Love it or hate it, candy corn tastes like Halloween. A splash of spiced rum, toasty pecans and dark brown sugar turn it into a chewy, butterscotch-rich blondie that even candy corn skeptics will want a second slice of.
We’ve heard that candy corn is the Halloween equivalent of Peeps: it’s everywhere you look, but there’s not a fan in sight. Maybe. But also maybe not. One bite of candy corn delivers a heavy dose of nostalgia, taking you back to trick-or-treat hauls and the sugar high that followed. These candy corn blondies keep all of that nostalgia and give it a grown-up upgrade suitable for all of you out there with a sweet tooth…like the Editor in Chief of TABLE Magazine.
The secret here is spiced rum. A quarter cup of it, stirred into a chewy dark brown sugar blondie studded with pecans and candy corn, turns a love-it-or-hate-it candy into a dessert worth bragging about. Bake it in a pie plate, cut it into wedges and serve it with whipped cream and a mug of mulled cider. Then put some Pink Floyd on the Sonos and let it wash over you.
What Makes These Candy Corn Blondies Different
Sugar and corn syrup aren’t flavor profiles anyone brags about anymore, so we built this candy corn blondie recipe around ingredients that give it depth. Spiced rum brings warm notes of vanilla, clove and cinnamon. Dark brown sugar adds deep molasses and butterscotch flavor. Pecans add crunch and toastiness, and a spoonful of almond extract gives the whole thing a bakery-style aroma. The candy corn melts slightly in the oven, leaving pockets of honey-vanilla sweetness throughout. The result tastes like fall and Halloween at the same time.
Why Spiced Rum Works in Baking
Spiced rum is made from sugarcane or molasses, then infused with warm spices. Molasses is also what gives dark brown sugar its flavor, so the rum and the sugar reinforce each other, deepening the caramel notes in the blondie. The spices do the job that cinnamon or nutmeg would do in a spice cake, adding warmth without extra measuring. Much of the rum’s alcohol bakes off in the oven, while its flavor stays behind.
The Ingredients Behind the Flavor
Dark brown sugar. More molasses than light brown sugar, which means a chewier, fudgier blondie with a deeper caramel flavor.
Melted butter. Melted rather than softened butter is what makes blondies dense and chewy rather than cakey.
Almond and vanilla extracts. Almond extract adds a warm, marzipan-like aroma that pairs beautifully with the candy corn’s honey-vanilla flavor.
Spiced rum. The grown-up ingredient that makes these blondies taste like a fall dessert instead of a bag of candy.
Unbleached all-purpose flour. King Arthur’s unbleached flour gives a reliable, tender crumb.
Candy corn. A full cup goes into the batter, and a handful more goes on top for a festive finish.
Pecans. Roughly crushed so every slice gets crunch. Toast them first for even more flavor.
How to Make Candy Corn Blondies
Mix the base. Beat the melted butter and dark brown sugar until smooth, then add the egg, extracts and rum.
Add the dry ingredients. Mix in the flour, baking soda and salt just until combined. Overmixing makes blondies tough.
Fold in the good stuff. Stir in the candy corn and pecans, spread the batter in a greased pie plate and scatter more candy corn over the top.
Protect the candy. Keep the garnish candy corn away from the edge of the pie plate, where it can melt and stick. If the candy on top starts to melt before the blondie is done, lay a sheet of foil over the plate.
Cool before cutting. Blondies firm up as they cool, so let the pie plate cool completely for clean wedges.
How to Serve Candy Corn Blondies
Serve wedges with a dollop of whipped cream and a mug of mulled cider for the full fall effect, or a glass of cold milk for pure nostalgia. They’re a natural for a Halloween party dessert table, a fall dinner party or an office potluck. Because they’re baked in a pie plate, they look more special than a sheet of bars.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- Bake the blondies up to two days ahead. Store them covered at room temperature.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days.
- Wrap individual wedges tightly and freeze for up to two months. The candy corn on top may soften after freezing.
Candy Corn Blondie FAQs
Does the rum bake out of the blondies?
Not all of it. Baking removes much of the alcohol, but baked goods retain some. If you’re serving kids or guests who avoid alcohol, make the nonalcoholic version below.
Can I make candy corn blondies without rum?
Yes. Replace the rum with 1/4 cup milk and keep the vanilla and almond extracts. To stand in for the warm spice of the rum, whisk 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ tsp of nutmeg into the dry ingredients.
What can I do with leftover candy corn?
Bake it into these blondies. Candy corn melts slightly in the oven, adding pockets of honey-vanilla sweetness to a chewy brown sugar base.
Can I make candy corn blondies in a square pan?
Yes. A 9-inch square pan has about the same area as a 10-inch pie plate, so bake as directed, checking for doneness a few minutes early. Cut into squares instead of wedges.
Why is my candy corn melting on top?
Candy corn is mostly sugar and melts in the oven. Tent the blondies with foil partway through baking, and keep the candy away from the edges of the pan.
Can I use a different nut?
Walnuts are a good substitute for pecans. Both bring a buttery crunch that balances the sweetness of the candy corn.
More grown-up Halloween desserts from TABLE:
Try our Halloween Espresso Brownies, Halloween Coffee Cake, and Caramel Apple Rice Pudding.
Print
Pecan Candy Corn Blondies
- Total Time: 1 hr 40 min
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Chewy dark brown sugar blondies spiked with spiced rum and studded with candy corn and pecans, baked in a pie plate and cut into wedges. A grown-up Halloween dessert.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup Kingfly spiced rum
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cup King Arthur unbleached flour
- 1 cup candy corn, plus a handful to use as garnish
- 1 cup pecans, roughly crushed
- Whipped cream, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 10-inch pie plate.
- Mix the butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth and light.
- Add the wet ingredients. Add the egg, almond extract, vanilla extract and rum, and mix until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients. Add the baking soda, salt and flour and mix until just combined.
- Fold in candy corn and pecans. Stir in 1 cup candy corn and the pecans.
- Fill the pie plate. Turn the batter out into the pie plate and smooth it with a spatula.
- Garnish. Scatter the remaining candy corn over the top, keeping it away from the edges so it doesn’t touch the pie plate.
- Bake. Bake for about 25 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out without crumbs. If the candy corn on top starts to melt, cover the plate loosely with foil after about 18 minutes.
- Cool and serve. Let cool completely, about 1 hour, before slicing into wedges. Serve with whipped cream and a mug of mulled cider or a glass of milk.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Additional Time: 1 hr
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: About 500
About the Recipe Author and Photographer
Keith Recker is Editor in Chief and Co-Owner of TABLE Magazine. A color and trend forecaster for nearly 20 years, his clients have included Pantone, WGSN, Stylus, and the Color Association of the United States. He is the author of three books on color, including Deep Color: The Shades That Shape Our Souls and True Colors: World Masters of Natural Dyes and Pigments, and co-founder of the Open Source Colour Association. Read more of his work here or contact him at keith@tablemagazine.com to discuss his sweet tooth.
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