Best Brown Butter Blondies Recipe

Cook Time:

10 mins

Active Time:

20 mins

Cool Time:

1 hr 20 mins

Bake Time:

45 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 35 mins

Servings:

20

We're trading our beloved fudgy, dark chocolate brownies for something a little lighter and brighter: brown butter blondies. While classic chocolate brownies will always hold a special place in our hearts, blondies deserve a title all their own. Similar in flavor to a chocolate chip cookie, but denser in texture like a brownie, this hybrid bar always manages to steal the show.

Brown sugar brings a warm flavor to these simple blondies, but it's the browned butter that gives these classic bar cookies a tasty new twist. When browning your butter, it's important to remove the butter from the heat at precisely the right moment—it can go from browned to burnt faster than you can say hotcakes. When the melted butter has browned, immediately transfer it from the saucepan into a metal bowl to stop the cooking process and keep it from burning.

If you're a chocolate lover, don't worry: These scrumptious sweets still pack plenty of chocolate flavor from chopped bittersweet chocolate. Since these blondies hold up well, they're great for make-ahead dessert needs (and they can even be frozen for future snack emergencies).

Brown Butter Blondies — Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners; Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis

What Are Blondies?

Blondies are a pale cousin to brownies, usually made with brown sugar, and eschewing chocolate for vanilla extract. They may even predate brownies, with dense, butterscotch-flavored dessert bars popping up in the late nineteenth century, while brownies weren't developed until 1905.

What Is Browned Butter?

Butter is known to add rich flavor to baked goods, but when browned, the flavor becomes more nuanced. To make it, butter is melted and heated until brown flecks (toasted milk solids) begin to appear on the bottom of the pan. This browned butter can be used melted, at room temperature, or chilled, to impart a deep nutty flavor into your favorite recipes, with the same buttery richness of regular butter.

brown butter in a skillet — Molly Bolton

Ingredients for Brown Butter Blondies

To make these blondies, you'll need:

Unsalted butter: Browned for a nutty flavor.
Granulated and light brown sugar: Sweetens the blondies. Light brown sugar adds moisture and subtle notes of molasses.
Large eggs: Binds the batter.
Vanilla extract: Enhances the flavor of the blondies.
All-purpose flour: The base of the blondies for a chewy texture.
Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness of the bars.
60% bittersweet chocolate bars: Chopped and added to the blondies for a hint of chocolate. Can substitute with various types of chocolate chips, dried fruits, or nuts as desired.

How To Make Brown Butter Blondies

While browning the butter may be an additional step, these blondies come together with just a quick mix for a pan full of bars you can enjoy for days. Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:

Step 1. Cook butter in a medium saucepan until butter browns. Remove from heat and pour into a metal bowl to cool for 20 minutes.
Step 2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with spray, and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. Whisk sugars into melted butter. Add eggs and vanilla; whisk to incorporate. Fold in flour and salt, then chopped chocolate.
Step 3. Pour into pan. Bake until a wooden pick comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack; remove blondies from pan and cut into squares.

Variations for Brown Butter Blondies

With a delicious browned butter base, a variety of inclusions can be added to these blondies based on the season and what you prefer:

Fold in nuts or sprinkles along with the chopped chocolate.
Swap the chopped chocolate for white, milk, or dark chocolate chips.
Swap the chopped chocolate for your favorite flavored chips, including butterscotch, cinnamon, caramel, and more.
Fold crumbled pretzels into the blondies for a salty crunch.
Swap the chopped chocolate for chopped or whole dried fruit, including figs, dates, apricots, and more.
Top the blondies with flaky sea salt for a salty pop to contrast the sweetness.
Top with a drizzle of dark chocolate for a sophisticated touch.

How To Store Brown Butter Blondies

Bake and store the blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, refrigerate for up to one week, or freeze for up to three months. Bring to room temperature before serving.

More Blondie and Brownie Recipes You'll Love

Blondies and brownies are crowd-pleasing desserts for any season. From peanut butter to peppermint, save these recipes for your next gathering:

Editorial contributions by Katie Rosenhouse.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 (4-oz.) 60% bittersweet chocolate bars, chopped

Directions

Brown the butter:

Cook butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until butter melts, smells toasted, and turns brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; immediately pour butter into a large metal bowl. Let cool about 20 minutes (butter should still be melted, but bowl should be cool enough to handle).
Prepare baking pan:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray, and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides.
Mix blondie batter:

Add granulated sugar and brown sugar to melted butter in bowl; whisk together until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; whisk together until incorporated. Add flour and salt; fold together using a rubber spatula until just fully incorporated. Fold in chopped chocolate. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan.
Bake blondies:

Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick comes out clean (the top will still look moist), about 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack until pan is cool to the touch, about 1 hour.
Cut into squares:

Remove blondies from pan using parchment paper overhang; transfer to a cutting board. Cut into squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is a blondie different from a brownie?

While brownies include melted chocolate or cocoa, or both, for a deep chocolatey flavor, blondies skip the chocolate and are more of a cookie baked in bar form.
Should blondies be gooey in the center?

A wooden pick inserted into the center should come out clean when the blondies are done baking. If the blondies are overly gooey in the center, give them more time to bake. They should be set to a chewy consistency when cool.
What were blondies originally called?

Early brownies in the late 19th century were flavored with molasses. Chocolate was added later, leading to the original variety being referred to as blonde brownies, and later, blondies.