Blondies made from cooked brown sugar and good quality butter for a true 'butterscotch' flavor, made with an extra yolk to add chewiness and given a long chill to amplify flavor.
The blondies are fantastic at all temperatures: warm they are reminiscent of a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie, room temperature they are chewy and sugars melt quickly on the tongue. We also loved them straight from the fridge: the cold gives them an even chewier texture.
Something I do with my blondies is to cook the sugar and butter together. I initially did this because I thought it would give me a shiny top, but cooked a bit longer and serendipitously made a butterscotch syrup. This deepens the flavor incredibly. Blondies are often called butterscotch brownies, simply because of the use of brown sugar, but by cooking the sugar into the butter you develop a true butterscotch base. This syrup combined with the days rest in the fridge completely changes the blondie game.
Also – an extra yolk since some of the moisture from the butter cooks off as we cook it. Plus, an extra yolk = extra chew!
You know that famous Jaques Torres chocolate chip cookie recipe? The one that so many have declared the absolute best cookie ever? I use some of his tricks here like combining bread and cake flour to get a wonderful chewy texture on the edges and a soft and gooey center. I also let the dough rest in the fridge for a day or two to develop the flavor (time really does make a difference here).
Butter: For this recipe, I prefer a european style butter (like kerrygold) because of it’s extra butterfat, lower water content which lends more flavor and a chewier texture to the blondies. If you’re using salted butter, halve the amount of added salt to the recipe.
Sugar: brown sugar, light or dark – but I think dark is better here for more of that lovely molasses flavor.
Bread Flour: high protein flour.
Cake flour: this is a very low protein flour that has been very finely milled and has added cornstarch. The combination of the two flours gives a really great texture to the blondies.
Salt: fine sea salt. If using table salt, halve the amount.
Vanilla: use a good quality vanilla, pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, the flavor will come through!
Eggs: one whole egg and the yolk from another egg.
Chocolate: chop up your favorite chocolate bar (I like a 70% dark chocolate) or use some tasty chocolate chips (guittard’s super chips are wonderful imo!).
We’ll start by adding the butter to a pot, setting it over medium low heat and melting the butter
Once the butter is melted, add the sugar and stir
You’ll keep stirring and cooking it until it reaches about 200 F. It will look shiny and thick and be bubbling
Transfer it to a heatproof bowl and let it cool slightly. Then you can add the vanilla and salt
Once the mix is slightly cool, get a whisk or a hand mixer and begin beating it. While you do, add the eggs and the yolk
Beat until smooth, then add the flour and beat to just combine
The dough is still hot at this point so don’t add the chocolate yet (or it’ll melt). No need to cover it, just let it cool on the counter
Once the dough is at room temperature, you can add the chocolate/chocolate chips, stir then cover it
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and set in the fridge at least overnight but up to 36 hours.
Take the dough out an hour before you’re ready to bake so it can soften.
Preheat the oven, then grease and line a square 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper.
Press the dough into the prepared pan. Add more chocolate chips or chunks on top.
Bake until the blondies are shiny all over and the center has puffed up and cracked, about 25 minutes.
Once they are cool, use the parchment as a sling to lift them out then slice.
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Another outstanding recipe! My first batch was overcooked at 20mins. Second batch was absolute perfection at bake time of 15min. I used an 8*8 square pan for this recipe and have a newer oven.
These were delicious! I did bake them for about 10 minutes extra. I would definitely make these again! I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes- they look so amazing and creative!
I’ve got the dough cooling in the frig. I can wait.. I love a great tasting blonde. I’m betting they taste amazing.
Hi I would love try this recipe but is possible to have it in grams?
Hi Navneeta! If I have a recipe in grams I’ll always include it on the page. Eventually this might get an update but until then you could always use a converter, I think King Arthur Flour’s website has a good one.
Do you have to let it rest in the fridge?
For flavor development, it’s best. But it’s not an absolute must.
Do you whisk by hand or with hand mixer? The brownies pictured with oreos, is that something you add in to your recipe or do it on its own? Thank you!
Definitely whisk by hand, don’t want to overmix it and toughen the gluten. The oreos are just another option for an add-in, use whatever you like!
Thank you so much! Can’t wait to try it!
Thank you! I may try both and compare!
Hi there,
May I ask why we need to cool the blondies first of all? And second of all why that long?
Best,
Heather
Hi Heather, you’ll cool the butterscotch sauce so as not to cook the eggs when you add them. The second chill in the fridge is optional – it’s for flavor development. I talk about it more in the first section.