Delicious, melt-in-the-mouth Brown butter Blondies are perfect to make during the holidays. Also great to give as edible holiday gifts.
Here is an easy recipe for absolutely delicious brown butter blondies. These are easy to make and need just one bowl to mix the ingredients.
What are Blondies?
Blondies are fair colored cousins of brownies. They probably originated during World War II due to the need to bake without rationed ingredients like chocolate and white sugar.
These blondies are my go-to recipe to make for potlucks, holiday edible gifts and even for a bake sale.
Recipe is from Food52. The original recipe used regular unsalted but I wanted to add some pizzazz to the recipe. So I went ahead and used browned butter to make these blondies.
Brown butter is an amazing secret ingredient that enhances the flavor of any dish, sweet or savory, that it is added to.
Ingredients
This recipe uses basic pantry staple ingredients. Here are the main ingredients you need to make this delicious recipe.
Unsalted butter - makes these dessert bars so buttery and decadent.
All purpose flour - I have used part whole-wheat pastry flour in the recipe few times and that works beautifully.
Sugar - light brown and granulated sugar are used in this recipe. Brown sugar adds a nice caramel, molasses flavor.
Other ingredients you need are:
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Pure Vanilla extract
- Add-ins - you can add chocolate chips or chopped nuts
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9"x13" baking pan, line the bottom with parchment paper and grease that lightly as well.
This brown butter blondies recipe is made almost entirely in the saucepan. Start by making the brown butter.
It sounds technical but it is quite easy to make. Just melt butter until lightly browned in color and smells aromatic and nutty.
Stir in the light brown sugar and stir with a wooden spoon and cook until the sugar has melted and mixture thickens. Turn off the heat and granulated sugar. Stir until combined. Let the mixture cool slightly.
While the sugar mixture is cooling, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.
When the sugar mixture is slightly cooled, add a third of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add half of the beaten eggs mixture - stir until combined. Continue with third of the flour mixture and the remaining egg mixture. Finally add the remaining flour and mix until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Bake for 20~25 minutes or until the edges are browned and the center is firm to touch. Do not over-bake.
Score the blondies while still warm and let them cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, slice into pieces and serve. Leftovers stay fresh for up to 4~6 days well covered.
Taste Test
Brown butter adds a beautiful aroma and delicious flavor to these blondies. They have a delightful texture and just melt-in-the mouth.
If you haven't tried browned butter before, this is the perfect recipe to try. Make these for holidays as edible gifts, I am sure your friends and family will love them.
Tips
- Some of the all-purpose flour can be replaced with whole-wheat pastry flour or almond flour. I use ½ cup of one of these flours with 1½ cups of all-purpose flour.
- Make sure not to over-bake the blondies. The center should be firm to touch and the edges slightly browned. Overbaking will make them crumbly and hard.
- Here are the adjustments to make for high-altitude baking:
- Increase the temperature to 375°F.
- Reduce baking powder to 1½ teaspoon.
- Reduce brown sugar to 1¼ cups.
- Bake for 18~22 minutes.
Other delicious edible gift recipes
- Chocolate chip mandelbrot
- Pecan chocolate blondies
- Swirl shortbread cookies
- Bulgarian Medenki cookies
- Chocolate drop cookies
Brown Butter Blondies
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons Unsalted butter
- 1⅓ cups Light Brown Sugar
- ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 cups All purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 3 Large Eggs, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup Chocolate chips or chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9"x13" baking pan, line the bottom with parchment paper and grease that lightly as well.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. Cook stirring occasionally until the butter starts to brown lightly and smells very fragrant.
- Add the brown sugar and stir with a wooden spoon. Make sure to scrape the brown bits from the bottom and cook until the sugar has melted and mixture thickens.
- Turn off the heat and the sugar. Stir until combined. Let the mixture cool slightly, about 8~10 minutes.
- While the sugar mixture is cooling, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.
