with brown butter’s deep flavor and roasted butternut squash puree’s medley of spices and caramelized brown sugar goodness.

Oh, and this recipe was also featured on James Beard Foundation! It’s truly an inspiring treat everyone should make!

Love dessert bars like these blondies? Here are some recipes you’ll want to slice and grab:

• Apple Cinnamon Brownies (Apple Cinnamon Blondies)
• Easy Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars Recipe
• Delish Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
• Perfect Vegan Gluten Free Lemon Bars (Dairy-Free)
• Strawberry Brownies Recipe