Brown Butter Blondie Bars
These rich and chewy Brown Butter Blondie Bars are slightly nutty and loaded with pools of melty chocolate. They are quick to whip up and sure to satisfy any sweet craving.
Chewy, soft, and buttery. These might as well be requirements for the perfect sweet treat. Not only are these Brown Butter Blondie Bars delicious as well as super quick and easy to make, but they can also be mixed in just one bowl. I mean a recipe that requires fewer dishes automatically gains several points with me. Plus the options for add-ins are incredibly adaptable. From different chocolates to butterscotch chips, to candies, nuts, or dried fruit. There are so many possibilities and combinations. I could have an entire recipe category dedicated to blondies for all the ideas I have for these. You can be sure there will be many more blondie recipes to come but this one is a classic.
What is a Blondie?
I like to describe a blondie as a cross between a brownie and a chocolate chip cookie. They take on the shape and chewy, slightly crisp edges of a brownie with the soft, gooey center and buttery flavor of a chocolate chip cookie. The best of both worlds really. Unlike a cookie though, there’s no scooping or rolling necessary. Just mix it up, dump it in your baking pan, spread and bake. So let’s get to it!
Ingredients for Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies
You are just 8 ingredients (mostly pantry essentials) and one bowl away from these delicious Blondie Bars. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Chocolate chunks or chips
What is Brown Butter?
Brown Butter is exactly what the name implies – butter that has been browned. Pretty simple, right?! Basically, once the butter is melted, you continue to cook the butter until the milk solids get toasted and brown. The butter develops another level of flavor becoming slightly nutty, and toasty, and is a perfect addition to many sweets and savory dishes too.
How to Make Brown Butter
It’s super simple to make but you want to watch it closely because it goes from browned butter to burnt butter real quickly. Here are the steps:
- Melt your butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Once the butter is melted, make sure to stir *constantly* from this point on, and don’t walk away from it. Trust me, you do not want burnt butter.
- It will get foamy on top then the butter will start to turn golden.
- With the foamy top, I’ve found that it can be hard to tell the color of the melted butter underneath.
- The 3 ways you’ll know your Brown Butter is ready:
-The butter turns a deep golden brown
-There are little brown specks (the milk solids) that sink to the bottom of the pan
-It will take on a nutty, toasty aroma that smells heavenly - Remove the brown butter from the heat as soon as it’s done, to prevent it from browning any further.
What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use?
I suggest going with high-quality chocolate because it will make such a big difference! My favorites, that are also easy to find, are Guittard and Ghiradelli. I prefer darker chocolate, in the 60%-70% cacao range, to balance out the sweetness but you can add in whatever kind you like. Another great option is a chocolate bar, like Ghiradelli or Lindt. This way you can chop the chocolate bar and get varying sizes of chocolate in every bite of your blondie.
So the only question left is are you going for a corner piece or a middle piece? I’m a corner piece kinda-girl myself but I know every piece of these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies will disappear fast. Happy Blondie Baking!
Brown Butter Blondie Bars
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick or 113g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (85g) chocolate chunks or chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8” x 8” square pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper to create a sling hanging over all four sides.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter on the stove over medium-low heat. Stirring constantly, brown the butter until it becomes foamy and a deep golden brown color. You’ll know it’s done when you see darker brown bits on the bottom and has a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown butter and sugar until well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.
- Mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt just until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate.
- Press flat into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely before cutting and enjoy!