- Once the sugar mixture is slightly cooled, add a third of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add half of the beaten eggs mixture - stir until combined. Continue with third of the flour mixture and the remaining egg mixture. Finally add the remaining flour and mix until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and sprinkle the chocolate chips or chopped nuts on top.
- Bake for 20~25 minutes or until the edges are browned and the center is firm to touch. Do not over-bake.
- Score the blondies while still warm and let them cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, slice into pieces and serve. Leftovers stay fresh for up to 4~6 days well covered.
Notes
- Some of the all-purpose flour can be replaced with whole-wheat pastry flour or almond flour. I use ½ cup of one of these flours with 1½ cups of all-purpose flour.
- Make sure not to over-bake the blondies. The center should be firm to touch and the edges slightly browned. Overbaking will make them crumbly and hard.
- Here are the adjustments to make for high-altitude baking:
- Increase the temperature to 375°F.
- Reduce baking powder to 1½ teaspoon.
- Reduce brown sugar to 11/4 cups.
- Bake for 18~22 minutes.
Priya Suresh
Blondies with a cup of cappucino is quite enough for me to have rite now for my lunch. Weather is very nasty to indulge something buttery or chocolatey. Drooling here.
Gayathri Kumar
Absolutely delicious looking blondies. What a perfect holiday gift it would make. I once tried it with white chocolate in the batter which was amazing. The use of brown butter would surely enhance the flavour.
Varada
I have not used brown butter yet. After reading this recipe I feel like I should try it. The blondies look so good. The pictures are awesome.
Renu
I have heard Blondie's but never knew the brown butter thing as never checked a recipe. I love to do diff bakes in diff styles and this is a must try. The Blondie's look yummy and delicious, perfect with dark coffee.
Catherine
You had me at brown butter! What a fabulous idea for blondie bars. I've not made them in ages but I would love to give your recipe a try!
Mahy Elamin
Blondies are the best, and the brown butter makes these even more amazing! I bet most cooks have all these ingredients on hand. This is really a simple recipe. THANKS!
Srivalli
Blondies are my absolute favorite Pavani and so want to bake this, must now plan on how to replace those eggs..:)..what a fantastic start to the event, looking forward to reading the rest!
Kalyani
this brown butter blondie (BBB) is such a treat for kids and adults alike, I have a version coming up(hopefully the oven will cooperate). a great start to the series, Pavani
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth
I think I need to make these ASAP! I remember baking once with brown butter but it disappeared so fast that I couldn't even click it! The butter had such a different flavor quotient... I am eyeing these blondies for sure... looks so droolicious!
Claudia Lamascolo
these look fantastic and I like the ease of cutting into squares and having a big plate full for guests these are great for holiday!
Catalina
These blondies look like a new favorite dessert in our house! These need to happen very soon!
Ritu Tangri
To be honest, brown butter is something entirely new to me. Is brown butter to be made with yellow butter or white butter. Actually I use homemade white butter in my bakes, so just curious if I could use that.
Blondies look absolutely delicious. Would love to give it a try
cookshideout
Hi Ritu, brown butter can be made with yellow or white butter. Just cook the butter until lightly browned, nutty and aromatic. This browning gives the butter an amazing taste. Do try it and let me know if you liked it.
Nalini
Never tried brown butter,the blondies have turned out so good and tempts me to try.
Sharmila Kingsly
Even i have never used Brown butter in baking... Blondies sounds too delicious.
Vaishali
Blondies look super attractive and brown butter is totally new to me ! Sounds interesting ,bookmarking !
Sharmila
I love BROWNIES, but haven't tried these blondies yet..pic looks drooling.
Priya Srinivasan
Those blondies look inviting pavani, love how neatly you have arranged the choco chips on top! PErfect for the holiday season!
Swati
Will love to try this nutty flavored blondie with loads of chocolate chips !! perfect bake to enjoy my coffee.
Pavani
Blondies look absolutely moist and soft , perfect for this holidays season. Brown butter sounds interesting. Bookmarked it
Veena Krishnakumar
I have baked with brown butter and i am sure the flavour is amazing. Blondies look super good